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.

Derbyshire v Gloucestershire day 2

Gloucestershire 498 (Hammond 145, Williams 98, Brookes 89, Middleton 46, Bashir 3-116)

Derbyshire 144-3 ( Madsen 62*, Jewell 28, Montgomery 28, Andersson 12*)

Derbyshire trail by 354 runs

It was another of those days that started well for Derbyshire, then petered out into something rather nondescript.

Muhammad Abbas quickly found the edge of Hammond's bat and Ben Aitchison took a one-handed blinder, low to his left. Probably ten times harder than the one he put down last night, but he is such a good slip fielder that the drop came as a surprise.

Soon afterwards, Ben bowled Middleton, who left one that came back a long way. He did a good job for his side, but how often, once a big partnership is broken, do we see both participants out? 

It happened again, 45 overs later, when Williams followed Brookes back to the pavilion, but by that stage they had added 191 for the ninth wicket, to put their side firmly in control. 

In all honesty, they didn't look troubled. Both made career-best scores and should have made centuries, before Brookes was dismissed off Bashir. Soon afterwards, Williams rather gave it away when a century was within sight, taking on the arm of Aitchison and losing after acrobatic work from Guest, who kept well over a long time in the field. Thus, an innings that at one time was 167-6 ended up 498 all out, a quite remarkable turnaround. 

Fair play to those involved, but again it owed much to the synthetic pitch, which simply doesn't deteriorate. So at least it does what it promises, but I can only say it makes for rather mundane and one-sided cricket.

I have to confess that the pleading eyes of two terriers wanting a walk won out over watching the early afternoon session, but the scorecard didn't suggest I missed much. On my return, I saw both wickets, but was keeping an eye on the game while watching the Red Roses rugby, which tells a tale, I suppose.

The Derbyshire reply quickly saw the dismissal of Harry Came, leg before after two boundaries in the first over. He will have kicked himself in the dressing room, because there was no change to the batting conditions.

Montgomery and Jewell rebuilt, before the former got one that straightened and was also lbw. He hasn't yet got going as I know he can, but I remain confident that the runs will soon come.

Enter Madsen, the gladiator to the Colosseum once more. It has been a long time since that awkward fall in the World Cup that truncated his tournament, but he was underway with a cover drive as sweet as a honey-dipped Creme Egg and was quickly into his stride, business very much as usual.

Jewell hasn't really looked in touch this year and here, while no one can fault his commitment, he didn't seem himself. He batted two hours for his 28, before seeming to play on against van Buuren's spin. Perhaps his meagre winter is telling on him, but he seems to have retreated into himself and is not playing with anything approximating the freedom to which we became accustomed last year. The bowler enjoyed it, however, taking off towards the covers at a speed not seen in these parts since Imran Tahir spent a summer a-twirlin'.

Madsen progressed to a stately fifty at better than a run a ball. How often have we acknowledged a milestone for the maestro? As the shadows lengthened, the realisation dawned that post-Madsen life will seem very strange indeed. At 42, his is still the wicket most-prized in the team, his range of stroke still the best, his timing and placement still exquisite. Perhaps that shoulder injury took five years off his age - we can only hope.

Andersson, perhaps the heir-apparent, kept him company until the close, by which time Brookes had limped off for the visitors. He will probably be replaced by a 3-D printed Courtney Walsh tomorrow, the way this substitute malarkey is going.

Anyway, Derbyshire closed at 143-3, with the skipper on 62. 

A long way to go to avoid the follow on, but as we have said for the past two decades, where there's Madsen, there's hope.

Derbyshire v Gloucestershire day 1

Gloucestershire 287-6 (Hammond 140*, Middleton 41*, Bancroft 40, Andersson 2-42, Bashir 2-51)

v Derbyshire

It was a gloriously sunny day at Derby today, diametrically opposed to the weather for most of the first two red ball games of the summer. 

Yet a lot of the talk was regarding the latest issue with the substitute trial.

Anuj Dal slipped badly in his delivery stride, just after putting down sawdust to bowl around the wicket in his fifth over. It looked nasty and is seemingly so, with the player stretchered off and looking likely to be hors de combat for some time. 

