Franklin stars in wicket-fest

Watch free daily video highlights from every LV= County Championship match here on ecb.co.uk this summer

James Franklin recorded remarkable figures of 7-14 as Derbyshire were bowled out for a scarcely believable 44

James Franklin claimed a career-best 7-14 to bowl Derbyshire out for 44 and put Gloucestershire on course for victory in their LV= County Championship clash at Bristol.

On a day in which an amazing 24 wickets fell, the visitors survived for only an hour and a quarter in their first innings, Franklin hastening their collapse by taking five wickets in his first three overs without conceding a run.

That was just the start of two crazy sessions in which Gloucestershire were dismissed for 156 in reply - Steffan Jones claimed 4-26 - before Derbyshire reached 127 for four, leading by 15, second time round.

Derbyshire were nine for six at one point in their first innings, having been invited to bat under a cloudless sky.

Jon Lewis had Wayne Madsen caught behind in the first over and Franklin removed Chris Rogers, Chesney Hughes, Greg Smith, Wes Durston and Jon Clare in an astonishing burst from the Ashley Down Road End.

Bowling full and swinging the ball, the New Zealander looked to have virtually won the game in the first 25 minutes, gaining three lbw decisions and two catches.

He added the wickets of former Gloucestershire player Steve Adshead and Graham Wagg before being taken off after six action-packed overs.

Robin Peterson top-scored with 15 as the visitors were blown away in 16.1 overs for their lowest score since 1975, when they made 42 against Lancashire at Buxton, and their lowest against Gloucestershire.

Lewis finished with 2-13, while the country’s leading wicket-taker, Gemaal Hussain, was barely required. He bowled four overs for 15 runs.

Batting looked no easier for the home side as they slumped to 30 for four in reply, Wagg claiming two of the wickets.

But Hamish Marshall and Chris Taylor, who hit 45 and 37 respectively, put on 69 and Gloucestershire looked to be building a significant lead.

They were 132 for five at one point, but then imploded to the bowling of Jones, who took four wickets in five balls from the Pavilion End.

The veteran seamer dismissed debutant Jack Taylor and Lewis with successive deliveries, narrowly missing out on a hat-trick as Hussain survived a loud lbw shout.

He was adjudged leg before to the next ball, though, and, at the start of his following over, Jones had Steve Snell caught in the covers for 31.

In their second innings, Derbyshire openers Rogers and Madsen took the score to 58 before a mix-up over a single saw the former run out by Lewis’s direct hit.

Derbyshire had almost wiped out the 112-run deficit when Madsen was caught behind off Hussain for 39.

But Wes Durston and nightwatchman Tim Groenewald also fell in the closing stages, leaving Gloucestershire favourites to complete victory inside two days.