Derbyshire v Northamptonshire day 4

Wayne and Wainer's World...

Northamptonshire may be known as the Steelbacks but for me they will always be known for the county town's footwear. Quite apposite really, as the weather forecasts I saw yesterday and today were obviously cobblers and Derbyshire earned a quite remarkable win this afternoon by 203 runs.

To be honest, I didn't see that one coming and when Derbyshire added to their overnight total in relative ease this morning there seemed little reason to expect an ultimate triumph, Paul Borrington came oh-so-close to a maiden century for the county, but Bozza's time will come for that and if nothing else he has totally earned the right to a run in the team. His partnership yesterday with Martin Guptill should be seen in a completely new light now by those who dismissed the slow scoring and they both deserve hearty plaudits for their role in an astonishing triumph.

With Tim Groenewald missing with his groin injury, Derbyshire could not afford to be overly generous with their declaration and more quick runs from the admirable Mr Redfern, who looked so good in this match, enabled Wayne Madsen to set a target of 337 in 72 overs.

Although Mark Footitt and Tony Palladino each took an early wicket, there appeared no undue issues when the visitors brought up their hundred in the 35th over. Even the club's Twitter feed suggested they were playing out the draw (which seemed the summit of their ambitions throughout the game), but then a player who has made an enormous early impact at Derbyshire stepped up to the mark.

As you will know if you have read this blog over the winter, I had absolutely no doubt that David Wainwright would prove an outstanding signing for our club. Everything about him suggested he was the type of player we needed, including a loyalty to his club side at Castleford which, in the light of lucrative offers from eslewhere, suggested him a man of integrity, aside from genuine merit as a cricketer.

Pre-season he proved himself a bowler who could both contain and also take wickets when conditions favoured him. He also showed himself a batsman of real talent, but today it was all about the bowler, as Wainwright slowly but surely whittled his way through the Northamptonshire middle order. There was a little luck along the way, especially when Middlebrook drove him onto Dan Redfern for Mark Footitt to take the catch, but every bowler needs that. At the end of a debut match that entered the realms of fantasy,  Wainwright can reflect on figures of 27-10-50-1 and 26-11-33-6. It is a long, long time since a Derbyshire spinner returned two such sets of figures in a game - and I include Robin Peterson in that statement. As the man who replaced Greg Smith in the middle order he can reflect on a job brilliantly done.

So too can Karl Krikken. It was perhaps tempting on the first day, especially when the visitors opted to leave out new South African spinner Con de Lange, for Krikk and Wayne Madsen to play Jon Clare instead of Wainwright. For me, you need that variety in the attack, even if the ball isn't turning and full marks to those concerned on an eminently sensible team selection.

Nor should we forget the efforts of Wes Durston, who took the crucial wicket of Newton soon after he reached a patient fifty, then the last one when his arm ball clean bowled Liam Daggett. Then again, you cannot discount the team, as there was not a single player who failed to make a contribution to this win. Tom Poynton kept beautifully throughout and the team worked brilliantly in the field.

As for the new skipper, he couldn't have done more. I noticed how his preferred position is now mid off, to enable him to talk to his bowlers and he timed the declaration to perfection. Then he changed his bowlers round and ensured that batsmen never got settled, placed fields intelligently and, at the end of it all, saw his young team (average age 23.8 by the way) win in some style.

One win doesn't make a season, but it might go some way to stopping some of the patronising garbage being spouted by cricket media people who really should know better. To them, Derbyshire might be "a team without any real talent" but today they won a memorable victory because they are just that - a team.

To be honest, from what I saw of this Derbyshire side over recent days, they're more a tribe or a gang. One for all and all for one might well have been the maxim of the Musketeers, but could easily be adopted by the Flying Falcons. Only time will tell if we can follow this with consistent, sustained performance and mount a serious promotion challenge (I think we can, for the record).

But by crikey, this one will do nicely for starters. Madsen's Marauders are up and running...

Derbyshire v Northamptonshire day one

I watched Sachin Tendulkar batting in the IPL yesterday and my Dad and I reminisced about how we saw the little batting genius make his first century in Indian colours, at Chesterfield some twenty summers ago.

Today I saw the first century in Derbyshire colours by Daniel Redfern and while the young Derbyshire batsmen is in no other way comparable to the Indian maestro, his strokeplay today was worthy of comparison with him or any other top player you care to mention. The way that Redfern and Ross Whiteley counter-attacked after lunch was quite breathtaking and total illustration of the aggressive style of play promised by Karl Krikken pre-season.

This, of course, is not all about hitting everything in sight but in marrying shrewd shot selection with sound defensive technique and both young players amply illustrated their talents at the County Ground. Whiteley was very circumspect before lunch but opened up afterwards in an innings that displayed his powerful strokeplay beautifully.

Most other batsmen struggled on a day where batting was never as easy as those two youngsters showed it to be in the early afternoon. Martin Guptill was playing straight and beautifully when he chipped one to midwicket, Wayne Madsen got one that jagged back and seemed to keep a little low and Paul Borrington seemed to be moving his feet well and middling the ball when Jack Brooks got him to edge to slip.

Brooks is a good player, albeit one with a lot to say for himself, with a few verbals in the direction of Redfern and an unnecessary/somewhat silly late bouncer at Mark Footitt. I wouldn't have chosen a bowler of the latter's pace to flex muscles personally and Brooks may be wary of batting tomorrow if Footitt has any kind of memory...

Wes Durston did well for a while but was pinned LBW, while David Wainwright also looked composed at the crease. Later in the innings there were useful runs from Tom Poynton, whose late runs may turn out to be precious in what looks likely to be a low-scoring game. Certainly Derbyshire would have taken an all out total of 286 after being 21-3 inside the first hour.

The value of Redfern and Whiteley's stand was seen as Northamptonshire quickly subsided to 28-3. Tim Groenewald and Tony Palladino both bowled with accuracy and hostility in their opening spells, with Martin Guptill taking a characteristically sharp chance at second slip to remove Newton. Had Redfern managed to cling on to a snick from David Sales, the visitors would have closed at 28-4. As it is, they will approach the morning session tomorrow with some trepidation. With the weather set to be a little warmer, the conditions may be more conducive to swing and the Derbyshire seamers are eminently capable of destroying their innings before lunch.

