Calum MacLeod struck a superb 104 off 61 balls as Derbyshire Falcons beat Northants Steelbacks by 31 runs at the County Ground, Northampton.
MacLeod hit his second hundred in the shortest format, while Wayne Madsen scored 50 not out, as Derbyshire posted 211-2, the county’s joint third highest Twenty20 total.
Alex Hughes was the pick of the bowlers with 4-42, while Hardus Viljoen (2-29) and Lockie Ferguson (2-33) took two each, as Northants fell well short after being dismissed for 180 and the Falcons claimed their first victory of the campaign.
Billy Godleman, making his first appearance of the summer, and MacLeod started brightly taking the attack to the hosts’ bowlers to move the Falcons to 59-0 after the powerplay.
Godleman was first man out in the seventh over, caught in the deep off Procter for 29 off 21 balls with four fours and one six, but he helped set the early platform for the Falcons to kick on to a big total.
Opening partner MacLeod took over the initiative, playing the spinners well and hitting the quicks over the top, and reached his first half-century for the Club off 33 balls. But this was just the start for the Scotsman.
He hit the ball all around the ground to strike 13 fours and four maximums to become only the third Derbyshire batsman to hit three figures in a Twenty20 fixture, and the first since Wes Durston in 2010.
MacLeod finally fell in the 18th over for a joint career-best score of 104 off 61 balls, with 13 fours and four sixes, with the Falcons 188-2.
Wayne Madsen played a crucial innings in support of MacLeod hitting 50 not out off 32 balls, with six fours and one six, while Matt Critchley added 17 not out, including the final ball for six, as Derbyshire finished on 211-2.
Ferguson claimed the first wicket in the third over with his first ball when Ben Duckett (8) edged to MacLeod, who you couldn’t keep out of the game, at first slip.
Richard Levi provided some early fireworks hitting 30 off just 14 balls, with five fours and one six, but Ferguson ended his early assault with a well executed fast yorker, with the hosts 43-2.
Two quick wickets followed in the space of eight balls, with Viljoen and Hughes picking up one apiece, to leave Northants 52-4 after 7.1 overs.
The bowlers continued to dominate as Northants struggled to keep up with the required run rate. Wakely (10), Crook (14) and Prasanna (29) fell in the space of four overs, two to Hughes and one to Viljoen, with the hosts 115-7 in the 14th over.
Rory Kleinveldt wasn’t giving up, however. He hit some mighty blows to score 36 off just 14 balls, but he fell to a short ball from Hughes, well caught by Ravi Rampaul, to give the bowler his fourth wicket.
Wahab Riaz (1-41) claimed the last wicket in the final over to complete a comprehensive victory for the Falcons by 31 runs.
Vitality Blast is back! Derbyshire Falcons host seven Twenty20 games this July and August. Purchase your tickets in advance and save from £4. Buy online or call 01332 388 101.
[twentyticket]
