Match Centre

CLOSE OF PLAY - DAY FOUR

Match Result - Derbyshire win by 101 runs

Derbyshire 21 points

Middlesex 3 points

Derbyshire ended their long wait for a home victory in the County Championship when they overcame a determined Middlesex rearguard to win by 101 runs on the final day of the Division Two match at Derby.

A run of 23 home championship matches without a win stretching back 1,306 days to September 2014 was finally broken when Duanne Olivier bowled Tim Murtagh to end spirited resistance by the Middlesex tail.

Anything other than a Derbyshire win seemed unlikely with Middlesex set an improbable target of 442 but the visitors took the match deep into the last session through a ninth wicket stand of 106 between James Harris, who was unbeaten on 64, and Tom Helm.

A much earlier finish looked in prospect when Middlesex lost two wickets in the first three overs of the morning with Max Holden and Ollie Rayner falling to Duanne Olivier and Hardus Viljoen.

Rayner went in the second over when Olivier moved one back to take the edge and Wayne Madsen held an excellent catch at first slip.

Holden had displayed sound technique to come through 29 overs on the third evening and looked capable of frustrating Derbyshire but he pushed at one angled across him and was caught behind for 37.

It was now a question of how long Middlesex could delay the inevitable and John Simpson and Paul Stirling showed the sort of application required on a pitch which had now flattened out.

They denied Derbyshire for 20 overs, adding 65 but the introduction of Luis Reece’s medium pace from the City End broke the stand in the 23rd over of the day.

Stirling tried to pull a ball but was through the shot too quickly, sending back a return catch off the bottom of the bat and Middlesex’s slide towards defeat gathered momentum in the final over of the session.

Madsen’s off-spin had been introduced to improve the over rate but he delivered a bonus wicket went Simpson went half forward and was lbw for 24.

Derbyshire continued with spin from both ends after lunch and Toby Roland-Jones pulled Matt Critchley’s leg-spin for six before he dragged a drive to midwicket.

Billy Godleman immediately took the second new ball but Harris and Helm played impressively to bat through 19 overs and take the match into the final session.

They dug in again for another 12 overs after tea with Helm completing a maiden first-class 50 before he was lbw to Critchley and Olivier returned to take his eighth wicket in the match and seal victory.

DAY FOUR - TEA

Middlesex 285 for 8

Derbyshire’s pursuit of a first home victory in the County Championship since September 2014 was delayed by spirited tail end resistance from Middlesex on the final afternoon of the Division Two match at Derby.

Only one wicket fell between lunch and tea as an unbroken ninth wicket stand between James Harris and Tom Helm took Middlesex to 285 for 8 at the interval.

Harris shared a stand of 57 with Toby Roland-Jones who scored 46 before he dragged a drive at Matt Critchley’s leg-spin to midwicket.

Derbyshire took the second new ball but Harris and Helm made sure the game would go into the last session by adding 62 in 19 overs.

Match report provided by ECB reporters Network.

DAY FOUR - LUNCH

Middlesex 166 for 7

Derbyshire are just three wickets away from ending a run of 23 home matches in the Championship without a victory on the final morning of the Division Two game against Middlesex at Derby.

Middlesex started the day on 86 for 3, chasing an improbable target of 442 although more realistically looking to try and bat out the day but they lost two wickets in the first three overs.

John Simpson and Paul Stirling dug in for 20 overs but both fell just before lunch to leave Middlesex on 166 for 7 at the interval.

Duanne Olivier sent back nightwatchman Ollie Rayner in the second over with Wayne Madsen taking a sharp catch at first slip and then Hardus Viljoen had Max Holden caught behind for 37.

Stirling made 42 before he gave Luis Reece a return catch and Simpson was lbw to Madsen’s off-spin in the final over of the morning.

DAY THREE - STUMPS

Middlesex 86 for 3

Derbyshire are poised to end their long wait for a home Championship victory after they outplayed Middlesex for the third day running in the Division Two match at Derby.

Luis Reece scored an unbeaten 157 and Ben Slater fell one short of a century before Derbyshire declared on 333 for 3, setting Middlesex a highly improbable target of 442 in a minimum of 129 overs.

Their chances were even slimmer after Sam Robson, Rob White and Hilton Cartwright were dismissed leaving Middlesex on 86 for 3 at the close and Derbyshire scenting a first home win since they beat Leicestershire at Derby in September 2014.

Derbyshire started the day in a strong position with a lead of 226 and they increased that by 53 in 17 overs before rain resulted in an early lunch.

Middlesex were without injured pace bowlers Toby Roland-Jones and James Harris and although they did well to restrict Derbyshire’s run rate, it was always a question of when the home side pulled out.

Reece and Slater passed Derbyshire’s previous highest opening stand against Middlesex of 181 and then eclipsed the best ever partnership against the county of 209 set in 1932.

Both looked certain to reach three figures but after Reece completed his third Championship hundred for Derbyshire from 268 balls, Slater became becalmed on 99 and cut a long hop from Ollie Rayner to cover.

