Northamptonshire took just 32 minutes on the third day to wrap up a 10 wicket victory over Gloucestershire at Wantage Road to claim their first win in the Specsavers County Championship this season.
Having resisted on the second evening to take the game into day three, Gloucestershire could last only another 17 balls to be bowled out for 250, leaving a target of only 31 that Ben Duckett knocked off himself in just four overs.
Brett Hutton removed the final two wickets within three balls to finish with 8 for 57 – the third-best figures for Northants this century.
Matt Taylor only added a single to his overnight 37 before pushing at a length ball and edging to second slip where Richard Levi dived to his right to take a sharp catch. No. 11 Chris Liddle then lost his off stump for a duck leaving Craig Miles stranded on 38 not out.
The chase was over very quickly as Duckett played an emphatic extra-cover drive off Miles, a flick through midwicket and two top-edged pulls over the wicketkeeper’s head.Another pull off Miles took Northants to within one hit of victory before an outside edge found the third man fence to complete the win.
Northants, who took 21 points from the match, now head to Glamorgan on Monday while Gloucestershire are left to concentrate on the T20 Blast that begins in two weeks’ time.