Derbyshire on the brink of defeat

Hampshire are on course for victory at Derby where Derbyshire collapsed to a combination of seam and spin.

Alan Mullally, who had condemned the home side to following on with three wickets in four balls, took two more and Shaun Udal also struck twice to leave Derbyshire facing defeat.

When bad light ended play five overs early, they were 69-4, still 98 runs behind and look certain to lose unless the weather intervenes on the final day.

Nathan Dumelow, on his championship debut, did his best to keep Derbyshire in the match with an accomplished half century that came close to averting the threat of the follow on.

With Karl Krikken, he added 72 for the eighth wicket and the target of 315 was only 18 runs away when Mullally roared in with the new ball to demolish the tail.

He took three wickets in four balls, all to slip catches by Neil Johnson who was also back in business when Derbyshire went back in again.

Luke Sutton edged low to second slip and Mathew Dowman was snared by the all-rounder as he pushed forward at Udal after resisting for 11 overs.

The collapse gathered momentum when Steve Stubbings, who had fallen seven short of a century earlier in the day, edged Mullally and Adrian Aymes took a tumbling catch.

Udal then trapped Rob Bailey lbw for a duck in the next over and only batting heroics from Michael Di Venuto are likely to deny Hampshire on the final day.