Bad light decision denies Northants historic victory with target in touching distance
18.09.26, 23:27 Updated 18.09.26, 23:27
Jeremy Blackmore
Northamptonshire’s hopes of pulling off an historic Championship win over Derbyshire and boosting their promotion hopes were dealt a cruel blow when the umpires took the players off for bad light within touching distance of victory at Wantage Road.
Chasing 349, which would have been the fifth-highest successful run chase in their first-class history, Northants were 326 for six, needing 23 more in 22.2 overs, with Ricardo Vasconcelos having led the charge with a superb 132, his sixth century of the season.
George Bartlett was nicely placed on 24 not out off 22 balls, having just hit a six, when the umpires took the players off at 4.20pm. The light was certainly no worse than when the players came out after tea, but, while the umpires waited for an improvement, light rain began to fall.
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Jeremy Blackmore is the founder and editor of The Steeler. Jeremy is a freelance cricket writer and Wantage Road regular. He has written extensively for a host of publications including The Cricketer, The Cricket Paper, Wisden Cricket Monthly and ESPNcricinfo. He also covers Northamptonshire for the ECB Reporters Network.