By David Green at Taunton
First day of four: Somerset (96-5) trail Derbyshire (290) by 194 runs
DERBYSHIRE, having lost Dean Jones, Devon Malcolm and Chris Adams in acrimonious circumstances since last June, seemed destined for a miserable campaign this season but, phoenix-like, they have risen again to play some highly effective cricket.
With a NatWest Trophy final place already booked, they seem likely to improve their championship position following a positive display yesterday when, having raced to 290 by tea at 4.5 runs an over, they made deep inroads into Somerset's batting.
Derbyshire have a good blend of experience - Kim Barnett, Phil DeFreitas and Dominic Cork - and youth. Yesterday, youth had its turn as Robin Weston, 23, Ben Spendlove, 19, and Ian Blackwell, 19, in turn thumped Somerset's bowlers all round Taunton.
A hard, true pitch and a fast outfield aided quick scoring but there was quality opposition in Andrew Caddick, who bowled splendidly without any luck, persistent Graham Rose and promising left-arm seamer Matt Bulbeck.
Openers Michael Slater and Michael May never settled but Weston, driving and cutting fluently, gave his side impetus with 73 made of 111 balls with 14 fours, before Caddick induced him to fend one to gully.
Spendlove, meanwhile, was particularly aggressive, hitting the ball fiercely on the rise, and his career-best 49 included 11 fours. Blackwell, a left-hander, timed the ball beautifully, his 44 coming off only 36 balls.
Somerset, looking dazed from this assault, were soon in trouble. Cork's bounce and the swing of left-armer Kevin Dean, 22, earned them two wickets apiece as Somerset declined to 31 for four before a half-century partnership between Gregor Kennis and Keith Parsons restored the balance a little.
By David Green at Taunton
Second day of four: Somerset (181 & 93-5) need 156 runs to beat Derbyshire (290 & 139)
GENERAL puzzlement at the fall of 15 wickets on Wednesday on a true pitch was compounded yesterday as 20 more clattered down, Derbyshire batting with abandon in their second innings to be dismissed in only 34.1 overs.
Derbyshire appeared to have the match in their grasp when they captured the five outstanding Somerset wickets in the morning for 85 runs to earn a lead of 109, left-arm swing bowler Kevin Dean taking a career-best six for 70.
They proceeded to undermine this advantage by reckless batting. Andrew Caddick, who took five for 49, and Matt Bulbeck, four for 40, bowled skilfully but each will work much harder for less reward in the future.
Somerset, cock-a-hoop at being back in the game and chasing a comparatively modest target of 249, found Derbyshire's self-destructiveness contagious and declined to 93 for five, Marcus Trescothick standing alone among the wreckage, unbeaten with 43.
Too often yesterday, attacking strokes were projected at unsuitable deliveries. Impatience among batsmen, allied to insecure technique, lies behind the increasing number of matches finishing inside three and even two days.
Somerset, 96 for five overnight, had avoidance of the follow-on as their prime target. This they succeeded in doing, thanks to a composed 49 from Gregor Kennis and useful contributions from Rob Turner and Graham Rose.
When Derbyshire began their second innings, it seemed at first that they would bat Somerset out of the game for Michael Slater and Michael May put on 45 runs solidly enough in the 12 overs before lunch.
However, Bulbeck's burst of three for five in 10 balls, his victims being May, lbw, and Robin Weston and Kim Barnett, both carving outside off stump, started a rot which no one seemed capable of stopping.
Slater, on 48, aimed a delicate late dab and got a thin edge. Ian Blackwell chipped to midwicket and Ben Spendlove gave Caddick a return catch, after which the England seamer's pace and accuracy swept aside the tail.
Somerset reached 31 in their second innings before Peter Bowler was caught at short leg. Piran Holloway got a good one from Dominic Cork but Mark Lathwell and Keith Parsons both played strokes that will return to haunt them.
Somerset yesterday announced that their vice-captain Simon Ecclestone has retired owing to persistent knee trouble. In addition, Mushtaq Ahmed will not play for them again this season. ``Mushtaq has not been able to concentrate on cricket owing to his wife's difficult confinement and subsequent health problems,'' said chief executive Peter Anderson.
Day 3:Dean repeats career-best feat
By David Green at Taunton
Derbyshire (290 & 139) bt Somerset (181 & 176) by 72 runs
KEVIN Dean recorded career-best figures for the second time in the match, taking six for 63 as Derbyshire wrapped up their fifth championship win of the season yesterday morning, with the last five Somerset wickets falling inside 29 overs.
Dean's bowling, together with the promising first-innings batting of Robin Weston, Ben Spendlove and Ian Blackwell, were plus points for Derbyshire who, like Somerset, are hoping their batsmen swiftly lose the lemming-like characteristics they displayed here.
A wicket fell every 5.5 overs on a pitch recognised by players of both sides as ``flat'' - which, well though Dean and, in particular, Andre Caddick bowled, remains an astonishing statistic.
When Somerset began to chase 249 on Thursday evening they had 245 overs available. Despite the absence of time pressure the pattern of the game was unaltered, big hits being regularly projected and frequently proving disastrous.
There is, of course, a place - even a need - for the spectacular in cricket but if four-day matches on good pitches are to fulfil their purpose more players must look to bat for five hours, rather than five overs.
Somerset, resuming on 93 for five and needing 156 more to win, made brisk progress early on but there were still the odd air shots and nicks over the slips from Marcus Trescothick and Rob Turner.
The partnership had added 50 when Turner, driving fiercely, edged to second slip. Shortly afterwards Trescothick, also projecting a booming drive, was caught behind, his worthy 60 containing 12 fours and coming off 107 balls.
Caddick, promoted, was soon lbw and Dominic Cork swiftly bounced out Adrian Pierson.
Graham Rose and Matt Bulbeck were each given a life before left-armer Ian Blackwell yorked Rose with his fourth ball to seal victory.