Petersen and Prince shine for Lancashire at Southport

The South-African duo of Alviro Petersen (113) and Ashwell Prince (156*) heaped misery on Derbyshire as both batsmen made centuries on Day Two at Southport.

Their stand worth 258 runs was the highest third-wicket partnership at Southport in 26 years and guided Lancashire to a strong total of 348/4 at close of play. Petersen and Prince came together with the score at 18/2 after Derbyshire had been bowled out for 370, as the visitors enjoyed the better of the first hour at Trafalgar Road.

But the experience and class of Petersen and Prince ensured that Lancashire ended the second day with the edge after a strong start for the visitors. Prince is the leading run-scorer in the second division and his second score of 150 or more spearheaded Lancashire's first innings, following the dismissal of Petersen at 276/3.

Prince is not only the leading run-scorer in this division, but he has also scored the most runs in county cricket since the start of the 2014 season, scoring 1,837 runs for Lancashire, who will be pleading for the unlikely return of left-handed batsman for one more season.

Petersen made his first hundred for Lancashire since the first day of the season, where he also brought up three-figures against Derbyshire, while Prince's hundred was his third of the season and the 43rd of his first-class career.

Petersen recorded centuries in both matches against Derbyshire.

Derbyshire had a very clear task this morning, needing 15 more runs to reach 350 and a fourth batting bonus point and with Matt Critchley on hand, the visitors made easy work of the Lancashire attack as they comfortably reached their initial target.

Critchley had already made a name for himself against Northamptonshire, scoring 137 not out in Derbyshire's last County Championship fixture and he carried a confident presence at the crease, hitting seven boundaries in his innings of 41.

The tenth-wicket partnership was useful for Derbyshire, but no doubt a frustration to the home side, who eventually ended Critchley's cameo when he guided the ball down to Karl Brown at third man, giving Kyle Jarvis (4-132) his fourth wicket, as the innings came to a close.

Derbyshire had undoubtedly enjoyed the better start to the second day and this continued when both Lancashire openers were back in the pavilion in the space of 16 deliveries, leaving the visitors in a very strong position.

Paul Horton (4) had been in good form for the Red Rose, but overcast conditions produced early movement for the Derbyshire seamers and Mark Footitt (1-56) prospered from the swing on offer as he encouraged an edge to Chesney Hughes at second slip.

Brown followed in quick succession, this time Tom Taylor deceived the Lancashire opener with the ball taking a faint edge through to Harvey Hosein, as the hosts lost their second wicket for six runs.

However, this was to be the end of Derbyshire's dominance and they were made to endure a dejecting spell without a further breakthrough, as Petersen and Prince batted for 60 overs adding 258 runs for the third wicket.

Tom Taylor was the pick of Derbyshire's bowlers finishing with figures of 3-87.

Initially, their partnership served a vital purpose in helping Lancashire to recover from the early loss of Horton and Brown, but their stand went onto break several records, including the highest third-wicket partnership for Lancashire against Derbyshire.

Their partnership was worth 51 runs at lunch and there was already a sense that the South-African duo were starting to establish the foundations of a big partnership. Petersen and Prince batted for the entire afternoon session, adding 141 runs, as Derbyshire toiled for no reward in conditions which became gradually more suited to batting.

Prince was first to reach fifty, his fourth of the season, reverse-sweeping for his seventh boundary to bring up his half-century in 64 balls. That boundary also brought up the hundred partnership and Petersen followed the example of his compatriot when he reached fifty at a conservative pace of 82 balls including nine fours.

The runs continued to flow as the value of the third-wicket partnership exceeded that of Derbyshire's impressive first-wicket stand between Ben Slater and Billy Godleman of 141 on Day One. Lancashire achieved their first batting point with Prince approaching his third hundred of the season, but he was made to wait the duration of the tea interval to reach this milestone, stranded on 99 not out when the players left the field.

But with the second ball after tea, Prince raced through for a single to reach his 43rd first-class hundred, this milestone coming up in 138 balls with 15 fours and one six. Lancashire's South-African duo had been part of significant partnerships at various stages this season, but this was the first time they had simultaneously clicked as Petersen also reached three figures after tea.

Prince made his third century of the season as he dominated the Derbyshire attack at Southport.

Petersen scored 115 in the opening fixture against Derbyshire and he made his second century against Graeme Welch's side, reaching his century in 156 balls with 15 fours. Their partnership continued to build, exceeding a 201-run partnership made by Northants at Southport in 1989, breaking a 26-year-old record for the highest third-wicket stand on this ground.

Further progress took Petersen and Prince's partnership beyond yet another record, beating the previous best third-wicket partnership for Lancashire against Derbyshire by Neil Fairbrother and Graeme Fowler.

But this was the final record-breaking moment in their partnership, as Petersen fell for 113 to Taylor, who claimed his second wicket when Petersen edged behind to Hosein. The South-African batsman left the field to a standing ovation, but Prince continued to dominate the Derbyshire attack, finishing the day with his best score of the season.

Steven Croft backed up the efforts of Petersen and Prince as he showed early intent, hitting two sixes in his innings of 29 before he also fell to Taylor. Both sixes were so big that they required a change of ball and his intent relieved the pressure from Prince as Lancashire reached 300 and a third batting point with this partnership.

Taylor claimed 6 for 61 in his last innings against Lancashire and he was Derbyshire's leading light today finishing with figures of 3 for 87 as he had Croft trapped lbw for 29, with the score at 304/4. But Prince found able company in Alex Davies (28*) as they added an unbeaten partnership worth 44 runs, with Prince reaching his second score of 150 or more this season before close of play.

The South African reached 150 in 215 balls with 21 fours and one six and he also reached his highest score of the season, beating the 153 he made against Northants, as Lancashire closed on 348/4, trailing Derbyshire by 22 runs.