Derbyshire v Yorkshire Pro 40

Another night, another 40 0ver game, another loss

Maybe I'm a little premature, but the thinking money is on the visitors when we need 105 in 13 overs with the big guns gone.

It's nice to see John Sadler make a few runs but I wish I could have got to the bookies in time to put money on Rashid getting Rikki. There's something about spinners that make his eyes light up and while I'm sure that in peak form he'd send it to all parts, this hasn't been close to that for the ex-skipper all season.

110-5 as I type and Sadler is just gone. That'll teach me. Dan Redfern gets a game tonight after his exploits for England Under 19s, but ironically he hardly scored a run in the one-dayers against them so doesn't come into this game a man in form.

The bowling got some hammer from Rudolph, another paid up member of the "Nearly came to Derby but got injured, so couldn't" club. He's done very well for Yorkshire and we're entitled to ask "what if?"

Come to think of it, there's a nice article in there, with players who very nearly came to Derbyshire but for one reason or another, didn't. Some amazing names, might have a think about that one over the weekend. The only problem would be the lack of a keeper. We've always had a good one and never needed to go overseas to find a Faroukh Engineer or Nick Pothas.

128-6 and if not down and out, we're sleeping in the park for tonight I'm afraid. 84 from just under 10 overs isn't going to happen and the early batting let us down. I should have a shortcut made for that phrase by now, I've typed it so often this season. I really rate Greg Smith but don't like seeing him as an opener (yes, I do remember his knock at Headingley, but....) and Wavell is always susceptible early in his innings before he gets his feet moving. After this it is Leicester on Monday and then the battle royal at Edgbaston, which can't come soon enough for me.

Bottom line is we can't play one day cricket yet. We can't bowl tight enough and we don't bat with enough discipline and common sense to win more than a handful of matches each season. I live in hope that over the winter our batters will learn how to pace an innings and our bowlers learn from the lessons of Langeveldt.

136-6, 78 needed from 8. The fat lady is warming up as I close.