Imagine the joy felt by Mark Lawson, the former Yorkshire leg spinner, when Derbyshire offered him a trial in the final championship match of the season only a month after he had been released by his native county. But his excitement was short-lived as he broke a finger fending a steeply rising ball from Garnett Kruger to short leg, denying him the chance to impress before he had bowled a ball.

This was but one example of the pitch's capricious behaviour, because there has been sharp seam movement as well as uneven bounce.

Jake Needham became Kruger's fifth victim when he was bowled by one that kept low as Derbyshire were bowled out in 63.5 overs. But they struck quickly in reply when a ball from Wayne White reared at Matt Boyce and was deflected to slip.

Scoreboard

Derbyshire: First Innings
S D Stubbings b Cliff 1
P M Borrington b Daggett 13
F D Telo c Allenby b Kruger 1
D J Redfern lbw b Kruger 47
G M Smith c Allenby b Kruger 22
T J New c Allenby b Daggett 24
*G G Wagg c Smith b Cliff 9
R A Whiteley c Nixon b Henderson 27
J Needham b Kruger 23
M A K Lawson c Boyce b Kruger 5
W A White not out 1
Extras (lb 17, w 2, nb 2) 21
Total (63.5 overs) 194

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-6, 3-44, 4-90, 5-103, 6-112, 7-141, 8-174, 9-191.

Bowling: Kruger 20.5-6-51-5; Cliff 14-5-39-2; Daggett 13-0-54-2; Allenby 6-2-13-0; Henderson 10-3-20-1.

Leicestershire: First Innings
M A G Boyce c sub b White 6
G P Smith not out 12
H H Dippenaar not out 9
Extras (nb 4) 4
Total (1 wkt, 12 overs) 31

H D Ackerman, J J Cobb, *P A Nixon, J Allenby, L M Daggett, C W Henderson, G J P Kruger and S J Cliff to bat.

Fall of wicket: 1-15.

Bowling: Wagg 6-3-13-0; White 6-0-18-1.

Umpires: B Dudleston and S A Garratt.