Mark Footitt bowled with real hostility in the last few overs and, if Sales is removed quickly in the morning, might be a handful for lesser batsmen in the early season conditions. Meanwhile Tom Poynton kept impeccably in that final session and can reflect on a very competent first day as the first choice wicket keeper.

Throughout the day there was a very positive "vibe" around the ground and such a commodity has often been in short supply at the County Ground. It looked a picture and the team seemed far more agile, lithe and "up" for the game than the visitors. I see a season of genuine potential ahead and look forward to reporting on it immensely.

In closing, two final comments. Thanks to everyone I met at the club today for your company and conversation. I enjoyed it immensely and look forward to tomorrow and another day of watching the Derbyshire young guns in full flow.

As the shadows lengthened at the end of the day and the cold returned with a vengeance after the afternoon sun, I watched a golden labrador gambol along the boundary edge without a care in the world. They're perceptive are labradors and I'm convinced that it must have been the guide dog of former Nottinghamshire batsman Mark Wagh, whose pre-season preview in a magazine barely worth mentioning suggested that Derbyshire had no players worthy of reference (I paraphrase, but you get the point).

If Wagh has a semblance of an idea about cricket then such crass comment barely adds credibility to his fledgling reputation as a commentator.

Maybe the dog should write it next time... the Falcons are flying.

Tomorrow, they might soar.

Derbyshire v Northamptonshire preview

The Derbyshire squad for tomorrow against Northamptonshire has been announced and is pretty much as I named late last week. Assuming that we're not building snowmen tomorrow instead, I fully expect this side to take the field tomorrow, with Chesney Hughes taking an opening berth and the seamers all fit

Guptill
Hughes
Madsen
Durston
Redfern
Whiteley
Clare
Wainwright
Poynton
Groenewald/Footitt
Palladino

Tim Groenewald is perhaps the one with least bowling behind him pre-season, but logic suggests that he will play if Karl Krikken is happy he can bowl throughout the match. It is likely to be a slow track with movement for the bowlers and if the weather stays out of it should see a positive result.

Northamptonshire have been dealt a blow with the loss to inury of influential skipper Andrew Hall. There's no news yet on their team, but David Sales will lead in Hall's absence and Northamptonshire are dangerous opponents, batting long and with a good opening pair in Chaminda Vaas and Jack Brooks.

Then so are Derbyshire. An impressive pre-season has consolidated the positive vibe around the club and an early win can so often be a prelude to a fine season. By the same token, defeat would be a long way from the end of the world.

I'm looking forward to being there and just hope that the temperature picks up by a few degrees.

Might take that ice pick with me, just in case...

Derbyshire v Northamptonshire day 1

Had it not been for the loss of Martin Guptill just before stumps, Derbyshire would have been delighted with their first day's work against Northamptonshire.

As it is, they must be pleased to have bowled out the table-topping side for 267 in a season when tails have wagged more frequently than that of a dog who finds a bone with a healthy slab of meat still attached. If we can emulate that tomorrow - and there's plenty of batting left to do so - we can yet establish ascendancy in this match. Whatever else, if the weather stays out of it there is plenty of time for a positive result and we need that, one way or another. If we lose, so be it, but a chance of a win is worth going for.

 I was delighted to see Mark Footitt back and firing with a fine mid-innings spell that tore open the visitors middle order. Without any risk of argument, if we had been able to field Footitt and Mark Turner this season we would have had the quickest attack in the County Championship, including the top division. Jon Clare is close to 90mph at times and Groenewald bowls a quick ball and on bouncy tracks batsmen don't like real pace - especially when it is accurate. If Turner and Footitt can work on their accuracy and fitness (in Footitt's case) over the winter our pace attack will be serious stuff in 2012.

There were a disturbing number of leg byes in the Northamptonshire innings, but four quick bowlers slightly off line, coupled with a short boundary, will do that. While the visitors will be happy with their recovery, Derbyshire are still in this game.

Martin Guptill hit a remarkable 13 fours in his 55 and had he remained for tomorrow we could have looked forward to a sizeable lead. As it is we need good contributions from young guns Redfern, Whiteley and Clare, together with a captain's knock from Luke Sutton. 350 is a long way off at present but not impossible and such a lead could be crucial in what is likely to be a low-scoring contest.

Incidentally, Middlesex's loss last night to Kent in the CB40 means Derbyshire could yet finish second in the CB40, which would be a remarkable effort. If it hadn't been for those Netherlands games...

Please let us get Scotland next year.

Northamptonshire v Derbyshire preview

Derbyshire have added Jake Needham and Mark Footitt to the side that played at Leek on Monday for tomorrow night's televised encounter with Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.

As regular readers will know by now, I like my music and if I'd to choose a song that was apposite for our one day fortunes this season, it would probably be "Its Not How You Start, Its How You Finish." There have been a few times over the years when Derbyshire have got off to a flyer,only to fizzle out long before the start of July. I think we're a little bit away from being as good a one day side as we are in the four day game, but working at it will improve our fortunes.

I think Mark Footitt is a good spearhead for four day cricket, though his tendency for some erratic stuff makes him less of an automatic choice in the one day game. He bowled a lot of wides in the recent Second Eleven game, but this can happen with young quick bowlers at times. In his favour for this fixture is the way that he twice despatched Rob White, a real danger man who scores quickly, in the Championship game last month. Conversely, Needham may get more one day games and could feasibly replace one of the seamers from the Leek. He rarely gets hammered around the park and a partnership with Robin Peterson could reap dividends, depending on the state of the pitch.

The home side have named the following side for the game:

S.D Peters
N.J O'Brien
M.B Loye
D.J Sales
R.A White
N. Boje
A.J Hall
J.D Middlebrook
D.S Lucas
L.M Daggett
J.A Brooks

It promises to be great entertainment and here's hoping for a Derbyshire win to get us up and running.

