Bob Willis Trophy review: Derbyshire pull off big run chase against Nottinghamshire

Day Four

Fynn Hudson-Prentice's 91 not out guided Derbyshire to their highest successful run chase against a county side with a ball to spare over Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

The all-rounder's superbly-judged 169-delivery innings saw the visitors reach their 365 target off the penultimate ball to secure a three-wicket Bob Willis Trophy victory in the North group.

Defeat left Nottinghamshire, who lost fast bowler Joey Evison with a foot injury early on the final day, still looking for their first county championship win since June 2018 despite having reduced their opponents to 234 for six.

Dawid Malan and Harry Brook helped Yorkshire get off the mark with a six-wicket victory over Durham at Emirates Riverside in the North group.

Requiring 68 on the final day to secure the win, the White Rose were frustrated by rain before debutant Malan finished with 73 and Brook - who finished things off with back-to-back sixes - 66 not out to take them to their 171-run victory target.

Surrey-bound Jamie Overton led the way at Taunton with five for 48 to complete Somerset's 289-run victory over Glamorgan in the Midlands group.

Brother Craig finished with two for 31 and match figures of seven for 69 as the visitors' five remaining wickets fell for 40 runs in 70 minutes on the final morning after they had resumed on 126 for five, 329 behind.

Northamptonshire escaped with a draw against Warwickshire at Edgbaston after seventh-wicket pair Adam Rossington and Luke Procter batted through the final day.

The visitors had been 148 for five in their second innings at lunch on the third day, 227 behind, but a flattening pitch and resilience from captain Rossington, who made 135 from 399 balls, saw them reach safety.

Joe Leach took four wickets in a devastating five-over spell to propel Worcestershire to a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Gloucestershire.

George Hankins' 69 put Gloucestershire 73 ahead with four second-innings wickets in hand when Leach took the second new ball.

The Worcestershire captain took matters into his own hands to polish off the tail, finishing with figures of four for 70 as the home side were dismissed for 270.

Set 110 to win in 35 overs, Worcestershire reached their target with 8.5 overs to spare with Tom Fell and Jack Haynes staging an unbroken stand of 53 for the third wicket.

Leicestershire captain Colin Ackermann led the charge to a seven-wicket victory over Lancashire with just eight balls remaining.

Ackermann finished on 73no off just 41 balls as the Foxes chased down their 150 runs off 17 overs target, hitting 10 fours and a six in an extraordinary display of shot-making on a slow pitch after Lancashire were bowled out for 236 in their second innings.

Middlesex claimed maximum points, and the slight early advantage in the South group, with a 190-run win over Surrey at the Oval.

The hosts, set an unlikely 314 for victory after Middlesex's declaration on 248 for five after 64 was added to their overnight 184 for three thanks to Nick Gubbins (60) and Martin Andersson (51), were skittled for 123.

Sam Robson took two wickets in two balls with his occasional leg spin to help spark victory, removing the obdurate Jordan Clark (seven off 66 balls) and new batsman Dan Moriarity with less than 16 overs remaining as Surrey eventually lost their last five wickets for four runs.

Essex edged past Kent in a thrilling two-wicket victory over Kent thanks to Sam Cook and Adam Wheater.

Starting the day requiring 202 to win the hosts still required 31 runs when Cook and wicketkeeper Wheater came together following a batting collapse inspired by Ivan Thomas' four wickets in 16 balls but the pair held out to see their side home.

Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook (66) and 21-year-old debutant Feroze Khushi (45) had put on 86 for the fifth wicket to tilt the balance towards Essex.

Day Three

Sussex became the first side to register a win in the Bob Willis Trophy as they wrapped up a 94-run victory over Hampshire at Hove.

Ollie Robinson took five for 29 and Jack Carson claimed three for 37 as Hampshire were bowled out for 150 in their second innings.

Robinson had earlier hit 23 as the Sussex tail added 66 to their overnight total to reach 221 and set a target of 245 in the South group contest.

Somerset were sensing victory in their Central group clash with Glamorgan after setting the Welsh side a mammoth 456 to win at Taunton.

Tom Abell hit 119 and Ben Green weighed in with 54 - the pair putting on 126 for the third wicket - before Somerset declared on 290 for eight.

Glamorgan were 126 for five at the close of the third day, with only captain only Chris Cooke offering strong resistance on 67 not out.

In the North group, Yorkshire were closing in on success over Durham at the Emirates Riverside.

It looked like being different as Alex Lees hit 106 and David Bedingham 77 in Durham's second innings, but four quick wickets from Matthew Fisher sparked a collapse from 221 for three to 266 all out.

