Munton's batting lifts Derbyshire against old colleagues

Tim Munton came back to haunt Warwickshire - not in his specialist role as a pace bowler but by making only his fourth half-century in first-class cricket.

The acting Derbyshire captain, who spent 15 campaigns at Edgbaston until moving to the East Midlands last year, lifted the bottom-of-the-table strugglers to a more presentable total of 165.

The signs were good for Warwickshire when they took the first eight wickets for 101 in their bid to re-launch a faltering promotion challenge in a match reduced to three days because of rain on Wednesday.

The weather was still a problem, with drizzle causing intermittent interruptions, but the early rush of wickets promised a short cut to a first win in five games.

Derbyshire's batting weaknesses were soon evident when Michael Di Venuto, lbw without playing a shot, and Luke Sutton, caught at short leg, departed to the first and last balls of the seventh over from Melvyn Betts.

Neil Carter then removed Rob Bailey with a leg-side catch by Keith Piper and Derbyshire lost their anchor man when Steve Stubbings angled a ball from Alan Richardson to gully.

Mathew Dowman tamely carved off-spinner Neil Smith to backward point and there were further wickets in quick succession for the seamers, Dougie Brown, Richardson and Carter.

Karl Krikken had injected welcome resistance with a patient 18 before Munton took control with 50 from 88 balls and a ninth-wicket partnership of 55 with Kevin Dean (18).

Richardson finally wrapped up the innings for final figures of 4 for 28 and, in poor light to the close, Warwickshire lost skipper Michael Powell for 37 and Ian Bell for six - both to Graeme Welch - while making 88 for 2. Nick Knight was unbeaten on 37.