REPORT & QUOTES | Came & Guest hit fifties as Derbyshire stand firm

Derbyshire skipper Harry Came made 83 and Brooke Guest ended the day unbeaten on 60 to help their side reply strongly to Lancashire’s 351 on a rain-shortened second day of the Rothesay County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford.

The visitors ended the day on 235 for three, still 116 in arrears after a day of fine cricket, the highlight of which, for home supporters, was perhaps Mitch Stanley’s six-over spell of genuinely fast bowling immediately after lunch.

However, two rain breaks and frequent showers immediately after tea meant that 23 overs were lost on this second day. Nevertheless, Derbyshire might still be well placed to defeat Lancashire if they can bat on and build a lead on the third day. Brooke Guest was 60 not out and Martin Andersson unbeaten on 37 at the close

In a high-quality first session, Derbyshire’s second-wicket pair, Came and Matt Montgomery, scored 65 runs in 27.3 overs either side of a 15-minute break for rain. Lancashire’s attack was dominated by their four seamers and there were several respectable lbw appeals before Marcus Harris dropped Came on 12 at midwicket, a miss that denied Paul Coughlin a wicket on his Lancashire debut.

Otherwise, the Derbyshire pair played with exemplary care and skill to bring their side into lunch on 65 for one, with Came on 36 not out and Montgomery unbeaten on 26.

The afternoon session began in dramatic fashion with Stanley’s six-over spell from the James Anderson End. Bowling at high pace and using the short-pitched ball intelligently, Stanley took only one wicket, that of Montgomery who thick-edged a drive to Coughlin in the gully when he had made 46. But he hurried Came and Guest, both of whom were probably content to watch the cricket from the bowler’s end.

Came was dropped again on 54 when Michael Jones shelled a straightforward chance at first slip off the unfortunate Coughlin but his luck ran out when he played on to James Anderson immediately after hitting the ex-England bowler for six – thanks to four overthrows. That left Derbyshire on 152 for three but Guest and Martin Andersson guided their side safely to 187 without further mishap at tea.

Umpires Jack Shantry and Sue Redfern came out to inspect the conditions immediately after tea, by which time the light had worsened. The groundstaff then brought on sheets to cover the bowlers’ run-ups in anticipation of the rain which arrived a few minutes later. Within ten minutes, the rest of the square was covered but 14 overs were bowled in bright sunlight before play finally ended at 6.35pm.

Derbyshire captain and opener, Harry Came said:

“I’m very pleased. To lose only two wickets today puts us in a really good position in this game. Our bowlers showed brilliant character to turn the game around. To get them out for 351 after they had been 252 for three showed brilliant character from our bowlers.

“When there’s rain around, it’s tough sometimes to switch off and then switch back on in a short period of time. But it’s just a case of taking every ball as it comes and we did that really nicely today.

“Matty [Montogomery] played brilliantly there for his 46 and I’m sure we’re going to see plenty of runs from him this summer.”