Tony Palladino’s seven wickets for Derbyshire put the home side in command against Kent at Derby on Saturday.

The 29-year-old seamer ripped through Kent to claim 7-53 as the visitors were bowled out for 161 despite skipper Rob Key’s disciplined 81 from 156 balls, which left the Division Two leaders chasing 295 for victory.

An opening stand of 83 between Wayne Madsen and Matt Lineker put them on course and then Usman Khawaja and Wes Durston blunted the Kent attack to leave Derbyshire only 127 runs short of victory on 168 for two when rain forced an early close.

Kent had gone into the third day holding the best hand with a lead of 226 and seven wickets intact, but Palladino’s inspired burst coupled with reckless batting saw them collapse to 161 all out before lunch.

Only Key showed the necessary application as Palladino and Tim Groenewald swept away the remaining seven wickets for 52 in 19 overs.

Groenewald started the slide by having Michael Powell caught at short midwicket for 18 to end a stand of 66 and the rest of the innings imploded as Palladino took 5-23 in 12.5 overs.

Key must have been dismayed to see several of his team-mates fall to loose shots while he worked the ball into the gaps and he looked set to carry his bat when Palladino had him caught behind.

An acrobatic catch by David Wainwright at midwicket gave the former Essex man his seventh victim and match figures of 9-118, the best of his career. Palladino’s inspired spell had put Derbyshire right back into a game that looked to have slipped away from them.

Derbyshire had batted poorly in the first innings, but this time they played with greater discipline and patience to chip away at their target. The opening pair were together for 26 overs before Madsen gloved a ball from Matt Coles on 30 and Lineker was lbw for 45 off 97 deliveries, playing forward to James Tredwell’s off-spin.

At 95 for two, the game was back in the balance but Khawaja and Durston played with composure and selectivity to share an unbeaten stand of 73 while Kent’s frustration threatened to boil over with Charlie Shreck showing petulance when an appeal for a catch behind was turned down.

Derbyshire won the toss and elected to field.

Derbyshire side: Madsen, Lineker, Khawaja, Durston, Redfern, Johnson, Wainwright, Clare, Palladino, Groenewald, Turner.

Kent side: Key, Northeast, Harmison, Nash, Powell, Stevens, Jones, Tredwell, Coles, Davies, Shreck.

Umpires: R Bailey & M Gough

Close of play day three: Kent 265 all out & 161 all out, Derbyshire 132 all out & 168 for 2.