Derbs crumble as Leach leads from front

Worcestershire 415 for 9 dec (D'Oliveira 150, Mitchell 120) beat Derbyshire 275 (Reece 54, Hughes 53, Leach 4-50) and 98 (Leach 5-32) by an innings and 42 runs
Scorecard

Worcestershire captain Joe Leach inspired his team to a third County Championship win from three as Derbyshire crumbled to a humiliating innings-and-42-run defeat in the Division Two match at Derby. Leach took 5 for 32 in 13 overs to rip the heart out of Derbyshire who were shot out for 98 in 29.4 overs in their second innings, with only three batsmen getting to double figures.

Worcestershire had set up their charge to victory - despite losing more than 100 overs in the match to bad weather - by scoring 92 from 17 overs on the fourth morning. Tom Kohler-Cadmore hit 42 from 47 balls before Leach declared on 415 for 9, a lead of 140, which proved more than enough.

"We couldn't have asked for a better start," Leach said. "We are on the crest of a wave at the moment and we need to make sure we keep on riding it.

"I've learnt over the years that momentum in the four-day game plays a massive part and we knew if we could get 140 ahead there would be a lot of pressure on them to defend their wickets and once you get on a roll, things go for you but we worked really hard over three days to get there."

Kohler-Cadmore struck two sixes to make sure his team secured maximum batting points although Shiv Thakor and Jeevan Mendis, who both took four wickets, benefited from Worcestershire's desire to score quickly. Daryn Smit pulling off an impressive stumping standing up to Thakor to send back Ed Barnard, which proved the highlight of the day for Derbyshire who were in tatters by lunch as the top order disintegrated.

Ben Slater chipped tamely to midwicket, Thakor was lbw playing back to a full-length ball from Barnard, whose direct hit from cover ran out Luis Reece, batting with a runner because of a badly bruised ankle.

When Billy Godleman also paid the price for failing to get forward to Leach, Derbyshire had lost 4 for 9 in 17 balls and the procession continued in the first over after lunch. Wayne Madsen edged the first ball from Leach into the gloves of Ben Cox and Alex Hughes was lbw four balls later to leave Derbyshire's lowest total against Worcestershire, 54 at New Road in 1935, under threat.

Mendis pulled Barnard for three fours to at least avoid that humiliation but was caught behind for 18 hooking Leach who took his fifth wicket when Smit went too far across and was lbw.

Tony Palladino went down swinging, hitting Nathan Lyon for three sixes, but the Australian had the last word when he had him caught at deep midwicket just before 3pm, with 47 overs remaining.

"To lose a game in the manner in which we did, with time taken out of the game on the first couple of days, was hugely disappointing," Derbyshire captain Godleman said. "It certainly wasn't a 98 all-out wicket."