Day 2: Derbys' resolve slips
By Neil Hallam at Derby
Second day of four: Durham (82-2) trail Derbys (205) by 123 runs
WHAT threatened to be a testing, transitional season for Derbyshire is turning into one of significant achievement, but the cause of their recent upturn was hard to detect.
A total of 205 represented under-achievement on a pitch which did little to startle the wary after the first couple of hours and left-arm seamer Kevin Dean, whose prolific form has done much to empower Derbyshire of late, was unsuccessful as Durham grafted to 82 for two against an attack lacking Dominic Cork, on England duty, and Phil DeFreitas, resting a foot injury.
Durham called up 18-year-old academy all-rounder Marc Symington for his championship debut and his accuracy was rewarded with three wickets as Derbyshire's patience and discipline faltered.
Michael Slater made only his second championship half-century of the season before the youngster beat his attempt to whip the ball to leg and there was no satisfaction for Robin Weston against his former county as Neil Killeen's in-swing penetrated his defences.
Ian Blackwell batted with fluency until he fell to a top-edged slash and it was left to Michael Roseberry and Jim Daley to stiffen Durham's response after John Morris was bowled on the drive and Jon Lewis was held at slip.
Day 3: Roseberry and Daley make hay
By Neil Hallam at Derby
Third day of four: Derbyshire (205 & 27-1) trail Durham (434-6 dec) by 202 runs
A FLAT pitch and compliant bowling provided balm for the afflictions of Durham's batting as Jimmy Daley made his second championship century in four years and Michael Roseberry fell three runs short of his first in as many seasons with the county.
Of Durham's 14 wins in their first six seasons of first-class status, three were at Derbyshire's expense and another beckoned after a stand of 204 between Daley and Roseberry underwrote their biggest total since May 1996. Derbyshire lost Michael Slater in trimming the arrears by 27 in the eight overs remaining.
The careers of Roseberry and Daley, the overnight pair, suffered more than most from the 'Riverside Effect' during that couple of years when pitches at Durham's headquarters proved a sore test of batsmen's technique and confidence.
Both, however, recognised the therapeutic possibilities of a weakened attack and inviting pitch and applied themselves well to go within a run of the county's third-wicket record.
The second championship century of Daley's career arrived off 218 balls, with 13 fours, but Roseberry was yorked in shaping for a forcing stroke.
Left-arm-spinner Glenn Roberts took three wickets as Durham tried to accelerate, Daley falling on the charge for 157 off 289 balls before Martin Speight sped to an unbeaten 52 to prompt the declaration.
Day 4: Barnett in familiar battle
By Neil Hallam at Derby
Derbyshire 205 & 269-9 drew with Durham 434-6 dec
QUESTION: What is the underlying reason for Durham's record of only 14 championship wins in six years of first-class status prior to the current campaign? Answer: They won't let them play Derbyshire more than once a season.
It was Christopher Middleton, then Derbyshire's chairman, who headed the Lord's committee who recommended Durham's promotion to the championship in 1992, but if they are grateful they have a funny way of showing it.
Three of those 14 wins were at Derbyshire's expense and they were in prime position for another yesterday when they had them at 231 for six, only two runs ahead, despite an exemplary batting display from that enduring veteran Kim Barnett.
The commiserating, sympathetic ``aaah'' which could be heard when he fell two runs short of the hundred which would have given him a full set of centuries against all the other counties spoke eloquently of the respect he enjoys among those who have watched him dominate the Derbyshire side for most of his 20 years with the county.
Demonstrably he remains, at 38, their most reliable batsman, completing 1,000 runs for the season for the 15th time when he reached 90 and Derbyshire were, it seemed, well placed to bat out three sessions and deny Durham the victory they scented after dominating the two previous days.
Equally obviously, however, the object lesson of Barnett's dedication, discipline and mental toughness is too often lost on too many of his colleagues, leaving Derbyshire prone to the sort of collapse which yesterday swept away the solid foundations he had laid in a third-wicket stand of 121 with Robin Weston.
From the fortress of 187 for two, it took them only 13 overs to lurch tipsily into the poor house at 224 for six and put Durham back on course for a fourth championship victory and an end to a run of five defeats and two draws.
Since Andy Hayhurst, their director of cricket, was shunted sideways into a ``liaison role'' with the Derbyshire cricket board, Barnett has assumed new responsibilities for developing promising young batsmen such as Ben Spendlove, Ian Blackwell and Matt Cassar.
No amount of coaching in the nets, however, could serve better in setting them on the right road than watching him curb his aggressive instincts for almost 3.5 hours to frustrate Durham.
The fierce, spearing square drive which is Barnett's trademark was there whenever the bowlers strayed outside his off stump but otherwise he was a model of restraint until going for the stroke which would have completed a century.