Jarvis spell inspires Lancashire to commanding victory at Derby.

Kyle Jarvis claimed 5-13 as he inspired Lancashire to a 250-run victory in their opening LV=County Championship match against Derbyshire.

The Zimbabwean took five wickets for ten runs in his first six overs of the day, accounting for the dangerous Martin Guptill (32) and captain Wayne Madsen (29) as Derbyshire were bowled out for 114, losing their final eight wickets in the morning session on Day Four.

Lancashire launched to the top of the second division with a 21-point victory over their promotion rivals, who fell apart on the final day at the County Ground.

Lancashire started the day needing eight more wickets to achieve victory in their first game back in the second division and Tom Bailey (3-38) made the first breakthrough, removing night-watchman Tom Taylor (2) when he was caught by Steven Croft at third slip at 36/3.

This brought Madsen to the crease and his stand with the destructive Kiwi was always likely to be the one which Lancashire wanted to break before it had the chance to do damage to their final-day rally for victory.

Their partnership worth 41 runs proved to be the highest of the innings and did start to threaten as Peter Siddle was unable to remove either batsmen. However, the introduction of 26-year-old Jarvis was a revelation as he removed both Guptill and Madsen in his first five overs, as well as Wes Durston who made 85 in the first innings, to give the fast bowler figures of 3-3.

The immediacy with which Jarvis made his mark on the game - and the way he commanded the morning session - took effect after only his second ball of the day, when he encouraged Guptill to edge through to Davies.

Guptill's reaction was one of disappointment and disbelief and this huge wicket signalled the start of a procession from Jarvis, who struck 19 balls later to remove Durston (3), as he found Simon Kerrigan at mid-wicket who took a good low catch.

At 83/5 any outside chance of Derbyshire winning the match had been eradicated and their morning went from bad to worse when captain Madsen became Jarvis's third victim in 26 balls, as he was trapped lbw.

Jarvis claimed another lbw when Alex Hughes (9) shouldered arms to a swinging delivery from the Zimbabwean as Derbyshire's innings started to capitulate with the hosts struggling on 102/7. Hughes was Jarvis's fourth wicket and he then claimed his first five-wicket-haul for the Red Rose when he found another lbw, this time Shiv Thakor (4), who played across a straight delivery to become the fifth wicket to fall for 28 runs.

Jarvis claimed 5 wickets for 10 runs in an inspired spell for Lancashire.

Taking a step back at this point, it has to be said that Jarvis has come a long way. The fast bowler admitted that his introduction into county cricket was an eye-opener last season, but he has worked on his fitness and he bowls with a purpose. He is quick, a fierce competitor and he bowls a consistently nagging line and length. The wicket of Thakor was his sixth of the match and for those who were concerned about the departure of Kyle Hogg, Kabir Ali and Glen Chapple, it is fair to say that they have found a real talent in Jarvis.

The Zimbabwean's services were no longer required as Bailey - who went under the radar in this innings due to Jarvis's antics - found his third scalp when he dismissed Harvey Hosein. Bailey claimed his best first-class figures for Lancashire as he had the Derbyshire wicketkeeper bowled for six with the score at a measly 113/9.

Kerrigan, who had been tipped as the dangerman for Lancashire on the final day of this match, must have been slightly disappointed not to have had more of a go at the Derbyshire batsmen on a pitch which would more than likely have offered some assistance to the left-arm spinner.

However, Kerrigan was chaired with the responsibility of claiming the final wicket of the match, removing Mark Footitt for a duck when the tail-ender became the fifth batsmen to be out lbw in the innings, as Lancashire achieved a whopping 250-run victory in their first match of the season.

County Championship points: Lancashire 21 pts, Derbyshire 4 pts.