Thursday 28 May 2015 11:44, UK
Lancashire and Surrey recorded impressive victories on the final day of their Division Two matches.
The home spinners skittled out Derbyshire in dramatic fashion in Southport to consolidate top spot in the table with an innings and 15-run victory.
Elsewhere, Surrey climbed to second after beating hosts Kent by three wickets at Beckenham thanks to Jason Roy’s superb unbeaten 60.
Simon Kerrigan and Arron Lilley bowled unchanged and Derbyshire's young batsmen found the pressure and a turning pitch all too much for them in the north-west to subside from 123-3 to 166 all out in 36.1 overs.
Lilley took 4-8 in 18.1 overs on the final morning and finished with career-best figures of 5-23 from 26 overs.
The off-spinner made the first breakthroughs on the final day when he bowled Tom Taylor for two and then had Scott Elstone caught at backward short leg by Ashwell Prince for nought.
At the other end Kerrigan was no less effective and ended the innings with 4-80 from 36 overs.
Indeed, the England slow left-armer took the prized wicket of Hashim Amla for 11 when a fine delivery eluded the South African's studied forward defensive shot.
Lancashire director of cricket Ashley Giles said: "That was a really good win after losing the toss on a wicket we thought would spin.
"It was a really ruthless performance. I've probably complained at times that we've not been ruthless enough but throughout this game I thought we've handled ourselves really well and we've played some really good cricket.”
Further south, Surrey began the final day - of a match which had been nip and tuck since the opening morning - on 44-1, chasing 190 for victory.
The visitors stuttered somewhat in their chase before Roy joined Steven Davies in a sixth-wicket stand of 54 which went a long way to settling matters in a closely-fought contest.
When Davies and Gary Wilson fell in quick succession, however, Kent sniffed a last chance with their opponents on 177-7 - but Roy finished things with a number of fine strokes.
Matt Coles had given Kent some hope in a fiercely-fought morning session, pinning Sri Lanka Test star Kumar Sangakkara leg-before for eight with a full ball, soon after Darren Stevens had forced Rory Burns (37) to inside-edge onto his stumps to begin Surrey's struggles.
