Northants saved by another Newton ton

Rob Newton scored his second century of the match as Northamptonshire rescued a draw on the final day of their Championship match against Division Two leaders Derbyshire.

Derbyshire's captain Wayne Madsen and wicketkeeper Tom Poynton fell 22 runs short of setting a new world-record ninth-wicket partnership as the visitors were finally bowled out for a massive 569. Their 261-run association was the third highest ninth-wicket stand in the history of first-class cricket and Madsen eventually finished unbeaten on 231 from 400 balls.

Newton then blasted a career-best 119 not out to help the hosts recover from 37 for 4 before the two captains shook hands.

Derbyshire began the day on 512 for 8, 112 runs ahead of their opponents, with Madsen resuming on 223 and Poynton on 105. Their partnership stood at 259, meaning that they needed another 25 runs to break Derbyshire pair Arnold Warren and John Chapman's ninth-wicket record of 283 set back in 1910 against Warwickshire at Blackwell.

However, Poynton was to add just a single before Jack Brooks sent his off stump tumbling with the eighth ball of the day to break a mammoth stand. The final wicket fell when Tim Groenewald launched Lee Daggett to Alex Wakely at long-off after hammering 42 from 35 deliveries.

Trailing by 169, Northants' second innings got off to an awful start when Kyle Coetzer edged Groenewald to Poynton in the 10th over. Wakely then made just a single before he was superbly taken by Usman Khawaja's one-handed catch at short midwicket off the bowling of Tony Palladino.

Ireland international Niall O'Brien was then trapped lbw by David Wainwright before Northants captain Andrew Hall walked when he was taken by Poynton off Palladino with the last ball before lunch.

Northants resumed in the afternoon in deep trouble but the fifth-wicket pair of Newton and David Sales stemmed the tide as they added 175. Newton comfortably reached 50 off 84 balls but he was given a reprieve on 91 when he was dropped at long leg by Matt Lineker off Groenewald.

He then completed his ton off 130 deliveries to become the 11th Northants batsman to score a century in both innings of a match, and the first since Chris Rogers at Taunton in 2006. David Sales then went past 50 off a patient 151 balls before the two sides agreed enough was enough and settled for the draw.