In other news, it has been a disappointing World 20 over competition for Loots Bosman so far, but I will thank him for my early night last night. I was all set to stay up and watch him against Afghanistan when he was run out for a duck. Given that in normal circumstances the fixture would have had all the appeal of a twenty-four hour reality TV station for me, it was time for bed at that point. Good to see Langers getting three wickets and proving that there's life in the old dog yet.

The wickets in the Caribbean have been disappointing and I'm sure that the greats of the past, brought up on hard fast wickets would be saddened by the way that they do little to encourage strokeplay. Scores have generally been below par, with "dibbly dobbly" bowlers often the most effective. My gut feeling is that it will be a win for either India or Australia, with the former probably shading it with their additional IPL experience.

Northamptonshire v Derbyshire day one

Dear Diary,

Mark Footitt and Robin Peterson, both of whom I signed in the close season, took seven wickets between them today, while Tom Lungley, to whom I gave another year's contract, took three himself.
Afterwards, the skipper and Wayne Madsen added 57 without being parted to make it a thoroughly satisfying day.
Excellent!

You could easily forgive John Morris for writing that tonight (if he kept a diary) as Derbyshire did very well to bowl out their hosts for just 220 and make substantial inroads into their total before stumps.

Footitt and Lungley did what strike bowlers are supposed to do, while Peterson again bowled with astonishing control and penetration. 24-8-33-3 are extraordinary figures, but when one considers that fourteen came from one over as Nick Boje tried to hit him from the attack they become all the more remarkable. That's twenty wickets already for the South African, who has given Derbyshire the quality spin option we have lacked for years. His control is also crucial to the success thus far, as batsmen struggling to score from him take risks at the other end.

Very impressive, very impressive indeed. Of course, what we now need is a good full day of batting tomorrow, as Wantage Road is usually responsive to spin on the last day. That was doubtless behind Northamptonshire's decision to bat and to play two spinners in Boje and Middlebrook. I am sure that our game plan will now be to bat until lunch on Thursday and ideally get a lead of at least 200, allowing Peterson (and Greg Smith) to rip it on a dusty track.

Time will tell if we can manage it, but it is nice to be able to report on the first day of four and conclude by saying that Derbyshire hold all of the aces right now.

Over on 606, supposed (I doubt it) Derbyshire fans are moaning that we're not playing English youngsters. Sigh.... yeah, but we're winning. Redfern is temporarily out of the team and Borrington hasn't yet made the weight of runs that will surely come, but we're winning for goodness sake! Clare hasn't had a chance as he is still recovering from shoulder surgery, but if you genuinely are Derbyshire fans, enjoy the current renaissance in our fortunes rather than moan. I ask this - who will you drop, in current form, to accommodate Redfern, even if he was in form - which he isn't? If Bozza doesn't get a score soon then Dan may replace him, but all the others are scoring runs.

Finally tonight, I'd an interesting e mail about my suggestion that Greg Smith may attract the international selectors at some point. The correspondent suggested that the England selectors may not want another ex-South Africa Under 19 cap, to play alongside Trott, Pietersen and Kieswetter. While not specifically a Derbyshire poll question, what do you think? How many foreign reared and age group-capped players is acceptable for the England side? Please vote and let me know. Thanks for the question and please keep your e mails and comments coming.

PS Sorry about the late blog tonight. I had a talk to do this evening, but normal service will be resumed tomorrow.

Northamptonshire v Derbyshire preview

Derbyshire have announced a squad of 14 for tomorrow's Championship match against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.

Graham Wagg misses out, so there are returns for Mark Footitt and Tim Groenewald. The squad in full is:

Chris Rogers
Wayne Madsen
Paul Borrington
Garry Park
Greg Smith
John Sadler
Chesney Hughes
Robin Peterson
Lee Goddard
Jake Needham
Tom Lungley
Tim Groenewald
Steffan Jones
Mark Footitt

Its hard to call the attack for this one, so I'll not try. My guess is that Needham and Hughes will miss out and one of the seamers, but as always, the final line up will depend on how the track looks.

Northamptonshire are an enigmatic side, capable of such batting talent to chase down a target of over 390 against Middlesex with time to spare. Yet they are prone to collapse, with the extravagant strokeplay of Loye, White and Sales sometimes their downfall. Opener Stephen Peters is another player with a liking for our bowling and if we get our lines wrong they are capable of posting 400 in a day quite easily.

Their attack is less threatening, with the aging Andrew Hall and Nick Boje still expected to do their share of the bowling. David Lucas is the spearhead and does well for them, but on paper the bowling does not look like one of the more penetrative on the circuit and they may well miss Van der Wath this season.

Of course, such games are the ones that Derbyshire need to win if we are to remain credible promotion contenders. A draw would be no bad result, but if we can force another positive result from this one, with Sussex and Leicestershire battling it out at Hove, we may have a better idea of the genuine contenders by the end of this encounter.

Northamptonshire squad

S.Peters
M.Loye
A.Wakeley
D.Sales
R.White
A Hall
N Boje
P Harrison (Wk)
J Middlebrook
D Lucas
J Brooks
V Tripathi
D Willey
L Evans

Derbyshire v Northamptonshire day 2

A life membership of Derbyshire Cricket Club for the under 50's? £1950

A revamp of the County Ground introducing 2,000 seats and a marquee? £500,000

This afternoon's stand between Tim Groenewald (pictured) and Steffan Jones? Priceless.

With apologies to Mastercard, that's the sum of it in the context of this match and possibly Derbyshire's season. With Gloucestershire having a dreadful day at Leicester and having to pull something quite sensational out of the bag to get anything from the game, a win for us in this game would put real daylight between us and the chasing pack, even allowing for Northamptonshire having a game in hand.

I said last night that I thought the two late wickets had left the game evenly poised and although Northamptonshire got to lunch with 200 on the board and only five wickets down, Derbyshire and Tim Groenewald in particular came out after lunch like men inspired. 224-5 became 246 all out as Groenewald, with a little assistance from Wavell Hinds, ripped the lower order apart.

Of course, to do that a bowler has to have some help and it was always likely that we would struggle in turn. At 53-4 I'm sure you were as concerned as I was, with Lucas and Van der Wath getting movement from the pitch. Wavell Hinds counter attacked and played a fine cameo before hitting a steepler to mid off, while Dan Redfern dug in and battled for an hour and three-quarters for his 28. Even so, at 140-7 and all the main batsmen out we needed runs from somewhere.

