Five wickets on debut for Imran Tahir has put Derbyshire in a good position after Day Two of the Specsavers County Championship match versus Durham at Chesterfield.
Billy Godleman (98) and Gurjit Sandhu (46 not out) added 36 to Derbyshire’s overnight score and the pair’s record-breaking 102-run last wicket stand proved valuable as the hosts were all out for 368.
Tahir (5-98) led the Derbyshire attack, with Sandhu and Hamidullah Qadri picking up a wicket apiece as the visitors closed on 274-8, trailing by 94 runs.
Tahir said: “I was very excited when I joined and it’s always nice when you start with a new county and do well but I’m really pleased the way we have been playing as a team in this game.”
Godleman was caught behind off Paul Coughlin in 15th over of the day, meaning Derbyshire were all out for 368, a competitive first innings score after being 266-9 on the first day. Sandhu was left unbeaten on a career-best 46.
In reply, Cameron Steel and Michael Richardson added 52 for the first wicket, the partnership interspersed with a rain delay. Once play resumed, Steel was the first man out, run out for 21 after Matt Critchley’s throw was collected by the diving Daryn Smit who removed the bails.
Jack Burnham was the first of Tahir’s wickets, the number three bowled with the score 119-2, the catalyst for five wickets to fall in the space of 44 runs.
Richardson (64) was bowled by Qadri just before the tea interval then Paul Collingwood (4) was bowled by Tahir in the first over of the final session, the momentum in Derbyshire’s favour.
Sandhu removed Ryan Pringle (1) lbw before Tahir dismissed Clark (18), reducing Durham to 163-6, still trailing by 205.
Coughlin and Stuart Poynter began to rebuild, before Tahir took two wickets in as many balls, first Poynter (20) was caught by Palladino, then new batsman Matty Potts was bowled. This completed the South Africa leg spinner’s five-wicket haul on debut and meant the visitors had lost six wickets for 86.
Coughlin (62 not out) battled to reach a well-made half-century and Barry McCarthy added an unbeaten 32 as the visitors fought back in the final hour to close on 274-8, still trailing by 94.
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