REPORT | Derbyshire held to draw at Bristol

Harry Came fell nine runs short of a second century in the match as Derbyshire were forced to settle for a draw in an exciting finish to their Rothesay County Championship Division Two match with Gloucestershire at Bristol.

The hosts declared their second innings at lunch, having progressed from an overnight 364 for three to 526 for six. Graeme van Buuren added 70 to his score before being dismissed for 175, while James Bracey hit a brisk 43.

That set Derbyshire a victory target of 316 in a minimum of 67 overs. Came and Caleb Jewell put together an opening stand of 177 in just 31.3 overs before Jewell fell for 83, from 80 deliveries, with 12 fours, and Came for 91, off 118 balls, with 7 fours and 3 sixes.

But Gloucestershire refused to buckle and left-arm spinner van Buuren claimed four for 64 to give his side a chance before Anuj Dal (36 not out) and Ben Aitchison batted out for a draw at 296 for eight. Derbyshire took 14 points and Gloucestershire 11.

Cameron Bancroft began the day undefeated on 170 in Gloucestershire’s second innings. The captain could add only six before being bowled by Zak Chappell, but could still take immense pride in a match-turning innings spanning almost seven-and-three-quarter hours and 366 balls

Van Buuren was obliged to exercise initial caution as he and Bracey guarded against a collapse. But once the pair had brought up 400, they went on the attack. Bracey smacked a straight six off Alex Thomson to stretch the lead to 207 and followed up with two quick boundaries off Jack Morley.

On 134, van Buuren edged Morley just short of Wayne Madsen at slip, but it was all the good fortune the South African needed to reach 150 off 261 balls, with 20 fours.

A six over long-on off Thomson brought up the century stand with Bracey, who faced just 56 balls in an entertaining cameo before top-edging an attempted slog sweep off Thomson and presenting wicketkeeper Brooke Guest with a simple catch.

It was 498 for six when van Buuren’s was caught at wide long-on off Thomson looking to accelerate towards the declaration. Zaman Akhter hit sixes off two of his first three balls, while Ben Charlesworth also cleared the ropes with a powerful reverse sweep off Morley on the stroke of lunch.

Gloucestershire gave the new ball to debutant Todd Murphy when the afternoon session began, hoping the Australia Test off-spinner would make early inroads. With David Lloyd unable to open the batting having been off the field injured on day three, Came partnered Caleb Jewell and soon signalled his side’s intentions with a four and a six in Murphy’s second over.

That set the tone for an exhilarating century stand, Came reaching a fluent half-century off 61 balls, with 5 fours and 2 sixes, and Jewell following him to the same landmark, having faced 52 deliveries and hit 7 fours.

Came hit a straight six off van Buuren as Derbyshire progressed serenely to 169 without loss at tea, needing a further 147 to win. Came was 87 not out and Jewell unbeaten on 75.

Jewell hit the first two balls of the final session from Ajeet Singh Dale for boundaries, but fell to the third, caught at mid-off by the diving Miles Hammond, who produced an even better effort to dismiss Came, one-handed at mid-wicket off Murphy to leave Derbyshire 189 for two.

Madsen made 17 before edging an attempted pull shot off Akhter to wicketkeeper James Bracey and Martin Andersson registered a third-ball duck, lbw to Murphy with 104 runs still required. That target had been reduced to 81 when Guest was caught behind off van Buuren for 22.

Derbyshire entered the final hour of the match on 249 for five, needing a further 67 from a minimum of 16 overs. Their task increased when Thomson, on 10, edged a sweep to Hammond at slip off van Buuren, who followed up by having Zak Chappell caught at mid-wicket. That finally brought in Lloyd to bat with a runner with 45 needed and Anuj Dal unbeaten on 27.

Lloyd made only nine before falling lbw to the inspired van Buuren. But Dal stood firm and Aitchison helped clinch the draw as the game ended with Gloucestershire fielders crowded around the bat.

Derbyshire Head of Cricket Mickey Arthur said: “We have to get better at crossing the line from winning positions. We failed to do so against Glamorgan this season and today we looked set for a victory at tea.

“In the end, we lost too many wickets to be able to attack in the final overs. It’s a shame because when Gloucestershire declared there was a collective feeling that we could achieve the target.

“It was a mad game of cricket, with both sides enjoying periods of dominance, but also a great one. Who said County Championship cricket is dull?

“Other results mean we have not been hurt in the table by our failure to win and we can go on to Chesterfield, a week we all enjoy, still unbeaten.”