Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal recorded his first five-wicket haul in the ongoing English County Championship season, as his six-fer helped the hosts Northamptonshire to make a strong statement against the second-division side Derbyshire. 

Yuzvendra Chahal recorded 6 for 118 runs

After Derbyshire chose to bat first, they scored 377 all out on the early second day, while the hosts ended the day on 265/5. The 35-year-old Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was the standout bowler in the first innings of the match, as he finished with the bowling figures of 33.2-5-118-6. It was his fifth five-wicket haul in his first-class career.

While the no.7 batter Martin Andersson (105) scored a brilliant century in the first innings, Chahal took the wickets of opener Luis Reece (39), no.3 Harry Came (17), no.5 Brooke Guest (0), and the lower-order batters Zak Chappell (32), Ben Aitchison (45), and Blair Tickner (11). Chahal triggered a mid-batting-order collapse, as the visitors suddenly found themselves from 82/1 to 89/5. 

In the ongoing County Championship Division Two season, Chahal recorded a wicketless and a four-wicket haul against Kent, and later had another wicketless bowling figures against Middlesex.

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Yuzvendra Chahal was in great form last County season

In the previous County Championship Division Two season (2024), the Indian leggie Yuzvendra Chahal finished as the fourth leading wicket-taker for Northamptonshire by picking up 19 wickets in just four matches, including two five-wicket hauls and two more four-fers. While he had a bowling average of 21.10 in that season, it was the fourth-best bowling average among at least 15-wicket takers in that competition.

Although Chahal has played 72 ODIs and 80 T20Is, where the leggie picked up 121 and 96 wickets, respectively, India's second leading T20I wicket-taker, he hasn't played a Test match yet. He hasn't played an international match since August 2023. Although he was a member of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 title-winning team, he wasn't selected in any playing XI. 

In an unusual turn of events, the Indian wicketkeeper batter Ishan Kishan was seen having some fun in a recently concluded four-day game of the First Division County Championship 2025 that took place between Nottinghamshire and Somerset at Taunton. Playing for Nottinghamshire, the skipper, Haseeb Hameed, tossed the ball to Kishan during Somerset's second innings. It was a surprise move from the Nottinghamshire skipper, knowing that Kishan had primarily been selected as a frontline batter who could occasionally keep wickets.   

Despite virtually having no major bowling skills in his repertoire, Ishan Kishan had no hesitation in having a go with the ball. The 26-year-old wicket-keeper batter turned to off-spin, and his bowling action triggered a striking resemblance with the former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh. He bowled his first delivery to the in-form Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who eventually went on to remain unbeaten on 147. The first delivery was a drag down, which was punched down the ground. He followed it up with another back-of-a-length delivery to Tom Abell, which was defended back to him.

The 26-year-old bowled only a solitary over in this game and gave away just one run.  Kishan was brought on in an effort to trigger a collapse. The strike bowlers from Nottinghamshire had a hard time dismissing Somerset in the second innings. Kohler-Cadmore and Abell carried on their merry way and put on an unbeaten 114-run stand to see Somerset off to a draw. 

See also: County Championship 2025: Live Streaming Details & Where to watch

Watch the video:

Ishan Kishan bowling in County Cricket 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥#IshanKishan pic.twitter.com/rXAjxXhuLh

— Ayush (@AyushCricket32) July 2, 2025

Apart from the ball, Kishan also made a contribution with the bat. He finished as the third highest run scorer for  Nottinghamshire in the first innings, adding a useful 77 (128), which featured eight fours and two sixes. Prior to his county stint, Kishan had previously garnered some bowling experience by bowling a few overs in First-Class and domestic T20 cricket. In FC cricket, Kishan has bowled 54 balls and has given away 43 runs while going wicketless. Whereas, in the domestic T20 cricket, Kishan has only bowled seven balls and has given away only six runs while returning wicketless. 

Former England top-order batter Wayne Larkins passed away at the age of 71 following a short illness. Larkins, famously called "Ned" originally hailed from Northamptonshire. He made 13 appearances and 25 appearances for England in Test and ODI cricket, respectively. Besides, he also featured in the 1979 World Cup Final, where he came in to bat at number 7 and bowled two overs. This was only his second appearance for England.

But the most defining moment of his career came when Larkins hit the winning runs to give England a surprising 1-0 lead during the 1989-90 tour of the West Indies. However, just as any accomplished cricketer, Larkins also went through a dark phase in his career when he faced a ban of three years for his involvement in the rebel tour of South Africa in 1982.

