DERBY

(Day two of four, Gloucestershire won toss)

Derbyshire, with six second-innings wickets in hand, are 159 runs ahead of Gloucestershire

Lunch

Steve Snell spearheaded Gloucestershire’s batting revival against Derbyshire with his seventh championship half-century of the summer, alongside the hundred he scored against Worcestershire in May. Snell shared an eighth-wicket partnership of 69 in 22 overs with Jon Lewis as Derbyshire toiled in the warm sunshine.

Batting conditions contrasted sharply with the first day when swing bowling contributed heavily to 16 wickets tumbling. Only two fell this time in the morning, those of Richard Dawson, well caught by Paul Borrington low at gully off Charl Langeveldt and of Lewis, who had already endured two awkward moments against Wayne White. After making 17, he fended off a lifting ball just short of Dan Redfern at square leg and then edged the same bowler over the outstretched fingers of Chris Rogers at second slip. Lewis scored 28 before being caught at the wicket off Ian Hunter. Gloucestershire reached 194 for eight at lunch, having added 96 in the 30-over session.

Tea

Gloucestershire were dismissed for 222 in the sixth over after lunch when Snell, in aggressive mood, was caught at mid-wicket off Graham Wagg, who finished with six for 56, the second six-wicket return in his seven-year career. Snell had made 72, with nine fours and a six off 127 balls, and guided his team into a once-improbable 34-run first-innings lead.

Wagg adopted the unusual tactic of bowling left-arm spin to Snell and medium pace to Anthony Ireland, the last man, but in a final flurry, Snell cut Hunter to the boundary and hooked a six in the same over. Derbyshire set about attempting to regain the initiative with Rogers playing the anchor role after Borrington was quickly caught at slip off Lewis. Dan Birch was in familiar attacking mode but was leg-before for 47 to Richard Dawson in the last over before tea, leaving Derbyshire at 77 for two.

Close

When Dan Redfern was beaten and bowled by late swing from Kirby, Derbyshire were 100 for three and in a tenuous position but Rogers, who had earlier struggled to find his touch advanced to 74, with 15 fours from 111 balls, when being leg-before on the back foot to Lewis.

Richard Dawson, an off-spinner, had not been used in the first innings but he played a growing part and, as a bonus, helped Gloucestershire to improve a tardy over rate. Consolidation became Derbyshire’s aim and Greg Smith and Tom New saw them safely to the close.