Nottinghamshire v Derbyshire, 22nd-25th August
by Alan Rowley, 25th August 2001

Day one

Acting skipper Michael Di Venuto played a real captain's innings on day one of the Championship game against local rivals Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge. The Tasmanian knocked his highest ever score in Engalnd as he rattled up 165 from 294 balls, including 20 fours.

Assisted by Chris Bassano, who scored a fine 56 from 107 balls, the two were responsible for Derbyshire setting a reasonable score for the home side to aim at. The pair shared a stand full of entertaining cricket of 124 for the third wicket.

Di Venuto was last man out, controversially given leg before to Richard Logan to a ball that looked a little high. None of the other Derbyshire batsmen got into the twenties as the visitors slumped from 209 for 2 to 320 all out.

For Nottinghamshire, seamer Richard Logan returned career-best figures of 6 for 93 on a pitch that offered a little help to the bowlers.

Day two

Kevin Pietersen blasted a remarkable 150 in an innings of rare quality not seen at Trent Bridge for many a year. It was the South African's first century on his home ground and one that will be remembered by the small crowd for a long time.

The 21 year old's innings lasted just 164 balls and included 6 sixes to set up a first innings lead of just 2 runs for the home side. Amazingly, he scored every single run from the fall of Randall's wicket at 247 for 8. He shared a last wicket stand of 57 with Nadeem Malik to which Malik contributed nothing. The last 73 runs scored came from the bat of Pietersen. Incredible stuff.

Of the other Notts batsmen, Chris Read score 44 and Guy Welton 42. Pick of the Derbyshire bowlers was Kevin Dean with 5 for 89.

At close of play, Derbyshire had reached 51 for 0 to lead by 53 runs.

Day three

Nottinghamshire finished day three of the Championship game at Trent Bridge just 48 runs from victory after the Derbyshire second innings collapsed. Eight wickets fell during the afternoon session as the visitors slumped from 149 for 2 to 220 all out.

Michael Di Venuto was again the star for the visitors, continuing his run of improved form since he took over the captaincy. He scored an impressive 93 to add to his first innings total of 165. He fell leg before again to Richard Logan to give the Nottinghamshire seamer his seventh wicket of the match.

Nadeem Malik was the Nottinghamshire bowling hero with figures of 5 for 57.

By close of play, Nottinghamshire were on the verge of victory on 172 for 3 with Paul Johnson scoring 65 and still there on 76. Victory should be a formality.

Day four

Nottinghamshire knocked off the 48 runs required for victory without the loss of any further wickets in just 15.3 overs at Trent Bridge on day four of the County Championship game.

Greg Blewett went on to reach his century to finish on 106 from 191 balls, hitting 20 fours in the process. For Derbyshire, Kevin Dean took two further wickets to finish with a match analysis of 7 for 135. Nottighamshire picked up 18 points to Derbyshire's six.