Derbyshire v Northamptonshire: Match report & scores

Match scores (Derby)

Northamptonshire win by 3 wickets  

Derbyshire 1st inns: 281 all out (Wilson 72, Godleman 33; Buck 5-68)
Derbyshire 2nd inns: 351-1 dec (Reece 168, Godleman 156 no)

Northamptonshire 1st inns: 307 all out (Holden 68, Ducket 53, Newton 50, Buck 43; Davis 4-60)
Northamptonshire 2nd inns: 330-7 (Levi 99, Newton 98; Jeevan 3-84)

Day four report

Northamptonshire celebrated a thrilling three-wicket victory with one ball to spare in the Division Two County Championship match against Derbyshire who had the consolation of setting a new club record.

Rory Kleinveldt drove Daryn Smit for six as Northants chased down 326 in 65 overs thanks to Richard Levi's blistering 99 and 98 from Rob Newton, with Jeevan Mendis taking three wickets for Derbyshire.

Luis Reece, with 168, and an unbeaten 156 from Billy Godleman had set a record Derbyshire opening stand of 333 but it was Northants who came out on top with a second four-day win of the season.

The morning was full of statistical highlights, although the quality of cricket was questionable with the two sides contriving a declaration to set up the afternoon run chase.

Both Reece and Godleman plundered what was at best occasional bowling as Northants donated runs, with even wicketkeeper Adam Rossington turning his arm over.

Reece became only the seventh Derbyshire batsman to score a century on debut in the County Championship and sailed past his previous career-best 114 not out before he became Newton's maiden first-class victim.

By then, he and Godleman had eclipsed Derbyshire's previous highest opening stand of 322, set by Harry Storer and Joseph Bowden against Essex at Derby in 1929, and their partnership was the third highest in the club's history.

But the milestone Derbyshire wanted to celebrate was a Championship victory and Davis raised their hopes by striking twice in the 11th over after Newton and Ben Duckett had put on 56.

Duckett bottom edged a pull and Alex Wakely was trapped on the back foot but Newton was playing shrewdly, reaching 50 from 51 balls, and with Rob Keogh put the innings back on track before two brilliant catches shifted the balance again.

Keogh's low edge off Tony Palladino was superbly held by Gary Wilson plunging to his right and then Smit took a stunning catch at second slip to remove Rossington when the ball looked to have passed him.

At tea, Derbyshire looked favourites but Levi's brutal assault changed that as he dominated a stand of 90 from 87 balls, pulling Mendis for six before driving Tom Milnes for another to reach 50 from 39 balls.

He pulled Reece for a third six but Newton fell trying to reverse sweep Mendis and the game took another twist when Levi fell one short of a century aiming to swing the leg-spinner away.

Northants went into the last 10 overs needing 47 and were 27 short of victory when Holden drove Mendis to mid-on but, although the equation came down to a run a ball, Kleinveldt settled it with one blow over deep extra cover.

Day three report

An unbroken century opening stand between Billy Godleman and Luis Reece raised Derbyshire's hopes of a first Specsavers County Championship victory since July 2015 at the end of the third day of the Division Two match against Northamptonshire.

Reece made an unbeaten 69 on his Derbyshire first-class debut and Godleman is 63 not out as the hosts closed the day, during which 44 overs were lost to rain, on 142 without loss, a lead of 116.

Max Holden had earlier top scored for Northants with 76 to earn the visitors a first-innings lead of 26 but their bowlers could not break through and they lost paceman Ben Sanderson with an injury.

Derbyshire's first task was to break the last-wicket stand which had given Northants an unlikely lead and Tom Milnes ended Holden's impressive innings when he beat his attempted drive in the third over with the second new ball.

But Holden and Sanderson had added 47 in 10 overs which meant the last two wickets had put on 136 to swing the initiative back to the visitors but Derbyshire fought hard to see off the new ball.

It was tough going for Reece and Godleman in conditions which favoured the bowlers but, despite being beaten a number of times, they did not offer a chance in 22 overs before lunch although Rory Kleinveldt had a very good lbw shout against the Derbyshire captain turned down.

Derbyshire scored only 38 before the interval which reflected the quality of the bowling and the determination of the openers to preserve their wickets with Reece again displaying a sound temperament and good judgement in his second first-class innings for his new county.

