Draw looks inevitable at Derby

Another day of batting domination at Derby saw the home side make their highest score for three years to claim a first innings lead.

Karl Krikken made 93 and was given good support by the tail as Derbyshire celebrated maximum batting points for the first time this season.

Notts lost Darren Bicknell before they had wiped out Derbyshire's 46 run advantage and Guy Welton also fell before the close when the visitors were 131-2, a lead of 85.

So far, a pitch which has offered very little for the bowlers has yielded 1,229 runs for 22 wickets and unless the teams can contrive something tomorrow, it is hard to see anything other than a draw.

The fact that Derbyshire's last four wickets added 191 runs indicated how easy batting was and after Graeme Welch and Nathan Dumelow had shared stands of 44 and 45, Paul Aldred piled on the frustration for Notts.

He scored 35 out of a partnership of 92 in 26 overs for the ninth wicket before he edged Usman Afzaal to slip and Derbyshire's 572 equalled the fifth highest total in the county's history.

Welton hit two sixes and six fours in his fifty before he was bowled playing around a ball from Welch but Greg Blewett was still there on 39 with the promise of plenty more runs to come on the final day.