Samit Patel's Unbeaten Knock Secures Derbyshire Victory

Samit Patel's unbeaten 67 from 44 balls guided Derbyshire Falcons to a four-wicket win over Leicestershire Foxes in the T20 Blast. 

Leicestershire posted 184-6 in their 20 overs at Grace Road, bolstered by Ben Cox's late surge, finishing 61 not out off 30 balls. Derbyshire, in reply, stumbled to 52-3 before captain Patel took charge. Patel stayed at the crease till the end, with Zak Chappell hitting the winning boundary to reach 188-6 with four balls remaining.

Derbyshire's decision to field first seemed justified as they reduced Leicestershire to 78-5. Lewis Goldsworthy's 48 stabilised the innings, and Cox, alongside Ben Mike (11 not out), added 58 in the final four overs. Cox's innings included four fours and four sixes, helping Leicestershire to a competitive total.

Derbyshire’s chase began with a good run rate, but three wickets kept Leicestershire in contention. Patel then formed a crucial 80-run partnership with Wayne Madsen (46) and navigated through despite losing a couple more wickets.

In other news, the South Group match between Middlesex and Hampshire Hawks was abandoned due to rain, with both teams sharing points. This result moved Hampshire up to sixth, while Middlesex remained at the bottom.