Bill Storer

I was talking to someone today during the excellent century made by Brooke Guest, the eighth of his career with Derbyshire. I mentioned that only Bill Storer, like me a Ripley man, lay ahead of him as a wicket-keeper bat, in terms of centuries made for the county.  I promised I would look out the piece I wrote on him six years ago, so here it is

I was first drawn to the name of William Storer because he was born at Ripley, like me. As a youngster I recall my Dad taking me to see his grave, though at that stage I knew little of his reputation or talent. Nor of his nature, because William, or Bill as he was more commonly known, was another member of a late nineteenth century team that suffered fools somewhat unwillingly.

In a dressing room full of strong characters, only the strong survived. Perhaps it accounted for the later decline of the county's fortunes up to the Great War, because many a talented young local player broke into the county side but failed to realise their promise. Bill Storer was one who got into the side as a Daryn Smit-style all-rounder. He was a fine bat, good enough to become the first professional to score a hundred in each innings of a first-class match. He was a good enough wicket-keeper to play for England, while on occasion he could bowl leg breaks that turned a considerable distance. He took five wickets in an innings on four occasions, and over 200 first-class wickets confirms him as huge asset to a team, whatever role he played in it.

He was born at Butterley Hill, Ripley on January 25, 1867 and played for Butterley Cricket Club with considerable early success. He was only nineteen when he made his Derbyshire debut, though the step to the senior game proved problematic for a couple of seasons. Once he was tried behind the stumps, in 1890, he never looked back and became a key member of the side.His style behind the timbers was unusual, because he stood up to the wicket, regardless of the bowler's pace, his style perhaps similar to that of Karl Krikken in not crouching as the bowler ran in to bowl. He even stood up to Charles Kortright, reckoned the fastest of the day, and earned lavish praise in 1893 at Lord's, playing for the MCC against the Australians, when he held four catches, stumped another and didn't allow a single bye, even with the Essex man bowling.

His first great summer was 1896, when he scored over 1200 runs at an average in excess of fifty, including that two-century match against the powerful Yorkshire side of the period. When George Davidson scored his 274 against Lancashire, his own century aided in a partnership of 308 for the third wicket. He passed a thousand runs for the season in seven successive summers, making him perhaps the best wicket-keeper batsman to play for the county. He frequently headed the county batting averages and was often near the top of the national figures too, as well as maintaining a high standard behind the stumps.

He toured Australia in 1897-98 and in the words of commentators, only Archie MacLaren and Ranjitsinhji batted better than him. He did himself no favours, however, by running out the Australian batsman Charlie McLeod, who was deaf, and walked off after being yorked by Tom Richardson and failing to hear the no ball call. Storer shouted for the ball, which had gone down to third man, to be thrown in and removed a stump, the batter declining MacLaren's offer of reinstatement. In the final Test he told the umpire 'You're a cheat and you know it', which resulted in censure by the MCC. They needed no further reason not to pick him.

At county level he could be hot-headed too. In a game against Essex at Leyton in 1895, he refused to play when his brother, Harry was omitted from the team. When play began he had still not left the team hotel, but eventually arrived and took his place. His protest continued, pulling his hands away to allow byes, and kicking balls for overthrows. Eventually the captain, Sydney Evershed asked Levi Wright what he should do, being told to send him off. Evershed, who appears to have been a considerate man, replied 'But what of his future'? and likely had a quiet word. Storer cooled down and subsequently kept wicket brilliantly, holding five catches.

Ill-health caused him to retire prematurely, in 1900, at the early age of 33. Having lost George Davidson the previous year, the detrimental impact on the county can be imagined. The club awarded him the Yorkshire fixture at Chesterfield in 1902 as a benefit, but life was thereafter a struggle for William, his wife and their five children.

He suffered from dropsy, or oedema as it is now known, usually a sign of congestive heart failure, liver or kidney problems. Poor diet can also be a contributory factor and his declining health eventually saw surgery to relieve the build up of fluid in the legs and ankles as the disease took hold. Fluid build up in the abdominal cavity often sees the patient 'tapped' to remove the pressure on internal organs, but Bill Storer must have been in considerable pain in his last years.

He died in Derby on February 28, 1912, not too long after his 45th birthday. He was buried at Ripley Cemetery on March 2, in a grave next to his brother Harry, who had pre-deceased him by four years and had only reached the age of 37. His county cricket career was limited to five matches, but he played football as goalkeeper for both Arsenal and Liverpool.

Harry's son of the same name became a gritty and long-time opener for Derbyshire, as well as a footballer and football manager worthy of a book in his own right. He was one of  small handful of men to represent both Derbyshire at cricket and Derby County at football, going on to manage the Rams for a long time too.

Both clubs sent wreaths to the funeral, which was attended by William Chatterton, Walter Sugg, Joe Humphries and the club secretary, Will Taylor, among many others. It was another sad and premature end to a cricket life and career that made a large contribution to the county side.

It would be some time before someone of comparable talent was to appear in the county colours.

Derbyshire v Northamptonshire day 2

Derbyshire 604-7d (Guest 141, Andersson 106,  Jewell 94, Madsen 59, Conway 3-102)

Northamptonshire 98-4 (Harrison 42*, Sales 33* Haydon 2-29, Aitchison 2-31)

Derbyshire lead by 506 runs

I saw the sun rise over the Central Co-op County Ground this morning and it stayed high in the sky and offered pleasant warmth for the rest of the day. One of those when you are glad there is cricket to enjoy and friends to enjoy it with.

