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James Sales seals thrilling draw for Northants with maiden first-class fifty

James Sales made a maiden first-class fifty for Northamptonshire Getty Images

Northamptonshire 183 (Procter 76, Potts 4-42) and 231 for 9 (Sales 53, Potts 4-68) drew with Durham 400 (Potts 81, Trevaskis 77*, Borthwick 73)

James Sales' maiden first-class fifty helped Northamptonshire salvage a draw with Durham in their LV= Insurance County Championship Division Two clash at Wantage Road.

All-rounder Sales, the 18-year-old son of former Northamptonshire batter David, struck a sublime 53 off 120 deliveries on his second red-ball appearance to lead a gritty final day rear-guard.

Luke Procter scored 44, while unbeaten Simon Kerrigan ate up a heroic 135 balls as they edged into a lead with 10 overs to spare, to make sure their side avoided defeat.

Durham had taken wickets throughout the day, with Matty Potts taking 4 for 48 - to return career-best match figures of 8 for 90 - but neither he nor his attack partners could find a complete set as Northamptonshire reached 231 for 9 at the close.

After a washed-out day three, Durham required 10 wickets, Northamptonshire needed to bat out the day or wipe out a 217-run deficit and not leave enough time for any chase.

Emilio Gay survived a spill at third slip and a strong lbw appeal but was snatched at second slip when trying to work Potts into the legside.

Ricardo Vasconcelos edged behind to give Rushworth his 55th Championship wicket of the season - the sixth time he has reached that figure- before Rob Keogh was adjudged lbw to Ben Raine.

The resumption from lunch saw a showcase of quick bowling from Potts and Rushworth on a largely unresponsive pitch as three wickets fell in 40 minutes.

Potts secured a nick behind when he angled across the left-handed Saif Zaib and then produced a gem to kiss the surface and Adam Rossington's outside edge, with David Bedingham clutching on at first slip.

Harry Gouldstone was caught on the crease as Rushworth cannoned into the top of off stump - with 106 still needed to make Durham bat again.

Throughout the quick succession of wickets Procter had stood firm, as he had for his 76 in the first innings. But after a half an hour lookout with Sales, he was plumb lbw to a full Raine delivery for 44.

Sales and Simon Kerrigan set up camp and added 68, with a volley of boundaries off the former's bat flying after tea, while equally importantly eating up 187 balls.

Sales was dropped at mid-off where Raine shelled a dolly before reaching a maiden first-class fifty with a three through midwicket off 99 balls.

Potts struck with his second delivery with the second new ball when Sales toed a pull to mid-on.

Kerrigan and Sanderson took the hosts into the red but with 54 balls remaining the latter was leg before to Scott Borthwick but Kerrigan marshalled Jack White to a thrilling draw.

Northants 3rd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st46R VasconcelosEN Gay
2nd16LA ProcterR Vasconcelos
3rd24LA ProcterRI Keogh
4th16LA ProcterSA Zaib
5th6LA ProcterAM Rossington
6th3LA ProcterHOM Gouldstone
7th18LA ProcterJJG Sales
8th68SC KerriganJJG Sales
9th24BW SandersonSC Kerrigan
10th10SC KerriganCJ White

County Championship

Division 1
TeamMWLDPT
NOTTS431068
LANCS421157
WARKS421156
HANTS421153
YORKS412140
SOM404014
Division 2
TeamMWLDPT
ESSEX430177
GLOUC431064
DURH311140
NHNTS412138
SUR301227
GLAM403123
Division 3
TeamMWLDPT
KENT440083
MIDDX431067
WORCS422049
LEICS412143
DERBS412142
SUSS404018
Group 1
TeamMWLDPT
NOTTS10424151
WARKS10415145
DURH10325132
ESSEX10325129
WORCS10136109
DERBS1005572
Group 2
TeamMWLDPT
SOM10415148
HANTS10424145
GLOUC10532131
SUR10226123
LEICS10244111
MIDDX1027184
Group 3
TeamMWLDPT
LANCS10415150
YORKS10514149
GLAM10226127
NHNTS10334123
KENT1003797
SUSS1015494