Dalrymple comes good

Captain Simon Katich contributed 80 to Derbyshire's total of 340 © Getty Images

Jamie Dalrymple returned to form with three wickets as Middlesex bowled Derbyshire out for 340 on the first day of their LV County Championship Division Two match at Southgate.

The England all-rounder, who has struggled since returning from the World Cup, finished with figures of 3-91 after captain Simon Katich and Michael Dighton scored half-centuries for the visitors.

Having decided to bat first, Derbyshire were slow to start, taking five overs to get off the mark.

That was soon followed by the dismissal of Phil Weston, who was beaten by the movement from Chris Silverwood and trapped leg before without scoring.

A further 34 were added before Derbyshire lost their second wicket - Steve Stubbings bowled by Alan Richardson for 15 - but, with the sun coming out, the ball stopped swinging and the Australian pair of Katich and Dighton took the attack to Middlesex.

Having shared a stand of 166 in 39 overs, they were separated by the returning Dalrymple, who bowled Dighton for 68 from 151 balls.

Katich followed in the next over – the 52nd - for 80 after playing a poor shot off Tim Murtagh and seeing his stumps shattered.

Next to go was Greg Smith bowled by Dalrymple for a third-ball duck, the third wicket to fall in the space of 17 balls.

Travis Birt steadily moved to 32 before he became Dalrymple’s third victim, leg before as he pushed forward to one that straightened.

Seventeen-year-old Tom Poynton, making his first-class debut, was the unfortunate victim of a collision with partner Ant Botha and was run out without scoring to leave the visitors on 247 for seven.

Botha and Graham Wagg shared a stand of 38 in nine overs before Wagg fell for 27, caught at cover off Murali Kartik.

The introduction of the new ball in the 81st over saw Richardson claim his second wicket as Botha, on 32, was bowled attempting to drive a full-length delivery.

A further 48 were added before the innings was brought to a close with the dismissal of Kevin Dean, who looked to play Kartik through the leg side but got a leading edge which looped to Andrew Strauss at short mid-wicket.

By the close Middlesex had reached seven without loss, 333 runs behind.