Enter Messrs Groenewald and Jones. As the bowlers tired, the two bowlers added 63 in 11 overs with some sensible batting. Last week on 606, someone moaned about Groenewald and said they didn't know what his role in the team was supposed to be! The answer's simple - he's possibly the best signing of the season who takes wickets and has contributed useful tail end runs on several occasions. Same with Steffan - his attitude, runs and wickets have been spot on since he arrived from Somerset.

On the Northamptonshire boards they already think they've lost this one and didn't fancy their chances of making 175. Now that we're 221 ahead, my money is on Derbyshire. I exchanged texts this afternoon and said that 180 would be testing on a wearing track. A few more tomorrow will be handy and 250 a psychological barrier, but we will need to bowl badly or them bat especially well to lose this one. The wickets of Peters and White will be important, the former as he can dig in, the latter as he can take a game away from you quickly, but for me we are in the driving seat here.

On the subject of the wicket, I'm sure John Morris would have asked for a result track and has almost certainly got one. Whichever way the result goes, isn't it nice to see a game where there's a balance between bat and ball and the batsmen don't have it all their own way? Look at the farce at Taunton at present. Sussex 742-5 and Somerset 126-0. Boring, boring, boring. I know which game I'd sooner have watched, irrespective of Murray Goodwin's triple century.

So to tomorrow. Leicestershire nearly 300 ahead at Grace Road with five wickets left against our nearest rivals. Makes our "failings" last week ever so slightly more palatable doesn't it? If we can bag the win points tomorrow, we could be 26 points clear of third place after this round of matches.

Come on lads. Let's do it tomorrow!

Derbyshire v Northamptonshire day 1

All things considered, we made a bit of a pig's ear of it today.

After a good start from Rogers and Madsen, we recovered to pass the hundred with only two wickets down and then the middle order fell away. It was only through the clean hitting of James Pipe and Steffan Jones that we reached 250 and a second precious bonus point. In the light of that collapse, maybe we should be pleased with that 255. Not great, but not disastrous either.

Yet half an hour from the close, Northants were cruising at 131-1 with White and Peters finding things very much to their liking. We were, putting not too fine a point on it, looking down a barrel.

Then Wavell's dibbly dobbly seamers got White lbw and Tim Groenewald got his second wicket, the huge one of Stephen Peters, who went in the same way. A closing score of 137-3 means that all is fairly even, though I'd be happy as a Northants fan tonight.

Wavell's wicket reminded me of something that has puzzled me this year - his lack of bowling. Maybe he's had a niggling injury, but there's been times, especially in one day games, when Wavell's wobblers would have done something different and maybe slowed things down. He's an underrated bowler - no world beater but needing to be watched. I think he's been under utilised with the ball, no question of it.

As for the game, today's wickets have increased the likelihood of a positive result, even if rain takes a hand. A couple of early wickets and we could have Wessels and Hall in. Van der Wath can hit hard as we know, but we are still very much in this match.

What we really need is for Nantie Hayward to come out tomorrow and rekindle memories of the international bowler he was. It hasn't really worked for him so far, yet one hopes that the fire still flickers and could yet be fanned into flame. A fit and firing Hayward would get life out of this wicket and there's no doubt that Graham Wagg would have loved it today as he often does well at Queens Park.

In today's other big game at the top of the table, Leicestershire made 332-8 against Gloucestershire, with teenage prodigy James Taylor again top scoring with an unbeaten 76. A wonderful talent that lad and I only hope he's a lifelong Derbyshire fan whose ambition is to join us and play a major part in our rise to do,inance. I suspect he won't, but we can dream.

Finally tonight, news that we're developing the ground with 2,000 more seats and a permanent marquee is excellent. One assumes that this is to pull in more punters for the big Twenty/20 nights. In the light of our form in this format of the game, might I suggest that the big tent is called the Marquee de Sade?

I'll get me coat. See you tomorrow when I'll blog earlier - the painting has officially finished!

Derbyshire v Northamptonshire preview

Sorry about the lateness of the blog tonight but I've been up a ladder painting all day, also known as acquiring brownie points to those in the know!

While I've been doing the Peakfan equivalent of the Sistine Chapel in our living room, I've thought a lot about tomorrow's game - essentially about how much I'd like to have been there.
Still, I hope to make the decisive game against Essex all being well, so I'll keep my fingers crossed that results in between times go our way and make that one something special.

Both sides have injury problems tomorrow. As pretty much everyone expected, Graham Wagg sits this one out and to be honest, I'd be surprised if we saw much more of him this year. A shoulder injury takes some recovery and if that is the case it is a massive blow.

Nonetheless, it also presents an opportunity to someone else and Derbyshire go into the game with the following 13:

Chris Rogers
Wayne Madsen
Garry Park
Greg Smith
Wavell Hinds
Dan Redfern
James Pipe
Chesney Hughes
Jonathan Clare
Tim Groenewald
Steffan Jones
Mark Lawson
Nantie Hayward

The top eleven could well be what takes the field, although Nantie Hayward could be preferred to Jon Clare. If that is so, it would mean a first class debut for Anguillan Chesney Hughes, who has being doing well with bat and ball in the Second XI. He is the latest to stake a claim to the spinning berth and can surely do no worse than Mark Lawson, who has struggled to take wickets this year. With Jake Needham out of favour at present (despite six wickets for Ockbrook at the weekend), Hughes has an opportunity to show what he can do. A stylish all-rounder, I think fans will like what they see and I'm sure it won't be his one and only appearance. D'ya get it? Chesney...one and only... I'm wasted me!

Northamptonshire have yet to announce their side, but look set to be without influential skipper Nick Boje with a back injury. With Monty Panesar in the Test squad, Andrew Hall is likely to be skipper. The key wicket is likely to be that of Stephen Peters, so often the thorn in Derbyshire sides. He has always scored heavily against us and removing him will be key to our chances.

