Derbyshire 604-7d (Guest 141, Andersson 106, Jewell 94, Madsen 59, Conway 3-102)
Northamptonshire 98-4 (Harrison 42*, Sales 33* Haydon 2-29, Aitchison 2-31)
Derbyshire lead by 506 runs
I saw the sun rise over the Central Co-op County Ground this morning and it stayed high in the sky and offered pleasant warmth for the rest of the day. One of those when you are glad there is cricket to enjoy and friends to enjoy it with.
Derbyshire had high hopes that their overnight pairing might progress their innings to centuries, but both were undone by Harry Conway, who once plied his trade in these parts for Ticknall, in his salad days. He has impressed me in this match, running in hard, uber-aggressive and appealing in stentorian style, like Brian Blessed at the football. He is a good bowler too, an advert for the merits of picking up a robust, time-served, grizzled Aussie quick as an overseas player.
He first trapped Wayne Madsen leg before, then Caleb Jewell edged behind just six short of his century. The landmark may have been missed but the value to both team and player should not be overlooked.
It brought two new men to the crease, but Andersson and Guest followed on from the top order and were quickly into their stride. The occasional ball was keeping a little lower, but Andersson was, with keeper back, into his Chris Wilkins-style sashay down the pitch mode. For me, he would be a good call for opening in the fast-approaching Blast, a role he did well for Middlesex latterly.
Derbyshire reached lunch at 447-5, with the lowest score of the top seven being 39.
In the afternoon session, Guest and Andersson took their partnership to 241, with a combination of good running and powerful strokes. It was perhaps a case of doing unto others as they have done to you, but the visitors wilted in proportion to the advancing score. Both reached fine centuries, Andersson dismissed soon after reaching his, while Guest finally went after an ungainly reverse hoik, diametrically opposed to the poise of his innings, for a superb 141.
Derbyshire declared at that point on 604-7, with most around the ground feeling that the visitors would themselves commence a runfest in the remaining play.
How wrong we were. With clouds gathering, Aitchison and Haydon reduced them to 38-4 either side of the tea interval. It was good seam bowling in the age-old Derbyshire tradition, good length, nipping it around and backed up by three fine catches by Guest, behind the stumps. He had enjoyed a special day and confirmed his value to the side.
it was as good as it got, as Harrison and Sales played out the rest of the day with a combination of common sense and a little luck. Tomorrow’s first session will be key to whether the foot they currently have in the doorway can be followed by a headlong dive through it.
But this was a good day for Derbyshire, a restorative one after recent matches. There was a chirpiness in the field again
Maybe I should come down more often…
Once again, thanks to all those who shared some of their day with me today. It was a pleasure to see all of you, some for the first time, others once again after too long.
There is hopefully time for a few more tomorrow, before I head north and home on Monday.