ALEX Hughes again carried the responsibility of Derbyshire's hopes as they struggled to 157-6 at tea on the second day of their LV County Championship match against Leicestershire at Grace Road.
It was a timid performance from Derbyshire in their first innings response to Leicestershire's 311 and for a time they were no means certain to pass the follow-on target but Hughes was on a new career-best 39 not out at tea, with David Wainwright on 12 not out.
Derbyshire lost their first wicket in the second over of the day as Paul Borrington edged to second slip, where Greg Smith took the catch off Anthony Ireland for six.
Eleven overs later, Stephen Moore paid the price for not getting forward to Ben Raine as a ball skipped through low and got him lbw for 18 at 47-2.
Raine led the war of attrition and took a second wicket straight after lunch when a ball rose off a length and was deflected by Wayne Madsen (27) to first slip at 68-3.
Scott Elstone fell to an awful shot at an equally poor ball from Alex Wyatt, caught behind for 13, and Marcus North trudged to 23 off 68 balls before being drawn into a drive by Ireland and being caught behind at 110-5.
Gareth Cross was bowled by Wyatt for nought at 115-6 but Hughes and Wainwright brought much needed positive intent.
