Opener Darren Robinson was undefeated on 39, but Ronnie Irani was caught by Graeme Welch off the bowling of Lian Wharton moments before close of play for 28. Despite this and opener Richard Clinton retiring hurt while on 10, Essex look set to take control.

Essex's Aftab Habib had made just one when he was caught behind by wicketkeeper Karl Krikken off the bowling of Mohammad Ali with 26 runs on the board. Two overs before Derbyshire's breakthrough Clinton was forced to retire after being hit on the forearm by a delivery from Ali, but with opener Robinson and Andy Flower both looking comfortable, Essex moved on to 40 for one by the end of the 16th over.

Three overs later Ali struck again to leave Essex on 40 for two. Flower attempted to square cut a short one, but top-edged behind to Krikken for eight.

Earlier in the day the visitors made steady progress with openers Steve Stubbings and Michael Di Venuto taking the score on to 67 without loss. Only nine overs were bowled before lunch was taken early due to rain again, but Irani struck the first blow for Essex with the last ball of the 17th over. Di Venuto had hit four fours and made 25 when he played across the line and was trapped lbw.

In the next over John Stephenson dismissed Andrew Gait for a duck, his yorker deceiving the Zimbabwean who was given lbw, before a full toss from the same bowler accounted for Stubbings (41), also lbw, with the score on 71.

Irani claimed his second wicket of the innings in the 25th over when Chris Bassano played and missed to become the fourth batsman to go leg before with the score on 72.

Two more wickets fell in quick succession. Ashley Cowan accounted for Dominic Hewson (10) who edged to Robinson at first slip and in the next over Mark Ilott trapped Krikken leg before for a duck to leave Derbyshire wobbling on 92 for six. Then Cowan snapped up two wickets in three balls, first tempting Jason Kerr into a hook shot that was caught at backward point off a top edge by Graham Napier.

Kerr hit four boundaries for his 23 before Graeme Welch followed him back to the pavilion two balls later, caught by wicketkeeper Flower off an inside edge having made four. Derbyshire were now in trouble on 108 for eight.

Number nine Mohammad Ali then set about rescuing the situation. He raced to 38 off 41 balls, hitting six fours along the way to put on 50 for the ninth wicket in tandem with Kevin Dean. But when he went, caught at first slip by Robinson off the bowling of Jon Dakin, the fight was up.

Last pair Dean (nine not out) and Wharton lasted 10 more balls without adding a run and Derbyshire were all out for 158.

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