Lancashire spin their way to victory against Derbyshire

Arron Lilley claimed his first five-wicket-haul for Lancashire as he and Simon Kerrigan guided the home side to an innings and 15-run victory against Derbyshire at Southport.

It took little more than an hour and a half for Lancashire to claim the final seven wickets in Derbyshire's second innings as the visitors capitulated to 166, losing their last nine wickets for only 47 runs.

Lilley claimed five wickets for just 23 runs, while Kerrigan collected four wickets for 80 with the final seven wickets falling for the addition of 33 runs, as the spin duo annihilated Derbyshire at Trafalgar Road.

Derbyshire made their intentions, or lack of, very clear this morning as Hashim Amla and night-watchman, Tom Taylor added three runs in the first eight overs of the day and their turgid stance exemplified the damage of the late wickets claimed by Lancashire yesterday evening.

The first real shot in anger, a wild sweep-slog from Taylor, saw him return to the pavilion when he had his off-stump pegged back by Lilley, this was his second wicket and the off-spinner claimed three more to help Lancashire secure victory.

He had Scott Elstone on his way two overs later when he attempted to sweep Lilley, top-edging the ball to Ashwell Prince at leg-slip as Derbyshire lost their fourth wicket for the addition of 18 runs.

The prized scalp was without doubt Amla and 11 balls after the wicket of Elstone, the South-African Test ace made his last contribution in four-day cricket for Derbyshire when he was bowled by Kerrigan for 11, causing pandemoniac celebrations from Lancashire, most notably Kerrigan who ran away in Panesar'esc fashion.

This was arguably the ball of the day and it is hardly a surprise that such a quality delivery was required to deceive an experienced Test batsman, but Amla was left gobsmacked by a flighted delivery that took his off-stump out of the ground, leaving Derbyshire on 146/6.

Simon Kerrigan played a vital role alongside Lilley as Lancashire ripped through Derby on the final morning.

The sheer volume of overs Lancashire got through in the first hour must have gone a long way towards the pressure they were able to create, as Kerrigan and Lilley bowled 23 overs, taking three wickets for just 27 runs in the first hour of the day.

Early breakthroughs were exactly what Lancashire needed to record a fourth Championship victory of the season and the Red Rose had their seventh wicket when Shiv Thakor (2) edged to Alviro Petersen at second slip, who took a good low catch to give Kerrigan his third wicket.

David Wainwright looked uncomfortable at the crease from the moment he came out to bat and who could blame him given that the likes of Amla before him had been made to look ordinary by a spin combination that was making light work of what could have been a difficult day.

He made a fortuitous start, top-edging behind the keeper for his first boundary, before picking the gap at deep square-leg with a much more convincing sweep shot. But Wainwright's brief and perilous cameo came to an end when he feathered an edge through to Alex Davies with an attempted cut shot, as Lilley took his tally to four wickets with Derbyshire still trailing by 20 runs.

All that was left for Derbyshire was to see if they could make Lancashire bat again and after the 250-run defeat suffered in the first game of the season, the visitors would have been reasonably confident, after posting 370 in their first innings, that such a calamity would not occur.

But an ever bigger defeat was to be inflicted by the Division Two leaders as a determined effort from Harvey Hosein came to an end. He faced 46 balls for five runs and was the only batsman after Amla to play with the temperament that was required to save the game, but he too was undone by the ferocity and deadliness of Lancashire's spinners, as he was also bowled by Kerrigan.

The final-wicket paring of Matt Critchley (0*) Mark Footitt (5) lasted just 16 balls before Lilley won the race to a five-wicket-haul and his first for Lancashire in only his third first-class game for the county.

Footitt was bowled by Lilley, the ninth wicket to fall for 47 runs, giving Lancashire their fourth Championship win of the season to continue their charge for promotion. Derbyshire meanwhile slumped to their second defeat of the season, both of which have been inflicted by the Red Rose and they will be out for revenge on Friday when these two meet in the Natwest t20 Blast at Derbyshire.