After Welch's bowling had yielded two early catches to see Northamptonshire to 43 for 2, Australian Martin Love took centre stage. He hit 34 fours in 177 – an innings lasting from lunch on day two until the morning session on day three, and with a higher number of runs than the entire Northamptonshire first innings total. Usman Afzaal added 59 from number four as well, and half-centuries from David Sales and Riki Wessels, ensured that Northamptonshire could declare with a lead of 388, giving themselves five sessions to win the game. Welch got no further wicket, but conceded 63 runs, while spinner Andy Gray got two wickets but at a cost of 65 runs per wicket. The weather forecast for the final day, however, had predicted rain, so Northamptonshire wanted to get wickets early. Spinners Jason Brown and Monty Panesar shared nine wickets on the third day, while Derbyshire made 204 from 99 overs (di Venuto and Welch both scoring 47), but Australian Damien Wright wrapped up the innings by having Hunter bowled two balls into the fourth morning.