Jaques powers Worcestershire to victory
Worcestershire's recovery from relegation to Division Two of the County Championship - and a subsequent £300,000 cut in their playing budget - continued at New Road as they overcame Derbyshire by eight wickets to register their third win of the season
20-May-2010
Worcestershire's recovery from relegation to Division Two of the County Championship - and a subsequent £300,000 cut in their playing budget - continued at New Road as they overcame Derbyshire by eight wickets to register their third win of the season.
A revamped side finally dismissed the visitors for 389 and then cantered to a target of 126 with 14.1 overs to spare as Phil Jaques narrowly missed the fastest championship century of the season.
The Australian left-hander romped to 94 from 57 balls with two sixes and 17 fours, but with only four needed for victory, he was caught on the deep square-leg boundary off Robin Peterson.
Jaques got the run-chase under way with four fours in succession off Tim Groenewald and a game that Derbyshire fought so hard to save was snatched away from them as he reached 50 from 35 balls. Vikram Solanki and Jaques both cleared the fence in the same over from Peterson as the home side moved up to third place in the table.
An extensive and fascinating last day was available to anyone walking in off the street after Worcestershire officials - possibly anticipating a much earlier finish - offered free admission. Athough Derbyshire mustered resilience after being made to follow on 264 behind, Garry Park's fourth career century - all of them not out - merely delayed another defeat after their mauling by Middlesex last week.
The South African-born batsman gradually found some form, moving from 34 overnight to an unbeaten 116 from 288 balls, but Worcestershire's seam quartet persevered until they had shared all 20 wickets in the match.
Greg Smith added only 13 before he was caught down the leg-side off Richard Jones for 64 and Chesney Hughes, the left-handed teenager from Anguilla, fell for 20, pushing a bat-pad chance to short leg off Jack Shantry.
Derbyshire, still 81 behind on starting the last day at 183 for 3, had reduced the deficit to only four when Worcestershire made their final push on taking the new ball. It worked initially with wickets in quick succession for Alan Richardson and Jones, but Park's craft and determination gave the lower order an incentive to hang around.
They did this so well that the last three held up Worcestershire for more than two hours. Park reached his hundred with a pick-up for six and the number 11, Steffan Jones, followed up his 86 in the first innings with 21 before Richardson claimed his sixth wicket of the game in his 58th over.
