Falcons pace chase to land victory
Fri 27 Jul 2018
RESULT | Vitality Blast game 7: Leicestershire Foxes 149-5 lost to Derbyshire Falcons 150 for 4 by 6 wickets
SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo
REACTION | Head Coach Paul Nixon spoke to BBC Radio Leicester's Ian Stringer after the game
HIGHLIGHTS | In-play highlights are available throughout the 2018 season
POINTS | Leicestershire Foxes 0, Derbyshire Falcons 2
REPORT | Derbyshire Falcons produced a well-paced run chase to win a close Vitality Blast encounter with Leicestershire Foxes at the Fischer County Ground.
Mark Cosgrove played superbly in top-scoring with 65 (52b, 6x4, 2x6) as the Foxes had to work hard to put 149 for five on the board in the face of some excellent quick bowling from the visitors.
Leicestershire Foxes also bowled well, with Neil Dexter taking two for 18 from three overs, but Billy Godleman anchored the reply with an unbeaten 56 (44b, 5x4) as the Falcons won by six wickets with seven balls remaining.
The opener worked the ball around adeptly, and although the Falcons was behind the rate after 11 overs, Hardus Viljoen struck 32 (16b, 3x4, 2x6) in a crucial fourth wicket stand worth 45 in 28 balls that turned the game in their favour.
On a night where both sides joined the rest of the country in supporting the Rainbow Laces campaign, Colin Ackermann won the toss and elected to bat first on a hot and humid evening at the Fischer County Ground.
The team showed one change to the side that won at Notts Outlaws as Gavin Griffiths came in for Zak Chappell, who missed out with a hamstring niggle.
Opener Dexter (10, 6b) clouted the second and fourth balls of the opening over from off-spinner Wayne Madsen for six and four respectively to take his seasonal tally to 200 runs, but was then trapped lbw by the last ball of an eventful set.
That brought Cosgrove to the crease, and he drove the off-spinner for a straight six in the third offering before pulling Ravi Rampaul to the mid-wicket boundary in the fifth.
But the Falcons’ pacemen generally bowled well in the powerplay, restricting the Foxes to 38 for one, and their pressure was rewarded. Cameron Delport (5, 12b) was caught by Wahab Riaz, fielding in a short third man position, off Rampaul.
Although Cosgrove skilfully manoeuvred a ball from New Zealand paceman Lockie Ferguson to fine-leg, the 50 did not come up until the start of the tenth over to show how well the quicks bowled – especially Ferguson, whose four overs cost 21.
A couple of painful blows were suffered by Ben Raine (6, 12b) before the in-form left-hander lofted Wahab to Madsen at long-on.
Cosgrove generally looked to use the pace of the ball, and also launched a straight maximum to bring up 50 from 42 balls (4x4, 2x6) as 16 runs came off the 13th over.
Two more double-figure overs followed, including an exquisite four through extra by Cosgrove to take the score to 100 midway through the 15th.
Ackermann cleared the ropes with a mighty stroke that bounced over the top of the seats on the Butler stand balcony, and the valuable stand reached 67 in 6.3 overs before Rampaul bowled Cosgrove.
The Foxes was at 122 for four with 18 balls to go - and only three came off a fine antepenultimate over by Riaz.
Some clean striking from Mohammad Nabi (18, 10b) helped the Foxes almost get up to 150, while Ackermann played well to end on an unbeaten 29 (26b). Riaz bowled the Afghanistan all-rounder in the final over to finish with two for 26 from his allocation.
There was a perfect start as dangerman Calum MacLeod was run out without facing following a brilliant direct hit by Ackermann, and Griffiths followed up with an over that cost only two.
The Falcons had plenty of experience in Godleman and Madsen, but the Foxes’ seamers matched the efforts of their counterparts in the powerplay, and Raine had Madsen (13, 18b) held by Ackermann at mid-off.
Godleman struck two consecutive fours at the start of the sixth over, while Anuj Dal also found the ropes as the score progressed to 45 for two.
Spinners Callum Parkinson and Nabi bowled neatly, and Dexter also delivered a tight over, as the score reached 68 for two at halfway.
The rate had climbed above eights, and Dexter capitalised by bowling Dal (25, 22b). The Falcons promoted the big-hitting Viljoen to add impetus, and the move worked. Viljoen struck two powerful fours and a brace of sixes into the leg-side to take the target down to 38 off 30 balls.
Another four hit wide of mid-on brought Viljoen four more before he skied Dexter to Wells at cover.
The Foxes was still in the game but Godleman posted 50 off 40 balls (4x4), and captain Gary Wilson (21*, 11b) found the fence on four occasions as the visitors won for a second Vitality Blast game in succession.
TEAM | Dexter, Delport, Cosgrove, Raine, Ackermann (capt), Nabi, Eckersley (wk), Wells, Parkinson, Griffiths, Abbas
FIGURES | Abbas 4-0-36-0, Griffiths 4-0-32-0, Raine 3.5-0-34-1, Parkinson 1-0-6-0, Nabi 3-0-23-0, Dexter 3-0-18-2
PHOTO | Thanks to Ed Melia for the photo of Mark Cosgrove batting
* Our next Vitality Blast home game is against Birmingham Bears on Thursday, August 2! The best value tickets are available in advance – a family ticket for 2 adults and 3 under 16s is available for £37 in advance of the fixture. Secure your seat at the Fischer County Ground today HERE