But what 'like for like' substitute could be allowed? Rory Haydon is a bowler, Nye Donald a wicket-keeper/bat. They could have summoned Mitch Wagstaff from the Seconds, but he is an opening bat/leg spinner. The closest  option always seemed to be Amrit Basra, playing at Nottingham in the seconds, unless Alex Hughes was going to be re-registered after a four-year hiatus...

Instead the replacement was Luis Reece. Supposedly missing for 'personal reasons', unable to bowl with an ankle injury and averaging 60 last year to Dal's 28. It was approved by the match referee and Gloucestershire had no say in the matter, but it is odd. Especially when his injury has seen him spend time off the field in previous matches. Confused? Me too.

It is silly, how could it not be? Tough as it would be on Derbyshire, maybe you just go back to writing it off as one of those things, field a substitute and bat with ten. 

To the action, I thought Derbyshire bowled with commendable accuracy and discipline today, which was good to see. There wasn't undue assistance for them, but they kept the ball in the right areas, beat the bat sufficiently for interest and acquitted themselves well. 

Bancroft was disciplined for the visitors, before giving his wicket away with a tame flick off the hip, while Hammond played some nice shots and kept his side afloat through a period when an hour passed between boundaries. Bracey lent good support, until a cleverly floated ball from Bashir deceived and bowled him. 

There will be dissenters out there, but Bashir is box office. He is always trying something, encouraging his team mates, chirping away. I enjoy watching him, because there is always a sense that something is going to happen. 

All the seamers bowled well, but special mention to Martin Andersson, who was commendably accurate and rewarded with two wickets, the second showing athleticism beyond some of my viewing experience.

Hammond went on to a very good unbeaten 140, but should have been caught on 99, when Aitchison put one down at second slip  that he would normally take in his sleep. It compensated for the dismissal of van Buuren, who was caught at short leg by Montgomery when he could scarce have seen the ball, seemingly well-middled by the unfortunate batter. 

Derbyshire will have thought they had broken through at that point, but Middleton lent staunch support to Hammond and the visitors reached the close at 287-6, the stand worth 120.

Honours fairly even, I would say, but the visitors will likely end the day the happier.

Seconds lose thriller at Lady Bay

Derbyshire Seconds lost a thrilling game to Nottinghamshire at Lady Bay today by one run.

The morning session saw Sam Seecharan complete his second century of the match against declaration bowling, which at least saw wicket keeper Joe Hall claim the wicket of Freddie McCann.

Derbyshire were set 300 to win in 71overs and for a long time looked like they might get there. Nick Potts made 65 and Yusuf bin Naeem 57, before Rohan Vallabhaneni (71) and Niall McHale (43) took the county to 292-5, needing just eight from the last 3.5 overs.

The departure of Vallabhaneni then saw a collapse and Croom was run out by a direct hit, attempting the run that would have brought the scores level. He had to run wide of Jack Morley or might have made it, but a fine game ended in a cliff hanger.

Even if it was the wrong result... 😁

Wagstaff century lights up day two

Mitch Wagstaff scored a second successive century for the second team at Lady Bay today. 

Derbyshire declared on 266-5, in reply to Nottinghamshire's 319-6 declared.

Wagstaff's innings included 16 fours and a six, across five and a quarter hours  for his unbeaten 113. He was well supported by Yusuf bin Naeem (50) and Amrit Basra (58). He is doing all he can to knock on the first team door and if the runs continue to come, opportunity should follow. 

The frustration from his perspective is that no one in the first eleven is horribly out of form. There have been times over the 60 years I have watched the county when his current run would have easily got him into the side.

Nottinghamshire finished the day 87-0, a lead of 140 going into the last day. 

Scores and clips here

Derbyshire v Gloucestershire preview

Mickey Arthur has named a squad of thirteen for the game against Gloucestershire that starts tomorrow at the Central Co-op County Ground

Luis Reece drops out for personal reasons, but Wayne Madsen is back, so bring out the bunting, pop the party crackers and let the festivities commence...

Getting the club captain back is a major boost for morale. Logically, Nye Donald and Rory Haydon will miss out, because the former hasn't scored enough runs to force a way in, while the latter has done little wrong, but nor have the bowlers in front of him. So I expect the following eleven to take the field tomorrow:

Came, Jewell, Montgomery, Madsen, Guest, Andersson, Dal, Chappell, Aitchison, Bashir, Abbas.

