Derbyshire v Essex | Specsavers County Championship | The 3aaa County Ground
Derbyshire team | 1. Billy Godleman*, 26. Ben Slater, 18. Alex Hughes, 77. Wayne Madsen, 4. Neil Broom, (-) Charlie MacDonell, 20. Matt Critchley, (-) Alex Mellor +, 8. Tom Milnes, 28. Tony Palladino, (-) Callum Parkinson
Essex team | 10. Nick Browne, 32. Jaik Mickleburgh, 21. Tom Westley, 25. Ravi Bopara, 27. Ryan ten Doeschate*, 8. Kishen Velani, (-) Will Rhodes, 7. James Foster +, 17. Graham Napier, 22. Paul Walter, 44. Jamie Porter.
Umpires | Stephen Gale & Jeremy Lloyds
Toss | Contested, Essex won the toss and elected to bat.
Close of Play Reaction | Ryan ten Doeschate reflects on Derbyshire victory
Day Four | Close of Play Report
Essex tightened their grip as leaders in Division Two of the Specsavers County Championship when they completed a comprehensive victory by an innings and 62 runs against Derbyshire.
Ryan ten Doeschate’s charges took 23 points from the match to extend their advantage at the head of affairs in the race for promotion after taking the remaining five wickets for 90 runs when their opponents resumed on 213 for 5 at the start of the final day.
Graham Napier claimed two of the wickets taking his tally for the Championship campaign to 51 in his final season.
But it was Ravi Bopara that struck the first two blows in what proved to be the final session of the game when he removed Callum Parkinson with the fourth ball of the morning and two deliveries later, sent Alex Mellor back to the pavilion without addition to the overnight score.
Parkinson popped up a catch to ten Doeschate at square leg before Mellor’s attempted cut ended in the hands of Nick Browne at first slip.
The first runs of the day came in the third over thanks to cover drive to the boundary by Matt Crichley who, together with the determined Charlie MacDonell added 72 for the eighth wicket to hold-up Essex’s victory quest for an hour.
The second new ball was taken at 259 for 7 and was six overs old when Jamie Porter encouraged Critchley to pick out Napier at deep fine leg to end an innings of 43 from 52 balls that included eight boundaries.
Four overs later, Napier had Tom Milnes caught off an edge by Browne at first slip for eight and in his next over, he ended the match when Tony Palladino walked in front of his stumps to be leg before wicket without score leaving Macdonell 35 not out.
Napier ended with 4 for 50 and a match haul of 8 for 78 whilst Ravi Bopara returned figures of 3 for 39 in the Derbyshire second innings.
Essex had been in control from the start of the game when Browne batted his way into the record books becoming only the fourth batsman in Championship history to post a double century twice in one season against the same opposition.
Day Three | Match Highlights
Day Three | Close of Play Report
Essex will be confident of completing their fourth win of the season in the Specsavers County Championship after Derbyshire reached the close of day three on 213 for 5 still requiring a further 152 runs to make their opponents bat again.
The home side, who have not won a home match in the competition since 2014, were dismissed for165 in their first innings and although one-time Essex batsman Billy Godleman then completed his 3rd century of the season, two wickets for Graham Napier and one apiece for Paul Walter, Will Rhodes and Ravi Bopara ensured the visitors tightened their grip on proceedings.
Godleman and his opening partner Ben Slater posted 75 in 22 overs before Napier had the latter caught by Tom Westley at second slip for 29. Alex Hughes also played with a straight bat facing 99 balls as he contributed 23 out of 76 runs partnership spanning two hours until he chased a wide delivery from Walter and edged the ball into the gloves of James Foster.
Soon after, Godleman arrived at the 12th century of his career but having batted for 221 minutes during which he struck a 6 and 14 fours in his 100, he was trapped in front of his stumps by a full-length Napier ball.
That victim took the bowler’s tally of Championship wickets to 49 for the season with the home side now 167 for three.
Wayne Madsen and Neil Broom added 43 during which time Madsen became the first player from Division Two to complete 1,000 Championship runs this season but having scored 37, he fell victim to a sharp catch by Jaik Mickleburgh to give Will Rhodes his first Essex victim in his first match since joining from Yorkshire on loan.
With the next ball of the innings and sent down by Ravi Bopara, Neil Broom was bowled for 13 in the penultimate over of the day to leave Essex closing in on victory.