Reece drove Rayner for six as he and Wayne Madsen added 101 before Paul Stirling had Madsen caught at short fine leg and Alex Hughes stumped before the declaration came leaving Middlesex to equal the highest winning fourth innings total against Derbyshire.

But their first target was to get through 29 overs against an attack that bowled them out for 157 in the first innings and although conditions were good for batting, Middlesex’s chances suffered a big setback when Hardus Viljoen removed Sam Robson.

The Middlesex captain played across a full length ball and was lbw for five and there was another breakthrough when Duanne Olivier replaced Viljoen at the City End.

Rob White shuffled across and was only half forward when he was struck in front and the South African was celebrating again when he switched ends.

Hilton Cartwright pulled a short ball to the midwicket boundary but the next left him and took the outside edge to take Derbyshire a step closer to that elusive victory.

Match report provided by ECB reporters Network.

DAY THREE - TEA

Derbyshire 315 for 1

A century from Luis Reece has put Derbyshire in a commanding position at the end of the third afternoon of the Division Two match against Middlesex at Derby.

Reece celebrated his third Championship hundred for the county but Ben Slater was out for 99 after the opening pair had shared a stand of 219, a Derbyshire record for any wicket against Middlesex.

At tea, Reece was unbeaten on 148 out of 315 for 1 with Derbyshire leading by 423 as they chase their first home victory in the Championship since September 2014.

Middlesex were handicapped by the loss of pace bowlers Toby Roland-Jones and James Harris to injury and could do little to prevent Derbyshire taking complete control.

DAY THREE - LUNCH

Derbyshire 171 for 0

Derbyshire tightened their grip on the Division Two match against Middlesex at Derby before rain stopped play with the home side 279 runs ahead.

Middlesex were already a long way back in the game but their chances of staging a fightback took another blow when they went into the third day two bowlers down with both Toby Roland-Jones and James Harris off the field.

Ben Slater and Luis Reece built steadily on the overnight lead of 226, adding 53 in 17 overs before the umpires took the players off the field shortly after midday.

Lunch was taken early at 12.45 pm with Slater on 85 and Reece 74 out of an opening stand of 171, just 10 runs short of the Derbyshire record against Middlesex set at Uxbridge in 2009 by Chris Rogers and Wayne Madsen.

Match report provided by ECB reporters Network.

DAY TWO - CLOSE OF PLAY

Derbyshire 118 for 0

Derbyshire are on course to end their long wait for a home victory in the County Championship after they completely dominated the second day of the Division Two match against Middlesex at Derby.

Middlesex were shot out for 157 with South African fast bowler Duanne Olivier taking 4 for 26 on his Derbyshire debut and despite a two hour break for rain, the home side closed on 118 without loss to lead by 226 runs.

The visitors attack was again weakened by the absence of England seamer Toby Roland-Jones who has a sore back and Derbyshire will go into the last two days confident of wrapping up a first home win since September 2014.

They seized the initiative from the moment Middlesex captain Sam Robson fell to the first ball of the second over of another sunny morning when Ravi Rampaul trapped him lbw for 19.

Robson had batted for 122 minutes so to get him early was a big boost and they picked up nightwatchman Ollie Rayner in the next over when he was pinned by a full length ball from Hardus Viljoen.

John Simpson played a typically combative innings and with Paul Stirling was rebuilding the reply until they both fell in the space of two overs.

Simpson was looking dangerous but on 32 he left a ball that swung in to take the off stump and Stirling was lbw to Tony Palladino in the next over to reduce the visitors to 124 for 7.

Olivier swept away the tail after lunch by having Tom Helm smartly caught low down at first slip by Wayne Madsen and trapping James Harris in front with one that came back to give Derbyshire a significant first innings lead of 108.

Middlesex needed quick wickets to stay in the game but although Luis Reece survived a sharp chance to second slip off Helm just before the rain arrived with Derbyshire 56 from 21 overs, the Derbyshire openers played with increasing authority after the skies cleared.

Slater completed his 50 from 73 balls when he cut Helm for his seventh four and was unbeaten on 63 with Reece not out 47 at the end of a highly satisfactory and encouraging day for Derbyshire.

Match report provided by ECB reporters Network.

DAY TWO - TEA

Derbyshire 56 for 0

Derbyshire’s pursuit of a first County Championship win at home in nearly four years has been held up by rain on the second afternoon of the Division Two match against Middlesex at Derby.

The weather closed in with Derbyshire strongly placed in their second innings on 56 without loss, a lead of 164, after Middlesex were bowled out for just 157 four overs after lunch with 36 extras the top score.

South African fast bowler Duanne Olivier finished with the outstanding figures of 4 for 26 after taking the last two wickets to secure a first innings advantage of 108.

Tom Helm was well caught low down at first slip by Wayne Madsen before James Harris was lbw to one that nipped back for 21.

Middlesex were again without England paceman Toby Roland-Jones who has a sore back and Ben Slater and Luis Reece strengthened Derbyshire’s position by batting through 21 overs before the rain arrived.

