Billy Godleman delighted as Derbyshire finally get four-day win

Derbyshire have lost Conor McKerr after only two matches.

Five wickets on debut from Hamidullah Qadri on the final day helped his side claim a 39-run win – a first Specsavers County Championship win since July 2015.

It was Godleman’s first four-day win as club captain, and the opening batsman was delighted with his side’s approach over the four days in Cardiff.

He said: “It’s been a really tough hard-fought four days. We played some really hard first-class cricket, both with bat and ball, and I think we ran out as deserved winners.

“We obviously haven’t won a four-day game in a long time, but there had been signs of progress this season. We were close to a certain victory at Trent Bridge before the rain, and I thought it was just a matter of time before we produced another four hard days of cricket to get that victory.

“It was a handy toss to win. It was a wicket that had been used the day previous, so it was important that we had the chance to bat first and bowl last.

“To get 288 in the first innings, in the context of the match, really set the foundation for the spinners on the final days.”

16-year-old Qadri, making his first-class debut, was the star on the final day claiming 5-60 and Godleman has been impressed by the young spinner.

“I’ve wanted him [Qadri] in the team for a while now. There has been a few games where the pitch would have suited a second spinner, but due to his age he had, rightly so, been doing his exams at school.

“But for someone of such a young age, he is tactically very aware of the match situation, where he wants his fielders and where he needs to bowl. There are lots of positive signs.”

The focus now switches to the four-day fixture versus Durham at Chesterfield, starting on Monday, and Godleman hopes his side can produce another good all-round performance.

“As a group, I see how hard they work day in and day out, and at times this season how good the cricket has been.

“It’s important now that we continue to work hard. We will go back and work on our plans ready for Durham at Chesterfield this week. We want to back this up with another four tough days of good first-class cricket.”