Derbyshire began the day on 116 for 6 and although Alex Mellor and Matt Critchley frustrated the Essex attack by extending their seventh wicket partnership to 70 runs, before Napier and Ravi Bopara shared the final four wickets.
Napier had Mellor caught by James Foster for 44 and then uprooted the middle stump of Tom Milnes with his next ball before Tony Palladino denied the bowler and former team mate his hat-trick.
Napier finished with 4 for 28 and Bopara 2 for 15 and with Ryan ten Doeschate enforcing the follow-on, Derbyshire commenced their attempts to save the game with 5 overs remaining ahead of the lunch interval.
Patience then became the name of the game for Essex as they went in search of the victory that would enhance their position as league leaders.
Nick Browne joined an Elite list when he scored 229 not out in the Essex first innings. He became only the fourth player in the history of the County Championship to score a double century against the same team in two matches in the same season. The Essex left-hander scored 255 against Derbyshire at Chelmsford back in May before his substantial innings in the current match at Derby.
W.G.Grace was the first player to achieve the feat when he scored 243 at Hove and 301 at Bristol in 1896 when playing Sussex. Then C.B.Fry scored 201* at Hove and 233 at Trent Bridge in 1905 when playing against Nottinghamshire. P.Holmes took 209 at Birmingham off the Warwickshire attack in 1922 before plundering 220* for Yorkshire later that season for the White Rose county.
Now the name of Nick Browne is added to the distinguished list.
Day Three | Tea Report
Derbyshire lost just the one wicket in the afternoon session whilst scoring 90 runs to arrive at the tea interval on 121 for 1, still trailing Division Two leaders Essex by 244 runs in the Specsavers County Championship clash at Derby.
Opener and one-time Essex batsman Billy Godleman is 78 not out whilst Alex Hughes has nine, as the pair combined to frustrate their opponents hopes of adding to their sole success of the post-lunch session.
The hosts were forced to follow-on 365 runs behind.
The home side had resumed on 31 without loss and Godleman and Ben Slater had taken the score onto 75 before Graham Napier had the latter well-taken at second slip by Tom Westley for 29.
The watchful Hughes though proved a dependable ally for the vigilant Godleman and at one stage, the duo became becalmed facing 7 maidens in an 11-over period.
Godleman, who has so far batted for 2 hours and 45 minutes, reached his half-century from 83 balls with the help of ten fours and by tea, had found the ropes on a further three occasions
Skipper Ryan ten Doeschate has so far used seven bowlers in this innings with Napier, having claimed his 5th wicket of the match, conceding just 11 runs in his second innings overs.
Essex had run through Derbyshire’s first innings in under 66 overs but found it much harder going on a flat pitch under cloudless skies second time around with just the single success so far in 41 overs.
Day Three | Lunch Report
Essex enforced the follow-on after dismissing Derbyshire for 165 and, trailing by 365 runs on first innings, the home side reached lunch on 31 without loss on Day Three.
It took the Essex attack an hour and 25 minutes to take the remaining Derbyshire first innings wickets after their opponents resumed on 116 for 6.
Graham Napier and Ravi Bopara shared the four outstanding wickets to finish with figures of 4 for 28 and 2 for 15 respectively.
Alex Mellor and Matt Critchley frustrated the Essex bowlers taking their seventh wicket partnership to 70 and the total onto 149 before Napier had Mellor caught off an edge by James Foster for 44, the wicket-keeper’s third catch of the innings.
With his next delivery, Napier plucked out the middle stump of Tom Milnes who departed for a ‘golden duck’ but Tony Palladino prevented the hat-trick.
With the total on 161, Bopara had Critchley caught in the gully by Jaik Mickleburgh for 36 and soon after, the bowler breached Callum Parkinson’s defences to set up the follow-on.
Billy Godleman and Ben Slater safely addressed the five overs before lunch sent down by Jamie Porter amd Paul Walter ending the session on 16 and 13 respectively.
Nick Browne became only the fourth player in the history of the County Championship to score a double century against the same team in two matches in the same season. The Essex left-hander scored 255 against Derbyshire at Chelmsford back in May before hitting an unbeaten 229 in the current match at Derby.
