Leus du Plooy hit his first century for Derbyshire, but that couldn’t spare the hosts from defeat against a strong Australia A side in the 50-over Tour Match.
Du Plooy struck 115 and Wayne Madsen hit 58 as the hosts posted 283-9 from their fifty overs, with Andrew Tye claiming 6-65 for the visitors at The Pattonair County Ground.
James Taylor claimed his maiden List A wickets, as Matthew Wade hit 155 from 71 balls to give the visitors (287-3) a seven-wicket victory, with their captain Travis Head also hitting 68 in a 205-run partnership for the second wicket.
After being put into bat by the touring side, Billy Godleman started the innings positively and hit three fours before was bowled by Michael Neser for a score of 12, with Derbyshire 18-1.
Wayne Madsen arrived at the crease and, along with Tom Lace, steadied things after the loss of an early wicket before Lace fell caught behind by Peter Handscomb off Sean Abbott for seven.
With the hosts now 26-2, du Plooy entered the fray and his 89-run partnership with Madsen put pressure on Australia A, with Ashton Agar being hit for 46 runs in just five overs by the pair.
With both players approaching half-centuries, Madsen flicked a ball from Andrew Tye high into the deep, which was caught by Will Pucovski for a score of 48.
However, du Plooy continued to score and brought up his fifty in 47 deliveries, including three fours and two sixes, replicating the form he showed when scoring two half-centuries in this season’s Royal London One-Day Cup.
Alex Hughes and du Plooy put on 52 for the fourth wicket, before the former was caught by Agar off the bowling of Tye for 18 to and a 29-ball innings.
Matt Critchley managed 16 in a 35-run stand with du Plooy before being caught by Matthew Wade off the bowling of Abbott, meaning that Fynn Hudson-Prentice came to the crease for his Derbyshire debut.
Neser was crunched over the rope for six as du Plooy brought up his century in 106 balls, including six fours and three sixes, it was his maiden hundred for Derbyshire.
In his first Derbyshire innings, Hudson-Prentice was looking to make an impact and he struck three fours in the first 14 deliveries that he faced, as he and du Plooy put on 42 runs for the sixth wicket before the debutant was caught by Abbott off the bowling of Tye for 19.
Tye struck again with the very next ball, ending the innings of du Plooy on 115, with the batsman caught behind by Handscomb, with Derbyshire 244-7.
The Australia bowler then claimed the quick wickets of Hosein and Watt to close with figures of 6-65, as Derbyshire posted 283-9, with Anuj Dal unbeaten on 18 and James Taylor not out on six.
With Australia chasing 284 to win, Taylor made the perfect start on his List A debut for Derbyshire by having D’Arcy Short (4) caught bu Wayne Madsen in the slips with just his second ball.
Wade brought up his half-century in just 20 balls, hitting five fours and four sixes as Australia hit 70 runs from the first six overs of the innings.
Head and Wade brought up their half-century partnership in just 29 balls, before powering the stand beyond three figures in the 11th over, taking 55 balls.
Wade brought up his hundred off 45 deliveries, the fastest List A century by an Austrlian, with eight fours and eight sixes.
Head arrived at his half-century in 53 balls, hitting six fours and one six in the time, as the partnership moved beyond 150 in under 20 overs
That partnership stood at 205 when Head (68) played a Taylor bouncer onto his stumps as the Derbyshire bowler claimed his second wicket of the innings, before Critchley removed Wade lbw for 155.
Mitch Marsh (29 not out) hit the winning runs, with Handscomb unbeaten on 28 as Australia A secured the victory.
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