Derbyshire v Glamorgan preview

Hopefully by the time I finish this piece Derbyshire will be close to winning their first Championship match of the season, a victory that will take them into their FP Trophy campaign in good heart.

Their opponents, Glamorgan, lost their opening game last weekend and on the face of it offer our easiest opponents in the group, but we all know that cricket is a funny game...

The Welsh side travel to Derby with the following 12-man squad:

Gareth Rees
Mark Cosgrove
Michael Powell
Tom Maynard
Jamie Dalrymple (captain)
Ben Wright
Mark Wallace (wicket-keeper)
James Harris
David Harrison
Dean Cosker
Garnett Kruger
Adam Shantry.

No place for Robert Croft (which I think is a mistake given his penchant for bowling against Derbyshire) and all-rounder Alex Wharf is out for weeks. Gareth Rees took a liking to our attack last season and his partnership with "Baby Boof" Mark Cosgrove offers potential for the summer. The Australian scored a memorable double century at Derby a couple of years back and we'll want to remove him early or be chasing a big total. Michael Powell is a good batsman and Jamie Dalrymple a useful all rounder, but I don't look at their side in awe.

South African Garnett Kruger should lead the attack with support from England hopeful James Harris and from David Harrison, while veteran Cosker's wily slow left arm needs watched. Their keeper Mark Wallace is a good player too, competent behind the stumps and scorer of enough runs to have England aspirations of his own (especially if he played elsewhere).

As for Derbyshire, John Morris has announced a 14-man squad as follows:

Stubbings
Redfern
Law
Hinds
Park
Smith
Pipe
Wagg
Groenewald
Clare
Needham
Lungley
Hunter
Lawson.

I'd see that top eleven as pretty much the side, with Tim Groenewald set to make his debut, according to John Morris in the Derby Telegraph. I'd heard yesterday from a couple of sources that Stuart Law had suffered a broken finger but that doesn't appear to be the case. Ian Hunter may well be rested after his work in the four day matches so far which would leave arguably the longest batting line-up in a long while with Clare at 10 and Needham at 11. Given the former scored centuries last year and Needham averages 20-plus in first class cricket, one could argue that there is no tail. Although, of course, they need to prove that where it matters.

There are also 8 bowlers in there if required, assuming that Stuart Law is not required to bowl. Wavell may not be risked as a bowler after his calf strain, but I look at that side and see one of great potential. With hard work and a little luck when it matters they can certainly get the FP Trophy campaign off to a good start.

On a different tack, I wrote earlier in the week that I was unsure about Garry Ballance's future at Yorkshire, having seen a couple of newspapers and websites list him as being released. The reality is that he is on a three-year deal there and Yorkshire are paying his way through University. So he's unlikely to feature much before June but is still very much involved. He looked a good player and I'll watch his career with interest.