Slater century can't disguise Derbyshire frailties

Derbyshire suffered another first innings batting failure despite a century from Ben Slater as Craig Miles bowled Gloucestershire back into the Division Two match at Derby.

Slater's 110, his first county championship hundred for nearly two years, should have set Derbyshire up for a commanding total but the last seven wickets fell for 67 runs as they subsided to 242 with Miles finishing with outstanding figures of 4 for 30 from 17 overs.

Gloucestershire had bowled poorly after Derbyshire elected to bat and moved to 91 without loss until Miles ran through the top order to change the course of the day.

Derbyshire hit back in the closing overs with Gareth Roderick falling to Tom Milnes but Gloucestershire held the initiative at stumps on 27 for 1 , 215 behind.

Derbyshire would have expected to have a much bigger total to defend when Slater and Billy Godleman plundered some desperately poor bowling in the first hour to cruise along at six an over.

Gloucestershire's seamers failed to maintain an accurate line and it was only when Jack Taylor's off-spin was introduced at the City end in the ninth over that they managed to exert some control.

Only Miles consistently posed problems and he made the first breakthrough when Godleman drove firmly but straight to cover where Taylor took a good low catch.

It was the first of three wickets in as many overs as Liam Norwell found some late movement to have Alex Hughes caught behind and then Wayne Madsen drove to point without scoring.

Slater and Broom set out about rebuilding the innings after lunch with the opener adding to his three one-day hundreds this season before a second collapse handed the initiative to Gloucestershire.

Broom had looked fortunate to survive an lbw appeal against Miles but edged to second slip in the bowler's next over and Matt Critchley drove a return catch to Taylor before tea.

The decline continued when Slater was caught down the legside in the sixth over after tea and Tom Milnes failed to beat David Payne's throw from mid on when he was sent back by Harvey Hosein who faced 31 balls before he got off the mark.

Will Davis drove and pulled Josh Shaw for three consecutive fours but when he edged the next delivery to second slip, Derbyshire had let an opportunity slip away on a decent pitch in good batting conditions.

Milnes struck an early blow when he found bounce and movement to have Roderick caught at first slip but Derbyshire have a lot to do to claim a first championship win of the season.