Derbyshire had high hopes that their overnight pairing might progress their innings to centuries, but both were undone by Harry Conway, who once plied his trade in these parts for Ticknall, in his salad days. He has impressed me in this match, running in hard, uber-aggressive and appealing in stentorian style, like Brian Blessed at the football. He is a good bowler too, an advert for the merits of picking up a robust, time-served, grizzled Aussie quick as an overseas player.

He first trapped Wayne Madsen leg before, then Caleb Jewell edged behind just six short of his century. The landmark may have been missed but the value to both team and player should not be overlooked. 

It brought two new men to the crease, but Andersson and Guest followed on from the top order and were quickly into their stride. The occasional ball was keeping a little lower, but Andersson was, with keeper back, into his Chris Wilkins-style sashay down the pitch mode. For me, he would be a good call for opening in the fast-approaching Blast, a role he did well for Middlesex latterly. 

Derbyshire reached lunch at 447-5, with the lowest score of the top seven being 39.

In the afternoon session, Guest and Andersson took their partnership to 241, with a combination of good running and powerful strokes. It was perhaps a case of doing unto others as they have done to you, but the visitors wilted in proportion to the advancing score. Both reached fine centuries, Andersson dismissed soon after reaching his, while Guest finally went after an ungainly reverse hoik, diametrically opposed to the poise of his innings, for a superb 141. 

Derbyshire declared at that point on 604-7, with most around the ground feeling that the visitors would themselves commence a runfest in the remaining play.

How wrong we were. With clouds gathering, Aitchison and Haydon reduced them to 38-4 either side of the tea interval. It was good seam bowling in the age-old  Derbyshire tradition, good length, nipping it around and backed up by three fine catches by Guest, behind the stumps. He had enjoyed a special day and confirmed his value to the side.

it was as good as it got, as Harrison and Sales played out the rest of the day with a combination of common sense and a little luck. Tomorrow's first session will be key to whether the foot they currently have in the doorway can be followed by a headlong dive through it.

But this was a good day for Derbyshire, a restorative one after recent matches. There was a chirpiness in the field again

Maybe I should come down more often...

Once again, thanks to all those who shared some of their day with me today. It was a pleasure to see all of you, some for the first time, others once again after too long.

There is hopefully time for a few more tomorrow, before I head north and home on Monday.

Derbyshire v Northamptonshire day 1

Derbyshire 342-3 (Jewell 91*, Came 73, Madsen 57*, Montgomery 54, Reece 39)

v Northamptonshire 

At the risk of offending any of my readers elsewhere, there is something quintessentially English about watching a cricket ground 'wake up'.

I looked out at it last night, a few of the ladies team training, perhaps after injury and closed my curtains as dusk fell. Soon afterwards, I was asleep, it had been one of those days. 

This morning I awoke and saw the covers coming off, the roller on the pitch, the grass on the square being trimmed. It is something of which I was a part at club level for many years, but I haven't seen it at first-class level so I felt almost privileged. Then the players arrived, Brooke Guest first on to the ground, as befits a bloke with a model work ethic, taking guard and visualising at either end, en route to the nets. I plan to make the most of this opportunity, as I won't get it where I stay in Chesterfield. Unless I bunk up overnight in the hothouse there...

On to the action and there was reassurance in seeing Luis Reece restored to the top of the order. Like one of these fancy fence supports you can hammer into the ground and then secure to a sagging fence post, he was brought in to do a job for which he is eminently qualified. On a pleasantly warm day, even a hint of green couldn't discourage the thought that it was a win the toss and bat day, which Wayne Madsen duly did.

There was considerable whooping and a-hollering from the visiting fielders, together with enough appeals to fill a collection bucket. Yet Came and Reece batted sensibly and soundly, playing straight, eschewing risk and reaping rewards as a consequence. It was proper cricket and all the more enjoyable because of that. Reece looked unhurried, as he so often does and at present he seems to wield a bat with no edges, only middle. Meanwhile, Came's feet were moving well, always a good sign and he reached his fifty just before the partnership registered a century stand, prior to the lunch interval. It was an encouraging morning after recent events and appeared an excellent toss to win.

Reece departed early in the afternoon, clipping to midwicket, but Montgomery came in and was quickly into his elegant stride. They took the score past 150, before the returning Sanderson got his name on the scorecard by having Came caught at slip, after a fine innings.

Worse bowlers than Sanderson have played for England and even on a good pitch he carries danger. He is too old now and the pace was never quick enough to attract the interest of national selectors, but he is a canny warrior who most opening bats on the circuit would wish to avoid. 

Jewell came in at four and the volume from the slip cordon vocal ensemble cranked up a little for a player known to be out of touch. I haven't heard so many unwarranted 'Oohs' and 'Ahs' since the era of Leonard Sachs and The Good Old Days and it was a little wearing as the day went on. When he first came in, an attempted drive that would have raced to the boards last year was missed, but three successive boundaries from Sales - a hook, a guide through the slips, then a drive through the covers - suggested confidence might return in his new niche. 

He progressed serenely to an unbeaten 44 at tea, when Montgomery had reached a composed 50 and the score was 230-2. By that stage the visitors had used eight bowlers, but at least had the second new ball to offer hope.

The breakthrough came after tea, but it was Harrison who got it, getting Montgomery leg before. He looked less than happy, but as they say, it's in the scorebook. Thereafter, Madsen and Jewell scored pretty much at will, the captain still looking a player of great class. As for Caleb, I couldn't be happier if he goes on to three figures tomorrow. The drop down the order has worked for him and fair play to Mickey Arthur and his coaches for getting the top order right and out of the trough in which they found themselves.

