Falcons’ run against the Vikings

Ahead of Sunday’s clash with Yorkshire Vikings, we take a look at Derbyshire’s recent form against the White Rose county in Vitality Blast cricket. 

When the Falcons were victorious at Emerald Headingley last season, Billy Godleman’s side took their run of wins over the hosts to six matches.

That streak began in July 2017 at Queen’s Park, Chesterfield, when a 28-ball 42 from Wayne Madsen, and three wickets from Imran Tahir helped the Falcons to a three-run victory.

The two sides met again less than a month later, and once again Derbyshire came out on top, with Madsen making his mark by hitting 47.

However, it was Godleman that would strike the decisive blow, with a 48-ball 67 that included five fours and three sixes, as the Falcons chased down 184 to win the match.

Queen’s Park witnessed a thrilling contest in 2018, when Derbyshire hit the winning runs with just one ball to spare.

Matt Critchley struck the winning boundary off Tim Bresnan, on his way to a scintillating 38 from just 17 deliveries, while Godleman led the way with an unbeaten 71.

Ravi Rampaul had earlier taken 4-19 to limit the visitors to 166-8 from their 20 overs, as the Falcons extended their streak to three matches.

The reverse fixture took place just two days later, and Madsen would again prove to be a thorn in the side of Yorkshire Vikings.

The Derbyshire batsman struck 66 from just 28 balls, including ten fours and two sixes, while he was ably supported by Wahab Riaz’s 42.

Having set Yorkshire a target of 180 to win, Alex Hughes, Lockie Ferguson and Hardus Viljoen all claimed three wickets to dismiss the hosts for 102, securing a 77-run win.

Derbyshire’s 2019 Vitality Bast campaign kicked off at Chesterfield and the visit of Yorkshire, with Godleman’s side aiming to make it five-straight Twenty20 wins over the away side.

Mark Watt starred with the ball, claiming 4-19, while Rampaul took his first two of what would go on to be a chart-topping 23 wickets in the competition.

Just as it did a year prior, the match went down to the final over with Godleman (70 not out) and Critchley at the crease.

With five balls to spare, Derbyshire’s five-wicket victory was confirmed when David Willey bowled a wide down the leg-side.

The most recent meeting between the two sides came in August 2019, when Derbyshire travelled to Emerald Headingley aiming to keep their hopes of a quarter-final spot alive.

And that’s exactly what they did, thanks to some explosive hitting from Madsen (66) and Leus du Plooy (51), Derbyshire set the hosts a total of 208 to win the contest.

Logan van Beek made the perfect start with the ball, dismissing Tom Kohler-Cadmore with just the third ball of the innings, before going on to take a career-best 4-17.

Yorkshire could only manage 152 in response, as Derbyshire won by 55 runs to take their winning streak over the Vikings to six.

Can the Falcons make it seven in a row?

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Vitality Blast is back! Derbyshire Falcons return to Twenty20. Follow every game live on our match centre at derbyshireccc.com. Derbyshire Falcons: Underestimated No More.