Date-stamped : 01 Jul97 - 10:16 Ilott in swing to sink Derbys By Paul Newman at Southend First day of four: Essex (157-2) lead Derbys (142) by 15 runs MARK ILOTT has seen Alan Mullally and now, perhaps, Mike Smith overtake him in the left-arm swing stakes since his return from England`s South African tour early last year. Yesterday, how- ever, he took the first big step towards emerging from a personal trough. Not only did Ilott produce his best figures for two years in de- molishing Derbyshire at a remarkably dry Southchurch Park but he sent the opposition`s spearhead to hospital to smooth the path for the Essex reply. Devon Malcolm was forced to undergo X-rays on his left foot after it was struck by an Ilott yorker but he returned, smiling, to re- port no damage other than bruising ahead of the third Test. Troubled Derbyshire, without the injured Kim Barnett, had a vulnerable look about them and soon succumbed to Ilott`s prodi- gious in- swing, umpire Barrie Meyer needing little persuasion to despatch four of them lbw. Exceptions included Chris Adams, who slashed at his sec- ond ball and Adrian Rollins who, for the second time in his home coun- ty, was caught by his younger brother. Robert Rollins received a playful slap from his mother when he returned home from Chelmsford, two year ago, to tell her he had dismissed Adrian. Yesterday he awoke to find that a national newspaper had mistaken him pictorially, for Keith Piper in their cover- age of the Warwickshire wicketkeeper`s drugs offence. Ilott, who admits he bowled badly last season, took his first- class tally this season to 28 wickets at 17.6 apiece with his seven for 59, only Derbyshire captain Phil DeFreitas displaying aggression after choosing to bat first. Ashley Cowan took care of the others and saw Paul Grayson, standing in at slip for Nasser Hussain, resting a long-standing tennis el- bow injury, spill two chances offered by Johnny Owen. Essex, who would also have batted first, showed that the pitch was blameless thanks to the superlative batting of Stuart Law and Paul Prichard. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Centurion Law looks to extend his stay By Paul Weaver at Southend Essex v Derbyshire THE Essex cricket committee could soon face the longest meet- ing since Henry Fonda started having doubts in Twelve Angry Men. Within the next few months they are likely to be faced with a choice between two Australians and two supreme talents, Mark Waugh and Stuart Law, their two most recent overseas players who are both believed to be available next season. Anyone who witnessed Waugh`s regal contribution to Essex cricket in the early `90s - and again in 1995 - could not imagine that there would not be a lush red carpet permanently un- furled for him but Law, whose 156 at Southend yesterday placed Essex in a winning po- sition against Derbyshire, has been equal- ly impressive. Essex chairman David Acfield said: "The matter of Stuart and Mark has not come up. It is far too early. But if it did boil down to a choice it would be a very difficult one." Last season, his first for the club, Law scored 1,379 Champi- onship runs at 59.95 despite missing most of the last month due to international commitments. This season he has scored 698 runs in 10 completed innings. His 21 Championship appearances have yield- ed seven centuries, one every three matches. His one-day record is also monumental. At the moment there is not a more effective batsman in county cricket and his omission from this summer`s tour is known to rankle. He has played just one Test, against Sri Lanka 18 months ago, when he scored 54 not out. He is known to enjoy an occasional glass of Jack Daniels and if he does not break into the national side soon he could be forgiv- en for taking a full bottle into a darkened room, probably mut- tering that things would have been different if only he was a Western Aus- tralian. His century yesterday, his second in the Championship and his third in all competitions, was also his third in as many innings on this ground; last season, against Surrey, he scored 125 in the Championship match and 110 in the Sunday League game. In this innings he faced just 174 balls and there were 19 fours and three sixes. Essex, resuming on 157 for two after Friday`s play had been washed out, finally declared at 373 for eight, a lead of 231. Law and his county captain Paul Prichard (106) took their third- wicket stand to 199. When Derbyshire batted again they slipped to 63 for five at tea with Matthew Vandrau playing the only innings of meaningful resis- tance, batting for 30 overs for 17 before he was fifth out at 56. Mark Ilott had taken the first two wickets, those of Adrian Rollins and Chris Adams before Tim Tweats was caught at short-leg off Peter Such, John Owen was bowled by Paul Grayson, and Vandrau became another short-leg victim. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)