Rain wrecks contest as Northants, Derbyshire share spoils
No play possible on third day with Derbyshire on the ropes but well set to save the game
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay
21-Apr-2025
Darren Lehmann, Northants head coach, was happy with his side's application during the three available days of the contest • Getty Images
Derbyshire 307 and 202 for 3 (Jewell 71, Madsen 62*, Leece 2-54) drew with Northamptonshire 500 for 8 dec (Procter 150, Zaib 105, Vasconcelos 82)
Rain ruined any chance of a positive result on the final day of the Rothesay County Championship Division Two match between Derbyshire and Northamptonshire at Derby.
The players arrived at the County Ground to find the hover cover already in place and the rain got steadier throughout the morning.
Going into the fourth day, the state of the game was that Derbyshire were nine runs ahead with seven second innings wickets in hand but the pitch was playing well and the loss of the first session made it difficult for either side to push for a win.
With the rain set in and no prospect of an immediate improvement in the weather, the umpires took the decision to abandon the game following a post lunch inspection.
Looking back over the contest, Derbyshire head of cricket Mickey Arthur said: "It was disappointing. It wasn't the standards we've delivered over the course of the season so far.
"We've got away with this one and certainly our skills weren't at the level that we all expect. There were some good performances and you can never fault the effort but I thought we were just off it in terms of our skills.
"I thought day one we were exceptional and then from day two we started playing catch up and that was disappointing. We are a team that wants to play on the front foot and we were playing on the back foot from lunchtime on day two and that's not where we want to be."
Northamptonshire head coach Darren Lehmann said: "It hasn't gone our way with the weather, Derbyshire played well yesterday and I thought it was an excellent game.
"The pleasing thing is we are playing a really good team-based game. I was pleased with the batters yesterday that they scored so quickly to take the game on and give us more overs.
"From a bowling point of view I thought we were probably a little bit down in the first innings when Derbyshire got 300 and it was a 220 wicket I reckon so we were just a little bit short there but we caught everything and gave ourselves a chance to win the game which is all we can do and ask for."
