IF centuries were awarded for the nuisance factor, Paul Borrington would have been celebrating his second of the season against Worcestershire.

For almost five and a half hours, the 20-year-old frustrated the home side on the second day of Derbyshire's LV County Championship match at New Road.

Having earned a draw for Loughborough UCCE by scoring 102 not out, his maiden first-class century, in May this year at Kidderminster, Worcestershire must now be sick of the sight of Borrington.

Fortunately for them but not so for Derbyshire, they were able to send him on his way for 85 this time, made off 249 balls with 16 fours, when Simon Jones whipped up a bit of the old fire in a blast of 3-6 in 10 balls with the second new ball.

When rain cut the day's play short, Derbyshire were still 23 runs away from avoiding the follow-on target of 301 at 278-6.

Borrington's stubborn resistance and apparently unquenchable appetite for seeing ball after ball flying harmlessly outside his off stump was crucial to the Derbyshire cause yesterday as they struggled to 123-3 in reply to the host's 450-8 declared.

His partnership of 129 in 37 overs for the fourth wicket with Greg Smith was a precious one but Worcestershire only had themselves to blame for allowing Borrington to be so much of a problem to them.

Derbyshire had been made to regret the dropped catch that allowed Graeme Hick to move from 74 to 149 on the first day but so too were Worcestershire able to look back and lament putting the young opener down twice.

It was bad enough that Ben Smith should spill a straightforward catch at first slip off Gareth Andrew when Borrington was on 40 but when Daryl Mitchell had the opportunity to make amends with him on 48, he too spurned the chance at third slip.

Even without their leading wicket-taker, Kabir Ali, Worcestershire had bowled far better than their opponents and who knows what desperate straits Derbyshire might have found themselves in had the catches been held.

Chris Rogers was also dropped, on 16, by wicketkeeper Stephen Davies but added only four more before he fell to a top-edged pull.

Dan Birch was caught behind for 21 and Wavell Hinds went for 18 to a terrific running catch from captain Vikram Solanki.

But Borrington and Smith gradually put Derbyshire in control as the ball softened and the bowlers lost heart.

Smith is in the best form of his Derbyshire career and looked set to follow his 76 in the last Championship match against Northants with a maiden first-class century.

It would have been thoroughly deserved but the Jones burst not only ended his and his partner's dreams of three figures, it provided an unhappy return for Rikki Clarke.

Jones' meander to the wicket is deceptive because his arm still turns over quickly and he is capable of moving the new ball around just enough.

First he found the edge of Borrington's bat, then he did the same to Clarke second ball and, in his next over, he dismissed Smith for 88. Davies took all three catches.

Smith's score was a career-best, coming off 120 balls with 15 fours but while that left him just short of what he really wanted, the hope for Derbyshire is that they are not left short of the 23 more runs they require.