Derbyshire 309 for 4 (Thakor 130, Godleman 95) beat Northamptonshire 307 for 7 (Levi 109, Cobb 56, Thakor 3-39) by six wickets
Scorecard
Shiv Thakor starred with bat and ball as Derbyshire secured an impressive victory © Getty Images
Shiv Thakor delivered a superb all-round performance as Derbyshire celebrated a club record one-day run chase to beat Northants by six wickets in the Royal London Cup match at Derby.
Thakor scored 129, his first limited-overs century, after taking 3 for 39 and shared a second-wicket stand of 168 in 28 overs with Billy Godleman who made 95.
Derbyshire reached 309 for 4 with eight balls to spare in reply to Northants’ 307 for 7 which was built around Richard Levi‘s 109 off 107 balls and Josh Cobb’s 56.
Northants had looked on course for a bigger total when Cobb hit three sixes in a 49-ball 50 as they took advantage of some inconsistent bowling but Derbyshire regrouped and managed to exert some control despite Levi’s impressive striking.
Thakor bowled intelligently from the city end and although Levi deposited him into the back row of the stand, the powerful South African never quite inflicted the damage he threatened at one stage.
After Cobb was bowled behind his legs and Rob Keogh drove to short extra, Levi and Alex Wakely took the visitors past 200 before the skipper failed to clear long-on.
When Jeevan Mendis went for 18 in the 40th over, a score of well over 300 looked on against an attack missing three frontline bowlers but Derbyshire kept their discipline and although Levi reached his century off 104 balls, Northants had to scramble to pass 300 after he miscued Thakor to deep midwicket.
Derbyshire had never successfully chased over 300 in a limited-overs game but Northants also had key bowlers missing and Godleman and Ben Slater played with authority to put on 71 in 11 overs before Slater was beaten by Ben Duckett’s throw from cover.
Godleman took consecutive fours from Miles Richardson who was playing his first one-day game for Northants and with Thakor batting aggressively from the start, Derbyshire took a firm hold on the contest.
Northants’ bowlers had failed to take a wicket in the previous game against Warwickshire and they looked increasingly unlikely to breakthrough as Godleman and Thakor scored freely without taking risks.
The 150-stand came up in 26 overs and Thakor celebrated his century which came off only 86 balls with the first of three consecutive fours off Steven Crook in the 38th over.
Godleman looked certain to complete his second one-day hundred against Northants but Keogh found some extra bounce to have him caught behind in the 39th over.
Derbyshire had thrown away winning positions last season but although Thakor was run out when he was caught off a no-ball , they eased home to condemn Northants to a second defeat in the competition.
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo