Rogers hits century in draw

Chris Rogers hit his second ton of the season but Derbyshire could only draw

Chris Rogers scored his second century of the season as Derbyshire and Northamptonshire played out a draw on the final day of their LV County Championship meeting.

Stand-in captain Rogers entertained the Wantage Road crowd with some big hitting as he chalked up 19 fours on his way to 118 after Northants had narrowly avoided the follow-on, thanks mainly to the efforts of tailenders David Wigley and Jason Brown.

Resuming on 297 for seven, Johan van der Wath added just five to his overnight score before Jonathan Clare bowled him in the fourth over of the day.

Clare was at it once again when he had David Lucas removed by a wonderful catch by Greg Smith at gully, giving the Derbyshire all-rounder career-best figures of seven for 74.

Northants escaped the follow-on thanks to some cavalier batting from Wigley (18 not out) and Brown, before the latter fell lbw to Jake Needham for 13 with the score on 341, 144 behind.

The Derbyshire openers, Rogers and Paul Borrington, had made 17 before Van der Wath claimed his first wicket of the match.

Borrington was unable to repeat his first-innings half-century as he nicked one to Niall O’Brien when on eight.

Rogers played some lovely shots, scoring 10 fours as he took 78 balls to pass his fifty shortly after lunch.

Despite a slow start, Dan Birch found his rhythm as he knocked the Northants spinners, Nicky Boje and Brown, around the ground, hitting seven fours and three sixes on his way to a 70-ball half-century.

Birch further atoned for yesterday’s dropped catch by moving on to 71 before he was undone by the bowling of Brown, that ending his 164-run partnership with Rogers.

Rogers continued to score freely, knocking a four through midwicket as he chalked up 100 from 157 balls.

Rogers and Wavell Hinds continued to enjoy themselves against the spinners, adding 59 before Brown had Rogers dismissed caught behind by Andrew Hall for 118.

Northants struggled to get to grips with Hinds as the West Indian eased past 50 with a well-struck four.

Smith needlessly ran himself out when on three and Hinds (64) soon followed him back to the pavilion when he was caught by Stephen Peters at mid on playing a lazy shot off the bowling of Wigley.

Jamie Pipe and Clare scored one each before bad light and rain bought a premature end to the match with Derbyshire 278 for five.