BBC SPORT | Cricket | Counties | Wharton spins Glamorgan to defeat

Frizzell County Championship Division Two, day four, Cardiff: Derbyshire (16 pts) 217 & 462-6 dec beat Glamorgan (3 pts) 175 & 341 by 163 runs

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Mark Wallace's maiden first-class century was all in vain as spinner Lian Wharton bowled Derbyshire to victory at Sophia Gardens.

Wharton took six for 103, the best figures of his career, as last season's bottom club gave themselves a tremendous lift by making a winning start to the new campaign.

"I thought Lian bowled very well and he deserved it. He's worked hard at his game, he's a really bubbly character in the dressing room and I'm pleased for him," said Derbyshire skipper Dominic Cork.

Wallace finished unbeaten on 106 and had the consolation of having shown the England selectors, that there is another talented young wicket-keeper/batsman available should they lose their faith in James Foster.

Glamorgan began on 281 for seven, needing another 224 runs for an unlikely victory.

Derbyshire bowler Lian Wharton
Wharton's previous best was 5-96 against West Indies

They had only added 10 to their total before Australian Mike Kasprowicz was bowled by Wharton for 36.

Derbyshire had to wait another half an hour for their next success as Dean Cosker hung around for half an hour with Wallace, who started the day needing 16 for his century, before he was caught off Wharton for eight.

Wallace finally reached three figures off 147 balls and hit 17 boundaries, but finally ran out of partners in the first over after lunch.

Last man Simon Jones hit three sixes to make 18 off seven balls, but Wharton had the last word when Steve Stubbings took the catch to bring the game to an end.

"Obviously I'm overjoyed that we've started the season with such a positive result and we know it's going to be a hard season.

"But the lads have put in a lot of work during the winter and in pre-season, especially on their fitness, and I'm delighted it's paid off in the first match," Cork added.

Glamorgan: S P James (Capt), D L Hemp, A Dale, M J Powell, M P Maynard, R D B Croft, M A Wallace (Wkt), S D Thomas, M S Kasprowicz, S P Jones, D A Cosker.

Derbyshire: S D Stubbings, A I Gait, M J Di Venuto, D R Hewson, L D Sutton, D G Cork (Capt), K M Krikken (Wkt), J I D Kerr, G Welch, K J Dean, L J Wharton.


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