See also: 'Lords is great but…' - Ravi Shastri makes bold pitch for WTC final in India

More about Wayne Larkins' cricketing background

Larkins was renowned for his elegant strokeplay and displayed a very welcoming off-the-field character.  He spent most of his time playing for Northamptonshire, making a staggering 700 appearances for them. He subsequently moved to Durham, before drawing his cricketing career to a close that saw him amass as many as 40,000 runs and 85 hundreds. 

While addressing the media, Larkins's wife Debbie expressed her grief at his demise and also gave a glimpse of what his personality was like. She further added how people were drawn to his infectious energy and never wanted the party to finish.

"He loved his soul mate of a wife and his precious daughters so much. He will be partying up in the sky, drinking a toast to everyone and to his own life. We are devastated but we'll never forget his undeniably unique presence and his impact on our lives. We will carry him in our hearts forever."

New Zealand opener Finn Allen played a brilliant knock of 151 off 51 balls in the first match of the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025, while playing for San Francisco Unicorns against Washington Freedom, which was played on June 12. Washington won the toss and chose to bowl first as Finn Allen smashed Washington bowlers all around the park, cracking 151 in 51 balls, including 5 fours and 19 sixes with a strike rate of 296.08. Unicorns scored 269/5 in 20 overs and managed to win the match by 123 runs. In this sensational knock, Allen broke records that are highlighted in this piece below:

5. Highest sixes in a T20 Innings

Allen smashed 19 sixes in his 151-run knock in 51 balls during the first MLC 2025 match. He hit 19 sixes, which is the highest by any batter in a T20 innings. The right-hander managed to break the previous record held by Chris Gayle, who had hit 18 sixes during the 2017 Bangladesh Premier League final.

4. Highest score by any batter in the history of MLC

Former West Indian left-hander Nicolas Pooran held the record for scoring an unbeaten 137 in 55 balls while playing for MI New York against Seattle Orcas during the 2023 MLC season, where he hit 10 fours and 13 sixes. Allen managed to break this record by scoring 151 on the 12th of June 2025 while playing for San Francisco Unicorns, thus becoming the highest scorer in a particular match in the history of the tournament.

See Also: WATCH: Rachin Ravindra's consecutive sixes against San Francisco Unicorns in match number 1 of MLC 2025

3. Fastest Centurion in the history of MLC

Allen scored a century in the opening game of the 2025 MLC tournament in just 34 balls. Former West Indian left-hander Nicolas Pooran, who retired from International cricket, earlier held the record for the fastest century in the tournament's history when he scored a century in 40 balls during the 2023 season against Seattle Orcas while playing for MI New York. The right-hander managed to get past this record on 12th June 2025.

2. First Batter to score fastest 150 in a T20 match

Allen scored 150 in just 49 balls during his knock of 151 in 51 balls while playing for San Francisco Unicorns against Washington Freedom on the 12th of June 2025. Earlier, South Africa's Dewald Brewis held the record for the fastest 150 in a T20 game when he had scored 150 in 52 balls in a CSA T20 challenge match for Titans against Knights. Allen got past this record with a brilliant 150 in 49 balls in the 2025 MLC opener.

1. Fastest Century by a New Zealander in T20s

Allen's 34-ball century for San Francisco Unicorns during the opening match of the 2025 MLC campaign is the fastest in the shorter format in any T20 tournament by a New Zealander. Earlier, former New Zealand opener Martin Guptill held this record when he had scored a 35-ball century for Worcestershire against Northamptonshire during the 2018 Vitality Blast T20 tournament. Allen broke this record by scoring a century in 34 balls. 

The 34-year-old Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal produced his best bowling figures in a first-class match during his team Northamptonshire’s 133-run win against Derbyshire in the English County Championship Division Two 2024. 

Yuzvendra Chahal already created a headline in India with his fifer during Derbyshire’s first innings. Later, Chahal bagged another four wickets in the fourth innings of the match on rain-curtailed Wednesday.

Watch: Chahal shines with 5-wicket haul for Northamptonshire in County Championship

Yuzvendra Chahal recorded 4/54 during the fourth innings

With the bat, Chahal was unbeaten for no score in both innings of the match. In the fourth innings of the match, Chahal shone with the bowling figures of 18-3-54-4. He and his off-spin bowling partner Rob Keogh (15-1-44-5) destroyed the batting line-up in the final innings of the match. 

While the last-placed team in the points table Derbyshire (107 points in 12 matches) had the fourth innings target of 266 runs, they were bundled out for only 132 runs. Only the unbeaten batter Wayne Madsen (48) reached the 20-run mark in that innings. 

