THREE wickets for Tim Groenewald took Derbyshire into the top four places of the Friends Provident t20 North Division courtesy of another win against Lancashire at Old Trafford.
The Falcons beat the Lightning at Chesterfield last Sunday and won again yesterday by seven runs to give themselves plenty of hope of qualification with three games left.
Lancashire had looked well placed to chase down 164 with Tom Smith and Steven Croft in the midst of a dangerous second-wicket partnership of 61.
But, with Smith having been run out, Croft and Paul Horton were dismissed within the space of three balls by Groenewald in the 15th over to leave the hosts struggling at 119 for four.
Smith’s 38 off 28 balls had helped him become the North Division’s leading run scorer with 428 and Croft also added 38 off 34.
But their departures meant a task of 37 off four overs with Gareth Cross and Nathan McCullum at the crease proved too much for Lancashire, who could have virtually secured their qualification for the last eight with a win.
Groenewald bowled Stephen Moore, had Croft caught at deep cover by Steffan Jones and bowled Horton to finish with three for 32.
Jones also had Cross lbw in the penultimate over before McCullum hit two boundaries to give the hosts hope.
But Charl Langeveldt managed to defend 13 off the last by bowling McCullum and preventing Glen Chapple and Mark Chilton scoring the required runs. Lancashire finished on 156 for six.
The Falcons had posted a competitive 163 for six, boosted by Robin Peterson’s late 26 off eleven balls.
Wes Durston and Loots Bosman shared 64 for the first wicket.
Durston then hit three boundaries off Smith in the fourth over, which went for 17, before Bosman hit successive fours off Sajid Mahmood in the next.
Derbyshire reached 50 after seven overs but Bosman holed out to Moore at deep mid-wicket off McCullum midway through the ninth for 29.
And Durston was bowled by Simon Kerrigan in the eleventh.
Derbyshire were four down in the next when Wayne Madsen found Chapple at short fine leg for 29 to give Stephen Parry his first wicket.
But compatriot Peterson came in and hit his first ball over long on for six.
He and Clare (18 off 15) shared 36 off 16 balls for the fifth wicket but both men fell off the last two balls of the innings to Smith.
