Derbyshire v Bangladesh A

Or should that be Derbyshire v Bangladesh - eh?

I'm not that sure why we're playing this game. Hands across the sea and all that, but I find it hard to get too excited about this one. Even if we were playing their full national team it wouldn't whet the appetite and this doesn't for sure.

Chris Rogers kept up his good form with a century batting at number five. I was surprised to see him playing and thought with his recent back problems that he may have been rested, but maybe he wants to keep it moving. A hundred is a hundred whatever the opposition and without it today we may have been embarrassed. Sadler got a 50 and Birch 40, but the others got in and got out again. It was good to see Jake Needham again confirming what a steady batsman he is. I genuinely feel that he has potential as an all rounder although our greatest need is his developing as an off spinner.

Two wickets for Kevin Dean before the close and I expect more tomorrow. Young Poynton is a talented wicket keeper and the reason why Fred Klokker is unlikely to get a place on the staff. Klokker is at this stage a better batsman, but Poynton is no mug (although he failed today) and is the likely successor in time to James Pipe.

Speaking of whom, there is a bizarre regularity of his name appearing in the press as David Pipe. It confirms Geoff Boycott's comment today on the radio that most of the press covering cricket "haven't a clue". They simply do it while there's no football and probably get the name from the latest Cricketer's Who's Who.

Boycs was in good form today. When told that Jeremy Snape was working with the batsmen on their concentration (without much success, obviously), Boycs asked how he did that.

" He never batted four hours in 'is career. 'ow does 'e know what its like?" A good point.

Not wanting to labour the point about the Test (England were rubbish), but how long will it be before Flintoff is crocked again? I know he bowled tight, but for the man around whom our destiny revolves (allegedly), a near forty over stint after months out with injury is pretty damn stupid. No quick bowler can survive on that work load. I confidently expect Pattinson to go back to Notts and fail completely to understand his selection in the first place. Hoggard, Harmison and Jones all were better options, as was Tremlett, picked as reserve then superceded. They don't know what they're doing, honestly.

Anyway, back to Derbyshire and a win here helps build momentum, poor opposition or not. As long as we're ready for Essex that'll do fine.

Division 2 is now headed by Warwick and Worcester. We thrashed the latter and should have beaten the former. With good luck with the weather and improved batting we can still get promoted in the Championship.

Enjoy that thought as you head for bed. Sorry about the late blog tonight, but my wife had an argument with very sharp secateurs this evening. She's OK, but won't be bowling off spinners for a while...