It was good to report on a win yesterday and there was some good cricket played. It is important to record, however, that the Glamorgan side had four 19-year olds, as well as a 21 and 23 year old. To hear Mickey Arthur talk about our 'young guys' doing so well and realising that Nick Potts and Rory Haydon, our youngest, are 24 and 23 requires that qualification.
I would have been happier had Yusuf bin Naeem played, to be honest, rather than either 42-year old Wayne Madsen or 38-year old Ross Whiteley. We know what they can do and surely there has to be a development aspect to this competition? Either that or you go full on, in which case you contract an overseas player?
The same applies tomorrow against a 'very good' Sussex side that is bottom of the table and missing seven players to the fast snack competition. They beat Essex in their last match, with seven players of 22 or younger in the ranks, two of them teenagers. It isn't a level playing field so I do find it difficult to be overly euphoric over victories in such circumstances, not to mention our 'young guys' being singled out.
Anyway, I don't expect much, if any change to the side tomorrow. If Rory Haydon isn't fit then Shoaib Bashir may return, because there aren't too many options. As I write there is no news on either side but last time out Sussex fielded the following side against Essex:
Tear, Thomas, Johnson, Ibrahim, Leaning, Carson, Hudson-Prentice, Robinson, Price, Henry, Munt
Given their greater experience (notwithstanding some well-known names in the visiting ranks) this is a game that Derbyshire should win. It would keep alive their marginal interest in the competition, although with Yorkshire, Middlesex and Hampshire to come, they will regret losing to earlier lesser lights.
I will add a page for your comments afterwards and add my own observations from the limited cricket I see when I get down to Chesterfield.
As always, your comments are welcome.
Postscript: Matthew Montgomery is back so will likely come straight into the side and strengthen both the batting and bowling
