Date-stamped : 10 Jun95 - 02:22 Cork takes nine as 23 wickets fall on first day BY NEIL HALLAM AT DERBY First day of four: Derbys (113 & 59-3) lead Northants (120) by 52 runs DOMINIC CORK poured all the disappointment of his omission from England`s Test squad into a career-best nine for 43, the best figures by a Derbyshire bowler for 20 years, during a wildly fluctuating day which saw 23 wickets fall for only 292 runs. Only a dropped catch which spared Northants` top-scorer Russell Warren when Cork had claimed the first nine wickets prevented the seamer from becoming the first Derbyshire bowler to run right through an innings since Tommy Mitchell against Leicestershire in 1935. If, however, this suggests an unsatisfactory pitch, the verdict from the middle was emphatically to the contrary. Cork, whose previous best was eight for 53 against Essex before lunch on his 20th birthday in 1991, claimed: "We`re playing on the same strip for this game but I don`t think it was much of a factor. "The odd one moved off the deck but it was more swing than seam, plus a couple of terrific catches and the fact that the bowlers at the other end had no luck." Umpires and opponents were like-minded about the clatter of falling wickets which had Derbyshire, who had won the toss, all out for 113 in under 40 overs and Northants back in the pavilion for 120 in less than 44 overs. With Derbyshire three down in their second innings, however, it will take a good deal more application and technique on a well- grassed surface to extend the entertainment into a third day. Kim Barnett bagged the first pair of his career with his second wretched shot of the day, Adrian Rollins flicked too faintly down the leg-side and Daryll Cullinan was bowled playing forward for the second time in the day. The Northants innings, like Derbyshire`s first, began with ducks for both openers as Richard Montgomerie dabbled at some away swing and Alan Fordham went back to a ball of full length. Rob Bailey steered to first slip, Allan Lamb`s flurry ended with him lbw pushing forward and Northants were in steep decline as Kevin Curran hooked to long-leg and David Capel popped one up to point. Cork sensed it was his day when a catch was spilled off Allan Warner and Paul Aldred got a nick with a no-ball but Neil Mallender survived an edge to second slip before he had scored and there was a more dramatic miss after the same batsman had wandered in front. Warren, on 36, carved a fierce, rising chance towards second slip but Wells could not claim it and with Cork wilting after 22 overs unchanged it was Aldred who claimed the last wicket with a swinging yorker to uproot Paul Taylor. Cork`s figures, the county`s best since Fred Swarbrook`s nine for 20 against Sussex at Hove in 1975, overtook Cliff Gladwin`s eight for 26 as Derbyshire`s best bowling against Northants. Day2 => Cork best goes unrewarded BY NEIL HALLAM AT DERBY Second day of four: Northants (120 & 135-6) bt Derbyshire (113 & 139) by 4 wkts DOMINIC CORK had the galling experience of finishing on the losing side despite career-best match figures of 13 for 93 as Northamptonshire extended their best championship start to five wins in six games. Derbyshire briefly glimpsed a different outcome when Cork, again bowling unchanged from the Stores Road end, dislodged both openers and Allan Lamb on his way to a return of four for 50. But Russell Warren guided the championship leaders to victory by four wickets with seven sessions of the game unused. Having checked out of their hotel after a first day on which 23 wickets fell, Northants were set to make 133 to win (in about 1,000 minutes) after Derbyshire had subsided for 139 - the fifth time in 11 championship innings this season that they have been uprooted for under 150. Off a short run and concentrating on a full length, Cork found movement through the air and off the pitch as both Alan Fordham and Richard Montgomerie paid the price for moving tentatively across instead of firmly forward. Lamb, having almost played on two balls earlier, perished to one which left him late and Northants were in need of some middle-order ballast when Rob Bailey, dropped at second slip off Andrew Harris on eight, sliced a florid drive. Warren survived a blinding chance to cover on 17 but proceeded with restraint to bring victory within three runs before dabbing fatally at Cork`s away-swing. Derbyshire, having resumed 52 ahead at 59 for three, were too limply acquiescent to set a more demanding target after Harris, the nightwatchman, had popped a catch to short leg and Colin Wells had gone bat and pad. Wayne Dessaur dug in sensibly for 39 overs, but Cork ran out of partners. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)