Billy Godleman scored his first century of the first-class season before a flurry of late wickets put Derbyshire into the ascendancy going into the final day at Leicester.
Godleman led the Derbyshire scoring in their second innings after Graeme Welch’s side had removed the remaining Leicestershire batsmen in the morning to bowl them out for 314 first time around with Mark Footitt picking up another five-wicket haul.
Wickets fell at regular intervals in Derbyshire’s second innings but Godleman played a marvellous innings to rack up 101 from 166 balls as his side scored 241 to set a chase of 273 for the home side.
Two wickets for Tony Palladino and a wicket apiece for Ben Cotton and Shiv Thakor helped put the game back into Derbyshire’s favour late on in the day and reduce Leicestershire to 56-4 at the close, needing 200 more runs for victory.
Derbyshire finished off the remaining two members of the Leicestershire tail in quick fashion as Tillakaratne Dilshan secured his maiden first-class wicket for the Club and Footitt then removed his fifth victim of the match to dismiss the hosts for 314.
Opening pair Godleman and Ben Slater got Derbyshire’s second innings off to a fast start, putting on 57 for the first wicket inside 14 overs but Slater was first man out for 17.
Godleman continued to pile on the runs despite the dismissals of Wayne Madsen for 22 and Dilshan for 15 and raced to 50 for the seventh time this campaign from 79 balls.
Alex Hughes joined Godleman at number four and helped take the lead past 200 before being caught by Leicestershire skipper Mark Cosgrove off Rob Sayer for 28.
Shiv Thakor came and went for 10 for Derbyshire as the visitors took tea on 212-5. The tea break signalled a revival in the Leicestershire attack as they took the remaining five wickets for 29 runs and bowled Derbyshire out for 241.
There was, however, chance for Godleman to reach the first century of his first-class season from 165 balls having struck nine fours in a superb innings that meant his side set their hosts 273 to win.
With 21 overs left in the day for Leicestershire to bat, Cotton gave Derbyshire a perfect start by trapping Angus Robson lbw in his first over. Soon after, the golden-arm of Thakor struck to remove Ned Eckersley with his first ball as he was adjudged lbw having begun to build a threatening partnership with opener Lewis Hill.
Cosgrove had secured an important century during the first innings for Leicestershire but the key man fell cheaply second time around when he was lbw to Palladino in the 15th over.
Hill became the fourth lbw victim of the innings – and second to Palladino – for 21 in the 17th as Leicestershire reached stumps on 56-4.
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Derbyshire take a trip to Durham on Monday 17 August in the Royal London One-Day Cup before returning to The 3aaa County Ground for the final game of the group stages versus Worcestershire on Tuesday 18 August. Kids go FREE and Adults can save £4 on their admission by purchasing in advance.
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