Madsen keeps Derbyshire level
Derbyshire opener Wayne Madsen was denied a batting 'hat-trick' as Worcestershire's bowlers hit back on a rain interrupted day in their County Championship Division Two clash at the County Ground
Cricinfo staff
22-Jul-2010
Derbyshire opener Wayne Madsen was denied a batting 'hat-trick' as Worcestershire's bowlers hit back on a rain interrupted day in their County Championship Division Two clash at the County Ground. The South African would have become only the fifth player in the county's history to score three consecutive Championship centuries but he fell to Richard Jones for 75. That ended a century stand with Chesney Hughes who was out in Jones' next over for 44 and the match was finely poised at the close of day two with Derbyshire on 183 for 4, 96 runs behind.
The day had started well for Worcestershire who made the perfect start when they removed the dangerous Chris Rogers with the second ball of the morning. The Derbyshire skipper was caught behind down the legside for 22 and the visitors were celebrating a second wicket in the next over.
Garry Park scored the first run of the day but then played around a ball that swung in from Matt Mason and was lbw. Worcestershire should have removed Madsen in the final over before lunch when he gloved a ball from Jones on 43 but wicket-keeper Ben Cox spilled the chance diving to his left. That was the last action for more than three hours as a thunderstorm followed by steady rain prevented any further play until 4.20pm and wiped 37 overs from the day's allocation.
Madsen showed his concentration had not been affected by the lengthy delay by driving former Derbyshire seamer Alan Richardson down the ground for his eighth four which took him to a 115-ball half century. He must have thought it was going to be his day when he was given another let-off on 57 with Moeen Ali failing to hold a one-handed catch at gully off the unlucky Richardson.
Madsen had scored hundreds in both innings of the previous Championship match against Surrey at Chesterfield and he was closing in on becoming the first Derbyshire batsman since Kim Barnett in 1990 to make three centuries in a row when Jones struck.
The 26-year-old right-hander had hit 11 fours and faced 158 balls when he tried to force the fast bowler and was caught low down at gully by David Wheeldon. He departed with an angry swish of the bat and Hughes, who had shared a stand of 113 in 40 overs, followed him to the pavilion after Cox was treated for an injured finger.
The Anguillan edged the first ball after the stoppage down the legside and this time Cox made no mistake to put the game back in the balance but Greg Smith and Dan Redfern prevented further setbacks by batting out the last 15 overs.
