Derbyshire battle on even Day Three

Matt Critchley’s 49 was the top score, but Derbyshire battled well on an evenly-matched Day Three of the LV= County Championship match against Durham. 

Ben Aitchison struck twice late in the day to dismiss Alex Lees (1) and Ben Raine (0), as Durham were reduced to 20-2 at the end of the third day, still trailing by 238.

Chris Rushworth, who last week became Durham’s leading first-class wicket-taker, claimed his 29th five wicket haul, finishing with 6-49, while England fast bowler Mark Wood took 2-84.

Derbyshire captain Billy Godleman scored 41 before Wayne Madsen, 42, shared a stand of 99 in 28 overs with Critchley who during his 49 became only the 28th player for the county to score 4,000 runs and take 150 wickets in all formats.

The home side had to bring in Anuj Dal as a concussion replacement for wicketkeeper Harvey Hosein who was hit on the back of the helmet by Brydon Carse and he steered Derbyshire to 258.

Rushworth’s day started with Godleman driving and cutting him for three fours in the opening over before he and Wood hit back.

Rushworth swung one in to trap Brooke Guest lbw for 30 and Wood found lift and movement to have Leus du Plooy caught behind for a second ball duck.

When Godleman edged to second slip charging Rushworth, Derbyshire had lost three wickets in nine balls but they were revived, not for the first time this season, by Madsen and Critchley.

Madsen cover drove fluently while Critchley counter-attacked against Wood, pulling him for two sixes in an over to restore Derbyshire’s fortunes at lunch.

The pair were one short of a fourth century stand of the campaign when Critchley clipped Rushworth to mid-wicket and Hosein was forced to leave the field when he ducked into a Carse delivery.

After a short break for rain, Carse took the wicket Durham wanted when he beat Madsen’s drive to pin him lbw and after tea was taken early because of bad light, Wood bowled Alex Hughes who was beaten for pace.

Aitchison whipped Wood for six before he top-edged Carse and Fynn Hudson-Prentice became Rushworth’s fourth victim when he missed a big drive.

Rushworth had Sam Conners caught at point and Dal lbw to complete his second sixth wicket haul against Derbyshire this season, leaving Durham to negotiate 15 overs in which they lost Lees and nightwatchman Raine.

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