Northants know there is still work to be done to force crucial Championship victory

The visitors will resume their second innings on Friday (start 11am) on 52 for four, still 121 runs away from making Northants bat again, after the home side posted an imposing 550 for nine declared in reply to Derbyshire's first innings 377 all out.

Justin Broad hammered a career-best 171 and Rob Keogh an excellent 125 not out, the County fighting back from a precarious 154 for five to assume total control.

And that batting recovery, along with Derbyshire battling back from 89 for five to make 377, is why Broad knows he and his team-mates still have a lot of work to do to force home a third win of the red ball season on Friday.

There is also the fact that Zak Chappell, who normally bats down the order, opened the innings as he is unavailable for day four, and he was one of the wickets to fall, so the visitors have effectively lost only three top order batters.

“I think it can happen with the Kookaburra ball, we saw both innings, both teams were five down and in trouble and managed to get decent partnerships," said Broad.

"So, we were saying that it’s important we come out with a good intensity. If we let 20 overs slip by, the ball gets soft. So, it's important we start well.

“I thought our spinners bowled beautifully and didn't give them anything. It's always a tough time to come and bat and we were on it in the field as well.”

On his own performance with the bat, Broad was delighted to back up his maiden century in his most recent game, scoring 157 not out in the draw at Kent at the beginning of July.

The all-rounder is making his comeback after three weeks out with a wrist injury, and he admitted: "It's been an epic few games for me.

"I’m really happy just to be contributing to the team, really enjoyable to bat with Keysey.

“You always dream that (you can follow up your first hundred with another) but obviously you don't think you're going to get back-to-back 150s. It’s very special.

“The partnership with Saif Zaib at Canterbury was enjoyable. Keysey and I were just saying that we love batting with each other, so it was nice to get a good partnership with him as well."

Keogh, who took his tally of first-class centuries for the County to 17, added: "It was tough coming in, we were still a little bit behind the game, so the game was in the balance and we dug in and then reaped the rewards at the end.

“They were probably on top when Broady and Barts (George Bartlett, who made a season's best 66) got together on Wednesday.

"They got through the pressure, dug in and Barts showed what he's about really there.

"Then on Thursday morning again, getting through that tough period.

"The first hour of day three is always tough and they got through a bit of a patch, which set the foundations for me and Broady to carry on digging in and then kick on and get the rewards later."

Derbyshire captain Wayne Madsen, who was one of the batters to lose his wicket late on, said: “It was a tough one for us.

"We started the day pretty optimistic in terms of the position we were in, and they obviously played really well with the bat. We didn't really have that many opportunities.

"I thought we'd get a few more on this wicket, but it didn't materialise. And Broad obviously played a fantastic knock. And then Keogh did the same thing. They both applied themselves really well.

“It was disappointing to lose the wickets that we did in the evening.

"Sometimes that happens, though, when you've had hard toil in the field for 150 odd overs to come out and bat is a challenge, and we just, unfortunately weren't quite up to it.

“It was a case of trying to make sure we batted through to the close with minimal damage, and the guys did pretty well up front.

"And then, unfortunately, we just lost a few quick wickets in a cluster, and we've done that probably a few too many times in the last couple of games.

"So we are behind the eight ball a little bit again, and we saw how well Martin (Andersson) played last innings on this wicket (making 105) , so we've still got the belief in the batters to come.

"It's definitely not all doom and gloom for us. I think for us, it's about fighting and showing that resilience to eke out eight points for ourselves."

Quotes courtesy of Jeremy Blackmore