Perhaps the biggest issue for Derbyshire is that the left arm bowler, the one who creates the rough for Bashir, is absent. So we should expect plenty of around the wicket bowling at the left-handers of Gloucestershire.

They make one change in their squad, leg-spinner Ed Middleton coming in for batter Joe Phillips. Tommy Boorman retains his place in the squad after becoming the club’s 699th first-class player last week.

Cameron Bancroft, James Bracey, Gabe Bell, Tommy Boorman, Henry Brookes, Ben Charlesworth, Miles Hammond, Ed Middleton, Craig Miles, Ollie Price, Jack Taylor, Matt Taylor, Graeme van Buuren, Will Williams.

The visitors are currently bottom of the table, with only three points from the three matches they have played. Derbyshire will accordingly hope to get their first win of the season, but much will depend on the pitch offering a little more to bowlers than that against Worcestershire. 

The weather has taken a turn for the better and there appears to be no reason why we shouldn't get four full days here. 

If that happens, I am going for a Derbyshire win, which will hopefully kick-start their summer.

What do you think?

Early season move announced

I don't recall seeing a cricket transfer for the following year announced earlier than that of Ben Charlesworth, who will move from Gloucestershire to Lancashire in November.

It must be a worrying time to be a fan of the former, who play Derbyshire at the Central Co-op County Ground, starting tomorrow. Last winter they saw virtually their entire seam attack disappear, not so much through revolving doors as a one-way system. Having acquired the services of Ajeet Singh Dale, no doubt for a pretty penny, Lancashire have gone back for Charlesworth, a talented opening bat and perhaps occasional bowler, rather than genuine all-rounder. He will want a batting average of 30 to go northwards, but I would query what the announcement does at both ends of the deal, so early in the summer. 

Lancashire have a number of players out of contract at the end of this year and the news could be unsettling for the likes of Harry Singh, Luke Wells and Josh Bohannon, all out of contract, as far as I can see, in September.

It will be the start of June before counties can officially speak to players in the final year of contracts, but no doubt the traffic down to Hove will be heavier than usual at that time, with Sussex under ECB special measures and having to shave £400K from their cricket budget.

They have done remarkably well to put this behind them so far, having made a great start to red ball cricket, yet several high-profile and talented players will be sought after when their deals expire there, including Henry Crocombe, Danny Lamb, Tymal Mills and Fynn Hudson-Prentice. I would expect cheeky approaches for the services of James Coles too, even though he is under contract until the end of 2027.

For Derbyshire, this is the final year of deals for Ross Whiteley, Mitch Wagstaff, Pat Brown, Anuj Dal, Wayne Madsen, Yusuf Bin Naeem, Nick Potts, Joe Hawkins and Jack Morley. Some of these will be offered new deals, others won't but there will be pressure on all players to perform and they will hope for the opportunity to impress. 

All you can do is your best and the hope for all is that their bodies remain fit enough to show their best form. I still think there is a player in Mitch Wagstaff and the frustration for him is that what looked a gilt-edged opportunity to impress in last year's One Day Cup came to naught, because of injury. He has started this year well and he must hope for a chance to shine at senior level. All he can do is keep scoring runs and taking wickets, because there is much to enjoy in a left handed opener, who bowls more than tidy leg spin.

The same goes for Pat Brown. His first year for us was very impressive in the T20, but last year he struggled, mainly because of a shoulder injury. I understand he has had two operations over the winter and he will hope that his body repairs in time for him to show what he can do, in the format to which he has so far proven best suited.

I wish everyone the best, but the inevitability of professional sport is that there is always someone waiting to take your place. No matter what level you are playing at, the new arrival at the club could see you dropping down to the seconds, or not getting the new ball, or opening in your place. 

The only hope is that when the die stop rolling, the team is in a better place than it was before.

County bowlers work hard at Lady Bay

Derbyshire's bowlers stuck to their task well, after Nottinghamshire opted to bat following an uncontested toss today at Lady Bay.

The three-day friendly saw Derbyshire use eight different bowlers and they kept the home batting in check with a disciplined attack. So much so that Nottinghamshire had only reached 67-0 in 29 overs of graft  by lunch. 

A concern afterwards was that Nye Donald was replaced by Joe Hall as wicketkeeper after injury. I don't know any further details at this stage, but the county can do without anything else that is going to be medium to long term. 

