Now Derbyshire enjoy batsman's wicket

Derbyshire's batsmen at last found form on another day of high scoring at the County Ground.

Jeremy Snape made his maiden first-class hundred out of 560-8 declared - Gloucestershire's highest against Derbyshire - but the home side responded with 142-1 by the close.

Snape had waited ten seasons for his century and when he went past his previous highest Championship score of 98 not out with his 15th four, his celebrations were shared by Jack Russell who embraced the all-rounder.

Russell marked his 500th first-class appearance for Gloucestershire with a half-century but by then Snape had gone, bowled by Lian Wharton for 119 in the second over after lunch.

Gloucestershire's previous best against Derbyshire, 520 at Cheltenham in 1993, had been passed when Russell was bowled for 53 and Mark Alleyne's declaration left Derbyshire to make 411 to avoid the follow-on.

That was a daunting task for a team out of form with the bat and they lost Luke Sutton for 13 in the tenth over when he was bowled playing back to Ben Gannon.

But Chris Bassano showed no sign of nerves on his Championship debut and he and Steve Stubbbings demonstrated how little there is in the pitch for the bowlers.

Even the sound of fire engines arriving to put out a blaze in a building close to the Grandstand at the Derby ground could not disturb their concentration as they played through to the close.

Stubbings passed fifty for the third time this season and ended on 83 while Bassano was not out 40 as Derbyshire ended 418 runs adrift.