Of course, another benign (non-hybrid) pitch helped and it could be that this just becomes another high-scoring single innings match, as Northamptonshire bat deep. Or, the overs bowled by the visiting attack around the wicket today, at both Jewell and Reece, might just create a rough for Shoaib Bashir to exploit as the game progresses.

Time will tell. But that was a Wallace and Gromit-style grand day out and thanks to everyone who stopped to have a word during the course of the day. 

It is always a pleasure.

Derbyshire v Northamptonshire preview

There's a first for me tonight, even after all this time. I haven't written a blog about Derbyshire while sitting looking out at the ground from my hotel room! I paid a little extra for the privilege, but consider it money well spent. 

That comes after a journey down that was much less fun and took me six hours, with roadworks and closures a-plenty. I have made a mental note to do next month's Chesterfield trip by train, which takes just four hours and should leave me less tired at the end of it.

Anyway, Mickey Arthur has named a squad of fifteen for the game that starts tomorrow against Northamptonshire. Mitch Wagstaff is in there, but there is no place for second team century makers Amrit Basra and Yusuf Bin Naeem. I honestly can't call a final eleven here, but I assume Nick Potts is in to encourage additional efforts after a good display at Belper. I find it hard to believe Nye Donald will play either, since he has been water and helmet carrier for the last two matches and hasn't had much time in the middle himself.

Squad: 

Wayne Madsen, Harry Came, Martin Andersson, Luis Reece, Nye Donald, Shoaib Bashir, Ben Aitchison, Jack Morley, Matthew Montgomery,

Mitch Wagstaff, Caleb Jewell, Nick Potts, Brooke Guest, Zak Chappell, Rory Haydon

So my best guess is that the side will be largely unchanged. I would like to think Mitch Wagstaff might get an opportunity, but he might have preferred a lesser challenge than Ben Sanderson, a very canny bowler and Harry Conway, who has run in hard for them this summer.  He never gets easy opportunities, does Mitch, but I hope he gets it tomorrow and even more so I hope he takes it.

The visitors are currently second in the table, after the demolition job that they did on Worcestershire. Sanderson took 7-31 in that one and it will be interesting to see if the Derbyshire batting lineup has had its confidence restored, because they will be tested here.

Their squad:

Luke Procter (c), George Bartlett, Justin Broad, Harry Conway, Calvin Harrison, Louis Kimber, Lewis McManus (wk), Nathan McSweeney, James Sales, Ben Sanderson, George Scrimshaw, Ricardo Vasconcelos, Saif Zaib

The forecast is decent for the game, although rain is likely both tomorrow and Saturday afternoons. It depends which way the wind blows and we can only hope that Derbyshire show at least a return to form after three straight losses.

I can't forecast a win, because it's at Derby and you can't, in our current run of form. 

I just hope the next three days sees good players performing at their best and if it isn't enough, so be it.

Book Review - Catching The Light: A New Anthology of Cricket Poetry

I have always enjoyed poetry - GOOD poetry - since my high school days. Studying the poets of The Great War, the Romantic poets and the Metaphysical has stuck with me to this day. Moving forward, I have appreciated the works of such diverse writers as Matt Mcginn, Pam Ayres  and Brian Bilston.

So to a great extent, receiving this book in the post was very much a case of preaching to the converted. Throw in the greatest of my sporting loves, cricket and it was sure to have something to appeal. 

There are some very good poems in this volume, which admirably collects together some of the finest of recent years. I have to admit to most enjoying a poem with an obvious rhythm and ideally rhyme, which some may consider the words of a philistine, but I am old enough now to know what I like and, indeed, like what I know. 

I especially liked The Game That's Never Done by Eleanor and Herbert Farjeon, while Luck Of The Toss - Rustic Cricket in Derbyshire by Alfred Cochrane was always going to appeal - and did.

But there is plenty here to capture the imagination, make you think and make you smile. 

I have to applaud the publishers of this volume, Fairfield Books. This may or may not be a big seller, but it is important that these poems are out there and gathered into one place. 

The format is excellent, the book compact and it is a very enjoyable read

Catching the Light: A New Anthology of Cricket Poetry is edited by Nicholas Hogg and Tim Beard and published by Fairfield Books 

Seconds lose at Belper

Despite a century from Yusuf Bin Naeem, following that of Amrit Basra yesterday, the second eleven lost to Leicestershire by 48 runs at Belper today.

After Joe Hall was dismissed, following a half century stand, the tail fell away and the dismissal of Naeem saw the end of the county's hopes.

A good game of cricket though and an excellent learning curve for the young home side.

Scorecard and clips  here

Thrilling final day in prospect after Basra century

A terrific effort by the Second Eleven has given them an outside chance of a surprise win in the friendly against Leicestershire at Belper.

Matt Stewart took 5-52 and Will Rogers 2-40 as Leicestershire were bowled out for 229 today, Ben Mike top scoring with 85. 

It left Derbyshire 350 to win and they made a dreadful start, with both Wagstaff and Cliffe dismissed without scoring. Then came a wonderful partnership of 163 in 31 overs between Amrit Basra and Yusuf Bin Naeem. Basra, who looked in wonderful touch, scored exactly a hundred from just 90 deliveries, with 13 fours and 2 sixes. He was eventually caught in the deep and although Vallabhaneni was leg before after a bright cameo, captain Bin Naeem and under-18 skipper Niall McHale took their team to the close on 209-4,  the former unbeaten on an excellent and patient 67.

141 to win tomorrow, the lower order will need to do better than in the first innings, but it sounds like an excellent match between a young Derbyshire side and their visitors who have several more experienced players. Stewart is showing he can take wickets having moved up a level, while the senior batters in a young side are scoring good runs.

