Peters hits century as Northants draw

Stephen Peters hit an unbeaten 104 as Northants drew with Derbyshire

Stephen Peters hit an unbeaten century as Northamptonshire’s LV County Championship Division Two clash with Derbyshire at Chesterfield ended in a draw.

The 29-year-old finished on 104 not out to claim his 17th first-class hundred as Northamptonshire reached 216 for three before the teams shook hands on the draw with Derbyshire taking 10 points and the visitors 11.

Tom New made his first appearance for Derbyshire at the start of his one-month loan by taking the field as a substitute for Jamie Pipe who is out of action with a broken finger.

New will make his debut in the NatWest Pro40 against Surrey tomorrow but he got in some useful practice after Andrew Hall had celebrated his first five-wicket haul of the season.

Hall took 5-81 as Derbyshire were bowled out for 342 with all-rounder Jonathan Clare falling 12 short of his second first-class century.

Greg Smith and Clare took Derbyshire to a third batting point before Hall broke the sixth-wicket stand in the seventh over of the morning.

Clare reeled off some fluent strokes, including an effortless pull for six off David Lucas, to overtake Smith who was lbw padding up after adding only six runs to his overnight 70.

Wagg whipped Hall through midwicket for four but then drove back a return catch that the South African juggled before taking and Clare's hopes of a second century against Northants ended four overs later.

He had moved to 88, which came off 126 balls and included 15 fours and a six, when he lost his off stump pushing forward at Lucas.

Derbyshire's chances of passing 350 ended when Wayne White was sent back and run out for three and Doshi drove Hall into the hands of Jason Brown at mid off.

That gave Northants a lead of 57 and although they lost Rob White for five in the third over, caught low down at mid on off Wagg, they were never in danger of collapsing on a good batting pitch.

Riki Wessels was forced to retire hurt after turning an ankle which allowed David Sales to make a rapid 33, which included an on-driven six off Nayan Doshi, before the spinner held a running catch when the former Northants skipper mistimed a drive off Smith.

Peters reached a fifty which contained six fours from 95 balls but Lance Klusener became a victim of Wagg's rarely seen slow left arm spin when he pulled a short ball to mid wicket on the stroke of tea.

Wessels was able to resume his innings and completed his second half century of the match after Peters had reached his hundred, which included 14 fours, from 165 balls.