Billy Godleman hit a career-best 70 and Wayne Madsen an unbeaten 58 as Derbyshire Falcons beat Worcestershire Rapids by seven wickets to earn their third win in the NatWest T20 Blast.
The Falcons were set a challenging 187 runs to win in front of the Sky Sports cameras at New Road, but Godleman’s dominant innings, ably supported by Madsen and Matt Critchley (31) powered Derbyshire to victory with ten balls to spare.
The win is the county’s third in four NatWest T20 Blast fixtures and move the Falcons to joint top in the North Group on six points.
After winning the toss and electing to bowl first, Madsen (2-20) struck with the final ball of the first over, Daryl Mitchell caught in the inner-ring by Gary Wilson.
The good start for Derbyshire was quickly halted by Joe Clarke who crashed 42 from 18 deliveries as Wilson used five bowlers in as many overs. But after he hit Hardus Viljoen for four then six, he was bowled by the final ball of the fifth over, the tall South African hitting the top of off stump.
The run-rate slowed in the middle overs as Madsen had Brett D’Oliveira lbw for 23 and Imran Tahir (1-27) removed Mitchell Santner for 13, caught behind by the quick hands of Daryn Smit.
Once the spinners finished their spells, Ben Cox (40 not out) and Ross Whiteley (39) looked to attack with pace on the ball in the final overs. Whiteley kicked on after a slow start to his innings and finished with four fours and two sixes before he was caught by Wilson off Matt Henry in the final over.
Not to be the one to slow the rate, John Hastings came in and smashed 16 not out off the final three deliveries to help the Rapids post 186-5 from their 20 overs.
What a win for @DerbyshireCCC!
They chase down 1️⃣8️⃣7️⃣ with 10 balls to spare ? pic.twitter.com/AFR5rqtOb9
— Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) July 19, 2017
Needing to score quickly from the off in their reply, Godleman and Critchley did just that, the partnership racing past 50, typified by both openers hitting sixes in the fourth over.
The stand eventually came to an end on 64, Critchley caught by Whiteley at the start of the fifth over as Derbyshire reached 73-1 at the end of the powerplay.
Luis Reece came and went for a brisk nine including two fours, before the match-winning partnership between Godleman and Madsen took the game away from the Rapids in the middle overs.
Their third-wicket stand went above 50 in the 13th over as both looked to find the ropes, Madsen reverse-sweeping Santner and Godleman hitting Barnard down the ground for six.
When Joe Leach dropped Madsen at mid-off with the batsman on 36, Derbyshire capitalised and continued to push on with the score passing 150 in the 15th over.
Both batsmen reached their half-centuries, first Godleman off 34 balls, before Madsen reached the milestone off 30 as the set pair took the game beyond Worcestershire.
Godleman eventually fell for a career-best 70, stumped by Cox off Santner with the score 169-3. Captain Wilson came in and struck an unbeaten 17 off just nine deliveries, guiding Derbyshire to victory with ten balls to spare.
Madsen as unbeaten on 58 as Wilson hitting the winning runs, Derbyshire claiming their third win in the competition to lift them to joint top in the NatWest T20 Blast North Group.
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