Latham hundred leads Bears mauling of Derbyshire

A dazzling century from Tom Latham inspired the Bears to a 127-run victory over Derbyshire Falcons at the Central Co-op County Ground and a place in the Vitality Blast quarter-finals.

Latham hit eight sixes in a 51-ball 104 and shared an opening stand of 187 from 98 balls with Alex Davies whose 89 off 54 included six maximums.

Although Ben Aitchison took three wickets in the last over to finish with 4 for 45, the Bears rattled up 233 for 5 with Falcons skipper Samit Patel finishing wicketless in his last game before leaving the club.

The 40-year-old allrounder also failed with the bat as his side slipped to 41 for 4 at the end of the powerplay and ended on 106 with Jake Lintott taking 3 for 27 while Richard Gleeson claimed 2 for 9 and Danny Briggs 2 for 13.

Latham and Davies laid the platform for what was to come, moving to 44 at the end of the powerplay.

Davies greeted Patel's last spell as a Falcons player by sweeping his first ball for six and Latham launched Zak Chappell high over midwicket for another maximum in the next over.

Latham pulled Aitchison for six on his way to a 30-ball 50 and at the half way point the pair were motoring along at just under 10 an over with the Bears on 97 without loss.

Patel bowled two wides at the start of his second over and was then swept for another big six by Latham.

Mohammad Ghazanfar conceded only five from the 12th over but the Falcons were struggling to contain the pair with Davies sweeping Alex Thomson for six to reach his 50 from 37 balls. Latham pulled Chappell for his sixth maximum before Davies dispatched the paceman for his fourth in the 14th over which cost 19.

Latham reached his first Blast hundred off 49 balls before he lifted Ghazanfar into the hands of Chappell at deep square leg in the 17th over.

Jacob Bethell made only 7 and Aitchison picked up three wickets in the last over including Davies but the Bears had given themselves a great chance of qualifying.

The Falcons needed something special from Aneurin Donald but after smashing George Garton over the long-on ropes he miscued Gleeson to mid-on.

Caleb Jewell also went cheaply, caught behind off Gleeson, and the Falcons' hopes suffered another big blow when Wayne Madsen lifted Garton to deep square leg.

Patel's hopes of bowing out in style were dashed when he pulled Garton to deep midwicket and Ross Whiteley was bowled forcing Lintott.

At 64 for 5 after 10 overs the game was up and Lintott and Briggs wrapped up a comprehensive victory with 29 balls to spare to condemn the Falcons to bottom place in the North Group.