Russell & Sillence put Gloucestershire in control

With Russell hitting 119 not out and Sillence his maiden first-class century, Gloucestershire piled up a huge 577 for nine declared in their second innings.

Derbyshire were therefore set 583 to win in little over four-and-a-half sessions and they moved to 155 for one after just 29 overs before bad light forced an early close. Michael Di Venuto made an unbeaten 92 off just 97 balls, but Derbyshire will resume the final day still needing another 428 to win.

Play resumed with Gloucestershire on 290 for five - a lead of 95 - with Matt Windows unbeaten on 143 and Russell on 37, but they suffered a double setback by losing Windows and Ian Fisher in the space of six balls.

Windows had added only a single to his overnight score when he carelessly pulled a short ball from Mohammad Ali straight into the hands of Chris Bassano at deep backward square leg and then Fisher departed for a five-ball duck after fatally playing back to a good-length ball from Graeme Welch and edging a catch to wicketkeeper Luke Sutton. But with Russell as resolute as ever and Sillence playing a cavalier innings, things went rapidly downhill for Derbyshire as the pair accelerated the score to 441 for seven at lunch. Sillence was on 94 and Russell on 78.

Sillence completed a superb 111-ball century, including 17 fours and a six, but was dismissed two balls later after an eighth-wicket stand worth 161. Going for another big hit off Ali, he pulled a short ball to the safe hands of Bassano at deep square leg.

The runs continued to flow after Jon Lewis joined Russell, who picked off the bad balls from a toiling Derbyshire attack to reach his century in five hours and 15 minutes. He hit 10 fours.

Lewis threw the bat to good effect and blasted 57 off just 37 balls, including 10 fours and a six, before he was caught at long-off by Kevin Dean aiming a big hit off spinner Lian Wharton.

Mike Smith chipped in with an unbeaten 18 and Russell advanced his score to 119 before Gloucestershire declared on an imposing 577 for nine, leaving Derbyshire their improbable victory target.

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