Match Centre

Match report by ECB Reporters' Network supported by Rothesay

DAY FOUR

Fast bowler Naavya Sharma gave another glimpse of his rich potential before Middlesex’s hopes of conjuring victory from the rain affected Rothesay County Championship Division Two match against Derbyshire faded away at the OurCoop County Ground.

The 20-year-old took 4 for 36 to skittle the home side for 131 and Middlesex then forfeited their first innings in a bold bid to win a game in which two days had been lost to rain.

But Derbyshire showed greater resolve in the second innings to deny their promotion rivals and comfortably batted out for a draw, reaching 111 for 3, 242 ahead, when bad light ended play three overs after tea.

The way the ball moved around on the fourth morning showed why Middlesex thought they could force a victory with Derbyshire losing six wickets in eight overs.

Sharma demonstrated why he is so highly regarded in the game with the former England Under-19 quick striking in his first over of the morning when Caleb Jewell edged one that left him.

Three balls later, Brooke Guest was lbw to a ball that came back and Sharma had his third in four overs when he yorked Ben Aitchison who had made a century against Middlesex at Lord’s in May.

Derbyshire’s collapse continued in the next over with Anuj Dal caught behind off a ball from Helm that moved away late and Shoaib Bashir lbw offering no shot to an inswinger.

Will Rogers on his first-class debut averted the hat-trick and helped add 30 for the last wicket before Toby Roland-Jones had Nick Potts caught behind.

Roland-Jones quickly removed Harry Came when Derbyshire batted again but they needed to repeat the first innings carnage to have any chance of victory and the home side proved a lot more resilient the second time around.

Jewell and Matthew Montgomery took 15 overs out of the equation before Sharma got one to straighten to take the top of Jewell’s off stump.

Montgomery did his best to foil Middlesex’s ambitions by facing 62 balls until Roland-Jones moved one in to hit him in front.

But by then, the hosts were more than 200 ahead and Wayne Madsen and Andersson batted through to tea with Derbyshire 239 ahead.

Only three more overs were possible before the light deteriorated leaving both teams frustrated at the amount of time lost in a game they both needed to win to boost their hopes of going up.

Middlesex could at least take some consolation from claiming maximum bowling points to give them 11 in the match while Derbyshire take eight for the draw.

Both teams are next in action on Wednesday when Middlesex host Lancashire with Derbyshire facing rock bottom Gloucestershire at Bristol.

DAY THREE

Derbyshire and Middlesex endured more frustration as the third day of their Rothesay County Championship Division Two match at the OurCoop County Ground was lost to the weather.

Heavy rain in Derby throughout the morning left the umpires with no alternative but to call play off for the day at 2pm.

It means that so far only 32.3 overs have been possible across the first three days of a game both sides realistically need to win to sustain their promotion hopes.

After the first day was lost to rain, Derbyshire reached 79 for 3 on day two with Caleb Jewell unbeaten on 32 in his final game before he returns to Tasmania to prepare for the domestic season in Australia.

All-rounder Ryan Higgins took 2 for 18 in 11 overs to take his wickets haul in the championship to 36 which earned Middlesex a bonus point but with so much time taken out of the match and with further showers forecast tomorrow (Sunday) it’s hard to see any other result than a draw.

DAY TWO

Ryan Higgins again delivered for Middlesex on another rain affected day of the Rothesay County Championship match against Derbyshire at the OurCoop County Ground.

After the opening day washout, Higgins exploited helpful conditions to take two wickets in the morning session before more rain meant only three more balls were bowled in the day.

The experienced all-rounder returned outstanding figures of 2 for 18 from 11 overs, six of them maidens, to leave Derbyshire on 79 for 3 with Caleb Jewell unbeaten on 32 off 83 balls.

A green pitch and cloud cover suggested conditions were good for bowling so it was no surprise Middlesex opted to put Derbyshire in.

There was some seam movement for Toby Roland-Jones and Higgins but it was a loose shot that provided the visitors with the breakthrough.

A change of bowling from the Racecourse End paid off with Harry Came launching into a big drive at Tom Helm’s fourth delivery to be caught by Joe Cracknell diving to his right.

But that was their only success for 18 overs as Jewell, in his last game before returning to Australia, and Matthew Montgomery batted patiently until Higgins swung the session back towards Middlesex.

He had beaten the bat numerous times and seen a couple of lbw appeals rejected but he eventually got his reward for maintaining a consistent line and length when Motngomery was drawn into playing at one that shaped away to give Cracknell another diving catch.

The next ball was full which lured Wayne Madsen into a drive which he inside edged into his stumps, his second duck in consecutive innings.

Jewell and former Middlesex all-rounder Martin Andersson negotiated three overs before lunch but that proved to be the last of the action for the next four hours.

A thunderstorm towards the end of the interval wiped out the afternoon session but after sterling work from the groundstaff, the match was able to restart at 17.10 with 24 overs left in the day.

But as the players took the field, the weather was already closing in and Helm sent down only three balls to Jewell before the rain started and play was called off shortly afterwards.

With heavy rain forecast tomorrow (Saturday), it is a blow to both teams who are still in with a chance of promotion in what is building up to be a thrilling climax to the championship season in Division Two.

DAY ONE

Promotion hopefuls Derbyshire and Middlesex were frustrated by the weather which prevented any play on the opening day of the Rothesay County Championship match at the OurCoop County Ground.

Although the predicted thunderstorms never arrived, persistent heavy rain from early morning put paid to any hopes of the game starting before lunch.

The decision to abandon play for the day was taken shortly after 1.30pm with rain still falling in Derby.

Both sides realistically need to win to retain a chance of making up ground on Kent and Northamptonshire who currently look favourites for the second promotion spot in Division Two behind runaway leaders Durham.