Derbyshire 260 and 147-4 (Slater 53, Madsen 52 not)
Northamptonshire 289 (Wakely 106, Palladino 4-33, Critchley 4-88)
Derbyshire lead by 118 runs
Well, we have quite a game on our hands at Chesterfield.
Derbyshire did well today to limit Northamptonshire to a lead of just 29 runs. That came largely through a fine innings from their skipper, Alex Wakely, with good support from Stephen Crook, but superb bowling from Tony Palladino, who took 4-33 from fifteen overs, kept us very much in the game.
There were wickets too for Matt Critchley, who also took four but for 88 runs in 17 overs, with the other two going, expensively, to Hardus Viljoen, with 2-94.
The score fitted my 'Chesterfield stereotype' of last night and Derbyshire will want to be setting a winning target somewhere north of 250.
That looked very likely when, after Billy Godleman had been caught behind, Wayne Madsen and Ben Slater added 86 for the second wicket. But Slater's dismissal for a fine 53 was followed by that of Alex Hughes and night watchman Dan Wheeldon.
If the tail can wag as healthily as it did in the first innings, we have a good chance of a win here. With Madsen still in, Hosein alongside him and Critchley and Wilson still to come, there is a chance we could do it.
It has to be a team effort though.
With a couple of stand out individual performances in there too.
I look forward to your comments, especially if you were along there today.
enjoyed today but wow was it hot! thought hardus actually bowled well with little reward - lots of edges that on another day could have rebounded into the stumps, pally was just pally - accurate and economical as ever, critch was expensive but took wickets including a super catch from hughes from a mistimed shot that went miles up in the air - i did fear we would be facing a large deficit but bowled very well after tea. when we batted second time round after mads and slater got us well in the game we got a little bogged down in the final hour - slater was on 53 for an age and was out trying to hit the spinner over the top , hughes didnt really settle and the night watchman didnt really work but nicely poised game and just need mads harvey wilson and critchley to push on tomorrow - 250 to 300 ahead needed i think but lets see what tomorrow brings
ReplyDeleteAt 5 down I was thinking we had a chance of a lead. As per usual when I think like that it went the other way but we really did well to pull it back and limit the damage to 29. Batting wise. Not bad at all. Soured by the wickets towards the end. Overall we are in a good position but a vulnerable one as 2-3 early wickets and we are struggling. We need to get that lead to 275-300 in my eyes then it’s down to the bowlers and we will see what they’ve got.
ReplyDeleteAll set for an exciting and pivotal day three then. Ben Slater is a mini-Root in so much as impressive fifties not being converted goes. Hopefully a big ton in the not too distant future will set him up to resolve this aspect of his game and his career can really kick on. Dave
ReplyDeleteWent to the first two days .... and maybe day 4. Really well balanced game so far; I think a target of 300 is probably needed. Some of the Northants batsmen must be kicking themselves. Proctor and Levi didn't play a shot to straight balls and their lower order didn't really need to go for the late slog with so much time left in the game. Second time round some good batting by Slater and Madson - there's plenty of spaces to work the ball for twos - aas I write 187.4 so a good morning with already a 150 lead.
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