Scorecard and video clips here

Derby bound...

I will be up early tomorrow, possibly rivalling the birds and aiming to be on the road for around 6am. Probably singing, to the tune of the old Typically Tropical song from 1975,  'Woh, I'm going to Derbados'...

I look forward to having lunch with a friend (and fellow supporter) before making my way to my hotel and a rest. Assuming things have gone to plan, I have a nice room overlooking the hallowed turf at Derby, with a short walk to follow to the ground each morning. 

It will be lovely to be there again and meet up with friends old and new. Do please stop me and say hello, if you see me wandering around the ground on the first three days of the fixture. I am always happy to chat and a great deal of the enjoyment I have had from doing this blog has come from the many friends that I have made over nineteen years.

Since the passing of my parents, I don't get down there as often. But in this sixtieth year as a supporter, I wanted to mark it with a trip to Derby and to Chesterfield, where it all began on July 10 and 11 in 1967. A bit of an homage to my old Dad, who never realised what he had started, at least not then.

This week the blog went past seven million views and I wrote the five thousandth post. I wonder where that time went - and how many times over those years I have typed 'Madsen'...

Actually I tend to speak it now and let my phone microphone do the work. It saves my arthritic hands, even though the phone struggles with certain words in my accent. 'Madsen' usually comes out 'Madison', 'Aitchison' it hears as 'HSN' and 'Aneurin Donald' becomes either 'annoying' or 'a night in'. Though astonishingly it gets 'Ghazanfar' every time, I know not why..

Anyway, even after all this time, readership levels continue to grow and wherever you read it, thank you SO much for your involvement. Special thanks to those who contribute comments and a little aide memoire to PLEASE add your name to them. I will reserve the right not to publish critical comment if there is no name added. 

A few people have asked me if I will always do the blog. Honestly, there is a challenge in trying to be upbeat when the subject is more worthy of Nightmare on Elm Street at times. Perhaps twenty years, by the end of next season, is a good place to stop. I don't know, I will see how things go but it would be nice to write about another trophy before I wrap things up. Which perhaps commits me to another decade...

Anyway, hopefully see you at Derby. Drop me a message on X (@peakfanblog) or an email to peakfan36@yahoo.co.uk if you fancy a chat, a brew or whatever while I am down, before, during or after the day's play. Or just grab a seat next to me, or stroll as I get my steps in over the day. Can't have the dogs think I am slacking!

Hopefully we see an upturn in our fortunes.

And the sun shining, of course!

Seconds trail at Belper

The young and fairly inexperienced Derbyshire second team recorded a first innings deficit of 120 runs at Belper today. 

They were all out for 223, in response to Leicestershire's first innings of 343, in which Nick Potts recorded figures of 4-66.

The Derbyshire innings was built around scores by the best known batters. Mitch Wagstaff  made 55 and Yusuf Bin Naeem 41, before Amrit Basra nursed the tail and was last out for an excellent 74.

When Leicestershire went in again, Matt Stewart took three quick wickets, including first innings centurion Sheridon Gumbs, Jamie Dunk and Sol Budinger, in a spell of 3-35

Scorecard and video clips here

Honours even at Belper

There was a fairly even day at Belper, as Leicestershire made 294-8 against Derbyshire Seconds.

They were indebted to Sheridon Gumbs, who is presumably trialling from Surrey. He made 111 and played pretty much a lone hand against an accurate Derbyshire attack. 

There were three wickets for Nick Potts and two for Matt Stewart as the home side were well on top at one stage. Forcing home the advantage seemed to be a contagious condition within the club, however, as Leicestershire recovered from 185-6 to their closing total. 

Derbyshire interestingly had two trialists in the attack, both of them left arm seamers. James Trodd has played for several county second teams, while William Rogers is from Loughborough UCCE. He turned in very accurate figures of 19 overs for just 36 runs, but without taking a wicket. 

Perhaps, in the continued absence from the attack of Luis Reece, the county are looking for someone who might offer the variety and different angle in the attack. Who knows, but the attack bowled with discipline today and it is encouraging to see both Potts and Stewart continuing to be in the wickets. 

The latter appears to have filled out from last season, perhaps his winter in Australia having contributed to that. It will do his long-term prospects no harm and I will watch his continued progress with considerable interest.

Scorecard and clips here

Kent v Derbyshire day 4

Kent 352 and 335

Derbyshire 304 and 158 (Reece 67, Milne 6-12)

Kent won by 225 runs

What has gone wrong at Derbyshire?

After seven days of the summer, there was more sweetness and light than in a double bill of Shirley Temple films, followed by reruns of The Waltons. 

The county had come close to beating a relegated side, Worcestershire and were well on top against the highly-fancied Lancashire. Since then, the wheels have come off in spectacular fashion. Collapsing badly to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory at Old Trafford, before playing some poor cricket against Gloucestershire. They lost almost all of their attack over the winter, yet were still more than a match for a Derbyshire side in seeming disarray. 

In this game, against the second of the three teams widely tipped to be contesting the wooden spoon, we have looked off the pace, undercooked, ill-prepared, call it as you will. I hesitate to say it, but some of the cricket has been unworthy of first-class status. That the best player has been one who was fairly recently playing Minor Counties speaks volumes.

Matt Milnes bowled very well, but the visiting batters didn't make his work overly strenuous. The lineup just doesn't look right to me. The top three shows little confidence, yet we have an experienced opening bat who is one of our best two players at six - consigned to batting with the tail - and someone whose best days for the county have been when he batted three, down at number seven. I don't know about Brooke Guest, but when I batted high in the order I had the mentality of a top order player, down the order, less so. My gut feeling is Brooke likes to be involved and not sitting waiting to bat - let's not forget he opened for Australia Under-19s.

