Derbyshire cricket: Bats swing and wickets tumble to set up intriguing finish to match

WHO needs declarations? Derbyshire and Leicestershire gave their game a nudge without the need to come to an arrangement yesterday.

The third day of their LV County Championship game at the County Ground finished with the outcome finely poised.

Leicestershire have three second innings wickets left and are 256 runs ahead, which already means Derbyshire's bowlers are going to have to get a move on at the beginning of the final day and they are going to have to bat well to take the win – but at least all results are possible.

When Derbyshire walked out for the start of play the draw was a strong favourite but 386 runs and 15 wickets made it an eventful day, to say the least.

No batsman from either side seemed particularly inclined to overstay their welcome in the middle but they set out to pound the ball to all parts while they could.

Garry Park would certainly have liked to have hung around for longer but he was denied his first century for the county again when he was caught at slip off the left-arm spin of George Walker, having added only two to his overnight 70.

That was tough on Park because he did such a great job in steering his side away from potential danger and he deserved the chance to be a real hero.

As he watched his team-mates cash in against an increasingly ragged Leicestershire attack, his frustration must have grown.

Dan Redfern struck three fours in an over from Harry Gurney to complete his third Championship half-century of the season but he was out shortly after for 50.

Wavell Hinds drove his second ball for six off Walker and pounded his way to 40 before being caught behind. Greg Smith gave his wicket away for 40 and Jamie Pipe, who hit nine fours and a six in his 52-ball stay, was out for 49.

Where was the fire? Having seemed almost certain to put full batting points in the bank when they reached lunch at 310-5, Derbyshire were all out for 365 within an hour of the interval and had conceded a first innings lead of 47.

Iain O'Brien, Leicestershire's New Zealand bowler, bowled far too short for most of the game but began to pitch the ball up and walked off the ground with 6-87 to his name, taking the last six Derbyshire wickets.

Tom New, who had a torrid time with the gloves in his loan spell at the County Ground last season, had six catches, which was half as many as he claimed in six Championship matches for Derbyshire.

Some of the batting was bewildering but the game was advancing and Leicestershire rose to the spirit of the occasion by contributing to their own problems at 74-4 in the 19 remaining overs before the tea break.

James Taylor, scorer of 89 in the first innings, failed this time and James Allenby seemed determined to hurl his bat at anything in a sharp 52 which included four fours and four sixes – at least two of them off top edges.

At 143-6, Derbyshire had the upper hand but New has enjoyed his return to Derby and scored a second half-century of the match.

Walker was content to stick with him as they held Derbyshire up with a stand of 65 and it was important that the partnership was broken in the penultimate over of the day.

Ben Slater, on as substitute because Dan Redfern took a fearful blow to the cheek fielding at short leg, dived forward to take the catch and a finely-balanced game took another turn.