Seventh-placed Northamptonshire (114 points in 12 matches), who are just above the last-placed Derbyshire in the points table, recorded their first win of this County Championship season with this 133-run win.  

Yuzvendra Chahal closely missed out his 1st first-class 10-wicket haul

After his fifer in Derbyshire’s first innings of the match, where he ended with the bowling figures of 16.3-2-45-5, the leg-spinner Chahal ended the fourth innings with 18-3-54-4. He ended the game with the bowling figures of 34.3-5-99-9. It was his best bowling figures in a first-class match. His previous best bowling figures in a first-class match was 8/112. 

SEE ALSO: Yuzvendra Chahal starts English domestic season with a fifer 

Chahal has taken 106 wickets in his 38 first-class matches. During Derbyshire’s first innings, Chahal completed his 100 first-class wickets with his third wicket of that innings. 

Chahal hasn’t played a match for the Indian national cricket team this year. Although the leg-spinner was selected for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and United States, he wasn’t selected in any playing XIs.  

After his 72 ODIs and 80 T20Is, Chahal has taken 121 and 96 wickets, respectively. The leading IPL wicket-taker is also holding the record for most T20I wickets for India.  

Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal continued to impress in the United Kingdom with a standout performance for Northamptonshire. In the ongoing County Championship season, Chahal claimed his first five-wicket haul, playing a pivotal role in his team’s match against Derbyshire at the County Ground in Northampton. This achievement marks Chahal’s third five-wicket haul in first-class cricket, underscoring his growing prowess with the red ball in England.

Chahal’s match-winning performance

Yuzvendra Chahal finished with remarkable figures of 5 for 45, delivering a crucial spell of bowling that helped Northamptonshire secure a 54-run lead in the first innings. Chahal received significant support from off-spinner Rob Keogh, as the duo dismantled Derbyshire’s batting lineup. At one point, Derbyshire seemed in control at 150 for 4 on Day 2, but they collapsed dramatically, losing their last six wickets for just 15 runs. Chahal’s spell was instrumental in this turnaround, as he claimed the vital wicket of Wayne Madsen, who was well set at 47, by spinning the ball sharply to hit the top of the off-stump twice.

61 | Lunch. 🍽️

Seven wickets in the session and some excellent spells from Chahal and Keogh. 🌀

We're just going to watch this on repeat during the interval. 🔁

Derbyshire 165/8. pic.twitter.com/G4Y1VUHVjL

— Northamptonshire CCC (@NorthantsCCC) September 10, 2024

See Also: Why Muralitharan believes his 800 Test wickets record unbreakable

A valuable addition to Northamptonshire

Chahal’s performance has been a major boost for Northamptonshire during the English summer. His five-wicket haul in the County Championship follows a similar feat in the One-Day Cup match he played against his former club, Kent, on August 14. Despite a modest start with just one wicket in his first two County Championship Division Two matches, Chahal is now poised to build on this impressive performance. He has signed on to play a total of five first-class matches this season for Northamptonshire, and his recent success indicates a promising continuation of his impactful stint in English cricket.

Indian batsman Karun Nair is set to make a comeback to the Northamptonshire county team in April this year after going unsold in the Indian Premier League 2024 auction. Despite Northamptonshire’s unsuccessful bid to avoid relegation from Division 2 last season, Nair’s three matches with innings of 78, 150, and 21 earned him praise from head coach John Sadler, who considers him a valuable asset to the team.

Expressing delight in securing Nair’s return, Sadler commended the batsman’s calmness, temperament, and hunger for runs during the previous season. Nair’s availability for the County Championships was uncertain in December, awaiting a potential IPL auction selection. However, with no IPL takers, he is committed to playing the first seven matches for Northamptonshire in the upcoming season.

SEE ALSO: BCCI Awards 2024: Full List Of Award Winners From The Naman Awards Ceremony

Thrilled about his return, Karun Nair emphasized his excitement to contribute to the team’s success, aiming to secure victories and promote Northamptonshire. Acknowledging the coach and captain for the opportunity, Nair expressed his eagerness to build on his form from the previous season and make a significant impact with the bat.

Notably, Nair will be replaced by Indian teammate Prithvi Shaw in the latter part of the English summer. Shaw, who had a successful stint with Northants last year, missed the season due to an ACL injury.

Karun Nair, having played six Test matches for India, boasts a total of 374 runs at an average of 62.33, with his highest Test career score of 303 achieved in a single match. Once considered a permanent member of the Indian Test team, Nair’s exclusion resulted from a decline in form. His last Test match was against Australia in 2017, and despite strong competition, he has been unable to regain a spot in the Indian team and remains out of consideration by selectors.