Hosts on top at Derby

Tom Lungley

Derbyshire took control of the LV County Championship Division Two match at Derby when their seam attack left Gloucestershire struggling to avoid the follow-on.

A spell of three wickets for five runs in 23 balls from Tom Lungley shot away the top order as the visitors slumped to 164 for five in reply to the home side's 500 for nine declared - still 336 runs behind.

Captain Alex Gidman was unbeaten on 42 at the close of the second day - but Gloucestershire have a lot to do to achieve their first target of 351.

Derbyshire's lower order took the game away from Gloucestershire with Ant Botha scoring 98 and wicket-keeper Jamie Pipe making an unbeaten half-century, despite another impressive performance from spinner Vikram Banerjee who bowled 37 overs to take 4-103.

By the time Derbyshire called a halt, Gloucestershire had spent nearly eight sessions in the field since Sunday.

All-rounder Alex Gidman is still at the crease © Getty Images

But they could have shortened their ordeal if they had removed Botha in the eighth over of the morning.

Botha was on 22 when he top-edged a pull at Gidman - but wicket-keeper Stephen Adshead, playing only as a batsman in this match, put down the chance at square leg.

It proved to be a costly miss as Botha moved to his half-century, which included seven fours, from 75 balls - and another 51 runs were added with Greg Smith before the visitors broke through.

Smith had made 40 when he cut hard at Banerjee and was superbly caught one handed low to his left by Hamish Marshall.

The sixth-wicket stand had put on 93 in 28 overs and there was more punishment to come as Botha and Jamie Pipe accelerated.

Botha drove Banerjee for a six and a four to bring up the 400 and when Mark Hardinges was brought back, Pipe took four fours from his first over.

Derbyshire scored 130 from 33 overs in the morning and they batted on for another 20 overs after lunch although Botha missed out on a century when he was run out by a direct hit from backward point.

Banerjee was rewarded with the last two wickets and Pipe was not out on 53, which included a six and six fours, when Derbyshire declared.

After such a marathon stint in the field, it was no surprise when they lost Ian Fisher in the third over, lbw on the crease to Graham Wagg for five.

Kadeer Ali and Marshall appeared to be building a platform until Lungley started the slide by moving a delivery away to have the New Zealander caught behind for 47.

Chris Taylor went three balls later, bowled playing no shot, and when Kadeer was lbw padding up, the follow-on target of 351 looked a long way off.

Ian Hunter replaced Lungley to remove Adshead cheaply and reduce Gloucestershire to 120 for five.

But Gidman, who scored two centuries in the previous game, gave his side a glimmer of hope despite needing some treatment in the middle for a stiff back.