Welch assumes all-round control for Derbyshire

Derbyshire all-rounder Graeme Welch enjoyed a day to remember as he put his team in control of their County Championship match with Essex at Chelmsford yesterday.

Derbyshire all-rounder Graeme Welch enjoyed a day to remember as he put his team in control of their County Championship match with Essex at Chelmsford yesterday.

The 33-year-old struck the second Championship century of his career to help the Second Division bottom side to 462, before spoiling Essex's reply with two wickets in two overs.

He also caught Grant Flower at first slip as the home side, needing 313 to avoid the follow-on, slumped to 31 for 4. But captain Ronnie Irani and Andy Flower steered Essex to 123 for 4, with the former completing an entertaining half-century from 71 balls.

An England and Wales Cricket Board pitch panel will today decide whether Kent will be punished after 18 wickets fell on the second day of their match with Gloucestershire in Maidstone yesterday.

A green-tinged pitch at The Mote was left pock-marked by the seam of the ball, with batsmen on both sides struggling for fluency as the ball continued to move off the surface.