NORTHANTS WIN! Keogh and Chahal spin County to a first red-ball success of the season
It may have been almost a year in coming, but Northants finally claimed a first-class win when they beat Derbyshire by 133 runs in the Vitality County Championship at Wantage Road.
In the club's first match since the departure of head coach John Sadler, Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and club stalwart Rob Keogh bowled Northants to an emphatic victory on Wednesday afternoon.
Chahal, signed by Sadler last month, followed up his five-wicket haul in Derbyshire's first innings with four more in their second, while Keogh also shone with his off-spin, grabbing five for 44, including the final four wickets to fall.
Chasing an improbable 266 to win on a turning wicket, and with the match's previous highest score being the 219 made by Northants in their first innings, Derbyshire were up againts it and were in trouble early on.
They quickly slumped to 69 for four and then 93 for six, and they never recovered as they were bowled out for 132 despite a brave rearguard from Wayne Madsen, who finished up 48 not out from 90 balls.
The next highest score was Aneurin Donald’s 18.
Earlier, Keogh had made 63 as Northants were bowled out for 211 in their second innings.
The win was the first Northants have managed in red ball cricket since beating Essex in a dead rubber after they had already been relegated from division one on September 28 last year.
It is only their second win in their past 24 four-day matches played.
Full details and reaction to follow.