GARETH Batty has become the first Worcestershire spinner to take 50 County Championship wickets in a season for 12 years.

He reached the magical milestone by taking 5-60 to help the County dismiss Derbyshire for 246 on the opening day of the Division Two match at New Road.

The previous Worcestershire spinner to capture a half-century of wickets was left-armer Richard Illingworth who bagged 71 in 1990.

It remains to be seen, however, whether Batty's latest haul will act as a launchpad for the victory his side need to stand any chance of clinching promotion.

By the close last night the County's reply stood at 52-1 off 10.2 overs and, assuming promotion-rivals Nottinghamshire collect three bowling points against Essex at Chelmsford today, skipper Graeme Hick's men will need to score 350 to stay in the race for a place in the first division.

Whatever the outcome, however, Batty can be justly proud of his efforts to try to lift Worcestershire into the top flight during his first season at New Road following a more from Surrey.

Derbyshire, after winning the toss, began to subside rapidly after Andrew Gait and Luke Sutton had put on 103 for the first wicket.

Sutton made 51, including 12 fours off 64 balls, while Gait cracked 58 which contained 13 fours off 102 deliveries.

Only three other Nottinghamshire batsmen, however, managed to get into double figures -- Steven Selwood (22), Jason Kerr (54) and Kevin Dean (40 not out).

Kerr smacked ten fours off 114 balls and figured in a stand of 62 in 25 overs for the ninth wicket with Dean whose unbeaten innings contained six fours off 93 deliveries.

When Worcestershire began their reply they soon lost Anurag Singh for five before bad light stopped with Stephen Peters unbeaten on 32 and Hick nine not out.

Hick, however, made only 16 today before playing on to paceman Kevin Dean, who ten had Ben Smith caught at second slip by Chris Bassano for two.

This left Worcestershire on 75-3 and their target first innings total of 350 looked a long way off.