Yet if the weather stays favourable I think we can win this one. There's light rain forecast for the last three days so we look like being truncated to some extent, but this is a pretty good Derbyshire side. To be fair, I think some of them don't realise how good they are, or could potentially be. A good spinner and a strike bowler would make a huge difference to the side, but where we get them is another question.

Elsewhere comes the news that from next year we will be known in one day circles as the Derbyshire Falcons. We were rubbish as Scorpions (no sting in the tail) and only slightly better as Phantoms (many said we didn't have a ghost of a chance). Perhaps now we'll prey (I'm in form tonight!) on unsuspecting opponents.

Here's to a good one tomorrow. The boys can do it!

Derbyshire v Northamptonshire preview

I had a look at the Newsnow feed that I use on a regular basis this morning.

"James Franklin ton in vain for Derbyshire as Gloucestershire succeed" read the headline from this morning's Mirror.

Well done guys, hard to get that one wrong really. Wrong winner, wrong player in wrong team in ten words...

Anyway, top of the league we are (I checked!) and this weekend we have a little relief from the excitement of the Championship with the start of this season's Pro 40competition. I still like the 40 over game and have been a fan since its origins in the old John Player League. You could have your Sunday dinner then and head off for the game for the 2pm start and see a good game, yet still be home for around 8pm.

All different now, of course and we start at 4.40pm with the floodlights coming on after the ritualistic break for the blinding sun. I would like to see Derbyshire continue their recent good form in the weekend games against Northamptonshire tomorrow and then Lancashire at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The Steelbacks have Niall O'Brien out injured at present and have concerns over Stephen Peters, who injured his back against us in the Championship (batting far too long!) There's no news on the Derbyshire side at this stage, but with a number of men in good form it is unlikely there will be many changes from the side that beat Gloucestershire so convincingly. That would mean a one day debut for Wayne Madsen, who the home fans will be looking forward to seeing, while Steffan Jones will doubtless get a fine reception on his return to the County Ground. I would have thought it unlikely that Nantie Hayward would be risked, even if his ankle has responded to treatment. I'm sure John Morris has plans for him in the second half of the Championship campaign and will want him firing on all cylinders.

It has again been interesting reading the various reports on the Morris contacts book. With Hayward, he sought the opinion of ex County player and coach Phil Russell, while he was tipped off on Wayne Madsen by Clive Rice and Luke Sutton. The former knew him from South Africa while the ex-County keeper had played against him in the Central Lancashire League. It is good to hear that Morris has his contacts around the world and that he can bring players to the County.

So my side for tomorrow would in all likelihood be:

Chris Rogers
Wayne Madsen
Garry Park
Dan Redfern
Wavell Hinds
Greg Smith
James Pipe
Graham Wagg
Tim Groenewald
Jake Needham
Steffan Jones

I suppose it is possible that Stuart Law could play, with Morris having kept him as an option for this competition, but the advent of Madsen may well render that option unnecessary. He could also rest Dan Redfern, who is doing well in his first full season, but I can't see too many changes from the above. When there's nothing broken, don't try to fix it.

More tomorrow. Have a good one

Northants v Derbyshire FP Trophy

Derbyshire produced a professional display to beat Northamptonshire in a game that ebbed and flowed after we had produced our best batting of the season in posting 286-9.

This impressive score was based on good contributions from our holy trimuvirate with Stuart Law (pictured) leading the way with an imperious 95, Wavell posting another good score with 57 and the newly arrived skipper hitting 42 before holing out on the boundary edge.

When you arrive at a new club with the career average that Law has accumulated in the past 20 years there is little left to prove. His comments on arrival that it was more than just about his runs were valid, but there is no doubt that he will sleep easier tonight having shown the county's fans what an outstanding batsman he is.

Rogers batted remarkably well too for a man who must be pretty jetlagged and I loved Dave Griffin's comments on the radio this afternoon about Buck's arrival in this country. Did he want to go home for a rest? No, he wanted to go to the ground for a hit and some exercise - exactly what you want from your overseas pro and your skipper. When the two Aussies were posting their second wicket stand, my mind was cast back to the last time I felt so good about a Derbyshire line-up, which was in the halcyon days of Wright and Kirsten. When those two were going well you thought a win was a formality and there was a similar air from Rogers and Law today.

Wavell's knock added to his excellent record in this year's FP Trophy and its funny to think we were moaning about him (me included) a week or two back.

After Law and Hinds were dismissed we lost our way a little but the late assault by Graham Wagg which saw him lift three huge sixes (and hurt himself in the process) took us to an eminently defendable total.

Yet when Wessels and O'Brien stormed from the blocks with a stand of 66 in around nine overs we looked in serious trouble. Wagg was only able to bowl three expensive overs and Garry Park was also expensive today. The advent of Tim Groenewald was a key factor, as the middle order was strangled effectively. Derbyshire's bowling options stood them in good stead too, with Dan Redfern doing a good job and removing Mark Nelson after the youngster threatened a late challenge and there was no need for Wavell to turn his arm over as Derbyshire eventually won comfortably.

With Essex soundly beating Lancashire, the group is again wide open and our game on Wednesday is a really big one. The weather forecast doesn't look too clever for this one and it may be that any game is truncated at best. At the halfway stage Lancashire and Essex have 6 points from four games and we have 4. Our destiny is very much in our own hands and with better luck with the toss in the remaining matches (we lost it again today but did OK in the end) we could still sneak into the business places.

Again though, today was a new Derbyshire playing with purpose, confidence and no little skill. It's been a long time since we were able to say that about our one day form and the side are to be roundly applauded for their efforts. Well done guys.

Northants v Derbyshire - FP Trophy preview

With skipper Chris Rogers back in harness, Derbyshire will be revitalised going into tomorrow's game.

There's no news at this stage of either side but John Morris has the nicest kind of batting dilemma in that he has numerous batting and bowling options. One of his first decisions is in who opens with Chris Rogers and both Steve Stubbings and Dan Redfern will be hoping for a call. He may alternatively look for a brisk start and elevate someone like Greg Smith, but my guess is that he'll stick with one of the two openers who have done a decent job so far.

