Alleyne's 114 stuns Derbyshire

Mark Alleyne added to Derbyshire's agony with his second century in consecutive games as Gloucestershire batted themselves into a strong position in the Second Division game at Derby yesterday.

The Gloucestershire captain followed up his 132 against Durham at Gloucester last week by scoring a chanceless unbeaten 114 ­ his 21st first- class hundred.

Kim Barnett celebrated his return to the county he left in 1998 with 73 and Chris Taylor made 83 to subject the Championship's bottom team to another gruelling day, which ended with Gloucestershire on 374 for 4.

Derbyshire's bowling, with one or two exceptions, was poor and the fielding at times was ragged. Alleyne and Jeremy Snape, who hit an unbeaten 52, put on 101 for the fifth wicket in the evening sunshine. By the close, Gloucestershire were only 26 runs away from a full house of batting points with 22 overs in hand.