THE gentle net enjoyed by Dan Birch and Wavell Hinds on Saturday set up a winning start for Derbyshire in the Pro40 League at Northampton yesterday.

After helping themselves to innings of 77 and 64 the previous day, as the Championship fixture ambled towards a draw, the bats were still in full swing as the pair took the Phantoms to a six-wicket victory over Northamptonshire.

Their second-wicket stand of 111 in 14 overs broke the Steelbacks' hearts, as they tried to defend a total of 222-7, and allowed Derbyshire to win with 4.2 overs to spare.

Birch outshone his West Indian partner with a superb 76, bludgeoned off 59 balls with four sixes and eight fours.

It was his highest score for the county in one-day cricket but he should unquestionably feel there was a century for the taking before he met an ignominious end.

Birch is built for hitting the ball a long way, not for running short distances in quick time but the whippet-like Greg Smith seemed to forget this as he called his partner through for a tight single to backward point.

With the score 154-2 in the 22nd over, there was no need for such a risky run and a direct hit by Stephen Peters left Birch out by miles.

A hard stare back up the wicket from his prone position and an angry wave of the bat (thankfully, he was too far away for the crowd to read his lips) betrayed his feelings all too clearly.

It was a huge pity for Birch but he had the satisfaction of paving the way to victory, if not being there to seal it himself.

Smith recovered his composure to put on 65 with Dominic Telo, which just about completed a comfortable win.

Hinds came to the middle after Chris Rogers had his off stump removed by Johann van der Wath, confidently leaving a ball which shot through to deceive him. Rogers made 16 and the score was 33-1.

Birch had already settled in and Hinds was soon hitting the ball cleanly too. By the time he was caught behind off Andrew Hall, the big left-hander had hit 45 off 36 balls with eight fours.

Derbyshire, after winning the toss, justified their decision to put Northants in as they reduced the home side to 51-5 in the 16th over.

It was Ian Hunter, surprisingly recalled for his first senior outing since the opening Championship match of the season, who did most damage, bowling straight through his eight overs to take 3-18.

It was an excellent return for Hunter after Graham Wagg made the first intervention of the day by bowling Stephen Peters and running out Niall O'Brien to make it 15-2.

Northants should have been 63-6 but David Sales was dropped at long on by Nayan Doshi. The horrible miss might have proved costly, as the former captain went on to finish 96 not out, off 109 balls with seven fours and two sixes.

He and the present skipper, Nicky Boje, put on 115 for the seventh wicket, with 85 coming off the last seven overs.

Boje was caught off the final ball of the innings for 59, which he made off 40 balls with seven fours and a six.

The final flourish gave Northants a total to defend but Birch and Hinds made mincemeat of it.