ESSEX'S England batsmen Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara both had poor days as Derbyshire paceman Tony Palladino wrecked his former county’s batting in their LV= County Championship clash at Derby.

Palladino had Cook caught behind for four before Bopara was out for a duck to a vicious lifter from Tim Groenewald.

Palladino took three wickets to reduce Essex to 43 for five and although James Foster and Matt Walker replied with half centuries, the visitors collapsed again to be 179 all out.

On-loan spinner Azeem Rafiq also claimed three for 24 in 16 overs.

The visitors fought back with the ball as David Masters took two wickets, including Australia Test batsman Usman Khawaja, as Derbyshire closed 115 behind on 64 for two.

Derbyshire’s decision to put Essex in on a greenish pitch was quickly rewarded as Palladino conjured some late movement to find Cook’s inside edge in the fourth over of the day.

Jaik Mickleburgh became his second victim when he padded up four overs later and Groenewald struck another big blow by ripping out Bopara.

Mark Pettini was bowled off his thigh pad as he moved across to Greg Smith’s medium pace and when Adam Wheater skied an ill-advised pull at Palladino, half the Essex side were back in the pavilion.

Foster and Walker put conditions into perspective with some watchful batting to repair the early damage.

They added 109 in 41 overs before Walker top-edged a sweep at Rafiq and was caught by Sutton for 56 off 157 balls.

That was the start of another slide that saw the last five wickets fall for 27. Foster was the last man out when he was caught reverse sweeping Rafiq for 62 off 146 balls.

Essex struck quickly when Masters found some lift to have Chesney Hughes caught behind for six in the fifth over but Wayne Madsen and Khawaja took the home side past 50 before Masters made another breakthrough.

Khawaja had survived a mistimed pull at Wright on 16 but he had no answer to a rising ball from Masters which flew into Foster’s gloves to keep Essex in the contest.