Yuzvendra Chahal recorded his career-best bowling figures in first-class cricket to steer Northamptonshire to a 133-run win over Derbyshire in the County Championship Division Two 2024 match on Wednesday.

Chahal picked up a match-haul of 9/99 at the County Ground in Northampton to help the host register their first win in the County Championship this season. The match ended inside three days.

The Indian leggie backed up his five-wicket haul in the first innings with a spell of 4/54 in the second to skittle out Derbyshire for 132 runs. Chahal’s previous best match haul in first-class cricket was 8/112.

In the second innings, Chahal, who plays for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, struck in his first over, trapping Brooke Guest in front of the wicket.

The leg-spinner was at it again in his following over, cleaning up first-innings half-centurion Luis Reece to reduce Derbyshire to 26/2 while chasing 266.

Chahal then sent back Derbyshire skipper David Lloyd to break his 38-run partnership with Wayne Madsen for the fourth wicket. He then got through the defence of Martin Andersson for his fourth wicket to leave Derbyshire reeling at 93/6. 

Off-spinner Rob Keogh picked up 5/44, including the last wicket of the match to end Derbyshire’s chase at 132 with a day to spare.

The spin duo of Chahal and Keogh alone picked up 17 wickets in the match.

“We call him the magician,” Keogh said of Chahal. “He’s got a bag of tricks. Luckily it was too cold for him to get all his tricks out. So he said he just stuck to the flipper a few times and that got him a few wickets. 

“Obviously, everyone knows what he can do, including the opposition. They are expecting him to bowl big turners and he pulls out the flipper. 

“I think it helps me (to have Chahal in the team),” Keogh added. “Not only does he have a cricket brain, he is also very clever. He knows spin bowling. And it almost takes the pressure off of me with him on the other end… I have been lucky enough to have bowled with some great spinners. He has to be up there.” 

Chahal went past 100 first-class wickets in the first innings with a spell of 5/45 to hand Northamptonshire a handy lead of 54 runs.

Northamptonshire, in their second essay, made 211 to set Derbyshire with a target of 266. Keogh top-scored for Northamptonshire with 63 runs.

Northamptonshire will next meet Leicestershire in their penultimate match of the County Championship Division Two 2024 at the same venue on September 17.