Northants hammer Derbyshire to close in on quarters

FRIENDS PROVIDENT t20, Derby:
Northants 159-4 beat Derbyshire 116 all out (18.5 overs) by 43 runs
Match scorecard

Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura was at his all-round best for Northants

Northants improved their chances of qualifying for the FP t20 quarter-finals by hammering close North Group rivals Derbyshire by 43 runs.

David Sales (39), Elton Chigumbura (35 no) and Alex Wakely (29) ensured the visitors set a challenging 159-4.

Chigumbura then picked up 4-14 as Derbyshire were bowled out for 116 in under 19 overs.

Derbyshire now need to beat Yorkshire in their final game, and hope Northants lose at Durham, if they are to qualify.

Northants had to work hard on a slowish pitch after they had been put in and quickly lost Chaminda Vaas when the Sri Lankan was unluckily run out backing up.

Rob White went for 20 when a lofted drive off Greg Smith failed to clear mid-off but Sales hit three sixes before Garry Park bowled him with a full-length delivery.

Wakely was caught and bowled driving at Smith, but Chigumbura and Andrew Hall scored 29 from the final three overs.

Loots Bosman suggested Derbyshire might respond strongly, but the South African mistimed a front-foot pull off Vaas in the third over and lobbed a simple catch to mid on.

Smith chipped Jack Brooks to mid on in the sixth over and the home side were sunk when they lost five wickets in four overs.

David Willey took an excellent running catch at long on to remove the dangerous Wes Durston, Wayne Madsen top-edged a sweep off James Middlebrook, and Chigumbura uprooted Peterson's off-stump with the first ball of the 11th over.

The Zimbabwean then had Jon Clare caught behind driving before Lee Goddard was lbw sweeping at Middlebrook. Park became Chigumbura's fourth victim when he was bowled hitting across the line, and Northants could even afford to have Lee Daggett somewhat harshly taken out of the attack after he opened with two full tosses adjudged to have been above waist height.

Northants captain Andrew Hall tells BBC Radio Northampton:

"It was a really polished performance, we put up a decent total then showed superb fielding again.

"There was excellent catching and fielding counts a lot in this game.

"We've got one more game left and we have to win that one. We don't want to stumble at the last hurdle."