LV COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO, New Road:
Worcestershire 559-8 & 126-2 beat Derbyshire 295 & 389 by eight wickets
Worcestershire 24 pts, Derbyshire 4 pts
Match scorecard

Phil Jaques has only hit two Championship half centuries this season

Worcestershire soared to third place in Division Two after beating Derbyshire by eight wickets at New Road.

Derbyshire put up a spirited effort, moving on from their overnight 183-3 to finally be all out for 389, due mainly to an unbeaten 124 from Garry Park.

But Worcestershire made short work of their victory target of 126 in 30 overs, Phil Jaques leading the charge.

The Aussie opener, who has struggled for form, hit 94, smashing 17 fours and two sixes as Worcestershire made 126-2.

Jaques took just 57 balls, the last of which saw him hole out trying to finish the match with a six.

But Worcestershire still had more than 14 overs in hand as they completed their third Championship win of the season.

Jaques got the run-chase under way with four fours in succession off Tim Groenewald, while he and skipper Vikram Solanki both cleared the fence in the same over from Robin Peterson.

Ironically, in the wake of the £300,000 cut in their playing budget following relegation, Worcestershire officials offered free admission, possibly anticipating a much earlier finish.

But Derbyshire mustered resilience after being made to follow on 264 behind, Park's fourth career century ensuring a full final day's play.

All 10 Derbyshire wickets fell to Worcestershire's four-man seam attack, Gareth Andrew and Richard Jones each taking three wickets, but Jack Shantry (2-57) and main workhorse Alan Richardson (2-82 from 31 overs) were the tidiest.

BBC Hereford & Worcester's Trevor Owens delivers his post-match verdict:

Worcestershire were the better side over the four days and deserved their win but Derbyshire made them work really hard for it.

Garry Park batted really well. His 124 not out is perhaps not the kind of innings you will remember in 10 years' time, but it was the perfect innings for his side in that situation.

But, once Phil Jacques got into his stride there was only ever going to be one result.

It was a really good all-round team performance by Worcestershire and should give them confidence as they head into a potentially tricky game against Sussex at Hove next week.

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