COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO, Chesterfield:
Northants 246 and 245-8 beat Derbyshire 255 and 233 by two wickets (Northants 18pts, Derbys 5pts)
19-22 August 2009

Graeme White hit an unbeaten 29 to guide Northants to victory

Northants put themselves in the County Championship Division Two promotion race with a two-wicket win over second-placed Derbyshire at Chesterfield.

Set 234 to win, the visitors looked in trouble when they slipped to 168-7.

But Graeme White (29 no) shared 40 with David Willey (42) and then an unbroken stand of 37 with David Lucas (19 no) to see them home with two wickets in hand.

Earlier, Derbyshire were bowled out for 233 in the second innings, Tim Groenewald the last man out for 50.

After Derbyshire began the day on 212-8, Mark Lawson hooked Johannes van der Wath for six over square-leg before he was bowled by Lucas.

Van der wath then had Groenewald dropped by Rob White on 45 before getting his revenge in the next over to leave Northants a testing target on a pitch helping the bowlers.

Openers Niall O'Brien and Stephen Peters were removed by Steffan Jones and Wavell Hinds respectively before a heavy shower held up play.

When the players returned, Rob White (37) was caught behind by Jamie Pipe off Groenewald to leave the visitors in trouble at 83-3.

Alex Wakely (33), Riki Wessels (31) and Andrew Hall (20) all contributed, but Jones (4-79) struck at regular intervals to keep the game hanging in the balance.

When Nantie Hayward (2-66) had Hall caught by Chris Rogers and then dismissed van der Wath in exactly the same fashion two balls later, the game seemed to be heading Derbyshire's way.

Graeme White and Willey led the fightback until Willey drove Jones to Rogers, but this was to be Derbyshire's final success.

After two brief stoppages for rain, Rogers' safe hands failed when White edged Jones high to him at second slip before Lucas took the winning boundary off Hayward for a memorable victory.

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