Meanwhile, a lad who is scoring runs for fun, opening in the second team, can't get into the squad. I cannot be alone in failing to make sense of this.

Rightly or wrongly there appears to be a disconnect between the first and second team, with elevation seemingly a notional, rather than realistic idea.

I travel down to Derby on Thursday for the first of my trips this season. I said to my wife this morning that I wish I hadn't bothered, because my expectations are currently very low. How can they be otherwise after recent displays? 

Mickey Arthur has to start earning his generous salary and show that he is prepared to take tough decisions. It is all well and good having overnight sound bites that we look on the final day as 'an opportunity' and 'we stick together and keep believing' when the batting order is clearly shorn of confidence and needs an urgent overhaul, merely to compete. 

There's no point in playing Nye Donald in the next match, as he has been carrying drinks for the last two and needs time in the middle. But Mitch Wagstaff and Amrit Basra SURELY need to come into the side, while others search for form?

I know we have had injuries, bad ones, season-ending in some cases. I know our overseas strike bowler has headed off to Bangladesh unexpectedly. These are things against which you have to rail, develop a siege mentality and overcome. I have nothing but admiration for Luis Reece, who has the illness of his child in the background, yet is producing performance after performance, even with a bad ankle himself. In this match he looked like the 'ringer' brought in by a club side to give them a chance.

If a few others showed they can do the same, we switch personnel and tweak the order, maybe - just maybe - we can salvage something, anything from what until now is a car crash season.

Chappell and Aitchison battled hard in what is not their main discipline, to at least take the game into the afternoon session but it was not enough, as Kent ran out overwhelming winners by 225 runs. They played as a team, battled down the order, held some fine catches and looked in a different class. The bottom team looked in a different class. Let that sink in...

Finally, after the game I don't want to hear any complaints about the pitch on the last day. The odd one kept low, an occasional one lifted, but that is what I would expect from a fourth day pitch.

Lest we forget, we consigned ourselves to batting last on it, when we won the toss and opted to bowl...

Ugh, that was horrible to watch. 

Postscript. Anticipating a question that will surely come, what team would I go with against Northamptonshire, were I in charge?

We have to shake up the top order, because we aren't getting starts. 

I would rest Caleb Jewell and let him work with the batting coach, maybe have a hit with a league team at the weekend. Same goes for Harry Came, who could be considered unlucky, but I would want to accommodate Basra's vitality and go with this side:

Reece, Wagstaff, Guest, Madsen, Andersson, Montgomery, Basra, Chappell, Aitchison, Haydon, Bashir. 

Would it do any better? 

Could it do any worse? 

Kent v. Derbyshire day 3

Kent 352 and 335 (Benjamin 123, Evison 88, Haydon 5-81)

Derbyshire 304 and 19-1

Derbyshire need 365 to win

I haven't time for a lengthy blog this evening, as we are having a family get together. It is much more enjoyable than the cricket. 

Derbyshire did well this morning and made early inroads, but a partnership between Joey Evison and Chris Benjamin added 184 runs and took them from 122-6 to 306 and calm waters. 

Both of them batted very well, but nothing much happened with the ball in that period. Although Derbyshire bowled fairly well, the highlight was a second, five-wicket haul for Rory Haydon, giving him match figures of 10-163. He did very well, while once again Ben Aitchison beat the bat frequently without taking the edge. 

Kent set Derbyshire 384 to win and neither Harry Came nor Caleb Jewell looked comfortable in the closing session, with Dudgeon and Milne producing excellent spells.

It was no real surprise when Jewell was out in the final over and Derbyshire will face a real fight to salvage even a draw from this game.

Their hope is in surviving the first spells with the new-ish ball, because it seemed today to become much easier as the ball became older, as one might expect.

Historically, chances of a win would appear as likely as yours truly being on the next series of Strictly Come Dancing...

Kent v Derbyshire day 2

Kent 352 and 38-2 (Haydon 2-15)

Derbyshire 304 (Reece 84, Andersson 37, Madsen 35, Dudgeon 4-78, Milnes 3-87)

Kent lead by 86 runs

I stand by my assertion that this was an even game last night. Derbyshire had taken ten wickets and had the same number of their own in hand. The pitch, while offering some movement, was clearly good for batting, as the better players showed. 

So the first hour this morning made for uncomfortable viewing. 

Caleb Jewell looks a shadow of the player of 2025 and has not suggested permanence in his displays so far. He has a more pronounced movement across his crease than last year and perhaps this is affecting his balance, but neither he, nor Derbyshire can afford continued failure. Were he not the overseas player, his place would be under threat and that status should not make any difference. The overseas batter is crucial to Derbyshire and Caleb's struggles are part of the reason for that of the side so far. 

Mitch Wagstaff has been in a rich vein of form and if he cannot get in the side when one of his rivals is clearly struggling, one has to question why he is on the staff. He is entitled to feel harshly done by.

Harry Came played some nice shots, but his tendency to 'push' at good length balls when not quite at the pitch cost him here. As for Matthew Montgomery, he played a couple of delightful on side strokes but then 'held the pose' when Milnes brought one back into him, which made the umpire's decision considerably easier than it should have been.

It is these things that frustrate as a Derbyshire fan. You take ten wickets on the first day and have advanced the game. Poor batting cost the top order - again - and any side with aspirations of improvement simply cannot hope to do so, when putting themselves behind the eight ball  with such frequency.

