Sunday 21st August 2011
by PAUL FISHER

Derbyshire v Northamptonshire, County Championship Division Two at Queens Park, Chesterfield.

Northamptonshire: 267 all out (65.3 overs) & 416-9 dec (112.5 overs), Derbyshire: 190 all out (48.2 overs) & 328 (75.5 overs), Northamptonshire won by 165 runs, Northamptonshire 21 pts, Derbyshire 3 pts.

Derbyshire won the toss and chose to field first. League leaders Northamptonshire inflicted lasting damage on Derbyshire's hopes of securing promotion this season, two fine innings by Alex Wakely and some expert bowling by Sri Lankan Chaminda Vaas, just about hammered the final nail into the Falcons coffin.

Luke Sutton (left) won the toss and asked Northants to bat on a greenish wicket, and with lots of cloud around it seemed the ideal thing to do. Certainly, when Stephen Peters was caught by Sutton, from the bowling of Mark Footitt. In fact, the former Nottinghamshire paceman was to have a fine day by picking up his County Championship best with 5-53. This included a spell of 4 wickets for 8 runs in 25 balls.

Before that though Derbyshire inflicted some damage to the Cobblers top order and Footitt enjoyed a fine day. Bowling with pace and aggression, mixed in with a bit of discipline the Nottingham born quick was playing in his first championship match of the season, but he didn’t show it.

Footitt had Niall O'Brien, Kyle Coetzer (the batsman brought in on loan from Durham with a view to a permanent signing), Rob Newton, David Sales and finally David Lucas in a fine days cricket for the 25 year old. Derbyshire bowled Northants out for 267 which came in rapid time only 65.3 overs at just over four runs an over.

Derbyshire's reply was not in the keeping of the game to date, as they struggled to compete with the moving ball. It was the former Sri Lankan Test bowler Vaas that inflicted maximum damage with another five-wicket haul to add to a fine season with the Wantage Road based side. The swing bowlers tally of 5-65 was his seventh five wicket haul of the season.

Martin Guptill, in fine form blasted 55 off 90 balls which included thirteen fours, however it was the fact that the New Zealander got out just before the close of play on day one, which seemed to hurt Derbyshire's pride and leave them shell shocked for batting on day two. Vaas accounted for the rest of the Derbyshire batsmen the very next morning as they lost six wickets for 74 runs in just 18.2 overs and gave Northants a lead of 77.

Derbyshire needed quick wickets and got one when Tim Groenewald trapped O'Brien LBW for 0. Shortly after lunch, Coetzer and Peters also fell this time to Footitt. Rob Newton lazily drove at a ball and was caught at cover and Northants were 91-4. David Sales, having recovered from 0 in the first innings set about Derbyshire bowlers in the afternoon session.

Sales, along with Wakely put Northants in a commanding position with a partnership of 122 in 28 overs, before Sales was caught by Sutton from the bowling of Groenewald for a fine knock of 65 from 87 balls which included eleven fours. Wakely followed soon for 83 off 115 balls as Northants finished the day in a fine position.

On day three, James Middlebrook and South African Andrew Hall put on 101 runs before Hall was caught in the slips by Tony Palladino. Chaminda Vaas then showed he is no slouch with the bat either by smacking 37 from 44 balls before being bowled by Chesney Hughes. The Anguillan then bowled David Lucas as Northants looked to press for quick runs after lunch. James Middlebrook (100no) saw that Northants managed to declare and leave Derbyshire 494 to win in 152 overs.

Derbyshire's final innings got off to a rapid start with the 50 being brought up in only the ninth over before Hughes was somewhat disappointed to be given out caught behind for 20. Greg Smith's bad form continued when he was bowled by Lucas for 6. Martin Guptill (46) had looked in supreme form but again will be annoyed that he got out too soon. Derbyshire had lost their first three wickets for 37 runs.

At tea on Day three, Derbyshire were 122-3 with Dan Redfern and Wes Durston, two batsmen who could see it through to the close looking quite comfortable. That quickly changed when Durston (26) was caught at second slip by Sales, to a ball he knows he probably could have left behind.

Dan Redfern (58) had batted beautifully before being caught at first slip from the bowling of Middlebrook. It was David Lucas' turn to chip in with the wickets, trapping Sutton (14) leg before and Whiteley (23) bowled off an inside edge.

Groenewald was dropped twice, both at slip as Northants claimed the extra half an hour as they closed in on victory.  The South African was eventually caught at bat pad for 21 from the bowling of Middlebrook. The match could have been wrapped up with a day to spare as Andrew Hall saw another drop off his bowling, the batsman this time was Jon Clare.

Northamptonshire wrapped up the win on the final day with Palladino (28) bowled by Lucas. Jon Clare reached his 50, but was left stranded when Mark Footit was out for 4.

Derbyshire's attempt at achieveing promotion to Division One may be in the hands of the gods now, but this season will be seen as a massive improvement.

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