The visitors chose not to impose the follow-on after dismissing the hosts for a first-innings 210. Dominic Cork chose instead to pile up the runs and his side ended the day on 188 for six, giving them a lead of 366.

Cork himself saw out the day at the crease and in aggressive mood, having hit three fours and a six for his 20 off 13 deliveries. His current partner is Steve Selwood, who was on a steadier 24 from 50 at the close.

Important contributions with the bat for Derbyshire also came from Christopher Bassano, who hit 69, and Mathew Dowman, who added 41. The innings started badly though, with first-innings hero Andrew Gait bowled by Carl Greenidge for five.

Michael Di Venuto was next to go, on 24, Greenidge this time catching to give Graeme Swann his first wicket of the innings. That brought Dowman to the crease to join Bassano and they went on until Dowman was trapped lbw by Jason Brown. Brown also accounted for Bassano, who was caught by Gerard Brophy behind the stumps. Swann got rid of Tom Lungley (3), who was caught by Mal Loye, and Wharton, who was given out lbw for a golden duck.

Earlier in the day Northamptonshire fell 178 runs short of the visitors' first-innings total of 388, and their 210 all out was thanks largely to middle-order partnerships propped up by Jeff Cook, who scored a determined 88 off 126 balls. Their top order were removed cheaply by the Derbyshire opening bowlers Cork and Kevin Dean.

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