Since the opening day stand of 82, our first wicket has put on stands of 0, 10, 8, 9 and 30. It puts pressure on those to come and gives impetus to the opposition. When looking for small gains on the way to improvement, that's an obvious one, right there.

Yet it was a poor effort down the order. When your top nine make double figures, yet no one bar Luis Reece goes past 37, it is hugely disappointing. Kent bowled tidily, but this isn't one of the strongest attacks in the division, especially with the players they have missing. Keith Dudgeon bowled well, but before this match his wickets were costing over 40 runs each, which tells a story.

For a while, Madsen and Andersson made batting look straightforward, but enough deliveries either kept low or lifted a little to suggest that Derbyshire made the wrong call at the toss - not for the first time. It would be interesting to know if the current uncertainty around the top order was in any way a contributory factor towards this.

That Derbyshire got within fifty of the home score was down to an outstanding innings by Luis Reece. He hit five sixes in an innings that again showed his strength of character, as well as his talent. Is the county missing a trick in batting him so low in the order? You could argue that having him open with Mitch Wagstaff, as a mentor perhaps, would not weaken the batting in any way. 

Is there potential in a side that leads with Reece, Wagstaff, Came, Madsen, Montgomery, Andersson, Guest etc? I really hope Jewell comes good, but an average of 18 is worrying.

When Kent went in again, the impressive Haydon removed both openers in another excellent opening spell. Rory isn't especially quick, nor does he try to be, but he puts the ball in the right areas and nips it around. His is an excellent example of someone waiting for opportunity, then grasping it with both hands when it came.

When rain brought about an early close, Kent were 86 ahead with eight wickets in hand. Probably slight favourites now, with two days to go, as the pitch won't get any better.

The first session tomorrow will be very important and whoever comes out on top in it will likely take the win points, if the threatened rain stays away long enough for a positive result.

I'd love to be optimistic, but until Arthur's men have shown they can handle pressure, I am finding that increasingly difficult.

Kent v. Derbyshire day 1

Kent 352 (Bell-Drummond 129, Benjamin 56, Crawley 44, Haydon 5-82)

Derbyshire 24-0 (Came 16*, Jewell 8*)

Derbyshire trail by 328 runs

On a day on which Ben Aitchison took his 100th wicket in all cricket and Wayne Madsen held his 400th catch, it was a maiden five-wicket haul by Rory Haydon that ensured Derbyshire bowled Kent out for 352 today.

I didn't see the morning session, as we were travelling back from Berwick-on-Tweed after another lovely holiday. I managed to rewind the stream (fixed cameras...) and saw the wickets. 

It was pleasing to see the Kent top order removed, but when I settled down to watch in the afternoon, I said to my wife that Daniel Bell-Drummond was enjoying such luck that a century was sure to come. He was fortunate to survive a very good spell from Zak Chappell after lunch, when he nearly played on and could have been leg before. There were a number of play and misses too, but around them a number of dazzling strokes that highlighted once again what a very good cricketer he is.

He was well-supported by the lower order, especially Chris Benjamin, but the Derbyshire bowlers stuck well to their task. It is hard to tell at this stage if 352 is a good or only middling score, but Derbyshire will want to bat long and with a similar collective battling mentality as that shown by their hosts.

The ball of the day was certainly the one with which Andersson dismissed Crawley, while the catch must have been the one held by Wayne Madsen from the bowling of Haydon. It flew up to his right and he held it with the aplomb of a man plucking an apple from a tree. There doesn't appear to be an awful lot wrong with his eyes, that's for sure. 

Yet the day belonged to Rory Haydon. I have been a fan since I first saw him in action for the second team and he just looks a good bowler. He is  always there or thereabouts, was still running in with the same enthusiasm at the end of the day and fully deserved his first five-wicket haul in first class cricket. I have every confidence that it will not be the last. 

Derbyshire had a tricky five overs to face before the close and they reached 24-0 without too many alarms. I would love to see a good partnership between Jewell and Came tomorrow, as a prelude to a long and enjoyable and enjoyable - from a Derbyshire perspective - innings!

Probably honours even at this stage, but tomorrow will probably be very important for both sides.

(Stats from David Griffin X feed)

Kent v Derbyshire County Championship previe

Despite his recent form, there is no Mitch Wagstaff in the Derbyshire squad of thirteen for tomorrow's red ball four-day game against Kent at Canterbury

So I wouldn't expect much of a change from the side that I otherwise suggested the other night. With Muhammad Abbas away with Pakistan, Anuj Dal injured and Harry Moore out for the season, it basically picks itself. 

Rory Haydon (or as Mickey Arthur referred to him the other day, The Stoke Abbas) will likely come in to this side:

Came, Jewell, Montgomery, Madsen, Guest, Andersson, Reece, Chappell, Aitchison, Haydon, Bashir - plus Donald and Morley

Meanwhile Adam Hollioake has also named a squad of thirteen for Kent.

Daniel Bell-Drummond leads the side, with Zak Crawley also available for this match.

Jaydn Denly returns to the squad after good form for the Second XI, whilst fellow young homegrown Kent talent Ben Dawkins, Ekansh Singh & Jas Singh are also selected.

Ben Compton suffered from a compound dislocation of his finger in the field last time out away at Worcestershire, and has undergone surgery. Grant Stewart & Matt Quinn remain out due to injuries sustained in training, as is former Derbyshire player Mikey Cohen

Their squad:

Bell-Drummond, Benjamin, Crawley, Dawkins, Denly, Dudgeon, Evison, Milnes, Muyeye, Northeast, Parkinson, Singh, Singh

There is a bit of rain around, but both sides will be desperate for a win here and I expect a positive result.

