Madsen and McDermott steady Derbyshire after tough start

Wayne Madsen and Ben McDermott helped to stabilise Derbyshire’s innings after a tough start on a rain-affected Day Three against Worcestershire.

Madsen ended the day unbeaten on 31, while debutant McDermott is not out on 18, with the visitors 91-3, trailing by 330, having negotiated 15 overs in tough conditions, after rain had washed out much of the day’s play.

Ed Barnard played fine knock of 90 to take his run tally this summer past the 400 mark. It is a figure only surpassed for his county by Jake Libby with Barnard having now put together a maiden century and three fifty plus innings in scoring 414 runs at an average of 51.75.

His efforts helped Worcestershire total 421 all out and then Dillon Pennington, Joe Leach and Barnard picked up a wicket apiece as Derbyshire ended on 91-3.

Barnard successfully shepherded the lower order this morning as Worcestershire, who resumed on 336-7, added another 85 runs from the final three wickets to secure a fourth batting bonus point.

Barnard looked set for a deserved hundred until he cut a delivery from spinner Matt Critchley into the hands of Ben McDermott at backward point.

The England Lions player resumed on 48 and turned Ben Aitchinson on the legside to complete a 64 ball half century with seven boundaries.

He then pulled Sam Conners for four to bring up the 350 – and the fourth batting point – in 102.5 overs.

Aljarri Joseph (12) helped Barnard add 28 before he was caught at mid-off by Billy Godleman off Dustin Melton who then bowled Leach (5) via an inside edge.

But Pennington proved a valuable ally in helping Barnard to add 45 for the last wicket and the paceman struck Critchley for a big six over wide long on.

He remained unbeaten on 24 until Barnard’s eventually dismissal after hitting 12 fours in his 120-ball knock.

Melton ended with 3-76 and there were two wickets apiece for Conners and Aitchinson.

Derbyshire openers Godleman and Brooke Guest were due to face one over before lunch but rain intervened and only eight balls were possible in a brief interlude during a four hour break from action.

Play eventually restarted at 4.55 with 29.4 overs remaining and Pennington made a quick breakthrough when Godleman on 10 edged to Tom Fell at first slip.

Leach then struck as Guest turned a delivery off his legs and Ross Whiteley pulled off a superb catch at square leg to end his knock on 20.

It became 58-3 when Barnard trapped Leus du Plooy (7) lbw but Australian McDermott, and Madsen steadied the innings by adding an unbroken 33.

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