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MATCH REPORT | DERBYSHIRE V MIDDLESEX

Match report provided by the ECB Reporters' Network.

DAY THREE

Another majestic innings from Shan Masood took Derbyshire to an impressive six wicket win over Middlesex on day three of the LV=Insurance County Championship match at Chesterfield.

The Pakistan left-hander scored 98 from 113 balls as Derbyshire chased down 219 to inflict a first defeat of the season on the Division Two leaders.

Middlesex lost their last seven wickets for 101 runs to slip to 196 all out with Luis Reece taking 3 for 26 and Anuj Dal 3 for 50 including Mark Stoneman who top scored with 67.

Masood was dropped twice before he fell nine short of 1,000 first-class runs for the season but an unbeaten 49 from Wayne Madsen steered Derbyshire to 222 for 4 and a 20 point win.

Middlesex’s hopes of setting a tougher target was squandered before lunch by poor shot selection and a needless run out.

Only Stoneman was the victim of a good delivery from Dal which lifted to take the opener’s outside edge but there was little mitigation for what followed.

Although nightwatchman Ethan Bamber and Max Holden both swept left arm spinner Mark Watt for six, both had gone by the interval.

Bamber batted selectively until he chased a wide ball from Dal and was caught at point and Middlesex suffered a self-inflicted blow six overs later.

John Simpson was left stranded after Holden clipped to midwicket and set off for a run with both batters at the same end when Masood’s throw arrived in Brook Guest’s gloves.

Holden was probably keen to avoid returning to the pavilion for a while but after driving Alex Thomson over long on to take the lead past 200, he tried to repeat the shot in the penultimate over before lunch and Billy Godleman held a swirling catch at cover.

Middlesex failed to stick or twist after lunch, losing their last three wickets for seven runs in six overs to disciplined bowling.

Luke Hollman chipped Reece to midwicket and after Thilan Walwallawita missed a pull at Watt, Tim Murtagh was caught behind to leave Derbyshire with the best part of five sessions to get the runs.

It was not a straight-forward chase on a pitch offering variable bounce and it did not begin well with Godleman run out in the fourth over by Holden’s throw from cover after Masood sent him back.

But Masood was always going to be the key so when he was dropped on 18 low at first slip by Stephen Eskinazi off Toby Roland-Jones in the next over it felt like a pivotal moment.

Middlesex must have sensed that when Masood effortlessly on drove Bamber for one of the eight fours that took him to yet another 50.

Roland-Jones found some extra bounce to have Guest caught behind but crucially Masood was on 55 at tea with Derbyshire needing another 130 to win.

Middlesex had to strike early to have a chance but they dropped Masood again when Sam Robson failed to cling on to a fierce cut at gully of Roland-Jones with the opener on 76.

Two more imperious boundaries took him into the nineties and a drive down the ground to the brink of a century before he cut Bamber low to gully where Robson this time made no mistake.

Derbyshire had lost their last seven wickets for 21 on the second day but Madsen and a late flourish from Reece made sure there was no way back for Middlesex whose own second innings collapse proved costly.

DAY TWO

A superb spell from Middlesex fast bowler Toby Roland-Jones completely changed the course of the LV= Insurance County Championship match against Derbyshire at Chesterfield.

Roland-Jones took 5 for 14 in seven overs as Derbyshire lost their last seven wickets for 21 to crumble to 229 all out.

Derbyshire had looked in control when Wayne Madsen, 62, and Brook Guest, 40 were together but Roland-Jones finished with 5 for 45 to earn Middlesex a first innings lead of 22.

An unbeaten 60 from Mark Stoneman increased that to 117 by the close of day two but at 95 for 3, the game is still in the balance.

A batting collapse looked unlikely when Shan Masood was caressing the ball to various parts of Queen’s Park at the start of another cool and windy day.

Masood came into the match with 844 first-class runs to his name this season and he eased the second ball of the morning from Tim Murtagh to the cover boundary.

A straight drive brought him four more in the same over but Ethan Bamber first checked the run flow and then claimed the prize wicket of Masood who edged a drive to first slip.

Billy Godleman began to play more expansively after Masood’s dismissal but his innings ended tamely when he came down the pitch to the first ball from Thilan Walallawita and chipped back a return catch.