With the hosts tracks having a reputation for spin, it would appear likely that both Jake Needham and Mark Lawson will play, with Needham having enjoyed the track in the pre-season. The other decision is who takes the new ball with Graham Wagg. Both Tim Groenewald and Jon Clare offer all round ability and it comes down to who is most in form with the ball. Clare bowled a steady spell at Derby last weekend and again did well against the students from the Leeds/Bradford UCCE so may get the nod, although Groenewald's explosive potential with the bat could equally swing the decision his way.

Assuming everyone is fit, I'd expect ther following side to line up tomorrow:

Chris Rogers
Dan Redfern/Steve Stubbings
Stuart Law
Wavell Hinds
Garry Park
Greg Smith
James Pipe
Graham Wagg
Jon Clare/Tim Groenewald
Jake Needham
Mark Lawson

The hosts are having a decent season, with South African Andrew Hall on fire with bat and ball at present. All rounder Stephen Crook is another in good form, while skipper Nicky Boje has a wealth of experience and a lot of ability. There is little doubt that this will be a good game, but the arrival of Rogers gives Derbyshire's top order a look of reassurance. It would be unfair to expect him to get off the plane and be scoring heavily immediately, but I think we could win this one and re-ignite our chances in the FP Trophy. While I see Lancashire qualifying as group winners, the rest of the group is too close to call and Derbyshire are still very much in the mix. After two matches that have been effectively decided by the loss of the toss, here's hoping that Rogers has brought a two-headed Aussie coin with him - and calls correctly!

A chance meeting

We were at breakfast at our hotel in Scarborough last Sunday morning. The day had dawned promisingly and our holidays were set to start well.

The hotel was great. If you're going there, I'd heartily recommend the Sunningdale Hotel. It is straight across from the gates of Peasholm Park, and a five minute walk from the beach and the cricket ground.

In between the conversation at the table, I was looking around at the other guests and thought I recognised a chap sat with his wife at the next table, but assumed he just looked a little like someone I knew.

After breakfast I started talking to David, the proprietor's husband, and it wasn't long before cricket came up in the conversation. In the course of it he said that the "chap at the next table played professional cricket - for Northampton I think".

Then it hit me who he was! It was Jim Griffiths of Northamptonshire, a man good enough to take nearly 450 first class wickets as a fast medium bowler but more importantly, who bowled the last over when we won the Nat West Trophy at Lords in 1981!

Over the next few days we got talking and he told me a lot about that final.

"To be honest, we thought we had it won at lunch when we were 133-1 off 39 overs. We felt that from there a score of 270-280 was on the cards. But when Geoff Miller ran out Allan Lamb soon after lunch, it changed the game a little."

The Derbyhire fielding was very impressive after lunch

"They caught everything, with Alan Hill holding a blinder at long-on to get rid of Richard Williams and there were three run outs as we panicked a little."

That catch by Alan Hill, when he threw himself to his left and held on to a full blooded hit is still in my memory, but Northants started the last ten overs at 183-3 and should have breezed 250 from there.

"Barry Wood handled his bowlers well and we were disappointed with a total of 235-9. We only scored a hundred from the last 20 overs, but still felt that we could win if we could get rid of Wright and Kirsten early."

Jim opened with Safraz and the ball was swinging.

"There was a lot of playing and missing by Hill and Wright but neither Sarfaz (Nawaz,the Pakistan opening bowler) nor I could get an edge. Neil Mallender bowled Hill when he came on but we'd hoped to get at Kirsten with the new ball and the openers did well."

Derbyshire needed to score at just four an over but batting wasn't straightforward.

"They were terrific players but we kept them quiet and Tim Lamb and Peter Willey kept things tight. We felt that if we could get one of them we could win the game."

After 47 overs, Derbyshire were 154-1. Just 82 were needed from 13 overs and although the rate had climbed, six an over with wickets in hand was gettable.

"Wright hit Neil Mallender into the Mound Stand for six and then there were four byes. I thought that was the start of the charge but Wright played a poor shot and as lbw to Neil, then Kirsten got one that moved back into him and went the same way and we'd got them both in the same over."

With experienced captain Barry Wood and the young Kim Barnett together, 62 from 10 should have been a breeze, but Wood was bowled by Sarfraz, Jim bowled David Steele ("it was satisfying to bowl my old mate") and Geoff Miller and Barnett were at the crease.

"They batted well but still couldn't keep up with the rate and when Barnett was run out we really thought we had them"

Derbyshire needed 23 from 17 balls which became 19 from 12 as Griffiths kept it tight.

"With Sarf to bowl one of them we fancied it, but he lost his line and Colin Tunnicliffe smacked him through the covers for four and then hit him straight back for another one. "

12 came from that penultimate over, leaving Jim to bowl the last knowing that he only had six runs to play with - a tie would give Derbyshire the game, having lost fewer wickets.

"I knew I had to keep it tight and not give any width" he said, "but Miller took two and then a single. The third ball I got right and there was no run, but they nicked a single off the fourth and then the fifth."

One ball left, the light was poor and the atmosphere electric.

"We spent a lot of time sorting the field and working out where it might go. I planned to fire it in on leg stump but couldn't afford a wide. You could tell everyone was on edge and it was a situation where everyone hopes the ball goes to someone else."

Griffiths ran in and the ball ran out into the legside.

"Lamby got it and threw in. Was he too deep? Hindsight says yes, but we thought it was OK. He threw in as fast as he could, but couldn't turn to get to the bowler, where Tunnicliffe might have been struggling."

Geoff Cook was at the stumps and took off the bails but too late. Geoff Miller had thrown himself in and had made his ground. Derbyshire had won!

"We couldnt believe it. We thought we had it at several points and were really down after the match. Derbyshire were ecstatic and you could understand that - they'd not won a trophy for years"(since 1936).

Had he replayed that over in his head since then?

"Yeah, hundreds of times"

And what would you have done differently?

"Bowled a maiden!"

Nice guy Jim Griffiths. Nearing 60 he still plays occasionally "but takes much longer to recover these days". He still sees his old team mates at reunions and they talk about that game on a regular basis.

"It was great fun and you're very lucky to get to play first class cricket. I loved playing at Scarborough and its nice to be back here for a few days."

