Derbyshire recorded their first win of the 2015 LV= County Championship season with a seven-wicket win over Gloucestershire at Bristol.
Mark Footitt (6-94) claimed six wickets, to take his match tally to nine, to help dismiss a stubborn Gloucestershire batting lineup out for 411 in their second innings, leaving Derbyshire a target of 142 runs for victory with 53 overs remaining.
Billy Godleman made a fine half-century in Derbyshire’s chase as he and Ben Slater calmed any nerves with an opening stand of 81.
It was then left to New Zealand international Martin Guptill to produce more fireworks as he smashed 31 off 20 balls, including three sixes, to help seal victory and claim a maximum 24 points.
Captain Wayne Madsen said: “It was a tough final day and, to be fair, I thought they [Gloucestershire] played really well today and yesterday.
“We had to toil hard and we were a bit disappointing in the first hour. But we came back strongly just before lunch and picked up a couple of wickets, which were crucial. Footitt bowled with exceptional pace to get those wickets and then I thought we were quite clinical in the way we went about knocking the runs off.”
Gloucestershire resumed on 253-6 on the fourth and final morning, just 17 runs behind Derbyshire. Hamish Marshall and James Fuller set about frustrating the visitors’ bowling attack, and the pair erased the deficit with minimum fuss.
They also came through the first hour unscathed as the total passed 300, as Gloucestershire developed a slender lead before Footitt claimed the breakthrough as he bowled Fuller for 51, with the score on 347-7.
He then dismissed Marshall for 79 in his next over, with Guptill taking a third stunning catch in the innings, to leave the Gloucestershire tail exposed.
Craig Miles and Liam Norwell’s ninth-wicket partnership was worth 46 either side of Lunch before Footitt had Norwell caught behind for 17, to earn his sixth wicket of the innings and ninth of the match.
Matt Taylor went without scoring, as Guptill took his fourth catch, this time off the bowling of Shiv Thakor to ensure Gloucestershire were bowled out for 411.
Derbyshire, chasing 142 to win, started brightly as openers Slater and Godleman brought their fifty partnership up in the first 12 overs.
The pair saw the visitors through to Tea at 63-0, before Godleman reached his half-century soon after the interval with Derbyshire seemingly cruising towards victory.
But both batsman were dismissed in consecutive balls as Fuller had Slater caught at point for 25, before Godleman edged to slip for 51 off Taylor with the score at 81-2.
That brought Guptill and Madsen to the crease and the pair looked to finish the job quickly with a flurry of boundaries.
Guptill launched three sixes in one over in a hard-hitting cameo late in the day, scoring 31 runs from just 20 deliveries.
Madsen was caught at slip for 20 in the closing stages, but Wes Durston came in to hit the winning runs and wrap up Derbyshire’s first victory of the campaign.
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Derbyshire are back in action on Sunday when they travel to Cardiff for the start of the LV= County Championship fixture against Glamorgan.
The next fixture back at The 3aaa County Ground begins on Sunday 10 May when Derbyshire entertain Northamptonshire. You can save £4 per adult ticket by purchasing in advance of the game. Click here to purchase>>
Photography: David Griffin
