Steelbacks score more but end up losing

It is not often you score more runs than the opposition but end up on the losing side in a one-day game.
Richard Levi top scored for Northamptonshire in their loss against DerbyshireRichard Levi top scored for Northamptonshire in their loss against Derbyshire
Richard Levi top scored for Northamptonshire in their loss against Derbyshire

But that is what happened to Northamptonshire as they succumbed to Derbyshire on a rainy night at the County Ground.

The vagaries of the Duckworth Lewis system ensured that, after the visitors innings had been interrupted for a couple of hours, their final total was boosted from 211 to 226 to compensate for the disturbance.

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So when the County closed their innings on 220 - six short of their reviewed target - they had scored nine more than their opponents but still ended on the losing side.

There was a three-hour hiatus for the heavy storms as well as the time it took the groundstaff to repair the damp damage.

Then Wes Durston’s hundred proved the catalyst for the visitors’ win - a result that lifts them into the top four in Group A of the Royal London One-Day Cup.

His 108 saw them 211-6 from their 32 overs before a strong bowling effort saw them keep their hosts at bay - just.

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It helped that they were facing a weakened Northamptonshire attack that was missing England Lions’ David Willey as well as the injured Steven Crook and Olly Stone.

Richard Levi (62 from 66 balls) and Adam Rossington (26 at a run a ball) gave Northamptonshire a solid start but wickets fell at regular intervals and they were left needing 73 off seven overs.

Andrew Hall and Graeme White (10) kept the hosts in it although when Hall was bowled for 43 Northamptonshire’s hopes went with him.

Despite the penultimate over from Footitt costing 23 runs, James Middlebrook (24) could not hit the six required from the final delivery and was bowled by Tony Palladino.