Ben Sanderson schools Worcestershire, Rory Haydon claims maiden 10-wicket haul

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO ROUNDUP: Winless pair Kent and Derbyshire go into day four at Canterbury with all results still on the table

ECB Reporters Network | 03/05/2026 at 19:05

Northampton (day three of four): Worcestershire 306 & 114, Northamptonshire 597-7d - Northamptonshire won by an innings and 177 runs

Ben Sanderson ripped through the Worcestershire batting with a stunning late burst of wickets at Wantage Road to seal Northamptonshire's first County Championship victory of the season in style.

The Pears were 88 for 2 in their second innings before Sanderson captured six wickets in the space of 29 balls – finishing with seven for 31 and career-best match figures of 11 for 109 as he generated a dramatic collapse to sink the visitors for 114.

Earlier, James Sales and Lewis McManus hit hundreds in a buoyant partnership of 192 – a record for the county's seventh wicket against Worcestershire – that enabled them to declare at 597 for 7.

Allrounder Sales' unbeaten 146 was his second successive Championship century, while McManus contributed 104 before Sanderson took centre stage, closing out an innings win with a full day to spare.

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^{Rory Haydon's second five-for of the match leaves Derbyshire chasing victory (Getty Images)}

Canterbury (day three of four): Kent 352 & 355, Derbyshire 304 & 19-1 - Derbyshire need another 365 runs to win

Chris Benjamin hit 123 as Kent seized control of their County Championship match with Derbyshire at Canterbury on day three.

The hosts posted 335 in their second innings, thanks to a pivotal partnership of 184 between Benjamin and Joey Evison, who hit 88. In reply, Derbyshire were 19 for 1 at stumps, trailing by 364 after Matt Milnes got Caleb Jewell caught behind off the last ball of the day.

Rory Haydon took 5 for 81 and has 10 for 163 in the match, but the visitors were left to rue letting Kent off the hook, after they took two wickets in the first over and reduced the hosts to 55 for 5.