At this stage, I couldn't honestly say which way it will go, but I hope that Derbyshire can rise from recent travails and kick start their season.

What do you think?

Random observations from afar

I didn't see any of today's cricket, as I explained a couple of nights back. But I had no real expectation of Derbyshire battling for a draw and it is just frustrating that a team who competed so well against very good sides, in Worcestershire and Lancashire, totally capitulated against one who most would say were not as strong.

Mickey Arthur compared the visitors to 'a pack of starving dogs'. So why weren't we? We hadn't won a game this season, either. Did the players become collectively blase about what they needed to do? They should know, as I do, that unless everyone goes in with 100% commitment, we won't win. 

I commented about the visitors field placings, the wicket keeper standing up, fighting for everything in the field. I didn't see that from Derbyshire and that is worrying. Mickey can sign all the players he wants, but unless he gets the best out of them, it won't mean a thing. 

A question for Chris Wright to solve is this - why do we do often struggle to get through nine, ten, jack, when we have worked hard to dismiss the rest? This isn't a new phenomenon, but in the list of things that annoy you about Derbyshire cricket, it is very near the top of mine.

Those who have mentioned the 'sack' word regarding Mickey should save their breath. He is contracted until the end of 2028 and unless the county is prepared to take a sizeable financial hit (I don't think that likely) then the die is cast.

We have lost Abbas for the next three matches, Dal probably for much longer, Moore for the season and Reece can't bowl as things stand. I understand Pat Brown's recovery from shoulder surgery is taking longer than expected too, so three games in, our strength in depth isn't deep any more.  

If Bashir is called up for England, most of the first choice attack is gone. I don't know about Abbas being on £400 a wicket, they might need to incentivise Chappell and Aitchison to keep getting out of bed, as they look like playing a lot of cricket between now and September. 

Of course it offers opportunity. Rory Haydon is an obvious beneficiary and I look forward to seeing how his wicket to wicket approach goes at this level. Mitch Wagstaff is another who surely now has a chance to show what he can do. It is important that he takes it. 

As others have pointed out, there is no Academy player in the Derbyshire side. There will be, and a good few of them in the next few years, because the Pathway talent is incredibly exciting and they are doing tremendous things under Daryn Smit.  But that is a few years off and it would be great if either Wagstaff, Naeem or Potts could make the jump to this level.

I have seen calls for dropping Brooke Guest. Yes, he could do with some runs (although he batted well in the first innings at Old Trafford) but his glove work is considerably better than that of  Nye Donald. Besides, the way our season is going, the latter would keep wicket, break a finger and miss the T20. While Brooke could use runs, Nye hasn't scored close to enough at second team level to apply pressure.

The players have probably looked good in the nets, but there continues to be a worryingly soft underside. Once you have aggressive fielders, excessive appealing, people chirping in their ear and tense situations, we are found wanting. I know a lot of hard work will go into getting players prepared for this level, but a lot of poor decisions were made with the bat in the last game. That has to be down to individuals and with a few exceptions Derbyshire were found sadly wanting, just as they were at Old Trafford on the last day.

Where do they go from here? Already, the wooden spoon appears to be between ourselves, Kent and Gloucestershire. The last four days didn't suggest we would finish above the latter, so there is a lot of pressure going into the game at Canterbury, starting on Friday. 

For what it is worth, I think we go with this side: 

Jewell, Came, Montgomery, Madsen, Guest, Andersson, Wagstaff, Chappell, Aitchison, Haydon, Bashir.

I think we need to get Luis Reece's ankle right and that might be best served by missing this one, at least. Caleb Jewell needs runs, but it would do little for his confidence to drop him from the eleven. Having said that, if Luis is only playing as a batter, opening with him would be the best use of his talents, which puts either Jewell or Harry Came under pressure. 

Both would be big calls, dropping your overseas bat or the man who was skipper (and did well) in the first two games.

But Arthur needs to turn this around - and quickly. Lose to Kent and the excitement and goodwill that led us into the season will have pretty much gone.

In closing, the Gloucestershire game at least put one theory to bed.

It IS possible to take twenty wickets at Derby, even on a hybrid pitch. 

We just need to figure out why Derbyshire can't do it. 

That should keep a few people awake at night...

Derbyshire v Gloucestershire day 4

Please add your comments on the final day of the game here

Derbyshire v Gloucestershire day 3

Gloucestershire 498

Derbyshire 281 (Madsen 65, Chappell 34, van Buuren 3-31, Bell 3-84)

and 117-3 (Montgomery 48*, Madsen 35)

Derbyshire trail by 100 runs

I saw a friend of mine in the crowd at Derby today, a man with a teaching background, even if working in another field these days.

Were he still teaching and marking this Derbyshire display, I have no doubt that it would have merited '4/10 - MUST do better'.

Almost everyone got a start, but no one got close to Wayne Madsen's 65 and only Zak Chappell got past thirty. As an effort in backs to the wall defiance it was laudable, but in the grand scheme of things, it counted for nowt. Especially after the opposition numbers nine and ten scored as they did yesterday.

Let's be honest, we are playing a side that until this game had collected three points from three matches. They have good players - and have proved it in this match - but confidence was at a low ebb and from a Derbyshire perspective, this was a game in which they should - at least - have given a decent account of themselves. 

I take nothing away from the visitors, who have played some good cricket, fielded tigerishly and have looked the better side. Both Graeme van Buuren and Gabe Bell bowled intelligently today and their side were on top throughout. Canny fields were set AND bowled to, even if some of the appeals were unnecessarily protracted. I still fail to see how mid-wicket can appeal for lbw, while van Buuren's nigh-petulance when Madsen was not given leg before detracted from his good work through the day. The ball was clearly sliding down leg and his reaction was uncalled for.

