Thoughts on the opener

Despite the fact that the win was eventually only achieved with less than six overs to spare, the emphatic nature of Derbyshire's win against Surrey was seen as a surprise in some quarters.

But not all. Regular readers will know that I thoroughly expect us to be among the front runners for the Championship promotion places this year and the manner of the win, in a game where Derbyshire won virtually every session of play, suggested that we will have little to fear this year. I have no doubt that there will be some bad days, but we will play everyone on level terms.

As Master Villain comments below the previous article, we look to have a balanced attack with left and right arm variations at different paces. Mark Footitt's additional nip looks likely to prove a potent weapon, while with he and Graham Wagg bowling left arm and Greg Smith and Tim Groenewald bowling right, there is likely to be rough available for Robin Peterson to take advantage of as games progress.

This is also a very good fielding side, perhaps the most agile we have ever had. Smith, Wagg, Peterson, Rogers and Park are all capable of brilliance, while the presence of youngsters Redfern and Borrington ensures we are a long way removed from the days when Fred Rumsey and Ole Mortensen had to be hidden down at third man or fine leg. There isn't a bad fielder in the side, something that will bear dividends as the season progresses.

The key to success this season will, of course, be ensuring that this level of intensity can be reproduced on a regular basis, irrespective of what eleven takes the field. Even the national press today were picking up on the team spirit and camaraderie that exists in the team, a tribute to the captain and coaching staff. Something that I noticed in the game just finished was that everyone contributed. Sure, Rogers scored the bulk of the runs, but there were useful cameos from others and catches were held. In the words of Archimedes, solid cricket + good fielding + team spirit = good results. Then again, maybe that wasn't Archimedes... it would have been against his principles...

John Morris has already said that the bowlers will need to be rotated, understandable and expected with the amount of twenty and forty over cricket coming up. My gut feeling - only that - is that the side at the Oval is likely to be the core Championship side for the season. There may be times when a batsman is sacrificed for an extra seamer, with Steffan Jones ready and waiting in the wings when his coaching commitments allow. So too is Jon Clare, once he is fully recovered from his shoulder operation. Neither of them are slouches with the bat, Clare showing in his debut season that he can be genuinely reckoned an all rounder. Ian Hunter and Tom Lungley may be one day regulars, allowing Mark Footitt to give it all he's got in the Championship with a few one dayers for the experience.

Meanwhile, Robin Peterson, injuries permitting, can look forward to a lot of bowling this season. He got through fifty overs at the Oval, bowled with control and finished things off in a style that we have wanted from a spinner for a long time. While Ant Botha was a decent cricketer, I always felt that the weight of expectation on a turning track weighed heavily on him. He would keep things tight on a decent batting surface, chipping away at the opposition from time to time, but rarely, if ever, bowled us to victory on a wicket that offered help. There were several occasions when Panesar and Swann at Northampton and Cosker and Croft in Wales would work their way through our line up with little being offered in return - rifles against a pea shooter.

I'm not being disrespectful to Botha, who I was sorry to see leave, but Peterson is a better bowler by some distance. The big wicket yesterday as the game approached its climax was that of Meaker, bowled with the classic slow left armer ball that pitched middle and leg, then took off stump. Such a ball sows the seeds of doubt in a batting team, in much the same way that Warne's "magic ball" to Mike Gatting did a few years ago.

As I wrote a few nights ago, Peterson may not be a huge spinner of the ball, but if he bowls with control he certainly spins it enough. When he came on yesterday I expected he would take wickets and it’s a long time since I have experienced that sensation with the advent of a Derbyshire spinner to the attack. It was nice to read in today's Derby Telegraph that he knows the team looks to the experienced players - himself and Rogers - to lead by example. They did that in style at the Oval, the first time Derbyshire have won there since everyone was going around in 1966 singing "World Cup Willie." If you're too young to remember that song, you didn't miss much...

It all augurs well and if Peterson can work with Jake Needham, Greg Smith and Dan Redfern over the course of this summer, his legacy to the club may be even greater than his contribution to a summer that promises to be very interesting.

Now for Leicestershire. More of the same will do very nicely and I'll be back with a preview tomorrow.