Wayne Madsen completed a courageous century and new signing Aneurin Donald added 97 as Derbyshire’s batters comfortably secured a Vitality County Championship Division Two draw against Yorkshire at Headingley.

Derbyshire started yesterday’s final day on 190-3 in their first-innings reply to Yorkshire’s 450-5 declared, needing to reach 301 to avoid the follow-on. 

Given a day three abandonment following rain and with time running out, achieving that 301 target was always going to secure the draw.

They did so inside the first 10 minutes of the afternoon and advanced to finish on 447 all out.

Madsen, 88 not out overnight, posted 104 off 226 balls. The 40-year-old was batting with a stitched up right hand following a nasty injury trying to take a slip catch during Friday’s first morning. 

Donald, a winter arrival from Hampshire, narrowly missed out on what would have been his first first-class century since July 2019 as Derbyshire claimed 13 points.

Yorkshire, who were 59-1 in their second innings when bad light intervened at 4.40pm, took 16 points from their third draw added to a defeat.

The White Rose have been desperately unlucky so far this season, and would surely have at least one win on the board were it not for an extremely wet April.

Back at Headingley for the first time since drawing their opening game with Leicestershire, Yorkshire were put into bat, with the visitors soon regretting that decision.

After Fin Bean was dismissed early on, captain Shan Masood took the attack to the Derbyshire bowlers by thrashing 40 from just 25 balls.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Shan Masood produced an extraordinary brief cameo, and his 40 runs came exclusively in boundaries.Shan Masood produced an extraordinary brief cameo, and his 40 runs came exclusively in boundaries. (Image: Ray Spencer.)

Once he was out with the score on 92-2, Adam Lyth and Joe Root ensured the hosts took full control.

Lyth agonisingly missed out on a third Championship century of the season after being caught behind for 97, but Root ploughed on to make a superb 119, his first hundred for the county since May 2022.

Harry Brook even outshone him though, making a sensational 126 not out from only 135 balls as Yorkshire posted an imposing first-innings total.

The home side flew out of the traps with ball in hand, taking three early Derbyshire wickets to reduce their hosts to 23-3.

A fine fourth-wicket partnership of 170 between Madsen and keeper Brooke Guest (75) steadied the visiting ship however, as did that third-day wipeout for rain.

And though Yorkshire briefly threatened an astonishing win when they reduced Derbyshire to 297-7 with a few hours left on the final day, a brutal 78 from 61 balls by No.9 Zak Chappell ended any hopes of a home win.

Opening bowler Matthew Fisher was the star performer with the ball for Yorkshire, finishing with figures of 4-96.

The home side's second innings barely got going, as the game petered out.

Remarkably, every game in Division Two this season, bar two, has ended in a draw, which means that while Yorkshire sit fifth in the eight-team table, they are only 12 points behind leaders Leicestershire.