Footitt four-for helps secure handy lead

Derbyshire 253 and 73 for 1 lead Kent 159 (Footitt 4-61) by 167 runs
Scorecard

Derbyshire's bowlers made sure there was not too heavy a price to pay for their post-tea collapse on day one by bowling Kent out for 159 on the second day of their Championship match in Derby. Four wickets for Mark Footitt, taking him to 60 for the season, and two each for Tony Palladino and Ben Cotton earned Derbyshire a first-innings lead of 94, which they had extended to 167 at the close.

Unable to find the breakthrough in 11 overs the previous evening, Derbyshire were kept waiting five more in the morning before Rob Key was lbw to Footitt for 29 at 50 for 1 and the sides then settled in for a period of attrition which saw only 13 runs added in 12 overs.

The arm-wrestle was won by the bowling side, with Daniel Bell-Drummond lbw to Cotton for 19 and Sam Northeast pushing at a Palladino ball to be caught behind for one in the next over.

Footitt returned to the attack to have an instant impact, as his second ball was played on to the stumps by Joe Denly and the fifth flattened the off stump of Ben Harmison, who did not offer a shot. Calum Haggett edged Palladino and was caught at third slip by Godleman after the ball was pushed into the air by Chesney Hughes at second, then Sean Dickson was lbw to Cotton to make it 119 for 7.

James Tredwell held out for 20 before Footitt bowled him and though Matt Hunn gave the Kent innings a late flurry for 23 not out the innings ended when Ivan Thomas was run out coming back for a third run only to be beaten by the throw by Scott Elstone at deep cover.

With Sam Billings absent because of the dislocated finger he suffered keeping wicket on day one, that was it for Kent. Footitt finished with 4 for 61 and Cotton 2 for 45, with Palladino's unerring 16 overs bringing him 2 for 21. Shiv Thakor played no part for Derbyshire after suffering concussion from a blow to the head while batting, which made their bowling performance even more impressive.

Kent hopes that they could find similar success quickly faded as Derbyshire openers Billy Godleman and Ben Slater extended the lead before Slater chopped a Thomas ball on to his stumps to make it 43 for 1. But Godleman, scorer of a century in his last two Championship innings, was immovable and was 42 not out when bad light and rain brought an early end to the day.