Matt Critchley claimed six wickets in the match, in addition to scoring 45 and 46 not out, but the rain-affected Second XI Championship fixture between Derbyshire and Northamptonshire at Northampton was drawn.
Having been asked to bat first on the morning of Day One, Derbyshire made a good start to their innings with Charlie MacDonell hitting 84, having opened with Jonathan Tattersall (6). MacDonell struck a century against Derbyshire for Durham MCCU at the start of the 2016 season.
Scott Elstone scored 24 from just 29 balls batting at three, before Tom Knight came in and scored 39 off 53 balls, including one six. When MacDonell was eventually fourth man out for 84, the Seconds were 191-4.
That brought Critchley and Harvey Hosein together, who added 79 for the fifth wicket – the highest partnership of the innings – before the former was out for 45 off 76 deliveries with five fours and a six.
Hosein was out shortly afterwards for 63, before Ryan Bramwell (10), Harry White (6) and Dan Gibbs (2) came and went, as Derbyshire declared their first innings on 308-9.
In reply, the hosts lost Saf Imtiaz early, caught by Knight off Gibbs but Ross Zelam and Saif Zaib added 77 for the second wicket until Tattersall ran out Zelam on 32.
Second XI debutant, James Taylor – younger brother of Tom – got his first wicket when he bowled the hosts’ top-scorer Zaib for 45.
The other two Northants’ first-innings wicket fell to Critchley, as experience South African Richard Levi was caught be MacDonell for 16 and George Munsay was caught by Taylor on 24. Northamptonshire declared on 148-5 due to the lack of time remaining in the match after adverse weather.
In the second innings, MacDonell looked to build on his 84 from the first, but had to retire not out on 12, and then his replacement, Elstone, was out first ball.
Tattersall and Hosein put on 79 for the third wicket, with the former batting aggressively to score 71 from just 55 deliveries, including nine fours and a six.
Hosein was fourth man out for 30, having been joined by Critchley who was in no mood to hang around. He struck 46 off half as many balls, including six fours and two sixes, and he was not out when the Seconds declared on 163-3, with a lead of 323.
When Northants began their second innings, Gibbs got Imtiaz (16) for the second time in the match, whilst Zelam retired not out 22 and Zaib was caught and bowled by White. Northants were 91-2.
That brought Levi to the middle and the overseas man set about trying to chase down an unlikely target for victory. He saw Munsey (26) and Will Rogers (2) fall to Critchley and Callum Parkinson respectively, but continued to bat aggressively.
Levi was eventually out for 100 from 97 balls (eight fours, five sixes) when he was trapped lbw by Critchley, who then took the wicket of Simon Branston with his next delivery.
Play was abandoned with the hosts on 213-6 and the match declared a draw.
The Falcons are back in home NatWest T20 Blast action vs Northants Steelbacks at Queen’s Park, Chesterfield on Sunday 3 July. Supporters can save 20% by purchasing their NatWest T20 Blast matchday tickets in advance of the day of the game.
Northants Steelbacks – Sun 3 July – BUY
Yorkshire Vikings – Sun 10 July – BUY
Lancashire Lightning – Wed 13 July – BUY
Worcestershire Rapids – Fri 22 July – BUY
