Match Reports

Derbyshire v Gloucestershire

Day 3

Craig Miles signed off his Gloucestershire career by hitting the winning runs to secure a two wicket victory on a pulsating third and final day of the Division Two match against Derbyshire at Derby.

Miles, who is joining Warwickshire next season, danced down the pitch to strike the winning boundary as Gloucestershire survived a late collapse to reach their target of 179.

Benny Howell looked to have won the game with 58 but four wickets went down for 20 runs before Miles settled the contest with boundaries off leg-spinner Matt Critchley.

Derbyshire looked slight favourites at the start of another glorious early autumn morning but nightwatchman George Drissell set the tone for a determined batting display by surviving the first 10 overs.

Drissell showed good judgement and temperament until he drove loosely at Tony Palladino and was lbw for 16 but the quick wickets Derbyshire needed would not come.

The pitch appeared to have eased but Howell batted confidently from the start although Palladino should have removed Miles Hammond when the opener pulled him to midwicket where Lockie Ferguson spilled the chance.

Hammond only made another four runs but crucially, it was eight more overs before Derbyshire removed him and by then, Howell was set and finding the gaps.

He drove Palladino through the covers for four and on drove the seamer for another boundary and the target was below 100 when Hammond edged a drive at Hardus Viljoen to first slip.

Gloucestershire needed only 64 at lunch and Howell started the afternoon session by twice driving Palladino straight to the boundary to reach 50 from 49 balls.

Derbyshire finally turned to the leg-spin of Critchley and he made the breakthrough in his second over when Howell wedged a drive to point where Alex Hughes held a sprawling catch.

Ben Charlesworth lofted Critchley over mid on for four but was lbw playing back to a leg break and Gloucestershire’s nerves were rattling when Ryan Higgins top-edged a pull at Lockie Ferguson and was caught and bowled.

Jack Taylor clipped Ferguson to the midwicket boundary and steered him to third man for four but was brilliantly caught at cover by Billy Godleman with 10 needed.

But Miles fittingly had the last word, pulling Critchley to fine leg for four before driving him back over head to complete a thrilling victory.

 

Day 2

17 wickets fell on the second day of the Division Two County Championship match against Derbyshire at Derby.

Luis Reece bagged 7 for 20 to bowl Gloucestershire out for 163 but Derbyshire collapsed to 157 with Ryan Higgins taking 3 for 19 and Craig Miles 3 for 46 in his last match as a Gloucestershire player.

Alex Hughes dug in for 50 overs to make an unbeaten 55 to leave Gloucestershire with a target of 179 for the victory.

Reece had recorded his best figures in the championship the previous day and he preyed on some more undistinguished batting to give Derbyshire a slender first innings lead of 21.

After George Drissell was beaten for pace by Ferguson, Reece secured his first five wicket haul when Jack Taylor edged a ball that moved away.

Higgins was caught at first slip from a lifting delivery by Hardus Viljoen and Reece polished off the tail with Craig Miles edging a big drive before Matt Taylor pulled to mid-wicket.

But Derbyshire were soon in trouble, losing skipper Billy Godleman to David Payne before lunch and Wayne Madsen and Reece to Higgins in the first five overs of the afternoon.

Madsen, was lbw as he moved across the crease and Reece edged to third slip in Higgins’s next over.

Tom Lace and Hughes regrouped for 17 overs until Lace was lbw playing back to s full length ball from Benny Howell and two more wickets shortly before tea shifted the momentum towards Gloucestershire.

Matt Critchley was bowled making room against George Drissell and Harvey Hosein edged Miles low to second slip with Derbyshire only 108 ahead.

Hughes at least was showing the application the situation demanded and although wickets fell at the other end, reached 50 before Matt Taylor finished off the innings to leave Gloucestershire with 10 overs to face before stumps.

The pattern of the game continued as Chris Dent was caught behind off the first ball from Ferguson who then bowled James Bracey to leave the Gloucestershire on 19 for 2.

 

Day 1

Craig Miles marked his farewell match for Gloucestershire with a five wicket haul before Luis Reece put Derbyshire back in the Division Two County Championship match at Derby.

Miles, who is joining Warwickshire next season, took 5 for 50 as Derbyshire were bowled out for 184 with Reece top scoring with 59.

Wayne Madsen completed 1,000 championship runs for the season but Miles and Matt Taylor with 3 for 32 ran through the home side who responded when Reece took four wickets to reduce Gloucestershire to 100 for 5 at the close.

Madsen went soon after achieving his milestone when he was trapped in front by Ryan Higgins and after Reece clipped Miles off his legs for his eighth four to reach 50, he edged a good ball from the seamer to second slip.

Higgins found some late movement to bowl Tom Lace in the second over after lunch but Matt Critchley and Alex Hughes batted positively to add 51 before Miles started the slide that saw Derbyshire lose six wickets for 35.

Critchley was lured into driving at a wide ball and Hughes was lbw pushing half forward, leaving Taylor to sweep away the tail in the space of two overs.

Harvey Hosein played across the line, Hardus Viljoen was caught on the crease and Palladino offered no shot to one that swung back enough to clip the off stump.

When Anuj Dal clipped Miles to fine leg, Derbyshire’s last four wickets had tumbled for 14 runs.

Palladino was rewarded for a probing opening spell when he bowled Miles Hammond but Gloucestershire were starting to take control until Reece delivered his best spell in the championship.

The all-rounder got just enough seam movement to have James Bracey and Benny Howell lbw and his accurate line accounted for Ben Charlesworth and Dent to finish off an eventful opening day.