Budinger's fastest fifty sets platform for Foxes to down Falcons

Sol Budinger equalled the fastest half-century in Vitality Blast history, from 15 balls, as Leicestershire Foxes beat Derbyshire Falcons by five wickets in the campaign opener at the Uptonsteel County Ground.

The Falcons totalled 170 for 6 thanks to a sixth-wicket stand of 76 in 52 balls from Martin Andersson, who made 70 not out from 46 balls, and Ross Whiteley (37 off 27). That represented a strong recovery from 11 for 3 and early damage inflicted by Logan van Beek.

But Budinger's thunderous 51 off 17 at the top of the Foxes' reply and Shan Masood's measured unbeaten 45 (35) at the other end of it saw them to 171 for 5 with eight balls to spare.

The Foxes chose to bowl and, despite a heavily depleted attack with Lions pair Josh Hull and Rehan Ahmed among the absentees, reduced the Falcons to 51 for 5 after eight overs. Van Beek unfurled two superb deliveries to remove two of the big dangers; a big inswinger took Caleb Jewell's edge through to wicketkeeper Ben Cox and a yorker took out Wayne Madsen's off stump.

Aneurin Donald and David Lloyd failed to clear the field with attempted big hits and when Samit Patel chipped Liam Trevaskis to mid-off, half the Falcons were out with 12 overs remaining.

Andersson and Whiteley responded with composed and selective aggression to pull their side back into the game. Andersson reached his third T20 fifth from 37 balls, and Whiteley struck a six and three fours before lifting van Beek to fine leg. Zak Chappell lent Andersson further support in a punchy unbeaten stand of 43 in the last 20 balls.

The Foxes' reply started at a gallop with 16 from the first over by Afghanistan spinner Allah Ghazanfar, on his debut. Budinger smote six fours and four sixes, taking 29 from a Pat Brown over, on his way to the fastest Blast fifty by a Foxes batter, and when he was brilliantly caught by Lloyd at mid-off off Andersson, the home side had 73 on the board from 29 balls.

The Falcons didn't panic though and Ghazanfar showed his class by turning the ball into the stumps of Louis Kimber and Rishi Patel. When Samit Patel had Lewis Hill caught at deep midwicket, three wickets had fallen for 12 runs in 20 balls.

Highly experienced pair Masood and Cox were unfazed by the switch in momentum and simply switched it back again with a stand of 44 in 32 balls. Masood, on his Blast debut for the Foxes, swung Brown far over midwicket into the crowd, the speeding ball narrowly missing Christian and Bettina, two distinguished German visitors attending their first ever cricket match.

Cox was bowled by Lloyd but Masood saw the Foxes home with exactly the win-clinching unflustered skill and nous for which he was signed.