County Championship: Jake Libby hits ton as Worcestershire beat Derbyshire

Eight of Jake Libby's 13 first-class centuries have been for Worcestershire

Jake Libby and Azhar Ali combined for the second year running in this fixture as new Worcestershire head coach Alan Richardson got off to a winning start against Derbyshire.

After sharing a century stand to save the match at Derby last season, this time their 139-run stand set up an eight-wicket victory.

Azhar made 62 and Libby celebrated back-to-back hundreds at Derby with an unbeaten 104 from 140 balls to take Worcestershire to their target of 192 with 25.4 overs to spare.

Derbyshire's chances of setting a more testing target were undermined by Josh Tongue who took the last three wickets, leaving skipper Leus du Plooy unbeaten on 95 from 138 balls.

Du Plooy and Zak Chappell took the home lead past 150.

But, when their stand was worth 89 from 137 balls, Chappell was undone by a smart piece of work from Gareth Roderick who brought off a leg-side stumping to give Joe Leach a third wicket.

Leach should have had a fourth in his next over when he spilled a straight-forward return catch offered by Ben Aitchison but it did not prove costly.

Aitchison chipped to mid on in the next over off Tongue, who then took his second wicket when Sam Conners edged a drive to first slip before beating Suranga Lakmal with a swinging full-length ball to leave du Plooy five short of his hundred.

Ed Pollock came out intent on giving his team a fast start, driving Lakmal for two fours in the first over, but Aitchison angled one across him to have him caught behind off what became the last ball before lunch.

But Libby and Azhar played positively from the restart and their century stand came off 130 balls.

Chappell pinned Azhar lbw with a full length ball on the stroke of tea but the target was now down to 36 and Libby wasted no time in sealing victory.

He launched Lamb for a straight six and after completing his eighth first-class hundred for Worcestershire, dabbed Anuj Dal to the third man boundary for the winning runs.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.