Tony Palladino took 4-87, but a record partnership between Stuart Poynter and Michael Richardson saw Durham dominant Day Three at The 3aaa County Ground.
The pair put on 278 runs for the sixth wicket – the highest partnership for any wicket for Durham against Derbyshire – to help their side recover from 175-5 to 453-6.
Palladino was the pick of the Derbyshire bowlers, but it was Durham’s day as they posted 520 to secure a first-innings lead of 93. The hosts closed the day on 1-0 after two overs.
Derbyshire had made the perfect start to the third morning when Duanne Olivier claimed the wicket of Cameron Steel in the second over, caught behind for 31.
Captain Paul Collingwood joined opener Graham Clark in the middle and the pair played positively to add 54 for the fourth wicket. The stand was broken by Ravi Rampaul who got a delivery to go away from Collingwood and he was caught behind for 27.
Clark followed in the next over when Palladino had him lbw for 63, with the visitors seemingly in a spot of bother at 175-5.
But Poynter and Richardson dominated the afternoon sharing a record-breaking partnership for the sixth wicket. The pair batted throughout the afternoon session and into midway into the evening to put their side in the ascendancy and into the lead.
Poynter was first to three figures, his maiden century in Specsavers County Championship cricket, going on to hit a career-best 170. Richardson, meanwhile, hit 115 as part of the match-defining partnership.
Olivier finally broke the stand in the 120th over, trapping Poynter lbw, before Richardson fell three overs later, also lbw this time to Palladino, but the pair had put Durham in a strong position on 467-7.
Palladino claimed two of the last three wickets to take his tally to four in the innings and in doing so he took his 300th wicket in all formats for Derbyshire.
Luis Reece and Ben Slater successfully navigated the final two overs of the day to close on 1-0, trailing Durham by 92 runs heading into the final day.
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