Derbyshire reach first ever Finals Day in win over Gloucs

WAYNE MADSEN lavished praise on his Derbyshire teammates after victory over Gloucestershire saw the Falcons reach the T20 Blast Finals Day for the first time.

The experienced batsman top scored with 47 as the Falcons
claimed a fourth-consecutive win in the competition, chasing down 136 with 17
balls to spare.

Ravi Rampaul earlier become this season’s leading wicket
taker in the T20 Blast with 22 after dismissing Andrew Tye, with
Gloucestershire’s Ian Cockbain remaining unbeaten on 45 as they limped to 135-7
in their 20 overs. Fynn Hudson-Prentice and Matt Critchley both took two
wickets apiece for Derbyshire.

In reply, openers Billy Godleman (25 and Luis Reece (15)
put on 44 for the first wicket before Madsen and Leus du Plooy (29no) ensured
it was the Falcons who took on Essex Eagles in the second semi-final of the
showpiece at Edgbaston on Saturday.

“The club, the supporters, everyone who travelled and
those watching on TV – we’re over the moon and we’re really excited about
September 21,” Madsen said.

“It was set up by the way we played as a team. The
bowlers laid the platform by restricting them to such a chaseable total and
Billy [Godleman] and Reecey got us off to such a flyer, it made our job a lot
easier.

“As a team we played another great game of cricket.”