Derbyshire fell Essex stars

Derbyshire 64 for 2 (Madsen 25*, Palladino 4*, Masters 2-23) v Essex 179 (Foster 62, Rafiq 3-24, Palladino 3-60)
Scorecard

Essex's England batsmen Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara both had poor days as Derbyshire paceman Tony Palladino wrecked his former county's batting in their County Championship clash at Derby. Palladino had Cook caught behind for 4 before Bopara was out for a duck to a vicious lifter from Tim Groenewald.

Palladino took three wickets to reduce Essex to 43 for 5 and although James Foster and Matt Walker replied with half centuries, the visitors collapsed again to be 179 all out. On-loan spinner Azeem Rafiq also claimed 3 for 24 in 16 overs. The visitors did fight back with the ball as David Masters took two wickets, including Australia Test batsman Usman Khawaja, as Derbyshire closed 115 behind on 64 for 2.

Derbyshire's decision to put Essex in on a greenish pitch was quickly rewarded as Palladino conjured some late movement to find Cook's inside edge in the fourth over of the day. Jaik Mickleburgh became his second victim when he padded up four overs later and Groenewald struck another big blow by ripping out Bopara.

The allrounder had scored a match-winning century in the previous Championship game but he could do nothing with a ball that took off to give Luke Sutton his second catch of the morning.

Mark Pettini was bowled off his thigh pad as he moved across to Greg Smith's medium pace and when Adam Wheater skied an ill-advised pull at Palladino, half the Essex side were back in the pavilion.

The pitch was certainly providing some movement for the seamers but Foster and Walker put conditions into perspective with some watchful batting to repair the early damage. They added 109 in 41 overs before Walker top-edged a sweep at Rafiq and was caught by Sutton running to square leg for 56 off 157 balls.

That was the start of another slide that saw the last five wickets fall for 27 although Tim Phillips was unlucky when he drove Rafiq into the thigh of Dan Redfern at silly point and Sutton plunged forward pouch the rebound.

Masters had only himself to blame for the carve at a short ball from Groenewald which ended in the hands of third man before another lifter accounted for Chris Wright. After Lonwabo Tsotsobe groped hopefully at five balls from Smith, Foster launched a reverse sweep at Rafiq but picked out deep backward point to be last out for 62 off 146 balls.

Essex struck quickly when Masters found some lift to have Chesney Hughes caught behind for six in the fifth over but Wayne Madsen and Khawaja took the home side past 50 before Masters made another breakthrough.

Khawaja had survived a mistimed pull at Wright on 16 but he had no answer to a rising ball from Masters which flew into Foster's gloves to keep Essex in the contest.