Worcestershire v Derbyshire day 4

So Derbyshire went down fighting, but went down nonetheless to Worcestershire this afternoon, after a game in which they barely turned up for the first two days then fought hard to save thereafter. Had the attitude from the last two days been there from the start, the result may well have been different, though whether we would have had enough to force a win is debatable.

Hats off tonight to Garry Park, who emerged from a tough spell with the bat to make a wonderful unbeaten century that really deserved better. It was an outstanding effort from several angles. For one thing he had been in poor form, for another, wickets were falling at the other end and for a third he batted for a LONG time and showed admirable powers of concentration.

With Greg Smith also in the runs, the engine room of Derbyshire's batting looks to have been restored to its normal self. Our problem now lies in filling the roles at numbers three and six. Do we retain Paul Borrington, or move Hughes to three with Redfern coming in at six? Or do we switch the two youngsters? Do we, alternatively, give John Sadler a crack at three, or let Garry Park go back to that position, one he filled so well last year. Decisions, decisions…

In an ideal world we would discover that Ricky Ponting came from Ilkeston and ideally qualified for an instant permit as he was thoroughly disenchanted with Test cricket and wanted to play out his career in the county of his birth. Sadly, that's marginally less likely than John Morris re-registering as a player - now that would sort the number three berth!

It would be easier if everyone was fit. Bring in the fit Graham Wagg and move everyone up the order. If Jon Clare was fit we would have additional batting and bowling, but John Morris has to work with what he has, unless a cunning plan for a loan player is currently being hatched…

So, c'est magnifique mais ce n'est pas le draw. That's the best I can say in my pidgin French, but we return to the fray against Gloucestershire next week. In the light of Sussex's second successive loss today, this division is suddenly wide open

Win that one and we'll have forgotten all about this.