Javed four, Donald 91 gives Madsen winning send-off
Falcons stalwart Wayne Madsen announces domestic T20 retirement before seven-wicket win
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Published: Jul 12, 2026, 4:55 PM
Aneurin Donald’s 91 from 38 proved decisive • Getty Images
Derbyshire 172 for 3 (Donald 91, Came 45*) beat Leicestershire 171 for 8 (Turner 79, Javed 4-23, Montgomery 3-26) by seven wickets
Pakistan fast bowler Akif Javed returned T20 best figures to give Wayne Madsen a winning send off as Derbyshire Falcons cruised to a seven wicket Vitality Blast victory over Leicestershire Foxes at the OurCoop County Ground.
In Madsen’s last T20 game for Derbyshire, Javed claimed 4 for 23 before Aneurin Donald‘s highest Blast score of 91 from 38 balls saw the Falcons chase down 172 with 33 balls to spare.
Matthew Montgomery took 3 for 26 before Ashton Turner’s 79 from 43 balls, his highest for the Foxes, lifted the visitors to 171 for 8. But Donald made that look inadequate and with Harry Came scoring an unbeaten 45 from 28 balls, the Falcons easily secured a third victory to leave the Foxes bottom of the North Group.
Although both teams could not qualify, the game was a significant one for Madsen who has announced his retirement from T20 domestic cricket after 190 matches for Derbyshire
The 42-year-old was given a guard of honour onto the field by his team-mates and he was soon in the action, taking two catches at cover in the powerplay. Stephen Eskinazi and Rehan Ahmed drove Montgomery’s offspin into his hands and Rishi Patel edged Javed behind to leave the Foxes on 39 for 3 after six overs.
The Foxes were on the run at 59 for 4 when Ben Green was stumped charging Sufyan Moqim and they were 92 for 6 when Ben Cox and Ruan de Swardt both missed sweeps.
Turner responded by driving Moqim for three sixes in the 17th over which cost 22 but fell in the next, pulling Javed low to mid-on. Joey Evison also helped take his team to a competitive total with an unbeaten 26 from 19 balls but the Falcons set off in hot pursuit of their target, taking 69 from the powerplay.
Martin Andersson pulled Josh Davey to deep midwicket but Donald motored to his fourth 50 of the campaign off 21 balls by driving Rehan for a fourth six.
The hosts passed 100 in the eighth over and Donald hit three more sixes before driving Rehan to long-on. That brought in Madsen to another guard of honour from the Foxes players and although he was bowled by Rehan for 2, Came and Montgomery made sure his Derbyshire Blast career ended on a high.
