Stubbings & Birt make Foxes work

Steve Stubbings and Travis Birt scored contrasting tons to put Derbyshire in a strong position against Leicestershire.

Michael di Venuto (93) missed out a hundred but Tasmanian team-mate Birt put on 148 with Stubbings as Derbyshire reached on 399-6 on day two.

Stubbings (119) survived a nervous period in the nineties for his first century at Derby for five years.

Birt (119) reached his first ton for Derbyshire from only 159 balls as the Leicestershire seamers were too short.

David Masters took two wickets in an unbroken 17-over spell from the Grandstand End.

But England prospect Stuart Broad again struggled with his line and length and was taken out of the attack after eight overs which cost 43 runs.

The hosts held a ceremony at lunchtime when the ashes of South Africa all-rounder Eddie Barlow, who captained the county from 1976-78 and died aged 65 on December 30, were scattered on the outfield.

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