Hamish Rutherford scored his first century for Derbyshire during a dogged and determined batting display that saw the hosts earn a draw against Glamorgan at Queen’s Park, Chesterfield.
The New Zealand batsman scored a gutsy 108 to help his side earn a draw in a rain-affected game, which marked the second match of the Autoworld XC90 Chesterfield Festival of Cricket, in association with Chesterfield Borough Council.
Derbyshire were tasked with batting for the majority of the final day to avoid defeat, and they did so comfortably as they reached 281-3 before the two Captains shook hands at 4.50pm.
The first day was a damp affair, and when Wayne Madsen won the toss he had no hesitation in choosing to field first. This looked the right decision when Tony Palladino and Mark Footitt each captured a wicket during the first three overs. Within ten minutes there came the first of three stoppages for rain. When tea was taken early at 3.20pm only ten overs had been bowled and Glamorgan had reached 36 for two.
There was a further interruption lasting ninety minutes during which many spectators gave up and went home, but play was resumed at 5.20 and a further twenty overs were bowled. Tom Taylor took a third wicket and soon afterwards caused the retirement of Wallace with a dislocated thumb, but Glamorgan’s fourth wicket pair of Ingram and Meschede took their score to 167 for three by the close.
Next morning runs continued to come at an unusually quick pace. Wagg and Lloyd both reached their fifties at almost a run a ball and Glamorgan were able to declare shortly after tea having already earned their fifth batting point before the end of the eightieth over – better than five runs an over.
Derbyshire started their reply well enough although they were made to work harder than had the opposition. Hamish Rutherford and Billy Godleman had reached 77 in twenty-two overs when Rutherford was run out from a direct hit as the batsmen attempted a quick single. Another wicket fell two overs later before Godleman and Madsen were made to battle as they added 47 in the next nineteen overs. At this point three wickets fell in the space of three overs so that, at 137 for five, Derbyshire were in deep trouble.
Now they needed to concentrate on reaching 261 in order to avoid the possibility of being asked to follow on. Shiv Thakor led the way with a determined innings against some testing seam bowling, but wickets fell too frequently and Derbyshire slipped to 218 for nine. Footitt joined Taylor and this pair put up a brave attempt as they added thirty-four in less than five overs. Taylor struck two fours and three sixes in eleven balls from the hitherto economical Hogan, but he was bowled with his team just nine runs short of that follow-on target.
Glamorgan duly asked Derbyshire to bat again for a possible forty-six overs after tea. As it happened yet more rain meant that they had only to face a further 18.2 overs before the last of thirteen rain interruptions during this match brought the third day to an early close.
Derbyshire started the fourth day still 122 runs in arrears and their opening pair recorded their second stand of more than fifty. Lunch came with Derbyshire on 120 for two with Rutherford and Madsen together. This pair played with increasing confidence and added a further 96 runs without being parted during the afternoon session. Rutherford reached his first hundred for his adopted county – he had faced 229 balls with his last 23 runs coming from fifteen balls, including three sixes.
Rutherford fell to the second ball after tea but, by now, the match was drifting towards a draw. Madsen and Wes Durston added 65 in eleven overs at which point the captains agreed to finish the match as a draw.
Derbyshire’s next championship match will start on Saturday 18th July at Northampton.
Glamorgan 410 for 9 dec (79.3 overs) (CA Ingram 89, CAJ Meschede 70, GG Wagg 62, DL Lloyd 55, WD Bragg 37, AG Salter 29, MA Wallace 21; MHA Footitt 4 for 98, TAI Taylor 2 for 63)
Derbyshire 252 (86 overs) (BA Godleman 53, SJ Thakor 41, HD Rutherford 36, TAI Taylor 30, AL Hughes 28, WL Madsen 24; RAJ Smith 3 for 23, GG Wagg 2 for 50, MG Hogan 2 for 62) and 281 for 3 (90.4 overs) (HD Rutherford 108, WL Madsen 79*, WJ Durston 32*, BA Godleman 28; AG Salter 2 for 51)
Derbyshire (10 points) drew with Glamorgan (13)
