Derbyshire seal emphatic win over Kent

Derbyshire duly wrapped up their second win of the LV= County Championship campaign by coasting to an emphatic eight-wicket success over Kent in Canterbury with more than a day and two sessions in hand.
Derbyshire CCC 2015 squad, Billy Godleman,Derbyshire CCC 2015 squad, Billy Godleman,
Derbyshire CCC 2015 squad, Billy Godleman,

Requiring 232 for victory, the visitors, resuming on their second day total of 169 for one, lost Chesney Hughes late in the pursuit for 94, but otherwise suffered no further alarm as Kent slipped to their fourth defeat of the summer in Division 2.

Hughes , who hit 13 fours and six in his 179-ball stay, was six short of a deserved ton having helped add 186 in tandem with second-wicket partner Billy Godleman, until an airy leg-side waft allowed Matt Coles to pluck out his middle stump.

Goldeman, the acting captain, saw the job through with an unbeaten 82, leaving Tillakaratne Dilshan (27*) to hit the winning boundary with his ‘trademark’ over-the-shoulder scoop to fine leg as Derbyshire romped home with 178.4 overs to spare.

Kent took only four points while Derbyshire banked 19 for their first win at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence since April 1999.

Derbyshire’s delighted skipper Godleman said: “It was an incredible game of cricket and really enjoyable to be a part of. I’m so pleased we were able to see it through this morning.

“I think Coles bowled very well for Kent in our first innings, but our new-ball bowlers Footitt and Palladino, together with White in their second innings, were all high-class for us.

“I’m fortunate to have Footitt and Palladino and they make my life as skipper much easier than it might be otherwise. I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to lead Derbyshire, it’s been a real honour to lead my friends out.

“You just never know what can happen in cricket if you keep on believing. The trend of the game was for wickets to fall in clusters, so that was our focus second time around, to be patient, and that paid dividends.”

Defeated Kent skipper Sam Northeast called for his batting unit to lend more support to the bowling attack. He said: “I’m very disappointed. When you’re almost 120 runs ahead you expect to go on and build in a game.

“Even at lunch on day two I felt we were in a decent position, but then the big collapse came, and we’ve already had a chat about that as a group. I felt the bowlers didn’t get the luck they deserved or the support from our attack and the game just drifted away from us.”

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