Ben Slater hit 68 but 15 wickets fell on Day Three and Derbyshire were all out for 209, meaning Warwickshire head into Day Four needing 70 more runs to win at Edgbaston.
Derbyshire’s opening bowling pair of Duanne Olivier (4-134) and Hardus Viljoen (2-97) were quick to take four wickets and wrap up the Warwickshire first innings in little over an hour, the hosts all out for 439.
Trailing by 121, Derbyshire’s second innings stuttered from the second over, before Slater and Alex Hughes (37) showed resistance. The hosts fought back in the final session to dismiss Derbyshire for 209 and set themselves a target of 89 to win.
They lost one wicket in their final innings chase, but reached the close on 19-1, 70 runs from victory.
Olivier removed Matthew Lamb (79) 15 minutes into the day before the middle-order batsman could add to his overnight score.
He struck again four overs later, Jeetan Patel caught by Billy Godleman in the cordon for seven, but Tim Ambrose remained the problem as he kept scoring freely in search of a three-figure lead.
Derbyshire completed a good morning’s work with the ball when Viljoen had Henry Brookes caught behind for nine and Ambrose finally fell to Olivier for 40.
But the wicketkeeper became the sixth batsman to score 40 or more and once Warwickshire were all out for 439, they had earned a healthy a lead of 121 runs.
Derbyshire’s progress in this game was dealt a major blow at the start of their final innings, with Luis Reece (0) and Wayne Madsen (4) both out to Brookes in his first over with the score 10-2.
The visitors’ resilience started with Slater and Hughes, the pair digging in in the face of good bowling from the buoyant Brookes and experienced Patel.
They brought up the 50 partnership shortly after lunch and soon it was Derbyshire’s highest of the match, before it was ended by Patel with the score 98-3 as Hughes was out lbw.
Godleman failed to settle and after he was out without scoring, caught by Ian Bell off Patel, the day swung once again in Warwickshire’s favour.
Slater continued and reached his 50 off 118 balls, with eight fours, but he was out to Patel for 68 and Gary Wilson fell to Brookes soon after.
Matt Critchley (6) became the final recognised batsman to fall with the lead just 49 and Derbyshire’s hopes of setting a competitive target faded.
The tail fell away as the powerful Vijoen pushed on and struck four fours and three sixes in his 44 before he was last man out, Derbyshire all out for 209 to set Warwickshire 89 runs to win.
Olivier had Will Rhodes lbw for four in the third over of the chase, but Dominic Sibley and Bell both closed on six not out to leave Warwickshire on the brink of victory heading into Day Four.
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