Middlesex v Derbyshire day 1

Or should that be Derbyshire v The Elements?

When we started on time this morning I thought we were going to be OK, but in the brief passage of play possible, John Morris will be fairly happy to have reached 72 for the loss of Chris Rogers.

With no play elsewhere I guess you could say we're ahead at present but can do with minimal further interruptions if we're to get the result we need.

I suggested last night that Mark Lawson may get the nod over Jake Needham and that Tom Lungley would miss out and that is what happened today. If Lawson is to take wickets at county level, it is at this time that he will do it, with dryer and more bouncy tracks to help him. I hope he proves his many doubters wrong and we'll know by the weekend for sure.

Elsewhere I notice that Alan Richardson, ex Derbyshire and Warwickshire has moved from Middlesex to Worcestershire, while Chris Silverwood has also left Lords and is in search of another county. Silverwood has been a good bowler, as 570 wickets at 27 testifies, but he has had a few injury problems in recent seasons. He's reportedly looking for another county and at 34 has two or three years to offer someone, but I can't really see John Morris going for him. I think and hope we'll offer Steffan Jones a contract but don't really need two bowlers approaching their mid-30's. You never know, but that one would surprise me.

More from me tomorrow, but for now a family Mario Kart challenge awaits on the Wii. Competitive Dad is in town and intends to win!