W.G.Grace was the first player to achieve the feat when he scored 243 at Hove and 301 at Bristol in 1896 when playing Sussex. Then C.B.Fry scored 201* at Hove and 233 at Trent Bridge in 1905 when playing against Nottinghamshire.
P.Holmes took 209 at Birmingham off the Warwickshire attack in 1922 before plundering 220* for Yorkshire later that season for the White Rose county.
Now Browne joins the elite list.
Day Two Review | Debutant, Paul Walter takes 3 wickets on Day Two
Day Two | Close of Play Report
Nick Browne scored an unbeaten double-century as Essex reached 530-9 declared before the visitors reduced Derbyshire to 116 for 6 by the end of Day Two of the Specsavers County Championship Division Two clash at Derby.
The match is also proving a memorable first-class debut for 22 year-old Paul Walter who picked up three wickets at a cost of 23 in 9 over to add to his 47 runs as Essex took a stranglehold on proceedings.
Browne batted for 9 hours and twenty minutes to post 229 not out, facing 417 balls with 24 boundaries, two of which cleared the ropes. He had been dropped on the opening day with his score on 60 and was given another let-off when Charlie Macdonell spilled a straight-forward catch at square leg with the left-hander on 144.
Derbyshire paid heavily for their indiscretions as Browne took 200 plus off the Midlanders attack for the second time this summer. At Chelmsford in mid-may, he collected 255 and in six Championship innings against Derbyshire, he has aggregated 794 runs at an average of 264.66 that includes two other unbeaten centuries.
Walter joined Browne in a ninth wicket stand worth 83 in 13 overs and struck 8 fours in his 55-balls innings before he was bowled by Tony Palladino.
At the start of the day, Browne and Ryan ten Doeschate had resumed on 291 for 4 and they carried the total to 392 – and a fourth batting point – before the Essex skipper became one of 6 wickets for Tom Milnes when he was bowled for 60 to end a stand worthy 140 runs in 28 overs.
Milnes also claimed the wickets of James Foster (13), Will Rhodes (1) and Graham Napier (4) to end with 6 for 93 having taken a couple of wickets on the opening day.
The hapless home side were in immediate trouble when they started their reply losing Ben Slater to the second ball of the innings when he was trapped in the crease by Jamie Porter without a run on the board.
Left-arm paceman Walter, who had shared the new ball, struck in his second over when he uprooted the leg stump of Billy Godleman before following up in his next over by striking Wayne Madsen on the pads with a delivery of full-length as the home side capitulated to 16 for three.
Napier added to Derbyshire’s misery when, with the score on 34, he had Alex Hughes superbly caught one-handed down the leg side for 13 by a diving James Foster.
Neil Broom and MacDonell offered resistance or just over an hour but Napier brought an end to a stand of 40 when Broom drove off the edge and into the hands of Browne at first slip.
The return of Walter when had MacDonell caught by Foster for 21 to give Essex their second bowling point and leave the home side deeper in trouble.
Alex Mellor and Matt Critchley defied their opponents for an hour as they combined for an unbroken stand of 37 runs at the end of the day with Mellor 20 and Critchley 17 not out.
Napier has so far taken 2 for 13 and Jamie Porter 1 for 35.
Day Two | Tea Report
Paul Walter has enjoyed a stunning start to his first-class career. The 22 year old followed up his 47 in the Essex first innings total of 530-9 declared with two wickets as Derbyshire capitulated to 39 for 4 in reply.
Nick Browne batted throughout the visitors innings and had reached 229 when the declaration was made after he and Walter had posted 83 in 13 overs. This was before the latter was bowled by former Essex paceman Tony Palladino.
Essex lost three wickets in 25 balls in the post-lunch session with James Foster going for 13, Will Rhodes for 1 and Graham Napier 4, all falling to Tom Milnes who ended with figures of 6 for 93.
Browne though was outstanding as he completed his second double-century against Derbyshire this season. In total, he faced 417 deliveries and struck 24 boundaries including 2 sixes.
The home side were in immediate trouble when they batted, with Jamie Porter trapping Ben Slater leg before to the second ball of the innings without a run on the board.
Then Walter uprooted the leg stump of Derbyshire captain Billy Godleman for 10 and in his next over. Wayne Madsen was next to be on his way, for a duck when the batsman failed to contend with a Yorker.
