When the Australian batsman was finally dismissed after being caught and bowled by Graeme Swann late in the afternoon, he had ensured the visitors face an uphill struggle if they want to take anything from this encounter.

Di Venuto started slowly but in the end flayed the home attack as he made 230 of his side's 487 for seven, striking 32 fours from 254 balls. And with cameo roles from Andrew Gait (53), Chris Bassano (41) and skipper Dominic Cork (60), it proved a very long day in the field for Northamptonshire.

Derbyshire in good hands

Northamptonshire's John Blain had the distinction of taking the morning's solitary wicket when he trapped opener Steve Stubbings leg before with the last ball of the third over. Stubbings had made only eight before he departed with the score on 12, but Cork's side were left in good hands.

Fellow opener Di Venuto was soon into his stride and he was joined in the middle by Zimbabwean Gait, who played the anchor role while his Tasmanian partner made hay. Gait struck eight boundaries as he reached his half-century - a knock that had helped his side on to 216 for one before his dismissal. He went attempting to cover drive a delivery from Cousins, but misjudged his shot and the ball flew to David Sales in the slips off an outside edge.

Scorers kept busy

Di Venuto was joined in the middle by Dominic Hewson and he helped keep the scorers busy as his partner looked ahead to a possible double century. Hewson added 13 to the score before he was removed by Ricky Anderson - Graeme Swann taking the catch. Bassano joined Di Venuto at the crease and the duo added 125 to the total.

Northamptonshire were rewarded for all their toil in the field by capturing the fourth wicket of Bassano when the South African was run out. Di Venuto drove one from Greenidge down the off side, but when the pair attempted to come back for a second, Anderson arrowed a fine throw to the bowler's end and Bassano was found wanting.

Di Venuto departed in the 88th over when Swann reacted sharply to a delivery that flew straight back at him, but although Cork went lbw to Anderson shortly after there was still time for Luke Sutton to carve out an unbeaten 22. Jason Kerr cracked two fours before being clean bowled by Anderson and that left Graeme Welch to scramble a single shortly before the close.

Source: Ananova
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