Derbyshire succumbed to a three-wicket defeat against Leicestershire at Grace Road as the hosts registered their first home LV= County Championship victory since September 2012.
Leicestershire resumed on 56-4 on the morning of Day Four with Niall O’Brien (87), Aadil Ali (42) and Andrea Agathangelou (32) all playing crucial hands in their pursuit of 273 to win the match.
Tony Palladino (3-32), who claimed his 200th first-class wicket for Derbyshire, and Ben Cotton (2-52) each struck towards the end of the afternoon session to put the match back in the balance, but Leicestershire got over the line courtesy of Ben Raine (31*) and Clint McKay (14*) to seal a three-wicket win.
Ireland international O’Brien reached his half-century on the morning of Day Three and alongside Ali, playing in just his third first-class match, they provided stiff resistance in a wicket-less morning session as they put on 86 runs to guide their side to 142-4 at lunch.
The hosts required a further 131 runs to win at the start of the afternoon session and the pair calmly brought up their century partnership to strengthen Leicestershire’s advantage.
Mark Footitt got the breakthrough for his side as he trapped O’Brien lbw for 87 to bring Agathangelou to the crease with the score on 168-5.
The incoming batsman played expansively alongside the watchful Ali as they produced a sixth-wicket partnership of 54 before Agathangelou was dismissed by Palladino, who had the batsman lbw for 32 to claim his 200th first-class wicket for Derbyshire.
Ali and Raine guided their side to 234-6 when the new ball was taken after 80 overs, with 39 runs required for victory.
Cotton grabbed a wicket in the second over with the new ball as he bowled Ali to end a defiant display which saw the batsman score 42 from 198 balls.
But Raine and McKay remained calm at the end in the face of some hostile bowling from Footitt and Cotton, and an untimely tea interval when Leicestershire required just five runs to win, to guide their side to 273-7 and a three-wicket victory.
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Derbyshire take a trip to Durham on Monday 17 August in the Royal London One-Day Cup before returning to The 3aaa County Ground for the final game of the group stages versus Worcestershire on Tuesday 18 August. Kids go FREE and Adults can save £4 on their admission by purchasing in advance.
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