Chappell delivers with career-best score as Derbyshire fight back to sink Northants

Chappell came together with his skipper Ross Whiteley with Derbyshire in tatters at 79 for seven chasing 236 to win, but they turned the game on its head with a record eighth wicket partnership of 131 (23.4 overs) for the visitors against any opposition and the 22nd highest in the history of List A cricket worldwide.

Despite Northants’ teenage pacer Raphy Weatherall sparking the initial collapse and finishing with figures of four for 50 on his List A debut, the momentum was all with Derbyshire as Chappell and Whiteley made hay.

Earlier Emilio Gay (59) and George Bartlett (50) each struck half-centuries in a partnership of 79 in 15 overs.

Saif Zaib and Lewis McManus then picked up the mantle and looked set to propel the Steelbacks towards a competitive total during a stand of 69 in exactly 11 overs.

But their departure precipitated a collapse, with five wickets falling for 22 in 33 balls.

On a day to remember for Chappell, the quick bowler finished with career best bowling figures of four for 39 while veteran all-rounder Samit Patel took three for 41 as the hosts were bowled out for 235 in 47 overs, which looked well below par.

Northants rued losing two early wickets to poor shots as Chappell made a double breakthrough.

He first removed last season’s prolific run scorer Prithvi Shaw, caught in the deep by David Lloyd after he top edged an attempted hook.

In Chappell’s next over Ricardo Vasconcelos flashed at one outside off-stump and was caught at cover without scoring.

Gay though was enjoying himself, tucking into the bowling of Sam Conners, stroking five boundaries as he drove down the ground and swung hard through midwicket.

While an inswinging yorker from Luis Reece accounted for Rob Keogh’s leg stump, Bartlett was soon into his work.

Fresh from a ton against Norfolk, he opened his account with a textbook cover drive, followed by another boundary through midwicket before powering Patel over his head.

Gay brought up his half-century by smiting Reece over mid-off (68 balls), but when he came down the wicket to Patel, he was smartly stumped by keeper Brooke Guest.

Next over Bartlett, who had posted his own half-century (57 deliveries), pulled Harry Moore straight to Lloyd who took another well-judged boundary catch.

McManus showed early intent, muscling a short ball from Conners through mid-wicket but gained a reprieve when Lloyd failed to hold onto a more straightforward boundary catch.

Zaib announced himself by going down on one knee to flick Reece over fine leg for six.

He put away a slow ball beamer from Reece for four and then swept the free hit for another maximum before gaining a life when Patel put down a chance at fine leg.

Derbyshire broke through when McManus was bowled playing back to Patel for 25 and Zaib was caught behind off Chappell, attempting to run the ball down to third.

Wickets tumbled as Patel trapped Ben Sanderson lbw and Gus Miller was brilliantly run out by Mitch Wagstaff attempting a risky single.

Chappell then comprehensively bowled Jack White to wrap up the innings.

In Derbyshire’s run chase, Harry Came made 21, but his stay was soon ended by Sanderson, bowled off the inside edge.

Reece greeted Weatherall by pulling him behind square for four, but Northamptonshire built pressure and after nine dot balls, Guest prodded at one from Weatherall, Shaw taking an excellent diving catch at first slip.

Weatherall struck again in his next over, this time having Reece caught off the leading edge by Miller at backward point.

Next over White, who was finding significant movement, was into the action having Matt Lamb caught behind. Weatherall struck again three balls later when Patel pulled him straight to Gay at fine leg.

Lloyd carved Miller square for four as he and Whiteley sought to rebuild.

The pair put on 33 for the sixth wicket before spinner Keogh found some drift to trap Lloyd lbw for a run-a-ball 21, Derbyshire ending the 20th over in disarray on 78 for six. Three balls later they were seven wickets down when Wagstaff edged Sanderson to Shaw at slip.

That though brought Whiteley and Chappell together, who profited when Northants introduced the slower bowlers, despite the seamers extracting plenty of movement and Derbyshire started the final 10 overs needing a comfortable 53 to win.

Whiteley hit Keogh through extra cover before taking a boundary off Zaib to reach his 50 off 78 deliveries.

In a display of power hitting, Chappell punched Weatherall through the onside and pulled him high over midwicket.

He smashed Zaib down the ground and went to 50 off 48 balls before crunching Keogh through midwicket to pass his previous highest score.

When White was unable to hang onto a diving catch in the deep off Weatherall, Chappell responded by smashing the teenager down the ground for consecutive boundaries.

Weatherall finally broke the partnership, Whiteley playing an unnecessary big shot and Gay taking a well-judged catch on the boundary.

But with only 26 still needed in six overs and Chappell still there, Derbyshire sealed the win with eight balls to spare.