Collapse puts Derbyshire into difficult spot

LEADERS Derbyshire looked to have enhanced their Division Two title hopes after bowling out Essex for 245 – but then crashed to 28-3 in reply.

Former Yorkshire left-arm spinner David Wainwright took 4-64 as Graham Napier top-scored for Essex with 42 and added 74 for the eighth wicket with David Masters.

The latter then took 2-3 in seven overs against his former county and Napier removed nightwatchman Tony Palladino before the close.

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Brendon Nash made 108no as Kent closed on 322-6 against Leicestershire at Grace Road.

The West Indian added 134 with Geraint Jones (52). Openers Rob Key (68) and Sam Northeast (52) earlier put on 110 while Robert Taylor took 4-77.

Opener Niall O’Brien’s unbeaten century led Northamptonshire to 241-4 against Glamorgan in Cardiff.

Kevin Pietersen put his England issues to one side with an imperious 163 for Surrey on the opening day of the Division One encounter with Somerset at Taunton.

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Batting for a minute short of four hours and facing 168 balls, Pietersen struck 20 fours and three sixes in recording his 45th first-class century.

Saj Mahmood claimed 4-62, but Somerset then lost openers Arul Suppiah and Marcus Trescothick with only 16 on the board before closing on 42-2.

Ian Westwood led Warwickshire’s drive for batting points and Paul Franks battled to keep Nottinghamshire in contention at Edgbaston.

Westwood made an impressive 81 and Franks took 3-52, but a stand of 102 by Tim Ambrose and Rikki Clarke protected Warwickshire’s position at top of Division One as they closed on 298-5.

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Lancashire slipped still further into relegation trouble as they fell to 58-5 against Durham before the lower middle order battled back.

Graham Onions took 3-26 in 20 overs, but Gareth Cross hit 57 in a stand of 72 with Tom Smith, who then added an unbroken 91 with Kyle Hogg on his way to 86 not out.

Captain Daryl Mitchell made 129 not out to keep Worcestershire in the game on 295-8 against Middlesex at New Road.