Sam Seecharan made an excellent century and Ben Martindale contributed a half century, with further contributions down the order as Nottinghamshire closed at 319-6. 

There were two wickets each for Nick Potts and Joe Hawkins, while Mitch Wagstaff and trialist James Trodd took a wicket each. Trodd is from Hampshire and last year played for the second teams of his home county, Kent and Gloucestershire. He is a left-arm fast medium bowler and left handed bat.

One assumes that it will be Derbyshire's turn to bat tomorrow and I hope that they acquit themselves equally well. 

Scorecard and video clips here

Moore to miss the 2026 season

Remember back at the start of the season - not that long ago - when I wrote that Derbyshire would need their share of luck to challenge for promotion and other trophies? 

It hasn't been forthcoming. We have since learned that as well as the expected absence of Muhammad Abbas for Pakistan's England tour, he has been selected for their tour of Bangladesh. Nor have we seen any sign of Pat Brown at this stage of proceedings, though they may be keeping him for the Blast after winter surgery.

Today comes the news that after missing the 2025 season through injury, Harry Moore will now miss the whole of 2026, with a stress fracture in his back. I understand that this is a fresh injury, not a new problem with the same one that kept him out of last season 

It is very sad news for both the player, who will be 19 this week, as well as for the club. When he burst onto the scene, Harry looked a very special player, an excellent new ball bowler and a young man who showed every possibility of developing into a genuine all-rounder. It was very easy to get carried away with his potential. 

He still has it. This doesn't end his career, but I remember writing a couple of seasons back that the length of his back - he is 6'7 after all - could become a problem when he progressed from social and age group cricket to being a full-time professional. I have no pleasure at all in being proved correct, but there is a big difference in bowling ten overs across two or three spells, compared to 15-20 in a day. 

Harry will have excellent care and treatment with a view to getting him ready for 2027. There is a long road ahead of him, but he doesn't need to look too far for people who can advise on similar injuries during the course of their career. Perhaps a small modification of his action may be required, I don't know, but Chris Wright, the bowling coach has been there, so too Ben Aitchison. Both came through it, perhaps the stronger, certainly more aware of the demands of the first- class game.

They need to take time with him. At the start of next season he will still only be 20. Plenty of very good players hadn't even started their career at that stage and it might be that we just need to be patient and wait for Harry's body to fully develop and his physique be ready for the demands of first-class cricket. I hope that he is ready and willing to take that time himself and do the requisite work to give himself the very best chance. 

I also wrote at the start of the summer of Derbyshire's excellent depth in seam bowling. Well, we have also lost - temporarily at least - the services of Luis Reece as a bowler, so the numbers are dwindling and the workload on those remaining is set to increase.

Again, turning it around, it offers opportunity. Rory Haydon looks increasingly like the expected beneficiary, while Nick Potts will also hope for a chance to impress in the final year of his current deal. There will be a few eyes on the second team too, where Matt Stewart's ability to take wickets will be carefully watched.

All that remains is to wish Harry the very best in his recovery. It is a setback in his career. 

But it is NOT the end of it, by a long chalk.

League watch

Isn't YouTube a wonderful thing?

I am perhaps preaching to the converted, but for those of you who haven't yet discovered what it offers, I can give you an excellent example from the weekend just past.

There was no Derbyshire fixture, so while waiting for the England Red Roses to start their Six Nations match against Scotland, (it was an enjoyably chilled day, chez Peakfan) I went on to YouTube to see what live cricket was on offer. 

I struck it lucky. Alrewas CC v Chesterfield in the Derbyshire Premier League and what a game it was. So good that I kept watching and there was a lot of talent on display. 

Ben Slater opening for Chesterfield with Hassnain Akhtar, on the Derbyshire Pathway last year, with Ben Martindale to follow. A good professional too, in Kemira Wijenayake, even though Matt Stewart wasn't involved for them, presumably because of county commitments. 

Chesterfield ended a thrilling game, winning by two runs. It was a fixed camera at one end, but hugely enjoyable. A delightful century by Gareth Woolley probably should have taken the home side to victory, but Slater's wily leg spin slowed them down and the innings ground to a halt after the dismissal of the centurion.

