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Search forAll possible in dramatic last hour but Derbyshire secure draw
Tuesday, July 15, 2008, 08:45
A Derbyshire victory would have been the ideal outcome yesterday at the County Ground and, with four wickets to take in the last 31 overs, they were firm favourites to clinch it.
A terrific stand of 93 in 27 overs between Leicestershire's seventh-wicket pair, James Allenby and Tom Smith, then left the away side on the verge of snatching the win.
With 27 more runs needed in four overs, you would not have bet against it – and what price a tie?
In the end, the contest ended in a draw and that was probably about right. Two sides who gritted their teeth through a match in which batting was tricky throughout could be satisfied with the outcome.
Derbyshire managed to add enough runs to their total through the last six wickets of their second innings to set Leicestershire 220 to win in 58 overs.
Much of the credit for keeping the game in the balance must go to another of the doughty stands that were the most prominent distinguishing feature of this contest but, this time, there was an added factor to make this one especially admirable.
Dan Birch, after losing a stone in weight because of a stomach bug which struck him down on Saturday, answered the call to play a part with the bat – joining Jamie Pipe in adding 25 in 23 overs at a time when Derbyshire were in danger of allowing Leicestershire a less demanding task at 153-7, 172 ahead.
Birch, by all accounts still resembling death warmed up, made 16 and it was hardly the prettiest 16 you will ever see. He rode his luck a time or two but, in view of his condition, he deserved that.
Two of the county's most naturally aggressive batsmen nudged and pushed to eat time out of the game and, without them, Derbyshire may have had to settle for less than their 200 all out.
The question then was how much Leicestershire were prepared to gamble to try to win the game.
Derbyshire were certain to attack with the new ball, and had the option of going on the defensive if they did not take wickets quickly enough, but Leicestershire's game plan was soon limited when they fell to 43-4.
Charl Langeveldt struck first but Graham Wagg got the next three. He really is in tremendous form at the moment and looked likely to run through the side.
But, when the new ball pairing was taken out of the attack, HD Ackerman and Allenby were able to settle and Ackerman's fall for 24 just before tea – to another good catch by Rikki Clarke at gully, which gave Wavell Hinds his first Championship wicket – was vital.
Wagg returned to make sure Paul Nixon would not hold up the Derbyshire charge, as he had in the first innings, but Allenby and Smith played superbly well, with patience and assurance, to turn the course of the game.
Langeveldt did what big-time performers do and broke the stand by taking a return catch off Smith, who made 42 to add to his unbeaten 47 first time and his six wickets in the match.
Claude Henderson also fell in Langeveldt's next over but, with only eight balls to go, the draw was looming.
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