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Leus du Plooy keeps golden touch against Middlesex as match peters out

Leus du Plooy clips off his pads Getty Images

Derbyshire 304 for 7 (du Plooy 100*, Hosein 57, Bamber 5-93) drew with Middlesex 260 (Robson 93, Malan 72)

Leus du Plooy became the first Derbyshire player to hit first-class centuries at home and away against Middlesex as their County Championship clash at Lord's ended in a draw.

The 24-year-old, who hit his maiden Championship ton when the sides drew at Derby earlier in the season, added a second just before bad weather brought the match to a close.

Du Plooy reached his hundred in what turned out to be the final over, finishing on 100 not out as Derbyshire totalled 304 for 7, replying to Middlesex's first-innings score of 260.

The other notable achievement of day four was a career-best return of 5 for 93 - and a maiden five-wicket haul - for Middlesex seamer Ethan Bamber, who had collected the first two in successive deliveries the previous day.

The drawn match, which was repeatedly hit by rain and bad light throughout all four days, meant that Derbyshire finished seventh in the final Division Two table, with Middlesex in eighth.

Further rain on Thursday morning meant that the teams were unable to resume until just after lunch, with the visitors on 199 for 4.

Having put together a partnership of 96, du Plooy and Harvey Hosein narrowly missed out on a century stand as Bamber parted them with his third delivery of the day. The young seamer swung the ball away from Hosein, whose edge flew into the hands of Dawid Malan at second slip as he exited for 57.

Matt Critchley was the next to depart, misjudging a pull shot off Bamber that sailed up into the hands of mid-on, but Fynn Hudson-Prentice immediately signalled his intentions by flat-batting James Harris for four. Hudson-Prentice struck six boundaries as he accumulated 28 at better than a run a ball, but Bamber removed him with another outswinger, an edge into the wicketkeeper's gloves securing his fifth wicket.

Du Plooy attempted to reach three figures quickly by striking successive boundaries off Max Holden, but he was stuck on 97 when the tea interval arrived - leaving him with an anxious wait to see if the rain might return.

It did - but by then another over had been delivered and the Derbyshire batsman achieved his ton from 175 balls, cutting Holden for three to end his first season in county cricket on a high.

Derbyshire 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st49BA GodlemanLM Reece
2nd0WL MadsenBA Godleman
3rd6BA GodlemanJL du Plooy
4th48AL HughesJL du Plooy
5th99HR HoseinJL du Plooy
6th26JL du PlooyMJJ Critchley
7th47FJ Hudson-PrenticeJL du Plooy
8th29JL du PlooyAK Dal