Sheikh ends Scottish hopes

Mo Sheikh spared Derbyshire's blushes to deny the Scottish Saltires their first National League win of the season.

Mo Sheikh spared Derbyshire's blushes to deny the Scottish Saltires their first National League win of the season.

The Derbyshire Scorpions were facing defeat on the day the county officially opened a new £4.5m cricket centre until Sheikh turned the game. He followed his first one-day half-century with three wickets as the Saltires slumped from 58 for 1 to 154 all out chasing Derbyshire's modest 182.

The Saltires began well, taking 36 from the first seven overs but a mid-order collapse swung the game towards the home side. After Sheikh's burst, Paul Havell took his first wickets of the season following his return from elbow surgery. He bowled Fraser Watts for 45 and when Craig Wright drove Ant Botha's slow left-arm spin tamely to cover, the Saltires were 96 for 6.

There was no way back from that position and Botha took two more wickets as the Saltires slid to a seventh straight defeat.

A century by Anthony McGrath provided the backbone of Yorkshire's 331 at Chester-le-Street, to which Durham had replied with 14 for 2 at the close.

Several batsmen got themselves out when well set as Yorkshire threatened to squander a flying start after winning the toss on a good pitch. But McGrath studiously compiled his first County Championship Division Two century of the season off 224 balls then cut loose with last man Steve Kirby at the crease.