Enforced changes for Glamorgan game

Having already lost Billy Godleman for two matches through a suspension, Derbyshire now face going into their game against Glamorgan with a changed batting line-up.

Martin Guptill has a slight side strain that wouldn't have stopped him playing had Cricket New Zealand not pulled rank, while Wes Durston has a knee injury that sees him drop out too.

Thus there are three changes to the batting from Bristol, with Chesney Hughes coming in as opener, Wayne Madsen moving up to three and Scott Elstone coming in at four. Everyone else moves up in the order, with David Wainwright replacing Durston and Ben Cotton also included in the squad.

I am sure Graeme Welch could have lived without this, but the consolation is that Hughes, Elstone and Wainwright all come into the side on the back of recent second team runs. It represents opportunity, as one man's misfortune always does for another. With Hashim Amla not due for another week, our squad lines up as follows:

Slater
Hughes (C)
Madsen
Elstone
Thakor
Hughes (A)
Hosein
Wainwright
Palladino
Taylor
Footitt
Cotton
Critchley

The most interesting name in a youthful squad is that of Matt Critchley, whose recent efforts for the Academy I have mentioned. A nineteen-year old leg spin bowler who can hit a ball hard, he has been registered after playing as twelfth man against Gloucestershire. Unless the wicket turns out to be akin to the Costa del Sol, he is unlikely to play, but it is good to see young talent encouraged and promoted.

As for our hosts, they name the following squad, with South Africans Jacques Rudolph, Craig Meschede, Chris Cooke and Colin Ingram alongside the returning Australian Michael Hogan. Is it me or is the English game more awash with overseas players than in recent summers? I know that Chesney and the skipper came through a similar route, but they have fulfilled residency requirements that I don't see too many of the others doing. There's an article a-brewing on this, coming soon.

James Kettleborough, Jacques Rudolph (capt), Will Bragg, Colin Ingram, Chris Cooke, Mark Wallace, Graham Wagg, David Lloyd, Craig Meschede, Dean Cosker, Andy Carter, Andrew Salter, Michael Hogan.

Glamorgan are a decent side, perhaps stronger in batting than bowling, though Graham Wagg will be keen to put one over his old team mates. Whether we are missing an overseas player or not, whether we have a young squad or otherwise, this is the sort of team that we need to beat this year.

I am confident in our bowling - so who in the batting line-up is going to step up?

Looking at the weather forecast, sizeable chunks could be taken from this game, so I am going for a draw.

What about you?

Postscript - congratulations to Billy Godleman, at the end of a frustrating few days, for his contract extension, that takes him through to the end of next summer. He has worked hard on his game and fully deserves it.

I can see Billy and Ben Slater forming a very good pairing at the top of the order.