A SWIFT blast from Charl Langeveldt and a resolute effort from Greg Smith has set Derbyshire on their way to even footing against Northamptonshire at Chesterfield.

The game, which lost a full day to the weather, is heading for a draw but it was Derbyshire's task to make sure they ended the third day in just that position and they have done that.

The suggestion was that Northants, resuming on 382-6 after cashing in on beautiful batting conditions on the first day, would declare at 400 and hope the second day rain had left the wicket in a more lively state for their bowlers.

Derbyshire's first target was to see if they could pinch a third bowling point and, not only did they do this, they also denied Northants a fifth point for batting.

Langeveldt was the main reason for that.

He needed the assistance of an outstanding one-handed slip catch from Chris Rogers to end Alex Wakely's long stay in his first over of the day but then he completed bemused David Lucas with a full-length ball and had his old South Africa team-mate Andrew Hall caught behind to give his side that extra bowling point.

It also gave Langevelt his best bowling figures of the season – 5-52 in 25 overs which, bearing in mind the steady flow of runs on the first day, are astonishingly good figures.

He now has 38 Championship wickets from eight matches at a cost of less than 20 each. What a fantastic acquisition he has been.

Graham Wagg, no mean performer himself this season, polished off the last Northants wicket for figures of 3-102 to leave the away side all out for 399.

That was close enough to where Northants wanted to be but you suspect losing their last four wickets for 17 runs in nine overs was not in the plan.

The tumble of wickets was also a danger sign for Derbyshire that they would have to tread carefully at the start of their reply and opening pair Rogers and Paul Borrington put on 70 to avert an early crisis.

Rogers is in the sort of form where he looks as if he expects to score heavily every time he walks to the middle and soon completed another half-century, his ninth first-class score beyond 50 this season.

Borrington was less ambitious but saw off 82 balls for his eight runs, which included a boundary off the outside edge, before he was caught at slip off the spinner Nicky Boje.

Rogers, for whatever reason, lost his way briefly and that was to cost him his wicket on 57.

Suddenly, Derbyshire were two down for 71 and that might have been three had Johan Louw held a simple catch at mid off before Wavell Hinds was off the mark.

Derbyshire were clearly not out of the woods.

Hinds fell too short a time afterwards for four at 111-3 and Dan Birch, who had moved solidly on to 41, was out to a top-edged sweep at 124-4.

Jamie Pipe batted in his usual spot at six and it was a brave 20 from him, considering he has a broken finger, which helped see Derbyshire to 172-5.

Smith and Jon Clare took them past the follow-on target of 250 with an unbroken stand of 97.

It was certainly Smith's most patient innings for his county as he faced 158 balls to reach the close on 70 not out.

Clare, who Northants must be sick of the sight of, was 50 not out – his sixth first-class knock of 50 or more this season.

Safety was in the bag but anything more exciting than that may be beyond this contest on the final day.