Staunch Derbyshire defence frustrates Foxes

DAY FOUR | Derbyshire CCC 340 & 203 for three v Leicestershire CCC 528 - Match drawn

SCORECARD | Available HERE

POINTS | Leicestershire 13, Derbyshire 11

REPORT | Captain Billy Godleman rescues a draw from the clutches of defeat for the hosts after an unbeaten century on the final day at the Incora County Ground.

Leicestershire enforce the Derbyshire follow on after the hosts remained 188 runs behind following their first innings response.

The final day got underway under the familiar sunshine that has roared for the previous three days at the Incora County Ground.

The hosts commenced on 313 for eight with Sam Conners and Ben Aitchison in the middle, as the Running Foxes targeted the remaining wickets in Derbyshire’s first innings.

It took just twelve deliveries of the morning session for the Running Foxes to make the breakthrough, before Ben Mike found the edge of Sam Conners for 9, as Louis Kimber took the catch low at second slip.

This prompted Ed Moulton to the middle, to join Ben Aitchison with Derbyshire on 314 for nine.

The final wicket partnership proved a tougher wicket to claim than expected, as they went on to spend 47 minutes alongside eachother in the middle.

Eventually, the stand came to a close as Ed Barnes claimed his first wicket of the innings.

The man to go was Aitchison (16), after the former Derbyshire man pinned the batsman infront.

This left Moulton the man not out on six as Derbyshire’s first innings response closed on 340, trailing by 188.

The Running Foxes enforced the follow on of Derbyshire, in hope of earning their first victory of the 2021 LV= County Championship Division Three campaign.

County got off to the perfect start, after Tom Wood (0) reached for Wright’s away seamer and nicked it through to the gloves of Swindells leaving the hosts on 0 for 1 after just two deliveries of the second innings.

Leus du Plooy emerged to join Billy Godleman in the middle.

The second wicket partnership recorded just 18 runs in 27 minutes at the crease together before Wright struck for the second time in the innings.

The man to go was du Plooy as Wright angled a delivery away and enticed the batsman into nicking one through to Swindells for 10.

After 6.3 overs, Derbyshire were welcoming Wayne Madsen to the crease on 18 for two.

The duo successfully saw out the remaining seven overs to send the hosts into lunch on 36 for two, Godleman 8*, Madsen 13*.

The third wicket stand came out in similar fashion for the afternoon session with Godleman and Madsen discernibly playing out time.

Seven overs of the second session had passed before the 46-run stand came to an end as Wright claimed his third of the innings.

Madsen (21) was the man to go after Wright found his edge, with Azad the man on the receiving this time “ Derbyshire were 64 for three as Matt Critchley emerged.

Critchley extended the hard work put in by the Derbyshire batsmen already on the final, as Godleman continued his dogged innings.

County introduced an all-out-spin attack into the innings with Callum Parkinson and George Rhodes attacking from either end in hope that it would bring about the fourth wicket.

The Derbyshire skipper, though, had other ideas as he patiently played his way to his half-century, coming from 98 balls, including seven fours.  

The tea break then came with the fourth wicket still intact for the hosts, with Derbyshire on 142 for three, Godleman 59*, Critchley 41*.

The final session of the fixture got underway and County thought they had made the breakthrough.

Mike was the man who was looking for the wicket after Godleman squirted the yorker out towards point where the catch was taken “ the shot, though, was judged a bump-ball by the umpires.

Five overs later, and the Foxes thought they had the wicket of Godleman once again. This time, the batsman looped Parkinson’s delivery up towards Sam Evans at short leg “ the Foxes man had to stretch to take the grab, looked like he had it, but then following the impact between the ground and his hand saw the ball pop up out of his grasp.

In the meantime, Critchley had joined his skipper on recording his half-century, coming from 101 balls, including seven fours and one six.

Just over 10 overs later, and it was the turn of Derbyshire skipper Godleman to record his century “ the first of his 2021 LV= County Championship campaign “ as he drove Parkinson away through the covers. The ton came from 183 balls and included thirteen fours.

Upon Godleman recording his century, the two captains shook hands on a draw with Leicestershire conceding any chance of victory and the hosts salvaging a draw.

FIGURES (1st inns) | Wright 26-9-55-2, Davis 21-4-62-2, Mike 21-3-88-3, Barnes 22.5-5-56-1, Parkinson 29-16-34-2, Rhodes 8-1-17-0, Kimber 3-1-15-0

FIGURES (2nd inns) | Wright 9-0-36-3, Davis 8-0-17-0, Barnes 5-0-15-0, Davis 9-0-39-0, Parkinson 19.3-5-49-0, Rhodes 12-1-42-0

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.