Derbyshire Ends Long Drought

Derbyshire ended a 1,803-day wait for a County Championship victory at the County Ground by securing a dominant 10-wicket win over Glamorgan. This triumph marked their first red-ball victory in 26 matches across all venues, as they convincingly defeated their Division Two rivals.

Glamorgan’s innings came to an end on the final morning at 287, adding just 61 runs for their last three wickets, with David Lloyd and Luis Reece sharing the spoils. With rain threatening to disrupt play, Derbyshire’s openers, Reece and Harry Came, swiftly chased down the 27 runs required, completing the task in just 6.4 overs.

The match was led by Lloyd, who guided Derbyshire to victory against his former team. This win was particularly significant for the side, with Reece, Wayne Madsen, and Anuj Dal being the only remaining players from Derbyshire’s last home win, which was against Sussex in September 2019—before the COVID-19 pandemic and under a different UK prime minister.

For Glamorgan, the loss was a harsh setback, especially following their recent success in the One-Day Cup, where they had won seven out of eight matches since a dramatic Championship tie against Gloucestershire.

Derbyshire seized control of the game early on, with Zak Chappell and Reece taking six wickets in bowler-friendly conditions during the first hour of play. Glamorgan’s chances of saving the match diminished significantly when they lost three wickets without adding any runs late on day three.

Starting the final day at 236-7 and still trailing by 25 runs, Mason Crane and Dan Douthwaite fought valiantly, putting together a 47-run partnership. However, Lloyd broke through with his off-spin, trapping Crane lbw with a delivery that was almost unplayable. Reece then wrapped up the innings by dismissing Fraser Sheat lbw for 10 and bowling Douthwaite for 20 after a determined stand.

With rain clouds looming, Reece wasted no time in sealing the victory, striking two deliveries from Glamorgan captain Sam Northeast to the boundary, much to the relief and applause of the long-suffering home fans.