Derbyshire did not lose another wicket for 25 overs as Madsen and Guest added 82 to raise their hopes of taking a substantial first innings lead.

But the bowlers never lost their discipline and after Bamber found enough movement to beat Guest’s forward defensive, a change of ball changed the shape of the game.

After Madsen drove Bamber for his ninth four to reach his 100th 50 in all formats for Derbyshire, the umpires swapped the ball and Roland-Jones ripped through the home side.

Running in from the Pavilion End, he tempted Madsen into a drive that was taken at gully to spark an astonishing decline.

After Leus du Plooy edged Murtagh low to first slip, Roland-Jones beat Anuj Dal’s drive and then trapped Alex Thomson lbw as he played across the line.

Late movement accounted for Mark Watt before Sam Conners was struck in front and although Luis Reece drove and pulled Murtagh for two fours, Derbyshire were still in arrears when he holed out to deep mid-wicket.

The momentum was now with Middlesex although Reece made an early breakthrough when Sam Robson got an inside edge onto his leg stump.

Stoneman swept Watt for six but the left-arm spinner was getting some turn and bounce which accounted for Stephen Eskinazi who edged to slip with Middlesex’s lead still below a hundred.

Stoneman became the second batsmen in the match to pass 50 but Dal had Rob White caught behind shortly before the close to keep Derbyshire in the contest.

Image: David Griffin/Derbyshire County Cricket Club

DAY ONE

Luke Hollman and Ethan Bamber rescued Division Two leaders Middlesex on the opening day of the LV= Insurance County Championship match against Derbyshire at Chesterfield.

Hollman made 48 and Bamber a career-best unbeaten 37 to take Middlesex to 251 after they slipped to 171 for 7.

Fast bowler Toby Pettman took 3-40 on his championship debut and Anuj Dal returned the outstanding figures of 2 for 13 from 15 overs, 11 of them maidens.

In reply, Derbyshire moved to 28 without loss at stumps, 223 behind with Pakistani batter Shan Masood unbeaten on 27.

Middlesex would have hoped for greater prosperity when they approached lunch with Mark Stoneman and Stephen Eskinazi seemingly well set on a pitch that offered some bounce and occasional turn.

Derbyshire brought in Pettman, on loan from neighbours Nottinghamshire, and he saw both openers dropped in his fourth over of a breezy morning.

Sam Robson was put down at second slip by Wayne Madsen and then Stoneman survived a sharp chance to third slip off the next ball.

Robson did not profit, trapped on the crease by a ball from Reece that came back to give the all-rounder his 100th first-class wicket for Derbyshire, but Stoneman’s miss threatened to be costly.

He twice drove Sam Conners for four in the next over and with Eskinazi, had established a solid platform before it collapsed in the space of four overs.

Dal and Mark Watt bowled with control to dry up the runs and both were rewarded with Stoneman edging low to second slip where Madsen this time made no mistake.

Watt celebrated his first wicket in first-class cricket in more than four years when Eskinazi got an inside edge onto his stumps as he stretched forward in defence.

Derbyshire struck again after lunch when Max Holden was well caught behind down the legside as he tried to glance a wide ball to give Pettman his maiden championship wicket.

He was pulled into the trees over midwicket by John Simpson who was looking dangerous until Madsen pulled off a stunning slip catch.

Alex Thomson gave the ball some air and Simpson edged a drive which looked to have gone over Madsen until he leapt to grab the ball with his left hand to claim his 200th first-class catch for Derbyshire.

Rob White played with good judgement, facing 83 balls for his 26, and it took a final ball from Dal to remove him, extra bounce finding the outside edge to give Brooke Guest a second victim.

When Toby Roland-Jones played across the line at Reece, Middlesex were still 25 short of a batting point but Hollman and Bamber took the visitors beyond 200.

Hollman was two away from a half-century when he pushed at a flighted delivery from Watt to give Madsen another catch and Thilan Walallawita was caught behind swinging wildly at Pettman.

Bamber pulled Pettman for four to secure a second batting point before Tim Murtagh sliced to third man where Madsen pouched his fourth catch.

That left Derbyshire with a potentially awkward eight overs to negotiate but the in-form Masood reeled off several classy strokes to round off a decent day for the home side.