Derbyshire took eight wickets on the final day of the Specsavers County Championship against Leicestershire but the visitors held on to ensure an enthralling draw at The 3aaa County Ground.
Derbyshire, defending 346, needed to take 10 wickets on day four to secure their maiden win of the season, and with eight wickets down before the final hour of play, Leicestershire tail-enders Rob Sayer and Richard Jones provided the necessary respite to secure a draw in the Division Two fixture.
The visitors waived their right to toss and chose to field first, and struck early to dismiss both Derbyshire opening batsmen within the first 13 overs. Captain Billy Godleman (9) was trapped on the pads by Clint McKay before Ben Slater (27) was caught off Charlie Shrek’s first delivery.
Alex Hughes and Wayne Madsen took the score to 78 for two before the lunch interval. The pair returned from the break, adding 48 runs before Madsen was caught behind for 38.
Hughes reached his 50 off 103 balls, before the hosts stumbled to 155-5; Shrek striking twice in consecutive overs to take his wicket tally to three. First, Hughes (55) was caught behind before Angus Broom held on to a slip chance to dismiss Neil Broom for 15.
First-class debutant Tom Wood fell soon after for a hard fought 41-ball eight, the score 177-6. Harvey Hosein became the anchor of the innings, securing his third first-class fifty. The 20-year old wicket-keeper was supported by Tom Milnes, Tony Palladino and Callum Parkinson in partnerships of 35, 38 and 38 respectively.
With 12 overs remaining in the day, bad light stopped play, with Derbyshire ending day one on 282-8.
Overnight batsmen Hosein and Callum Parkinson resumed the innings on day two and Parkinson fell early, edging Clint McKay for eight – giving the Australian pacemen his second wicket of the match.
Last man in, Will Davis, together with Hosein, steered Derbyshire pass three hundred, to secure their third batting point. Shortly after, Davis (15) became Shrek’s fourth victim of the innings, leaving Hosein stranded on a career-best 83.
In reply, Leicestershire lost three wickets before lunch, losing Robson (0), Horton (19) and Dexter (14) for 44 runs. After the break Mark Cosgrove and Ned Eckersley led a recovery, adding 93 for the fourth wicket. Derbyshire seamer Tony Palladino got the breakthrough, trapping Eckersley (27) leg before, leaving the score 137-4.
Cosgrove reached fifty from 58 balls, before he was forced to retire with a hand injury, unbeaten on 77. Leicestershire lost their fifth wicket when their debutant Harry Dearden was caught behind edging Callum Parkinson (2-25) for 13.
Will Davis struck trice in back to back overs as the visitors lost three wickets for one run. The right-arm paceman removed McKay (21), Mark Pettini (44) and Rob Sayer (0) to reduce the Leiecestershire to 220-8.
Cosgrove returned to the crease before the dismissal of Sayer, but play was brought to an early close due to bad light.
Leicestershire started day three on 228-8, but two quick wickets had the visitors all out for 247; Cosgrove stranded five runs short of a century on 95.
Derbyshire started their second innings with a 60-run lead, but suffered a batting collapse, losing five wickets for 57. McKay led the onslaught (2-61), removing Slater (0) with the fourth ball of the innings before Goldeman played the paceman onto his stumps for 13.
First innings half-centurion Hughes was runout for three, before Broom was pinned leg before by Neil Dexter (2-68). Wood exited in identical fashion as Shrek (2-61) rapped the right-hander on the pads for 18.
Madsen and Hosein came together and batted defensively to recover the innings, steering the hosts past three-figures. The pair saw out more than forty overs for their 143 run partnership. The keeper reached 58 before he was caught behind off Shrek; Derbyshire 200-6.
Madsen, partnered by Tom Milnes (20), reached his fifth century of the season, from 197 deliveries. Palladino was the last wicket to fall on day three, smiting one four and a six en-route to a 15-run cameo that was brought to an end by Rob Sayer (1-63). Madsen was unbeaten on 134 at the close of play.
At the start of the final morning, Derbyshire declared on their overnight score of 286-6, setting the visitors 347 to chase in 96 overs.
Palladino opened the bowling and struck with immediate impetus, taking two wickets in first two overs. The pacemen had opener Robson caught for naught before Dearden survived four balls before he was caught for two.
With the score on 2-7, Horton and Cosgrove rebuilt the innings for the visitors, adding 115 runs for the third wicket. Palladino got the breakthrough for the hosts, when Horton was adjudged lbw for 61.
Dexter replaced Horton at the crease, with Leciestershire reaching 198-3 at tea. Shortly after the break, two runs were added to the total before Dexter was trapped leg before by Palladino for 26.
Cosgrove reached his century off 179 balls, including 16 fours but eventually succumb to Parkinson (2-22). The left-hander drove the spinner straight to Goldeman at mid-off.
Cosgrove’s dismissal brought three more wickets in the space of three overs. Parkinson had Pettini (1) caught in his next over, before Davis followed suite, taking the wickets of McKay (0) and Eckersley (20) in consecutive overs, reducing Leicestershire to 261-8.
Derbyshire had 23.5 overs in which to take two wickets but an unbeaten ninth wicket stand of 59 between Sayer and injured Jones, batting with a runner, denied Derbyshire in their final home game of the season.
Derbyshire 307 (91.2 overs) (HR Hosein 83*, AL Hughes 55, WL Madsen 38, BT Slater 27; CE Shreck 4 for 78, CJ McKay 2 for 50, NJ Dexter 2 for 60) and 286 for 8 dec (80 overs) (WL Madsen 134*, HR Hosein 58, TP Milnes 20; CJ McKay 2 for 61, CE Shreck 2 for 61, NJ Dexter 2 for 68)
Leicestershire 247 (90.1 overs) (MJ Cosgrove 95*, ML Pettini 44, EJH Eckersley 27, CJ McKay 21; WS Davis 4 for 68, AP Palladino 3 for 27) and 301 for 8 (96 overs) (MJ Cosgrove 110, PJ Horton 61, RJ Sayer 32*, NJ Dexter 26, EJH Eckersley 20, RA Jones 19*; AP Palladino 4 for 58, WS Davis 2 for 45, CF Parkinson 2 for 76)
Derbyshire (11 points) drew with Leicestershire (9 points)
