Match scores (Derby)
Derbyshire win by 6 wickets
Northamptonshire inns: 307-7 (Levi 107, Cobb 56; Thakor 3-39)
Derbyshire inns (48.4 overs): 309-4 (Thakor 130, Godleman 95)
Match report
Shiv Thakor delivered a superb all-round performance as Derbyshire celebrated a club-record one-day run chase to beat Northamptonshire by six wickets in the Royal London One-Day Cup.
Thakor scored 130 and shared a second-wicket stand of 168 in 28 overs with Billy Godleman (95) after taking three for 39.
The Falcons reached 309 for four with eight balls to spare in reply to the Steelbacks' 307 for seven, which was built around Richard Levi's 109 off 107 balls and Josh Cobb's 56.
Northants had looked on course for a bigger total when Cobb hit three sixes in a 49-ball 50 as the Steelbacks took advantage of some inconsistent bowling, but the Falcons regrouped and managed to exert some control despite Levi's impressive striking.
Thakor bowled intelligently and although Levi hit him into the back row of the stand, the powerful South African never quite inflicted the damage he threatened at one stage.
After Cobb was bowled behind his legs and Rob Keogh drove to short extra cover, Levi and Alex Wakely took the visitors past 200 before the skipper failed to clear long-on.
When Jeevan Mendis went for 18 in the 40th over, a score of well over 300 looked on against an attack missing three front-line bowlers, but the Falcons kept their discipline.
Derbyshire had never successfully chased over 300 in a limited-overs game but the Steelbacks also had key bowlers missing and Godleman and Ben Slater played with authority to put on 71 in 11 overs before Slater was beaten by Ben Duckett's throw from cover.
Godleman took consecutive fours from Miles Richardson, who was playing his first one-day game for Northants, and with Thakor batting aggressively from the start, the Falcons took a firm hold on the contest.
The 150-run stand came up in 26 overs and Thakor celebrated his century, which came off only 86 balls, with the first of three consecutive fours off Steven Crook in the 38th over.
Godleman looked certain to complete his second one-day hundred against Northants but Keogh found some extra bounce to have him caught behind in the 39th over.
Derbyshire had thrown away winning positions last season, but although Thakor was run out they eased home to condemn Northants to a second defeat in the competition.
