Worcestershire Seconds will be looking to push for victory on their final day of Championship cricket this summer after half centuries from Alex Milton and Josh Dell helped earned them a first innings lead of 40 before they picked up three Derbyshire Seconds wickets at Belper.
The visitors recovered from 160-5 with Dell sharing in stands of 89 for the sixth wicket with Milton and 52 for the seventh with Ben Twohig.
Their final total of 330 ensured maximum batting bonus points to go with the full haul for bowling after dismissing Derbyshire for 290 on the opening day.
Then Dillon Pennington, Twohig and Charlie Morris all struck before Derbyshire had wiped out their first innings arrears until Callum Brodrick and Zen Malik put on an unbroken 41 as they closed on on 80-3 – an overall advantage of 40.
Worcestershire had resumed on 40-1 and skipper Ollie Westbury (31) was caught behind with the total on 70 – the same fate as befell Brett D’Oliveira (43).
George Rhodes (11) and Jack Haynes (20) – a third victim for wicket-keeper Daryn Smit – also departed before lunch.
But then Milton, who had scored his maiden Specsavers County Championship century against Somerset two weeks ago, and Dell launched the fightback.
Milton reached his 50 off 94 balls and went onto make 68 with 10 boundaries when he was leg before.
Dell found another willing ally in Twohig and the former completed his half century off 87 deliveries.
He was eventually bowled for 64 after striking nine fours.
Twohig followed up his three first innings wickets with a useful 45 from 57 balls with seven fours before he was last out after adding 29 for the last wicket with Morris.
When Derbyshire launched their reply, Pennington had Harvey Hosein (4) caught behind, James Kettleborough (19) was bowled by Twohig who then caught Tom Wood (9) at third slip off Morris at 39-3.
But Brodrick and one-time Worcestershire Academy player Malik saw their side to the end of day two without any further mishaps.
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WORCESTERSHIRE SECONDS – FIRST INNINGS CONTINUED
(overnight 40-1)
Westbury c Smit b Conners 31
D’Oliveira c Smit b Wheeler 43
Milton lbw Qadri 68
Rhodes b Wanford 11
Haynes c Smit b Qadri 20
Dell lbw Malik 64
Twohig b Conners 45
Tongue run out (Kettleborough) 0
Pennington c Hosein b Brett 0
Morris not out 5
Extras 25
Total (all out) 330 in 84.2 overs
FOW CONTINUED: 26, 70, 105, 119, 160, 249, 301, 301, 301, 330
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BOWLING
Conners 20.2-3-70-2
Wheeler 16-2-86-1
Wanford 8-2-25-2
Qadri 18-4-76-2
Brett 19-3-34-1
Malik 3-0-13-1
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DERBYSHIRE SECONDS – SECOND INNINGS
Kettleborough b Twohig 19
Hosein c Milton b Pennington 4
Brodrick not out 27
Wood c Twohig b Morris 9
Malik not out 16
Extras 1
Total (for 3 wickets) 80 in 30 overs
FOW: 12, 30, 39
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BOWLING
Magoffin 5-2-14-0
Pennington 4-3-8-1
Tongue 7-2-19-0
Twohig 9-1-24-1
Morris 4-1-10-1
Rhodes 1-0-4-0
