Derbyshire 139 and 160 for 8 (Madsen 51, Abbas 3-42) lead Leicestershire 120 (Azad 46*, Palladino 5-29) by 179 runs
Leicestershire picked up eight wickets in the final session to put the result of the match firmly back in to the balance at the end of an intriguing second day in their Specsavers county championship match against Derbyshire.
The visitors ended the day leading by 179 runs with just two second-innings wickets in hand after collapsing from 106 for 2 to 160 for 8. The wicket that triggered the collapse was that of Wayne Madsen, who shortly after becoming the first batsman in the match to pass 50, edged a fine delivery from Mohammad Abbas to first slip.
Earlier, Tony Palladino picked up 5 for 29 as Derbyshire secured an unlikely first innings lead. Having resumed on 55 for 4, the Foxes had taken their score on to 82 without obvious problems when Harry Dearden, having cover-driven the previous ball to the boundary, drove again at a straighter delivery from Luis Reece, missed, and went leg before.
Lewis Hill made just a single before edging Logan van Beek to Madsen at first slip, and the New Zealander made it two in two balls when Dieter Klein edged a full delivery to wicketkeeper Harvey Hosein.
Chris Wright drove at a wide outswinger from Palladino and edged a catch behind, Will Davis was bowled by a full, straight delivery from van Beek, and Abbas edged another Palladino outswinger low to Madsen, leaving Hassan Azad, who had come in at No. 3 the previous day, stranded on 46 not out.
Luis Reece and Billy Godleman compiled a partnership of 37 when Derbyshire began their second innings before Reece fenced at the second ball after tea, a wide delivery from Davis, and edged a catch behind. Abbas had Godleman caught behind, but Madsen, for the second time in the match, played quite beautifully, stroking eleven boundaries in racing to his half-century before Abbas made the vital breakthrough.
Wright had Tom Lace caught and bowled, a smart catch high to his left, before bowling Alex Hughes off the inside edge. Matt Critchley played a poor shot, jabbing forlornly at a wide delivery to edge a catch behind, Anuj Dal was bowled off the inside edge, and Harvey Hosein made obvious his disbelief when given out caught off the glove hooking at a high Abbas bouncer.
