Derbyshire v Leeds/Bradford UCCE day two

A satisfying day all round for Derbyshire today, for as a young attack bowled out their opponents for a healthy first innings lead, Paul Borrington took another opportunity to underline his credentials and talent with a century against Hampshire at the Rose Bowl. Borrington batted just over three and a half hours and hit fifteen boundaries in an innings that will give him confidence and add to the competition for places at the County Ground when he finishes at University next month.

Ross Whiteley also highlighted his ability with a breezy unbeaten 38 in the second innings to follow on from his unbeaten 45 in the first innings, while also bowling a controlled spell that cost less than two an over and earned him a wicket. There was a first wicket in Derbyshire colours for Atif Sheikh, who also produced excellent figures. Funnily, his player portrait on Cricinfo (Linked from the match) suggests that it is Mo Sheikh playing in this match! It is highly encouraging to see so much young talent emerging through the system and emphasises what a bright future we have at the club and how good a job Karl Krikken is doing with the Academy.

There was also a good spell from Jon Clare, while Jake Needham and Mark Lawson shared five wickets and both had long bowls that will serve them in good stead in the months ahead. One of Lawson's wickets was Richard Browning, formerly on the Derbyshire staff who decided that the grass was greener on the fence linking us with Northamptonshire, only to find it wasn't when he was fairly quickly released. His bowling in this match hasn't suggested that we have missed an uncut diamond and one suspects that he will not feature in much first class cricket. Matt Cassar, Adrian Rollins, Richard Browning - Northants haven't done too well out of our ex-players, with the exception of Paul Taylor.

Tomorrow I'd expect Derbyshire to have a dart in the first hour and then declare to push for a satisfying win. That would conclude a good run out for the side, especially if John Sadler can score a few tomorrow.

Elsewhere today Yorkshire piled up 600 at Edgbaston (doesn't everyone?) and to be fair to Rikki Clarke he bowled as well as anyone in taking 1-64 in 25 overs. The Warwickshire choice of Jeetan Patel as their overseas player was criticised by me last week and today he returned figures of 1-150. Faced with a season of bowling long spells on the Edgbaston featherbed, my guess is that he'll average nearer 50 than 40 with the ball this year and that he won't feature in too many fantasy cricket sides...

Speaking of which, the always readable "In Morris We Trust" is urging Derbyshire fans to join Chris' Telegraph league for a fun competition, with only pride at stake. I've signed up a fine side and currently sit somewhere around 7,000 in the leaderboard (can you call 7,000 position part of a leaderboard?) Why not sign up a side (they're now half price) and add a little spice to your season? For what its worth, my side is:

Jacques Rudolph
Dale Benkenstein
Robert Key
Matthew Walker
Garry Park
Danish Kaneria
Jon Lewis
Sajid Mahmood
Dominic Cork
Samit Patel
Chris Read

Fine players all, but feel free to laugh as they all fall hopelessly out of form now I've selected them! Rest assured, at the first sign of a dip in Garry Park's form I'll drop him so he returns to an average of Bradmanesque proportions...