Derbyshire get job done, holding out in Notts draw
A COMBINATION of rain and Derbyshire’s determined batting denied Nottinghamshire victory on the final day of the LV Insurance County Championship match at the Incora County Ground.
The Division Two leaders needed 10 wickets but managed only four as Derbyshire ensured there would be no late drama with openers Luis Reece and Harry Came scoring half centuries.
Nottinghamshire’s chances of taking another big step towards promotion were dealt a blow when rain prevented any play in the morning and took 21 overs out of the day’s allocation.
Came and Reece then took their stand to 161, Derbyshire’s first century opening partnership of the season and the highest against Nottinghamshire at Derby, with the former scoring his maiden first-class 50.
Former Derbyshire player Ben Slater removed him for 70 before Reece went for 86 and although Dane Paterson struck twice in the final session, the home side were 249 for 4 when the teams shook hands on a draw with 16 overs remaining.
Nottinghamshire’s bowlers were already facing a tough task before steady rain meant play did not start until 1pm which shifted the odds heavily in favour of a stalemate.
There was little in the pitch for the seamers and after Reece pulled Dane Paterson to the boundary to bring up the 100, Came clipped Liam PattersonWhite through midwicket to reach 50 from 143 balls.
Reece completed his from 172 balls and the pair had used up 28 overs before Came chopped Slater’s occasional off-spin into his stumps to spark wild celebrations from the bowler which seemed bizarre given the match situation.
Reece was dropped at leg slip off Patterson-White on 82 but in the last over before tea, he played an expansive drive at the left-arm spinner and was caught at slip.
But Derbyshire still had eight wickets in hand and Nottinghamshire’s last chance came with the second new ball which arrived with 33 overs remaining.
Paterson struck in his second over when Brooke Guest was beaten by a full length ball which trapped him in front and kept the game alive by removing Leus du Plooy.
The Derbyshire captain could do nothing with a ball that moved late to take the outside edge with his side still 67 runs behind and 26 overs remaining.
But Wayne Madsen and Hilton Cartwright dug in for 10 overs to secure the draw with Nottinghamshire taking 16 points and Derbyshire 12.
Derbyshire head of cricket Mickey Arthur said: “We see it as another building block.
“I thought after day one which was an anomaly in itself, we’ve really played some very good cricket and I’m very proud of the resilience, attitude, effort and our skills so I couldn’t be more happy.”
On wicketkeeper Brooke Guest who scored his fourth hundred of the season, he said: “It’s an incredible summer for him
and you throw in Mads (Wayne Madsen) who is 20-odd runs away from a thousand, so we’ve had some guys who’ve been exceptional and Brooke epitomises that. “The thing with Brooke is he’s the first guy for training, he’s always there for extra throw downs and extra work, he puts the effort in and it’s really good to see a guy like that get his rewards “
Derbyshire omitted out-of-form captain Billy Godleman for the match and Arthur added: “The skipper always get a little bit longer than other guys in the team because he’s earned the right.
“Billy took it incredibly well, he’s still the leader of the club, we’ve worked every morning on his batting so he’s determined to get it right.”