Clydesdale Bank 40: Northamptonshire defeat Derbyshire
Stephen Peters and James Middlebrook complemented their side's efficient bowling display as Northamptonshire sealed victory by five wickets in a Clydesdale Bank 40 clash against Derbyshire at County Ground Derby on Monday. Chasing Derbyshire’s respectable 40 overs target of 171 runs, an unbroken 96-run stand between Stephen Peters and James Middlebrook took Northamptonshire home quite easily with 18 balls to spare and five wickets still intact.
Derbyshire’s innings was not as bad but the continuous clattering of wickets did not let the run rate increase anytime throughout the innings. Opener Chesney Hughes top scored with 55 off 62 deliveries lofting seven well timed boundaries. Hughes was followed by Dan Redfern who logged 37 runs after facing 39 balls - hitting two fours as well as the hosts mustered 171 before the entire team was bowled out in the last over. In reply, the visitors once reeling at 76 for five; were taken home by half-centuries from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Stephen-Peters-c2574 and James Middlebrook in the 37th over without losing anymore wickets.
Derbyshire’s captain Greg Smith, after winning the toss, opted to bat first. The opening pair of Chesney Hughes and wicketkeeper batsman Steve Adshead posted an opening stand of 19 runs from four overs. Lee Daggett earned the breakthrough on the first ball of fifth over having Steve Adshead caught by James Middlebrook. Wicketkeeper Adshead scored three runs from nine balls.
Chesney Hughes, despite losing his opening partner quite early, continued his responsible innings and shared a 23 run partnership with skipper Greg Smith with the bulk coming from the fluent opener. Smith, who was struggling at the crease, departed in the 11th over after he was bowled by Jack Brookes off a fuller delivery. Smith took 23 balls to earn the hosts only 4 runs. After Smith’s dismissal http://www.senore.com/Cricket/James-Middlebrook-c1651 to Tom Brett after scoring 10 off 21.
That became 80 for 4 when Middlebrook struck back in his next over having Chesney Hughes caught by David Murphy behind the stumps. Hughes added 55 runs to the team’s total after facing 62 deliveries. During his 70 minute stay at the crease, Hughes scored 7 boundaries to his credit.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Dan-Redfern-c1306 posted 19 runs to the scorecard for the fifth wicket partnership before the former nicked Middlebrook to Murphy behind the stumps. Madsen’s 18 came through 30 balls. Wagg, struggling at the crease, followed Madsen after scoring only seven runs from 20 balls. Redfern was the seventh man to lose his wicket in the 35th over, mistiming Daggett to Newton with 143 on the board.
Clare’s 18 ball 20 and Groenewald’s unbeaten 8 off six took the side to a respectable 171 before the whole team was bowled out on the third ball of final over of the innings. James Middlebrook, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Jack-Brooks-c1614 picked one wicket after conceding 37 runs in his quota of 8 overs.
An all round performance from Middlebrook played a key role in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Graham-Wagg-c1506, playing his last home game, led the bowling department for his side, picking the first two wickets for Northamptonshire as the visitors slipped to 76-5 before Middlebrook and Stephen Peters spearheaded the revival – both scored centuries and helped the team out of troubled waters.
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