A factor in the pressure that they applied, for me, was in the excellent wicketkeeping by James Bracey, who stood up to the stumps for most of the time and prevented the Derbyshire batters from using their feet. This was particularly pertinent with Martin Andersson, who we all know likes to go a-wandering when he gets in. He couldn't do that, nor could the others. It spoke volumes for the wicketkeeping and also for the accuracy of most of the bowling. 

The writing was on the wall when Andersson played on and Madsen nearly replicated the dismissal of Bancroft for Gloucestershire on the first day. It was a tame end to a fine innings, but while everyone else fought hard, no one really suggested longevity and the ability to get on top of the visiting attack. 

Guest got a good one that turned and Chappell was first combative, then bucolic, but I would best sum up the day with a not especially literary 'meh'.

The visitors had a first innings lead of 217 and might have considered batting again, scoring quick runs and hope to bowl out Derbyshire in the fourth innings. But a follow on it was and Came, who has had a poor match here, was leg before to Bell for the second time and immediately justified the decision.

I do like an Australian quick bowler. They give value for money, tend to be fairly robust (though don't mention the name Stanlake round these parts..) and in the case of Bell, sometimes fly under the radar. He doesn't try to bowl too fast, but the occasional quicker delivery catches the unwary off guard. 

But it was Miles who took the second wicket, Jewell getting one that kept a little low. The Tasmanian's footwork isn't right at present and he was neither forward nor back, which didn't help his cause. Derbyshire were deep in trouble at 

37-2.

At which point Montgomery and Madsen came together. They took the score to a hundred, with sound defence and sensible strokes, before a perfectly pitched leg break from Middleton accounted for the Derbyshire skipper, four overs from the close. Aitchison came in as night watchman and saw it to the close at 117-3, including a not especially night watchmanly six over mid wicket. Montgomery batted well and was two away from a half century.

It is not beyond the realms of possibility that Derbyshire can still save this game, but they will need to bat far better as a unit than they did the first time around. There will be no weather to save them, so we will get an early indication of the mettle of this squad in adversity.

We all know that the first session at Derby each day is the most challenging. If wickets fall frequently, that is when it happens, so there should be a good indication by lunch time tomorrow as to whether this game can be saved.

Whatever happens, I won't see the final day, as we are going on the first of our summer holidays to the delights of Berwick upon Tweed. As I usually do, I will create a page for your comments tomorrow, but will not give my own observations, as it wouldn't be fair to do so. 

Let's see what unfolds...

Under 18s storm to win over Yorkshire

A young Derbyshire under 18 side beat their Yorkshire counterparts with ease at Cutthorpe Cricket Club today.

Featuring a number of players who were in last year's under-16s, they had to field first after Yorkshire opted to bat. White made 74, but no one else got going against some canny bowling, once again led by the very talented Rubaiyat Abrar, who returned the excellent figures of 4-39 in his ten overs. 

He was well supported by fellow spinner Umayr Hewitt, formerly in the Yorkshire age groups, who took 2-17. 

The final score of 213 did not look too demanding and Derbyshire got off to a quick start, thanks to Abrar and Oscar Edwards. Although the latter and captain Niall McHale both perished with the score on 61, Zak Kelly, fresh from a good knock for Clifton yesterday and Theo Brown came together in a splendid unbroken partnership of 156 in just 20 overs. 

Yorkshire used eight bowlers in an attempt to break through, but Kelly finished unbeaten on 74 from 66 deliveries, while Brown was still there on 76 from just 59 balls. The two of them took their side to victory with eighteen overs to spare.

The game was a friendly, but it further highlights the talent coming through the club's Pathway. 

They will be worth watching in the summer ahead.

Scorecard and limited video clips here

Adieu to Samit

It has been a busy week and I haven't had the opportunity to write a few words about the retirement of Samit Patel.

He never looked an athlete, but over a 23-year career he produced many memorable moments, across the globe. He was a wonderful servant to Nottinghamshire and perhaps too early discarded by England.  A batter of great power and a cunning spinner - his type are far from common in the game and you simply can't question credentials that show twenty-five thousand runs and almost a thousand wickets across the formats.

He spent his last two summers in Derbyshire colours, which still seems a strange thing to write. He was such a Nottinghamshire man that the move seemed incredible, like when Terry Hennessey crossed the great East Midlands divide and Forest later wouldn't let Ian Storey-Moore do the same.

Nottinghamshire knew what they were doing when they didn't offer a last deal. The power was still there, but the eyes weren't as sharp when he was in the middle. He was often out pulling, a little late on the shot, but there were still signs of a player who could bat. A thrilling innings at Edgbaston, another at Derby, an attitude that still bristled with hostility towards opponents. Especially Nottinghamshire and I have rarely seen anyone more 'pumped' than Samit, when Derbyshire stormed the Trent Bridge fortress and went home with the points booty. 

His reluctance to drop himself down the order wasn't helpful at times. His power might have been better served at the death, rather than losing impetus in the middle overs with his 'running', or lack of it. By that stage he was far from mobile, but he stood at short extra and directed operations, while usually delivering four tight overs. 

Again, the team might have been better served had he bowled those overs in the Powerplay, the experience of those thousands of deliveries brought to bear in his last round up.

There never appeared any likelihood that his Derbyshire contract would be renewed, but Samit will likely still be bowling four tight overs for England Legends in ten years time. 

He will club a few too, but probably not run many twos...

Congratulations on your career Samit. You were up there with the very best, for a long time.

Plenty would be happy with that.