Stubborn Stubbings not enough

Steve Stubbings defied the Northants bowlers with a century

Northamptonshire defied the weather and Stephen Stubbings’ brave century to close in on victory against Derbyshire at Wantage Road.

Stubbings hit a gutsy 107 but the visitors were made to pay for their below-par first innings total of 160 as they were dismissed for 283 second time round.

Simon Katich (85) also contributed with the bat but there was little resistance elsewhere as the final five wickets fell for just 32 runs.

The home side lost Davey Jacobs, Usman Afzaal and nightwatchman David Wigley in the six overs before the close, with Northants needing just 60 more runs on day four to end Derbyshire’s unbeaten start to the season.

Resuming on 71-0 overnight, Derbyshire had barely reached the middle when umpires Jeremy Lloyds and Nigel Cowley offered the light.

When play finally restarted, Travis Birt failed to add to his overnight score of 37, dragging Johan van der Wath’s swinging ball onto his own stumps.

Hassan Adnan (seven) became the second victim of the day when Stephen Peters caught him at slip, but Katich and Stubbings dug-in.

Simon Katich hit Rob White over midwicket © Getty Images

Former Australian Test batsman Katich – now the Derbyshire captain – looked in defiant mood, taking almost half an hour to get off the mark.

But as clouds continued to linger over the ground the visitors again took the opportunity to run down time as bad light was followed by light rain.

After a two-hour delay Katich, who had seen three edges fly through the gap at third slip earlier in the day, was given another reprieve when he was dropped on 37 by wicket-keeper Niall O’Brien.

He made the Irishman pay for his error, racing past his 50 with a succession of fours and one huge six over mid-wicket off Rob White.

But White kept plugging away and got his reward soon afterwards to spark the collapse when Katich holed-out to Afzaal on the boundary, 15 runs short of his second century of the season.

Stubbings was next to go, trapped lbw by van der Wath, while Ant Botha (four) became his fourth victim when he was caught in the covers by Afzaal.

Wigley picked up Jamie Pipe’s wicket for a duck before Steven Crook bowled Graham Wagg for eight.

Greg Smith then fell to Wigley for 17 as Northants sniffed the win before the seamer sent Wayne White on his way for just four to end the innings – with regular opener Phil Weston absent injured with a bruised rib.

But Derbyshire refused to lie down before the close. White had Jacobs caught behind by Pipe for just one before Wagg picked up two wickets in two balls.

Afzaal was first to go when he edged behind and Wigley was trapped plumb in front off the very next ball.

But Stephen Peters (13 not out) and David Sales saw out the final two overs to leave Northants on 19 for three, requiring 60 to win in the morning.