Northants were handicapped by the loss of Sanderson from the 28th over when he pulled up after bowling a short ball at Reece and limped back to the pavilion but that should not detract from the quality of the opening stand.

Reece had shown in the first innings he was prepared to be patient and his application was rewarded when his sixth four took him to 50 shortly before tea.

Rain and bad light delayed play until just before 6pm but, in the remaining 16 overs, Derbyshire stretched their lead past three figures to give themselves a chance of forcing a win on the final day. 

Day two report

A double career-best performance from Nathan Buck was the highlight of another hard-fought day between Derbyshire and Northamptonshire in the Division Two County Championship match at Derby.

Buck followed figures of five for 68 with 43 out of a ninth-wicket stand of 89 with Max Holden who made an unbeaten 68 as Northants recovered from 171 for eight to reach 291 for nine at the close in reply to Derbyshire's 281.

Will Davis with four wickets supported by sharp slip catching had put Derbyshire in charge before Buck and Holden kept their side in the game with a fighting partnership in the final session.

England batsman Ben Duckett and opening partner Rob Newton made half-centuries to give Northants a solid platform but rash strokes transformed the contest after lunch.

Buck had taken two of the last four Derbyshire wickets in the morning as the home side added 62 runs with eighth wicket pair Alex Hughes and Tom Milnes contributing 42 in 11 overs.

Northants had the best conditions to bat in and when Duckett and Newton were together in bright sunshine, it looked ominous for the home side until poor shot selection allowed Derbyshire a way back.

Duckett had reached 50 with successive fours off Sri Lankan leg-spinner Jeevan Mendis but he then aimed a big drive at Shiv Thakor and was well taken at second slip by Daryn Smit who did well to knock up an edge from Alex Wakely for Wayne Madsen to take a good reaction catch.

Madsen did even better with a one-handed grab to hold Newton's top-edged cut at Davis and when Northants lost four wickets in eight overs after tea, Derbyshire were poised to take a substantial first innings lead.

But Holden and Buck displayed the selectivity the recognised batsmen lacked to frustrate the home side for 20 overs with Buck straight-driving Mendis for six before he went back to the spinner and was lbw.

But that was not the end of Northants resistance as Holden and Ben Sanderson gave their side a slender lead which had looked highly unlikely when Rory Kleinveldt was caught behind off Davis.

It all added up to a disappointing evening session for Derbyshire who also lost Thakor who left the field with what appeared to be an ankle injury when he went over in his follow-through.

Day one report

Gary Wilson marked his first-class Derbyshire debut with an impressive half century against Northamptonshire in Specsavers County Championship match Division Two.

The former Surrey wicketkeeper showed excellent judgement to score 72 from 104 balls but three wickets from Nathan Buck ensured the honours were shared when rain forced an early close with Derbyshire 219 for six.

It could have been better for both teams as the initiative changed hands several times on a cool, overcast day when the County Ground floodlights were needed from the start of play.

The overhead conditions probably persuaded Northants to bowl first and there was certainly enough to suggest it was the right decision as the seamers went past the bat numerous times.

Ben Sanderson was the pick of the attack and was unlucky not to dismiss Luis Reece early on when the former Lancashire batsman, one of four Derbyshire debutants, edged just short of Ben Duckett at first slip.

Both Reece and skipper Billy Godleman displayed good temperament to bat deep into the first session before Sanderson deservedly broke through when he got one to lift on Reece, who was caught off the shoulder of the bat at fourth slip.

Reece made only 19 but importantly for Derbyshire he had batted for 95 minutes to see off a testing early spell - although Sanderson gained another reward for his morning's work when he moved one back just enough to trap Godleman lbw for 33.

The game appeared to have taken a significant shift towards Northants when two wickets in six balls early after lunch reduced Derbyshire to 114 for four.

Rory Kleinveldt had struggled for a consistent line in the morning but he found enough away movement to have Wayne Madsen caught at second slip for 12 before Buck pinned Shiv Thakor lbw with the first ball of the next over.

For the next 25 overs it was about Wilson and Daryn Smit, who also played soundly on his debut before he was squared up by Buck - who then had Wilson lbw playing across the line before bad light and rain ended play.