If you find yourself with time to spare on a Saturday, there is much to enjoy in the more limited streams of the league clubs. Ticknall had an 'All Our Yesterdays' opening pair of Tom Wood and Paul Borrington, who breezed to their target against Ockbrook with an opening stand of 159 in a nine-wicket win. 

Sandiacre demolished Alvaston and Boulton, with the evergreen Dan Wheeldon, 'The Premier League Anderson' taking three cheap wickets. This against a batting line up that contained Alex Hughes, Mitch Wagstaff, Tom Knight, Hamidullah Qadri and Chris Durham. They should score plenty of runs this season, but managed only 112 this week. Connor Marshall is still bowling his leg spin to good effect for Sandiacre too and there is much to enjoy in what appears a very strong league.

Even a division lower there is cricket worth watching, although Daryn Smit's Clifton were beaten this week, despite the presence of Oscar Edwards and Zak Kelly, who have done well in the county age groups. Mind you, Cutthorpe did have Eddie Barlow playing for them, which explains a lot...   

Meanwhile, down in Division 3 (South), a talented all rounder is still doing his stuff for Brailsford. Tony Palladino returned figures of 10-4-9-3 as they bowled out Dunstall Seconds for just 56, winning by eight wickets.

When you've got it - and Tony certaInly had - you never lose it. He's the same age as Jimmy Anderson now and I suspect still gives similar cause for concern when you are taking guard against him...

Much to enjoy, like I said. 

Don't forget to have a look, when you next have a little time to spare.

Seconds lose to Nottinghamshire

Derbyshire Second XI lost by 33 runs to Nottinghamshire in a fifty-over friendly at Lady Bay today.

The home side opted to bat and there were contributions down the order, headed by Freddie McCann, with 81. Trialist Josh Croom, from Wiltshire, took 4-65 and came back well after some early punishment from Ben Martindale and McCann. There were also two wickets each for Matt Stewart and Jack Morley, although 28 extras was unnecessarily generous, as the hosts racked up an all out total of 321.

In reply, Derbyshire were all out for 288. Neither of the most experienced batters, Nye Donald and Ross Whiteley, got going and scored only 13 between them. A partnership of 109 for the third wicket between Amrit Basra (54) and Mitch Wagstaff (106) put Derbyshire ahead of the required rate at 171-2 in the 22nd over, but afterwards only Joe Hawkins (30) and Croom (21*) got going, in a side with a fairly lengthy tail.

The two sides start a three-day friendly on the same ground, starting on Wednesday. Certainly both Wagstaff and Basra will feel happy with their form at this early stage of the summer.

Scorecard and video clips here

Under-16s start with Nottinghamshire win

It is always nice to report on a win over our old rivals across the A52, regardless of the level. 

Today, Derbyshire under-16s started their season with an excellent five wicket victory against their old rivals at Cuckney Cricket Club.

Nottinghamshire won the toss and elected to bat, but could never break free from the shackles imposed by the Derbyshire attack. Lucas Green, younger brother of Jake, bowled especially well in taking 2-16 from nine overs. There were also two wickets each for Tommy Bush and Archie Griffiths, as the home side were restricted to 199 all out in their fifty overs.

The Derbyshire reply didn't initially go to plan and two wickets were down by the end of the fourth over. These included the talented Oscar Edwards, who had hit four boundaries in a breezy 20. A third had gone by the time the county side reached 30, but Bush started a recovery with Raja, before both were dismissed with the score on 96. 

The game was very much in the balance at that stage, but an excellent innings by the 2025 under- 15 batter of the year, Hugo Schroder, well- partnered by former under-14 captain Archie Griffiths, saw Derbyshire to victory with thirteen overs to spare.

Schroder was unbeaten on 77 from just 58 deliveries, while Griffiths added an unbeaten and composed 25 from 44, as they added 106 in 16 overs, to seal a fine win.

There are some very talented players in this age group and I look forward to reporting on their successes as the season progresses.

Tomorrow and Wednesday the Derbyshire Second XI play friendlies against Nottinghamshire at Lady Bay. Tomorrow is a 50 over game, while Wednesday sees the start of a 3-day fixture. 

It will be interesting to see if tomorrow sees a return for Harry Moore. He didn't play last week in the friendly match at Scarborough, so assuming fitness, ten overs would be a good way to gradually build his workload.

Fingers crossed!