ROSS Whiteley powered Derbyshire to a very competitive 153-6 after they were put in to bat first by Warwickshire in their Barbados t20 Cup semi-final at Kensington Oval.
The burly left-hander hit 63 Tom Poynton added a strong 35 not out as they put on 85 in 40 balls for the fourth wicket to give their side a chance of progressing to the final.
The Falcons made a much better job of preserving wickets than they did in the previous evening's meeting of the sides at the 3Ws Oval but found run-scoring much tougher on a hard, fast surface, at the start of their innings.
It was not until the 12th ball that Chesney Hughes, with a mistimed pull to long leg, put the first runs on the scoreboard and Warwickshire kept a tight hold on Derbyshire for the first half of their innings.
Billy Godleman was out for six and Hughes for 12 to make it 20-2 in the sixth over but Ben Slater, brought in in place of Wes Durston, who had a sore back, took his chance to shine nicely and began to build a strong partnership with Whiteley.
They took the score on to 57 before Slater was caught at midwicket for 15 but, with Poynton joining him at the crease, Whiteley went on the offensive.
His fifth six brought up his half-century off 29 balls, adding to three fours, and he cleared the ropes again with the next ball he faced.
Poynton also got in on the act as they added before Whiteley tried to scoop a ball from Oliver Hannon-Dalby but completely miscued it to third man. He made 63 off 38 balls with six sixes and two fours.
Johnson was yorked by Hannon-Dalby first ball and Peter Burgoyne skied the penultimate ball to be caught by wicketkeeper Pete McKay but Poynton made it to the close on 35 not out off 23 balls with three fours.
The burly left-hander hit 63 Tom Poynton added a strong 35 not out as they put on 85 in 40 balls for the fourth wicket to give their side a chance of progressing to the final.
The Falcons made a much better job of preserving wickets than they did in the previous evening's meeting of the sides at the 3Ws Oval but found run-scoring much tougher on a hard, fast surface, at the start of their innings.
It was not until the 12th ball that Chesney Hughes, with a mistimed pull to long leg, put the first runs on the scoreboard and Warwickshire kept a tight hold on Derbyshire for the first half of their innings.
Billy Godleman was out for six and Hughes for 12 to make it 20-2 in the sixth over but Ben Slater, brought in in place of Wes Durston, who had a sore back, took his chance to shine nicely and began to build a strong partnership with Whiteley.
They took the score on to 57 before Slater was caught at midwicket for 15 but, with Poynton joining him at the crease, Whiteley went on the offensive.
His fifth six brought up his half-century off 29 balls, adding to three fours, and he cleared the ropes again with the next ball he faced.
Poynton also got in on the act as they added before Whiteley tried to scoop a ball from Oliver Hannon-Dalby but completely miscued it to third man. He made 63 off 38 balls with six sixes and two fours.
Johnson was yorked by Hannon-Dalby first ball and Peter Burgoyne skied the penultimate ball to be caught by wicketkeeper Pete McKay but Poynton made it to the close on 35 not out off 23 balls with three fours.
