Godleman emerges well from helter-skelter day

Sixteen wickets fell and over 300 runs were scored during a frenetic day's cricket at Grace Road which finished with Derbyshire strong favourites to complete a fourth Championship win of the season.

When Leicestershire's seamers picked up five wickets in seven overs after tea, reducing Derbyshire from 212 for 5 in their second innings to 241 all out, it left the Foxes needing 273 to win, and their first Championship victory at Grace Road since September 2012 appeared a distinct possibility. But Debyshire's attack responded in kind, and on a wicket of increasingly variable bounce, Angus Robson, Ned Eckersley, Mark Cosgrove and Lewis Hill were all dismissed leg before wicket to leave the home team in desperate trouble on 56 for 4 at the close.

Leicestershire's overseas player Clint McKay was the instigator of Derbyshire's collapse, picking up the wickets of Harvey Hosein, leg before leaving a ball that came back off the seam, Tony Palladino, caught at second slip off bat and glove from a delivery that rose sharply from not much short of a good length and then Wes Durston caught behind. Ben Raine then had Billy Godleman caught behind the ball after the Derbyshire opener had gone to his century, his first of the Championship season, made off 165 balls, before McKay dismissed Ben Cotton with another lifter.

Earlier, Godleman and Ben Slater had scored quickly in compiling an opening partnership of 57 when Derbyshire began their second innings with a useful lead of 31. It was a good morning for the visitors, who began the day by picking up the two wickets they needed to end Leicestershire's first innings for the addition of just 10 runs. Rob Sayer pushed forward at a Tillakaratne Dillshan delivery and edged a low catch to Wayne Madsen at first slip, before McKay edged an attempted defensive shot at Mark Footitt into his stumps, giving the left-arm quick bowler his fifth wicket of the innings, for just 53 runs - consolation of sorts after being left out of the England squad for the fifth Test at The Oval.

Goldleman and Slater then scored at four runs an over before the left-handed Slater, on 17, was bowled by a Charlie Shreck in-swinger for the second time in the match. Madsen, who scored a superb unbeaten 172 in Derbyshire's first innings, looked in understandably good touch in going to 22, but Raine lifted Leicestershire's spirits by bowling the South African through the gate with a delivery that did just enough to beat his defensive push.

Tillakaratne Dillshan went quickly, looking to drive the young Leicestershire offspinner Rob Sayer, and edging a low catch to Robson at first slip. At 117 for 3, Derbyshire's lead was only 148, but Alex Hughes joined Godleman in adding 56 for the fourth wicket before pulling a Sayer long-hop straight into the hands of Mark Cosgrove at midwicket.

Shiv Thakor, formerly of Leicestershire, made just 10 before gloving a Raine delivery down the leg side to wicketkeeper Niall O'Brien, but Hosein and Godleman saw the visitors through to tea, though few would have predicted what was to come after the break.