da betsson： Northamptonshire are poised to take another big stride towards promotion afterbowling Derbyshire to the brink of defeat on the third day of the CountyChampionship Division Two match at Chesterfield
19-Aug-2011
Scorecard
Northamptonshire are poised to take another big stride towards promotion afterbowling Derbyshire to the brink of defeat on the third day of the CountyChampionship Division Two match at Chesterfield.The home side were 289 for 8 for at the close, chasing an improbable targetof 494, after James Middlebrook scored his third championship century of theseason in Northamptonshire’s 416 for 9 declared.David Lucas picked up three wickets and skipper Andrew Hall and Middlebrookeach took two, but although the visitors claimed an extra half hour, they couldnot finish the home side off. Northamptonshire had resumed the third day on 285 for 6, already a commanding 362 runs in front, and by lunch had added another 101 for the loss of Hall.Derbyshire’s only hope was to knock over the last four wickets quickly, butdespite a good spell with the new ball, it was 19 overs before they broke theHall and Middlebrook stand. Hall was clearly determined to bat Derbyshire out of the game and had faced 150 balls for his 44 when he edged a drive and was well caught by Martin Guptill lowto his left at second slip.He had added 102 in 39 overs with Middlebrook and although Northamptonshirewere now 404 runs in front, there was no sign of a declaration. Middlebrook straight drove Greg Smith for six and Chaminda Vaas played some elegant strokes until he went for a big hit at Chesney Hughes and was bowled for 37.Hall waited until Middlebrook cut Smith for the boundary which took him to hishundred before setting Derbyshire the task of scoring the highest fourth-inningstotal in the county’s history.At least they could draw some inspiration from last year, when they made 365against Surrey at Queen’s Park, and Martin Guptill and Chesney Hughes beganconfidently by scoring 52 from the first 10 overs.Hughes was clearly unhappy to be given out caught behind off Hall for 20 andSmith (six) failed again when Lucas found some inswing to knock out his offstump. Derbyshire’s hopes rested with Guptill and the New Zealander unleashed somescorching drives to move to 46 from 56 balls, but the wicket Northamptonshirewanted came when he edged Hall onto his pad and Niall O’Brien took a low catch.Wes Durston and Dan Redfern played some defiant shots but Vaas tempted theformer into a forcing stroke at a wide one, and Middlebrook took his side closerto victory seven overs later. Redfern drove and hooked Hall for three fours in an over on his way to a 45-ball fifty, but Middlebrook found some extra bounce to have him taken atfirst slip on 58 and Lucas cut one back to trap Luke Sutton lbw for 14.Ross Whiteley then chopped Lucas into his leg stump and, when the visitorsclaimed the extra eight overs, Tim Groenewald was dropped twice in the slipsbefore he was caught off bat pad at silly point.Hall saw another slip catch go down off his bowling as Jon Clare and TonyPalladino held on to take the match into the fourth morning.