Match report provided by ECB reporters Network.

DAY TWO - LUNCH

Middlesex 144 for 8

Derbyshire’s bowlers have put their side in a strong position at the end of the second morning of the Division Two match against Middlesex at Derby.

Tony Palladino struck twice as Middlesex lost five wickets in the session and at lunch were 144 for 8, still 121 behind.

Ravi Rampaul trapped Sam Robson lbw with his first ball to end the opener’s two hour vigil and nightwatchman Ollie Rayner went in the next over , lbw to a full length ball from Hardus Viljoen.

John Simpson and Paul Stirling fought added 56 for the sixth wicket before Duanne Olivier swung one back in to Simpson who was bowled playing no shot for 32.

Stirling went in the next over for 16, lbw to Tony Palladino who completed an excellent morning for Derbyshire by removing Toby Roland-Jones in the penultimate over.

Match report provided by ECB reporters Network.

DAY ONE - CLOSE OF PLAY

Middlesex 45 for 3

Derbyshire 265 All Out

South African fast bowler Hardus Viljoen rescued Derbyshire with the bat on a keenly contested opening day of the Division Two match against Middlesex at Derby.

Viljoen scored his first fifty for the county as the home side recovered from 167 for 7 to 265 and then reduced Middlesex to 45 for 3 at the close.

Ravi Rampaul and Duanne Olivier claimed their maiden wickets for Derbyshire as Max Holden and Robbie White went cheaply before Viljoen removed Hilton Cartwright.

Despite bright sunshine, it was no great surprise after so much recent rain that Middlesex elected to bowl but their seamers, with the exception of Tim Murtagh, lacked consistency before lunch.

Murtagh had Luis Reece brilliantly caught by Ollie Rayner at second slip in the seventh over but Ben Slater and Wayne Madsen played well until Slater left one from Harris that moved in to take the off-stump.

Cartwright had Alex Hughes caught behind off the last ball of the morning but it had still been a good session for Derbyshire although the picture quickly changed after lunch.

Billy Godleman drove a cut Harris for consecutive fours but was beaten by some late movement and Madsen was defeated by Murtagh’s inswing before Gary Wilson mistimed a pull to mid-wicket.

But Viljoen and Tony Palladino grew in confidence against an attack that was without Toby Roland-Jones after lunch because of slight soreness in his back.

Viljoen became increasingly assertive and raced to his first half century for Derbyshire by dispatching Rayner for three sixes from five balls before Harris claimed his fourth wicket when Palladino was caught at second slip on the stroke of tea.

Helm was hooked by Viljoen for a fourth six but the paceman wrapped up the innings off consecutive balls courtesy of two more catches by Rayner.

Derbyshire’s total looked even more competitive when Holden edged a loose drive at Ravi Rampaul and the quality of Derbyshire’s bowling forced Sam Robson and White to fight for survival before Olivier claimed his first wicket for the county.

Only 22 runs were scored in 13 overs, 11 of them extras, and the pressure told when White followed one that swung away to be taken at third slip.

Robson was determined to see his side through to stumps but Cartwright was lured into edging a drive to second slip as Derbyshire ended the day on top.

Match report provided by ECB reporters Network.

DAY ONE - TEA

Derbyshire 248 for 8

Hardus Viljoen led a Derbyshire recovery with his first half century for the county after Middlesex took quick wickets in the Division Two match at Derby.

The home side looked unlikely to claim a batting point when they lost three wickets in five overs for eight runs but Viljoen and Tony Palladino shared a stand of 81 to take Derbyshire to 248 for 8 at tea.

Middlesex fancied their chances of bowling Derbyshire out cheaply when James Harris brought one back to bowl Billy Godleman for 17 and Wayne Madsen was lbw to Tim Murtagh for 47.

Gary Wilson mistimed a pull but from 167 for 7, Derbyshire responded impressively with Viljoen dispatching Ollie Rayner for three sixes in five balls to reach his seventh first class 50 but Harris took his fourth wicket two balls before the interval when Palladino was caught at second slip for 25.

Match report provided by ECB reporters Network.

DAY ONE - LUNCH

Derbyshire 117 for 3

Middlesex’s bowlers were frustrated by some determined Derbyshire batting on the opening morning of the Division Two match at the 3aaa County Ground.

Although conditions were bright and sunny at Derby, Middlesex elected to bowl first but managed only two breakthroughs as Derbyshire moved to 117 for at lunch.

Tim Murtagh posed the biggest threat and he broke the opening stand in the seventh over when Luis Reece edged a drive and was brilliantly caught one-handed by Ollie Rayner diving at second slip.

Murtagh beat Ben Slater twice in succession but the opener had played well for his 32 until he left a ball from James Harris that swung back in enough to remove the off-stump.

Wayne Madsen and Alex Hughes looked to be batting out the session until Hilton Cartwright had Hughes caught behind in the final over.

Match report provided by ECB reporters Network.