REPORT | Derbyshire fight back with bat and ball to set up fascinating final day

Derbyshire fought back with bat and ball to set up tantalising fourth day despite Glamorgan’s favourable position at Sophia Gardens.

New Zealand seamer Blair Tickner spearheaded a Derbyshire attack that reduced hosts Glamorgan to 15 for 3, after scoring 28 in an invaluable 62-run partnership with Luis Reece, who finished 73 not out to reach 350.

Reece and Alex Thomson added 105 for the eighth wicket to avoid follow-on fears to take control of the match heading into the third innings, before Colin Ingram and Zain ul Hassan’s resistance in a century partnership of their own, extending the Welsh County’s lead to 213 heading into the final day.

Derbyshire began day three on the back foot of any result possibility in positive favour; eight hours later, the match hung in the balance. At 215 for 7 they carried their momentum over from the previous evening with injury-hampered Reece and Thomson until a new ball in the hands of Timm van der Gugten was too much for the number nine Thomson.

When Andy Gorvin dismissed Zak Chappell to claim his second first-class five-wicket haul Glamorgan would prepare to be heading into lunch with the afternoon and evening to bat. What would follow is frustration, a delayed lunch and negative tactics against a wildly energetic, bat-floundering Tickner who tried to crunch everything to the fence regardless of the bowler.

Reece continued his dominant form against Glamorgan, whom he boasts an average in excess of 90 against. In the process, the left-hander passed 5000 first-class runs for Derbyshire with a six, notching himself among great Derbyshire all-rounders.

From nowhere Derbyshire gained three batting points and reduced the deficit to just 81 runs after coming back out to bat after lunch.

Derbyshire’s rampage didn’t end with the bat. Reece being unable to field didn’t inhibit the visitors as Anuj Dal provided control from one end while Tickner ran riot and dismissed Tribe after a change of ends, just one over bowled in his initial spell.

Then Carlson also in single figures, edged to second slip from around the wicket, three wickets falling in as many overs.

Weathering the storm until tea, Glamorgan survived until the 11th over when everything became seamlessly easier, as it so often does at Sophia Gardens. A five over period taking just six runs became much more free-flowing when ul Hassan and Ingram went a further 35 overs unscathed.

Positives for Derbyshire must be seen from creating an opportunity for themselves in this game if Glamorgan offer a generous or tempting chase. Thomson also enjoyed plenty of spin demonstrated when bowling a sweeping Ingram after hitting the off-spinner for a six in the over.

Ingram continued to showcase why he topped County Championship run scoring charts last season with another half-century. Ul-Hassan fell short of his third half-century of the season when a rearing-up delivery from Chappell removed the opener to bring two fresh batters to the crease.

Nightwatcher Gorvin and 21-year-old Ben Kellaway were forced to survive a final six overs in the day after a comfortable position fell to an ominous one once more.

With Kellaway as Glamorgan’s frontline spinner heading into day four, a chase could still be on the cards for Derbyshire and strengthens their position in the match.