Ollie Price Ton, Zaman Akhter's Four-Wicket Burst Lead Gloucestershire to Victory Over Derbyshire in One-Day Cup Opener

Gloucestershire began their Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign in style, defeating Derbyshire by 59 runs in a high-scoring contest at the iconic College Ground on the final day of the Towergate Cheltenham Festival.

Ollie Price was the star with the bat, crafting a superb 103 — his third List A century — while Zaman Akhter, in his final game before departing the club, delivered a match-winning spell of 4 for 47, including a crucial three-wicket burst in six balls, to dismantle Derbyshire’s middle order and secure victory.

Batting first after Derbyshire won the toss, Gloucestershire racked up an imposing 341 for 8, built on a foundation of strong top-order partnerships. Price’s 115-ball innings featured 10 boundaries and a six, and he stitched together a 141-run stand with opener James Bracey (83) followed by a 97-run partnership with Ben Charlesworth (60).

Bracey, promoted to open, played a fluent innings with 4 fours and 4 sixes, reaching his half-century off just 40 balls. His aggressive approach helped Gloucestershire maintain a run rate of nearly seven an over during the powerplay, punishing Derbyshire’s seamers, particularly Nick Potts, who went for 42 in three overs.

Price reached his century in 111 balls with a sweep for a single behind square, receiving a standing ovation from the Cheltenham crowd. Though he was bowled shortly after by Martin Andersson, Gloucestershire's momentum didn’t dip. Captain Jack Taylor added late firepower with a rapid 67 off 37 balls, featuring 10 fours and a six, lifting the hosts well beyond the 300-mark.

Derbyshire’s chase began brightly, with Brooke Guest anchoring the innings with a fluent 86 from 88 deliveries. He was well-supported by Matt Montgomery (42) and debutant Amrit Basra (40), as the visitors kept pace with the asking rate in the first half of their innings.

Guest and Montgomery added 64 for the third wicket, taking Derbyshire past 120 and keeping hopes alive. Basra’s inventive strokeplay, including three sixes, further boosted the chase. At 227 for 4, the Falcons appeared to be in contention.

But Akhter turned the game on its head in the 35th over. He bowled Basra with a pinpoint yorker, dismissed Guest with a catch at long-on, and then removed Ross Whiteley cheaply to leave Derbyshire reeling at 234 for 7. With 107 runs needed from the final 11.1 overs and wickets tumbling, the chase lost steam.

Despite a late cameo from Ben Aitchison (19), the visitors were eventually bowled out for 282 in 45.5 overs.

For Gloucestershire, Akhter’s return to the club on loan proved vital, and his match-defining spell served as a fitting farewell. Van Buuren and Matt Taylor also chipped in with key wickets, while Craig Miles made an impact in his return match, dismissing Caleb Jewell (35) early in the innings.

The result gives Gloucestershire early momentum in Group B, while Derbyshire will look to regroup after falling short despite a promising start to the chase.

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