Wes Durston recorded career-best bowling figures as Derbyshire Falcons defeated Yorkshire Vikings by four wickets in the NatWest T20 Blast in front of 4,500 supporters at a packed Queen’s Park, Chesterfield.
Durston took 3-14 from four overs as he helped to restrict Yorkshire to 146-9 of their 20 overs, ably backed up by Shiv Thakor who claimed 3-34.
Wayne Madsen (41) and Hamish Rutherford (40) provided strong contributions in the chase before Alex Hughes (19 not out) guided his side to victory with seven balls to spare in the final game of the 2015 Autoworld Volvo XC90 Chesterfield Festival of Cricket, in association with Chesterfield Borough Council.
The Falcons got off to a superb start after electing to bowl as Durston had Adil Rashid stumped for seven, before bowling Alex Lees for one in the same over to reduce the visitors to 13-2 early on in their innings.
Yorkshire Captain Andrew Gale then played all around a delivery in Durston’s next over to present his opposite number with his third scalp and career-best bowling figures of 3-14.
What a sight! Queen's Park sold out for @NatWestT20Blast cricket! #DERvYOR #P2bD pic.twitter.com/3lwyCBh4hR
— Derbyshire CCC (@DerbyshireCCC) July 12, 2015
Australia World Cup winner Glen Maxwell led the Vikings recovery alongside England international Jonny Bairstow to guide the visitors to 60-3 at the halfway mark.
A useful stand of 64 came to an end at the start of the 13th over as Bairstow swept a Greg Cork delivery straight to Nathan Rimmington when on 22 with the score now on 80-4.
Thakor clean bowled the dangerous Maxwell, who struck 45 from 29 balls, in the following over, before Nathan Rimmington had Tim Bresnan caught at deep mid-wicket by Tom Knight, meaning Yorkshire were 106-6 with three overs remaining.
But they responded admirably as Jack Leaning hit 37 from 22 balls to guide his side to 146-9, despite being trapped lbw by Thakor in the final over, with the bowler also having Liam Plunkett caught on the boundary as well as running out Will Rhodes in a frantic last six balls.
Derbyshire lost the first wicket of their reply in the second over, as 17-year-old Matt Fisher bowled Durston for 11.
Chesney Hughes was trapped lbw by Maxwell for eight but a flurry of boundaries from New Zealand batsman Rutherford helped the Falcons up to a dominant 68-2 after the six poweplay overs.
Rutherford fell soon after for 40, however, as he chipped the ball straight back to Plunkett with Madsen and Thakor then leading a mini recovery as Derbyshire reached 88-3 at the halfway stage.
Madsen provided a calming influence as, despite the run out of Thakor, he picked the gaps to move Derbyshire on to 103-4 with just 44 runs required from the final seven overs.
But after Madsen was caught behind by Bresnan for 41, with Billy Godleman run out in the same over, a tight finish looked set to be on the cards.
Alex Hughes, however, remained cool under pressure to hit Fisher for four off the last ball of the penultimate over to guide Derbyshire to a four-wicket win to wrap up a fine week of cricket at the Autoworld Volvo XC90 Chesterfield Festival of Cricket, in association with Chesterfield Borough Council.
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Derbyshire Falcons take on Worcestershire Rapids in the NatWest T20 Blast at The 3aaa County Ground on Friday 17 July; 7pm start. Buy your matchday tickets in advance & save £4!
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