Derbyshire respond well after Northants make 422

Brooke Guest’s highest score of the season kept Derbyshire in the County Championship match against Northamptonshire at Derby.

The wicketkeeper scored an unbeaten 76 to steer the home side to 170-2 in reply to Northants’ 422 all out on the second day of the Division Two game.

Rob Keogh made 102 and Justin Broad followed a career-best 75 with a stunning catch before Guest led a spirited response from the home side, who closed 252 behind.

Broad was the first to his personal milestone, completing a half-century from 98 balls before Keogh guided Anuj Dal to the third man boundary to reach three figures off 215.

Derbyshire skipper David Lloyd gave his off-breaks an airing in the absence of a frontline spinner and got the breakthrough as Keogh edged a drive and was caught at slip.

Broad quickly followed lbw to Zak Chappell as he played around his front pad and Lloyd then beat Michael Finan’s attempted drive.

By then Derbyshire had conceded 400 runs for the fourth consecutive championship match, although it took only three overs after lunch to polish off the tail.

In reply, Lloyd went in the third over as Ben Sanderson found just enough movement to draw him into a shot but what followed was remarkable as Broad went full length at fourth slip to take a catch inches above the turf.

Northants were unable to press home their advantage, however, as Luis Reece and Guest displayed good judgement and application to bat through until tea.

The pair looked to be building a significant partnership until Reece swept Liam Patterson-White and picked out Finan at deep square leg for 31.

Reece knew he had given his wicket away but Guest completed his third 50 of the season and with Wayne Madsen made sure there were no setbacks by batting through 24 overs to stumps.