That left Yorkshire chasing 171 and - despite slipping to four for two and 56 for three, with Chris Rushworth claiming all three to reach 500 first-class victims - they were looking good on 103 for three. Dawid Malan was 50no on his debut.

At Chelmsford, Kent were skittled for 112 to surrender a strong position against Essex.

Essex conceded a first-innings deficit of 89 as they were bowled out for 298 with Matt Milnes taking four for 46.

Simon Harmer (four for 35) and Sam Cook (three for 19) then led the fightback as Kent collapsed to set a target of just 202. With Sir Alastair Cook saved until the final day, nightwatchman Jamie Porter survived one over without scoring as Essex began their chase.

Northamptonshire also battled back to give themselves an outside chance of victory against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

Charlie Thurston ground out 96 while Ben Curran (58) and captain Adam Rossington (60no) also hit half-centuries as Northants reached 317 for six in their second innings, a lead of 90 heading into the final day.

Nick Gubbins was in the runs again at the Kia Oval, adding an unbeaten 49 to his first-innings 192 as Middlesex closed on 184 for three - a lead of 249 over Surrey.

Tim Murtagh also had a hand in their dominance, taking five for 47 as Surrey were bowled out for 282 - 65 in arrears - in their first innings.

Scott Borthwick hit 92 and Jamie Smith 80 but Surrey lost their final six wickets for just 28 runs to give Middlesex the upper hand.

On-loan Ben Slater, 104 overnight, hit 172 and Colin Ackerman 96 as Leicestershire claimed a first-innings lead of 87 against Lancashire at Worcestershire's New Road.

The pair put on 165 for the third wicket as Leicestershire declared on 409 for eight.

Lancashire had edged into the lead on 96 for three at stumps after 54 from Alex Davies.

Worcestershire were in control against Gloucestershire at Bristol after an unbeaten 91 from Brett D'Oliveira.

Jack Haynes also hit 51 as the visitors reached 428 for five from their 120 overs in reply to Gloucestershire's 267.

Gloucestershire closed on 135 for three - still 26 behind - after losing Chris Dent (67) just before the close.

Derbyshire made a solid start after being set a target of 365 by Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

Captain Billy Godleman was unbeaten on 69 as they reached 129 for one at the close.

Earlier debutant Haseeb Hameed, the former England batsman, hit his second half-century of the match (52) and veteran Samit Patel 80 as Notts made 279 in their second innings.

Day Two

Former England all-rounder Tim Bresnan scored a debut century to put his new county Warwickshire in control against Northamptonshire in the Bob Willis Trophy.

Bresnan, who left Yorkshire after 19 years in June, struck 105 on day two at Edgbaston as Warwickshire posted 369 for eight from their 120 overs in reply to the visitors' 142.

Openers Ben Curran and Emiliano Gay survived seven overs as Northamptonshire closed on 19 without loss in their second innings, trailing by 208.

Nick Gubbins fell eight short of a double century as Middlesex declared on 347 for six against Surrey at the Kia Oval.

Gubbins, 150 not out overnight, hit 19 fours and a six in his 315-ball knock, which was supplemented by 53 from John Simpson.

Surrey closed on 189 for three in reply with Scott Borthwick 73 not out.

Somerset were in complete control against Glamorgan at Taunton.

Craig Overton finished with five for 38 as the Welsh side were shot out for just 131 in response to the hosts' 296.

Somerset then extended their lead to 296, with James Hildreth 45no and captain Tom Abell 44no as they reached 131 for two at stumps.

Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook managed just eight as county champions Essex reached 179 for five in response to Kent's 387 at Chelmsford.

Nick Browne made 61 and Varun Chopra 41 but visitors will be hoping Ryan ten Doeschate (22no) and Adam Wheater (24no) can add to their unbroken 35-run stand.

Earlier, Heino Kuhn failed to add to his overnight 140 in Kent's innings, becoming one of four victims for Jamie Porter. Marcus O'Riordan was left on 42no.

Sussex were hoping to set Hampshire a challenging target at Hove after claiming a first-innings lead of 23.

They led by 178 at the close after bowling Hampshire out for 153 and reaching the close on 155 for six.

England hopeful Phil Salt got their second innings off to a fine start with 80 after Ollie Robinson and Mitchell Claydon had finished with three wickets apiece to wrap up the Hampshire first innings.

Worcestershire appeared to have the upper hand against Gloucestershire at Bristol, ending the day just 44 runs behind with eight first-innings wickets in hand on 223 for two.

Daryl Mitchell had led the response with 80. Earlier Charlie Morris finished with four for 52 as Gloucestershire were bowled out for 267.

