By Jamie Lillywhite

Batsman Taylor has settled quickly after leaving Yorkshire

Those looking for exciting County Championship action over the last 10 years would have been well advised to steer clear of Derby.

Since Dean Jones led them to second in 1996, when Chris Adams hit six centuries and Phil DeFreitas took 62 wickets, Derbyshire have finished bottom of the table on four occasions.

Off-field acrimony plagued the county, with Adams and much of the late 90's squad departing in droves and Dominic Cork ending a difficult tenure as captain in 2003.

But a quiet revolution has taken place at the Racecourse Ground since then, sparked by former Zimbabwe captain Dave Houghton's appointment as director of cricket.

After two wins out of five and no losses so far this year, they share top spot in Division Two with Essex, and hold one of the two promotion places on offer.

"What happened is in the past as far as we're concerned," Houghton told BBC Sport.

"We've had a long pre-season but [the success is] not so much what we've done as coaches; it's [down to] giving guys jobs to do that they want to do.

"In my time here we've turned the squad around - there are probably only four survivors from when I took over.

"We've done a rebuilding exercise in terms of getting players in but also we've worked hard with players coming up through the system."

Everyone who plays us is going to have a problem this year Dave Houghton

Off the pitch, things are looking healthier too, with the new Gateway pavilion where the old, condemned grandstand once stood.

Progressive chief executive Tom Sears has overseen the installation of new nets and permanent floodlights, as night games bring valuable extra revenue.

All the developments make it easier to recruit new players but Derbyshire are currently doing well with what they have.

The bowling attack is reminiscent of a pet rescue centre, with journeymen who perhaps were not treated well by other clubs beginning to regain their confidence under the watchful tutelage of bowling coach Mike Hendrick.

Steffen Jones, now 32, left Somerset after seven seasons and spent an unproductive two years with Northants, taking only 19 wickets.

Ian Hunter took 45 wickets in four seasons with Durham but claimed 34 last year, in his second season with Derbyshire.

"They have become a really formidable opening pair and we've got some good seamers to come in after them," Houghton said.

Dominic Cork was one of the big names to leave in acrimony

"Jones is as fit as anybody, he's a good strike bowler and he just wants to bowl lots of overs.

"For one reason or another he didn't get that opportunity at Northants but that doesn't mean he's not a good bowler.

"Hunter didn't get on well at Durham, he was in the wilderness. Last year he was good for us we just dropped a lot of catches off him, this year we're taking them."

The batting has been strengthened by Tasmanian duo Michael di Venuto and new arrival Travis Birt.

And Chris Taylor, whose top score in four years at Yorkshire was 52, struck an unbeaten century on his Derbyshire Championship debut in the first match of the season.

"He was ready to play first-team cricket at Yorkshire but there wasn't a spot for him, there is at our place and he's showing what a good player he is."

After their early success in the four-day game, and four wins from five games in the one-day C&G Trophy, Houghton must keep his side focussed for the rest of the campaign.

DERBYSHIRE 1996-2005 Championship position: 1996 2nd 1997 16th 1998 10th 1999 9th 2000 9th (last, Div One) 2001 9th (last, Div Two) 2002 6th (Div Two) 2003 9th (last, Div Two) 2004 8th (Div Two) 2005 9th (last, Div Two)

And there still remains the small matter of securing a Championship victory at home, which they have not managed since August 2002.

"People involved in cricket prefer the longer form of the game," said the Zimbabwean.

"But you have to give importance to one-day cricket because that's what people want to see and there is big money it so to me they are of equal importance.

"I want to win everything!"

"We're a decent side now and we're getting respect. We have a lot of all-rounders so we can adapt easily to one-day cricket.

"I've hardly changed the side, I've got first-teamers playing well in the second XI.

"I've got selection headaches as to who to leave out and everyone who plays us is going to have a problem this year."