Record-breaking sixth wicket stand salvages Derbyshire's first innings

DAY THREE | Derbyshire CCC 313 for eight v Leicestershire CCC 528

SCORECARD | Available HERE

REPORT | The Running Foxes become unstuck against a formidable sixth wicket stand for Derbyshire, between Brooke Guest and Anuj Dal, as they post the record sixth wicket partnership for the hosts in first-class cricket.

Day three was greeted by the sunshine in the East Midlands once again, with Leicestershire looking to build on the in-roads they made in the final session of day two, after claiming three Derbyshire wickets.

Chris Wright, fresh off his 500th career first-class wicket, soon made it 501 after just three day three overs as Harry Swindells was on hand for the fourth time to pouch the edge.

Godleman departed for 14 as Brooke Guest joined Matt Critchley in the middle.

The fifth wicket partnership put on a stand of just 11, after Ben Mike struck within his first over of the day.

The man to go was Critchley (17) after chopping one on as he looked to play an expansive looking shot from Mike’s third ball of the day.

The sixth wicket stand of Guest and Dal stemmed any further build-up of momentum for the Running Foxes, though, as the duo went on to play a mature, composed innings to see the hosts through to the lunch interval with the sixth wicket still intact.

The stand also saw the hosts over the 100-run mark, as well bringing up their own 50-run milestone.

Derbyshire took lunch on 108 for five, with Guest (37) and Dal (13) in the middle.

The duo emerged in the afternoon session and picked up where they left off in the morning session.

The partnership went from strength to strength, and soon the partnership had reached the 100-run mark, with both batsmen having recorded their half-centuries.

Guest was first to reach the milestone, from 98 balls and including seven fours.

Ten overs later and Dal joined his teammate in reaching the fifty mark, coming from 122 balls and including seven fours.

The duo then saw the hosts through to tea, with Derbyshire sitting on 220 for five.

In the sixth over of the final session, Dal turned Davis through backward square leg for two to bring up the record sixth wicket partnership for Derbyshire against Leicestershire in first-class cricket.

Next up for the duo was the maiden first-class century for Guest, with his ton coming from 221 balls, including sixteen fours.

Three overs later and Dal soon joined Guest on recording his maiden first-class century, coming from 210, including fifteen fours.

Records kept tumbling for the partnership, as they had now recorded the best sixth wicket partnership in first-class cricket for Derbyshire.

The record-breaking stand, though, came to an end on 227 for the hosts as Mike claimed his second wicket of the day.

Dal (106) was the man to go after top-edging the delivery high into the sky towards Kimber who made his way over to midwicket to take the catch.

Alex Thomson emerged to join Guest in the middle with the hosts on 283 for six.

Thomson failed to see the remaining sixteen overs of the day out alongside Guest, as Parkinson got his wicket after trapping the new man at the crease for 10.

Sam Conners joined Guest in the middle with the hosts on 298 for seven.

There was enough time left in the day for Parkinson to claim his second of the innings, with Derbyshire now eight wickets down.

Guest (116) was the man to go after the Foxes man found his edge which was caught behind by Swindells, for his fifth grab of the innings.

Derbyshire were 303 for eight as Ben Aitchison joined Conners in the middle.

The remaining five overs of the day were successfully navigated by the duo as Derbyshire closed day three on 313 for eight, Conners (9*), Aitchison (3*).

FIGURES (1st inns) | Wright 23-7-54-2, Davis 21-4-62-2, Mike 17-3-81-2, Barnes 18-4-47-0, Parkinson 26-15-32-2, Rhodes 8-1-17-0, Kimber 3-1-15-0

TEAM | Hassan Azad, Sam Evans, George Rhodes, Lewis Hill, Louis Kimber, Harry Swindells (wk), Ben Mike, Callum Parkinson (C), Ed Barnes, Chris Wright, Will Davis.

DERBYSHIRE CCC | Billy Godleman (C), Tom Wood, Leus Du Plooy, Wayne Madsen, Brooke Guest (wk), Matt Critchley, Alex Thomson, Anuj Dal, Ben Aitchison, Sam Conners, Ed Moulton.

IMAGES | Thanks to John Mallett of Outside Off for providing the images throughout the game.