If there was any self-doubt in the Derbyshire dressing room while they chased down 130 to win their first away match of the season it was largely dispelled by an assured and controlled performance by Martin Guptill, the New Zealand batsman. The right-hander did not let the early losses of Wayne Madsen, to the second ball of the innings, and Chesney Hughes concern him as he drove his way to a 43-ball 50 – reaching the landmark with a six over long-on off Jim Allenby, the allrounder.
Guptill, 24, arrived in late May for his first stint in county cricket and, while still shaking off the effects of jet-lag, had struggled against Surrey. He also failed in the first innings here but had shown enough in his t20 performances to suggest a big score was in the offing. He completely dominated James Harris, the England Lions seamer, who he struck for six fours – three in an over. Harris was taken off after six overs having conceded 41 runs.
Even with Guptill’s impressive display Derbyshire still contrived to hand Glamorgan a couple of lifelines. Wes Durston, the first-innings centurion, and Dan Redfern went to Will Owen just before lunch. But Ross Whiteley helped knock off most of the arrears with 30 from 34 balls before Guptill – 70 from 72 balls with 52 coming in boundaries - sealed victory with his second six over Cow Corner off Dean Cosker 32 minutes after lunch. It had taken Derbyshire, who have risen to fifth in Division Two, 27 overs to cross the winning line.
Glamorgan, who have now lost four matches – this was their second successive defeat - had resumed their second innings on 250 for seven – an overall lead of 96 - but could only add a further 33 in 25 minutes as they were undone by Tim Groenewald, armed with the second new ball.
Groenewald struck with the fourth ball of the day to trap Graham Wagg leg before. And when Mark Wallace was caught behind in the next over Glamorgan’s hopes of leaving Derbyshire a tricky total of 160 or 170 were dashed.
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Glamorgan’s last pair of Dean Cosker and Owen managed to put on 21 before the former shouldered arms to Tony Palladino, but the Welsh side’s hopes of leaving Derbyshire a more testing total of 160 or 170 failed to come to fruition.
Derbyshire: First Innings 367 (W J Durston 106, D J Redfern 88; J Allenby 5 for 44)
Second Innings
W L Madsen c Wright b Harris 0
M J Guptill not out 70
C F Hughes c Petersen b Wagg 2
W J Durston lbw b Owen 21
D J Redfern c Rees b Owen 7
R A Whiteley not out 30
Extras (lb 1) 1
Total (4 wkts, 27 overs) 131
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-19, 3-75, 4-85.
Bowling: Harris 6-1-41-1; Wagg 6-2-22-1; Allenby 3-0-13-0; Owen 7-2-24-2; Cosker 5-0-30-0.
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Glamorgan: First Innings 213 (A N Petersen 93; J L Clare 5 for 50)
Second Innings (overnight 250-7)
†M A Wallace c Sutton b Groenewald 70
G G Wagg lbw b Groenewald 9
D A Cosker b Palladino 16
W T Owen not out 8
Extras (b 4, lb 3, w 6) 13
Total (87.4 overs) 283
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-35, 3-40, 4-60, 5-83, 6-219, 7-234, 8-253, 9-262.
Bowling: Groenewald 18-2-60-2; Clare 14-4-59-1; Palladino 18.4-6-50-4; Knight 17-4-32-2; Hughes 7-0-27-0; Whiteley 4-0-15-0; Durston 9-0-33-1.
Umpires: D J Millns and J F Steele.