County on top with a day left against Cardiff

DERBYSHIRE closed day two of their three-day friendly against Cardiff UCCE leading by 83 runs with nine second innings wickets standing.

Having declared at their overnight 321-6 from Saturday, the county bowled the students out for 258 in 78.2 overs yesterday, captain Ben Hutchinson and Adam Sylvester taking three wickets each.

Cardiff’s eventual total was something of a recovery from 127-6 as middle order batsman Morgan Bevans battled for almost three hours for 66 and Jacques Banton, in at eight, made a sharp 75 from 107 balls with 10 fours and a six before Hutchinson had him caught high at slip by Alex Hughes.

A wicket each went to Hughes, Dustin Melton, Nils Priestley and Archie Harrison.

The first innings lead was 63 and, in the nine overs which remained, there was disappointment for Tom Wood, trapped leg before for one, before Mitch Wagstaff and Hughes saw Derbyshire safely to the close on 20-1.

On Saturday, Harvey Hosein hit an unbeaten 89 and Nafis Shaikh 55.

Academy prospect Shaikh hit nine fours in a fluent 55 from 115 balls, one of a number of youngsters who seized the opportunity to impress.

An opening stand of 45 between Wagstaff (45) and Wood (26) got Derbyshire off to a good start.

Wood was caught behind but Hughes stood firm to guide the hosts to 97-1 at lunch.

Wagstaff was dismissed shortly after the interval, then Hughes, for 31, and Mattie McKiernan (nine) were dismissed within the space of six overs.

Hosein and Priestley stabilised the innings with an 81-run partnership for the fifth wicket, moving the score beyond 200.

Priestley fell for 32 and that set the stage for Shaikh to impress.

A partnership of 101 with Hosein was ended when the youngster was bowled by Will Collard but Hosein and Harrison (seven not out) denied the visitors any further wickets on the opening day and Derbyshire decided that was enough.