DERBYSHIRE lost a couple of vital wickets in the last two overs of the day at Southport to leave Lancashire slight favourites to win the LV= Division Two match at Trafalgar Road.

Having conceded a first-innings lead of 181, the visitors were 123-3 at the close, having lost both Ben Slater for 58 and Chesney Hughes for 41.

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Both batsmen were caught by by Lancashire skipper Steven Croft. Arron Lilley dismissed Slater, who had made his fifth half-century in his last eight innings, while Simon Kerrigan had Hughes taken off his glove.

The second-wicket pair had added 98 runs in 39 overs and it looked as though Lancashire’s bowlers were to enjoy just one success as they pressed for victory on the third day of this game.

Replying to the home side’s mammoth 551, the highest score made in County Championship matches on the ground, Derbyshire were 28-1 at tea with skipper Billy Godleman the man out for seven.

In the first half of the day Lancashire established a formidable first-innings lead.

The batsman who took most toll of the visitors’ attack was again Ashwell Prince, who had taken his overnight 156 not out to 230 before he pulled Matthew Critchley to Scott Elstone at straightish midwicket.

However, Prince was helped by both Alex Davies and Jordan Clark as the home side piled on the runs on and came into lunch 479-6 with Prince on 217.

In the afternoon, Lancashire lost their last four wickets in six overs during the first hour of the session.

After Prince had been dismissed, Critchley soon had the wickets of Bailey, bowled for 0, and Kerrigan, caught behind for one, to go with that of Prince and the leg spinner finished the innings with figures of 3-50.