Durham battled back in their low-scoring contest with Yorkshire at Chester-le-Street, ending the day with a lead of 10 on 106 for two in their second innings. Alex Lees was unbeaten on 58.

Chris Rushworth, Ben Raine and Paul Coughlin finished with three wickets apiece as Durham, who were skittled for 103 first time around, bowled out Yorkshire for 199.

In a game being played at Worcester, Ben Slater hit an unbeaten 104 as Leicestershire reached 183 for two in reply to Lancashire's 322. Slater put on 153 for the opening wicket with Hassan Azad (58).

Nottinghamshire were in a strong position against Derbyshire at Trent Bridge despite a century from the visitors' Leus Du Plooy.

Du Plooy hit 130, adding 80 in a crucial last-wicket stand with Samuel Connors, but Derbyshire still conceded a deficit of 85 as they were bowled out for 239. Notts were 84 for three at the close.

Day One

Kent's Heino Kuhn scored the first century in the Bob Willis Trophy on a tough day for County Championship winners Essex.

Tom Westley's first day as captain since replacing Ryan Ten Doeschate during the winter proved tricky, with the visitors ending on 344 for six.

Kuhn's innings of 140 not out was the bedrock of a superb total for Kent, who were indebted to Ollie Robinson's 78.

Jamie Porter and Sam Cook combined for five wickets and had reduced the away side to 23 for three in the morning session, but it was downhill from there.

Before the start of play in each of the nine fixtures, squads from all 18 counties observed a minute's silence as a mark of respect for those affected by coronavirus and decided to take a knee to promote racial equality.

Kuhn was not the only man to hit a hundred in the South Group, with Nick Gubbins' unbeaten 150 guiding Middlesex to 264 for four against Surrey at the Kia Oval.

A crowd of 2,500 was expected before Prime Minister Boris Johnson called off the return of fans on a pilot basis to sporting events on Friday afternoon.

Had people been in attendance, Gubbins would have been afforded huge applause after he scored only his second first-class century in three years.

Surrey's stand-in captain Rikki Clarke was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts with two for 33.

Wickets tumbled in the other South Group fixture, where Hampshire dismissed Sussex for 176 at Hove after Mason Crane and debutant Ajeet Dale claimed three wickets apiece.

Phil Salt top scored for the home side with an 83-ball innings of 68 and they fought back late in the day to reduce the visitors to 77 for four, with Ollie Robinson the pick of the bowlers with two for 29.

England bowler Olly Stone showed his class with a four-wicket haul for Warwickshire at home to Northamptonshire in the Central Group.

Only 29 not out from Luke Procter enabled the visitors to reach 142 before they were all out at Edgbaston and Robert Yates' unbeaten half-century had the hosts just 13 runs away from a lead going into the second day.

With six wickets in hand, Warwickshire are in a strong position and Stone's four for 39 is a big plus point for England after the seamer struggled with injuries in 2019.

Elsewhere in the Central Group, Charlie Morris inspired a late Worcestershire fightback at Gloucestershire with three wickets in 18 balls.

A 127-run partnership between Chris Dent (92) and Graeme Van Buuren had their team well placed on 205 for two, but they lost six wickets for 41 runs to leave the match finely poised.

Wicketkeeper Steven Davies and Jack Brooks frustrated Glamorgan with a 107-run 10th-wicket partnership at Taunton to help Somerset post 296 all out.

Ruaidhri Smith's three for 41 had the 2019 County Championship runners-up in all sorts of trouble on 149 for eight.

But Davies stuck around to score 81 not out and Brooks smashed two maximums and nine fours in a sparkling 72 off only 58 balls.

Rain affected Yorkshire's efforts at Durham in the North Group but they still put down an early marker.

A disrupted first session failed to stop Ben Coad picking up four wickets after lunch to ensure the hosts were dismissed for 103 inside 59 overs at Chester-le-Street.

Yorkshire had almost reduced the deficit by the close but the wicket of Tom Kohler-Cadmore after a run-a-ball 41 briefly halted their momentum as they finished on 84 for four.

Lancashire captain Dane Vilas fell 10 short of a century after he helped his side fight back from a poor start at their temporary base of New Road.

With Emirates Old Trafford being used by England for their Test series with Pakistan, the Red Rose are without a home, but ended an encouraging day one against Leicestershire on 265 for six after Steven Croft added 63.

Ex-Lancashire opener Haseeb Hameed struck 68 on his first appearance for new county Nottinghamshire against Derbyshire.

The Trent Bridge club started well an opening partnership of 111, but Chris Nash's departure for 59 saw them collapse to 192 for seven.

It took some lusty blows from Samit Patel in his 63 to get them over the 300-mark and up to 324 before Derbyshire ended the day on nine without loss.