From my point of view, it was fascinating to hear about the game I'd watched from a player's perspective. I've watched it times many on video and I'm just glad that Jim didn't bowl that maiden!

Northants v Derbyshire - Pro 40

That's it then. Derbyshire are absolute rubbish, have no batting, no bowling and cannot field for toffee...

No, I don't believe it, but it should pretty much guarantee we win the Pro 40 and gain Championship promotion after writing that...

Having written off Dan Birch (pictured) and Ian Hunter in the last couple of days, they produce match-winning performances with bat and ball respectively to steer us to as emphatic a run chase win as I recall in recent years.

Quite honestly, once Hinds and Birch got together, the result never seemed in doubt. How many times over the years have we seen run chases start slowly and then wickets fall when we needed to accelerate? I remember years ago watching Derbyshire chase a similar total to this at Queens Park against Middlesex in a Cup semi final. Phil Sharpe and Ron Headley were adding to the total but the run rate kept climbing. Dad and I were convinced they were happy to leave the two batsmen in and we eventually lost by a distance.

Today, Birch was simply brilliant. 76 from 59 balls with 8 fours and 4 sixes is how he has batted against club attacks and it is the first time I've thought "yeah, he could do it". Maybe his knock yesterday gave him confidence but this must have been great to watch. It was good to see Wavell again batting well at the other end. The genial Jamaican has won plaudits for the way he talks players through innings and his batting today, coupled with a steady bowling display, was also important to the success.

It was a shame when Birch was run out as he looked set for a century. That has been the start of collapses in recent years but it was equally impressive the way that Smith and Telo built another partnership to see us to victory. Although Telo fell trying to win it in style, Smith saw us to a very comfortable win, accompanied by the skipper.

So we start with a win, achieved without Langeveldt. When one considers that Pipe, Wagg and Clare were not needed today the batting looked solid (and long) again. Much more of this and we'll start to impress even some of the hardened moaners...

So back home tonight and Bangladesh A tomorrow. I would have thought that Rogers and Hinds will sit this out alongside Langeveldt and Waggy may also miss out after his shin splints. The attack may well feature White, Hunter, Clare, Needham and Doshi, while Redfern, Borrington and Patel could feature in the batting line-up alongside Telo and Smith with Birch also in the frame.

In the great scheme of things, tomorrow is a nothing match, but after a good five days in Northampton, Derbyshire have definitely got their season back on track. On July 20th, they have everything to play for in the Pro 40 and are very much in the Championship race. We've not been able to say that for a while.

Progress? Yeah, I reckon so.

Northants v Derbyshire - Pro 40 preview

I suspect we'll see a few changes to the Derbyshire side for tomorrow's game at Northampton.

Rikki will doubtless return after a few runs in the seconds to captain the side and I would assume will replace Paul Borrington.

If we assume that Waggy is fit, there may be a decision to make between playing two spinners or another seamer (either Wayne White or Kevin Dean). Tom Lungley has had an injury ravaged season again after last season's heroics and may no be fit again.

I'd see the side as being pretty close to:

Chris Rogers
Greg Smith
Wavell Hinds
Dan Redfern
Rikki Clarke
James Pipe
Graham Wagg
Jon Clare
Jake Needham
Charl Langeveldt
Wayne White/Nayan Doshi

I'd bring in Dan Redfern over Dan Birch as he is quite frankly a better player. As a batsman he has a full range of shots and as a fielder he is much more lithe. He also offers an extra bowling option, if required and I would like to see him get a run in the side for this competition in preparation for next year and his first professional contract.

I would have loved to see Dan Birch make a fist of County Cricket but he is another who has found the jump from outstanding club player to county too much. There have been odd flashes of brilliance, but generally against weaker attacks and they have been too sporadic for my liking.

As for Northants, they will probably be the same as we have just faced. Maybe Rikki Wessels could come in and Johan Louw may also be a contender, if for no other reason that they haven't quite got enough South Africans playing...

Tough game for us, but one we can win if the batting fires. How often have I written that this season?

Northamptonshire v Derbyshire day 3

Another good day for the boys and especially Jon Clare, who is having the sort of game that is normally experienced in comics...

After his first century for the club yesterday, Clare took 5 wickets today to complete a memorable double and leave us on top in the game.

However, the amount of time lost to weather suggests that a result will be hard to force tomorrow, especially with further showers forecast tomorrow. If a result occurs, it almost certainly will be contrived. Perhaps the captains will agree tonight for the home side to declare and Derbyshire to set a target sometime after lunch tomorrow. It is hard to see how a result can come about otherwise as the wicket is simply too good for batting and a massive improvement on previous years here. Its funny what happens when you no longer have a decent spinner...

In other news today, after securing the services of Greg Smith, John Morris has now sealed a first professional contract for Danny Redfern. I've seen the youngster on several occasions now and never been less than thoroughly impressed. He is organised, compact, very fluent off his legs and a fantastic prospect. Personally I would like to see him given opportunities with Paul Borrington next season and to play alongside better players like Wavell Hinds, who appears to be a man keen to work with youngsters and pass on his experience. We have signed him for the next two years and I hope we see him for many years in Derbyshire colours.

Finally, news that a young 17 year old fast bowler, Atif Sheikh, has been called up for England Under 17s to play New Zealand. A new name on me, but full credit to the youngster and to the coaches at the club who have helped him to get to this standard. I don't know about everyone else, but all these talented youngsters have got me very enthusiastic about the medium term future of the club.

See you tomorrow!

PS Only a handful of players have previously taken five wickets as well as scoring a century in a match for Derbyshire.

George Davidson did it twice, Harry Bagshaw and Harry Storer once each, Sam Cadman three times. Those fine all rounders Garnett Lee, Les Townsend and George Pope also did it pre-WW2, but it has only been done on four occasions since then.

The first was by Kim Barnett in 1991, then Ant Botha in 2004 and "Pop" Welch in 2005.
Now Jon Clare. He should be a very proud lad tonight.

Northamptonshire v Derbyshire day 2

The other day I jokingly suggested that Derbyshire might score 500 at Northampton, then bowl them out twice.

Today we scored 485-7 and Graham Wagg and Jon Clare (pictured) both scored their maiden centuries. Memo to self - must make fun of our batting more often...