Porter was replaced after 4 overs by Napier who had Alex Hughes brilliantly caught down the leg side by a diving James Foster for 13 to leave the hosts 34 for 4 in the 11th over.
At tea, Neil Broom was 15 not out and Callum MacDonell 1.
Walter has figures of 5-2-19-2, Porter 4-1-17-1 and Napier 3-1-3-1.
Day Two | Lunch Report
Nick Browne continued to pile on the runs against Derbyshire on day two of the Specsavers Division Two match reaching lunch on 191 as the visitors arrived at the interval on 427 for 5 wickets.
Essex added a further 136 runs in 29 overs with Ryan ten Doeschate joining Browne in the run-fest. The Essex captain reached his entertaining half-century form 61 balls with the assistance of 4 fours and 2 sixes.
He and Browne had taken their fifth wicket partnership to 140 in 28 overs when ten Doeschate played a ball from Tom Milnes onto his wicket having scored 60. He ensured that his side had taken their tally of batting bonus points to 4 and left the opposition with just a single bonus point.
Browne, who was dropped on 144 when Charlie McDonell spilled a simple chance at square leg off Matt Critchley, arrived at his 150 with the 12th four of his innings, this a sublime cover drive off Critchley having faced 325 balls.
On ten Doeschate’s departure, James Foster joined Browne through the remaining 7 overs until lunch claiming 10 of the pair’s 35 runs whilst Browne is on course for his second double hundred of the season against Derbyshire.
Day One | Close of Play Report
Something about playing against Derbyshire brings out the best in Nick Browne and the Essex opener punished his favourite opponents again on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship match.
The 25-year-old’s only previous century in the Championship this season came when he hit 255 against Derbyshire at Chelmsford and he added a second to give Essex control at 291-4 on a docile 3aaa County Ground pitch.
Although he began to be more aggressive against the young Derbyshire spinners in the final session, it was a largely risk-free, patient innings from Browne and he earned the right to carry on at the start of day two on 116 not out.
He passed 1,000 first-class runs for the season on 57 and his hundred came off 266 balls with six fours and a six. It was his fourth century in six innings against Derbyshire, at an average of 227.
The home side blew one golden chance to dismiss Browne when he was on 60 but, off the fifth ball after tea from Milnes, Neil Broom spilled a regulation catch at second slip.
Chances of any sort were rare for Derbyshire but they did a good job of containing and trying to frustrate Essex on a surface that gave them very little help. If they had taken that chance straight after tea, they would have been able to consider it a decent day.
They took a wicket in the 10th over when Jaik Mickleburgh clipped Tom Milnes off his legs straight to Alex Hughes at midwicket to make it 14-1 but second-wicket pair Browne and Tom Westley let them know they were set for a long day in the field with a stand of 128.
There were very few loose balls to allow the pair to score easily and it took both a long time to bring up their half-centuries. Westley’s came first, off 113 balls with three fours, and Browne finally completed his in the 51st over, off 141 balls with four fours.
Westley finally went, caught by wicketkeeper Alex Mellor off the second ball of leg-spinner Matt Critchley’s spell, for 72 at 142-2.
Ravi Bopara showed his intent by lashing his second ball straight down the ground for the game’s first six and he moved smoothly to 44 before driving loosely at slow left-armer Callum Parkinson, on his home debut, and was well taken by Mellor at 217-3.
The third over with the second new ball brought a second wicket for Milnes, who finished with a very respectable 2-48 in 19 overs, as Kishen Velani (19) stepped across his stumps and was lbw trying to glance the ball to fine leg but Browne was unmoved.
He completed a seemingly inevitable century by turning Milnes to midwicket for three and was still there at the close with Ryan ten Doeschate (15 not out).
Day One | Lunch Report:
Essex have made slow progress against some disciplined Derbyshire bowling on the opening morning of the match at the 3aaa County Ground.
After electing to bat first on a slow pitch, the visitors were 67 for 1 from 31 overs at lunch with Jaik Mickleburgh the only wicket to come, falling to Tom Milnes in the 10th over.
Despite going into the match with a depleted attack, Derbyshire bowled tightly and limited Essex to only four boundaries in the first session.
Mickleburgh hit one of them before he clipped a half volley into the hands of midwicket but that was Derbyshire’s only success as Nick Browne, 30, and Tom Westley, 22, batted carefully through to the interval.