Well done to both of these guys, both of whom have done really well this season. If one accepts that a true all-rounder has a batting average in excess of his bowling one, then both qualify in spades this year. Wagg is now averaging 30 with the bat and has 28 wickets at 23, while young Clare cannot have imagined, even in his wildest dreams, a debut season like this.

Currently sitting with a batting average a fraction under 49 per innings as well as being second top scorer, he also has 14 wickets at 32. Good figures for any player, but for a young man rejected by Lancashire it is a great achievement. If he doesn't get an A tour this winter, like Wagg, they should be asking questions in Parliament.

When one considers that Greg Smith has signed a 2-year deal and is only 25, that is a trio of young all-rounders that any county would envy. We should also remember that Rikki Clarke is a far better player than his current figures suggest and another all-rounder, while Jake Needham has the potential to be valuable with bat and ball and has progressed this year.

Hey - and Dan Redfern, the best young Derbyshire batsman I've seen since Kim Barnett emerged, is a more than useful off-spinner while Akhil Patel, an attractive and hard-hitting left hander too, also bowls that rarity of left arm chinamen. Whether these two young talents continue as all rounders is debatable. While Kim Barnett remained a useful leggie and occasional medium-pacer to the end of his career, his batting progressed to a far greater extent. I suspect that Dan Redfern will be seen as an elegant and fluent left hand batsman who can bowl spin on occasion like Michael Vaughan and Kevin Pietersen, just the same as Patel.

We shouldn't discount the promise of Ross Whiteley either. He moves the ball either way at a reasonable pace and hits cleanly too.

Hmmm... eight all-round talents in one club that doesn't bring on young players. If only we spent more time with youngsters, who knows what we'd do eh, Mr Atherton?

Back to today's game and it was frustrating to lose so much time to the weather. Despite inadvertently getting close to our first innings score, I'd be surprised if my vision of bowling them out twice came true. Their innings has started steadily and there are good players to come. Unless the covered pitch sweats and helps our seamers tomorrow, or it starts to crumble and offer turn, forcing a win will take some doing. Given that ex-Test spinner Nick Boje did very little, it appears unlikely that Needham and Doshi will create havoc.

Still, it's a funny game as old Fred used to say. Tonight we celebrate, tomorrow we will (hopefully) get among them...

Derbyshire v Northamptonshire day 1

352-6 a the close. Five half centuries. You beauty!

OK, there were the usual disappointments, with Chris Rogers failing and none of them (yet) having gone on to a hundred, but this was a solid days work.

First up - full credit to Rikki Clarke who apparently dropped himself after a pretty dismal run of form. To be fair to the guy, that took guts and I'm sure we all hope he scores well in the 2nds and returns refreshed for the Pro 40.

Back to the game and well played Paul Borrington. I don't think that he is as good a batsman as Danny Redfern but what he has in spades is guts - chip off the old block there as his Dad was a battler. It was refreshing and pleasant to see a Derbyshire opener still there at lunch and his innings today was total vindication for John Morris' faith in him.

After we lost Chris Rogers early I didn't think we'd make 200, and when we were six down for 211 we could still have gone for under 250. Wavell batted well and Greg Smith, celebrating a new two-year contract looked to be in sublime touch with pretty much a run-a-ball fifty.
Then Graham Wagg and Jon Clare turned the game on its head with a partnership of 141 that was unbroken at the close.

For me, Wagg is a future captain and at his current rate of progress he could yet make international cricket. If there is a winter A tour this year, both he and Jon Clare should be under serious consideration. Mind you, they're probably too young for an A tour based on those who went last year. Steve Kirby and Alastair Richardson, both over 30, for goodness sake...

I'd love to see Waggy make his first century tomorrow - and for that matter Jon Clare too, but for now lets just celebrate an improved batting performance, the first one of the season in the first innings of a game. I would love to see us go on to make 450 tomorrow and then let the spinners loose after Charl and Waggy have hopefully blitzed the top order. Greg Smith bowled a full allocation in the last second team game so we can assume that he may play a part in the attack, either with seam or more likely off spin on what is often a spin-friendly track at Northampton.

Three spinners eh? I don't know about Northants and Derbyshire, this is like South Africa v the India of the 1970's!

Derbyshire v Northamptonshire

So Rikki has been dropped.

As I said earlier, it's not unexpected on form, but like a few others I didn't think Morris would do it. Full credit to him for doing so. No captain's place should be sacrosanct and while people like Mike Brearley and Stuart Surridge weren't world beaters, they led by example and often produced when it was most needed.

Sadly, Rikki has not yet done so.

I'm re-reading a really good biography of the pre-war Surrey skipper Percy Fender at present and was impressed by his views on captaincy. Essentially, if nothing is happening, try something unexpected, try different things and keep trying. His attitude was that no game should drift and sometimes you could cause problems as opponents struggled to work out why he had done something strange.

I know its a different game now, but the same values work. Even at club level, I've found that opening with spinners pays dividends as the guys generally don't play it too well. Bringing on a youngster causes problems as people are wary of getting out to a kid. Much different game to the county stuff, but trying things keeps everyone on their toes.

Tomorrow's skipper is unknown at present. Waggy had a shot in the 20/20 so could be a candidate again, Rogers did it against Glamorgan and Wavell has captained Jamaica. The brave call would be Waggy, who has had a fine season, the more logical one probably Rogers.

There's no news of the Northants side, but think of South Africa B and you're not far away. With Nick Boje in fine form, Andrew Hall and Lance Klusener in the side and Louw bowling well they're a decent side. Add in Van der Wath and maybe Rikki Wessels and you can almost smell the braii and taste the biltong...

On paper and current form they should beat us. I'd take our South African over all of theirs though, and if our genial Jamaican and amiable Aussie hit form it could be a good contest. I'd go as far as to say it is a season-defining game. Win or draw and we're still in the frame for promotion. Lose and its another year in division two.

I'm playing tomorrow night (local derby!) so may not be posting till late, or at all. Depends how the post-match celebrations go. How's that for confidence - hopefully not misplaced.

Come on lads - lets crank it up again!!