Will twenty offer plenty?

Any lingering hopes of a belated challenge in the CB 40 went out the window with the defeat by the Netherlands on Sunday, so the world (OK, just Derbyshire fans) waits with bated breath to see how the team responds for the start of the T20 on Wednesday. Will we spring from the blocks like Usain Bolt or hobble from them like a footballer regaining his feet from an especially vigorous tackle?

I'm hoping it’s the former, but you never can tell, as Chuck Berry once wrote (quite possibly about Derbyshire…) I'm with Derbyshire La La La on IMWT on this one. First class cricket needs a knock out trophy once again, something that would afford us a better chance of an upset. At present, we simply don't have the players and/or experience to sustain a challenge over 12 or 16 games, but there is enough talent to surprise anyone on a one-off basis. As I've written before, at the risk of faffing around with the format again, I'd reduce the T20 to smaller groups and less games and do the same with the CB40. If we do go to three divisions of the Championship, there would then be plenty of time to add in a knock out trophy.

If the worst happened it would only be one extra day...

I suspect that a team progressing to a major Lords final might not feel as tired as one playing a succession of meaningless matches, which is what we're effectively left with in the CB40. Meanwhile, if we lost five of our first six games in the T20, this competition will seem to last an eternity. It will hold no appeal for the players and none for the fans at that point, so I just hope we can get off to a flyer.

Apparently the bookies have us as favourites to beat Leicestershire, which suggests that they either share my opinion that we have some decent players about to fire, or that they have a sense of humour.

We know that these first two games will be played sans Bosman and Langeveldt, but we don't know yet if the skipper will play. I assume he will and think that our best chance of containing our opponents is to take the pace off the ball. For what it is worth, my team for the first game would be:

Rogers
Hughes
Peterson
Smith
Durston
Park
Sadler
Goddard
Groenewald
Needham
Jones

There are a few uncertainties around our side. Is Graham Wagg fit? Is Wayne Madsen? Is Needham bowling well enough to play, or would Lungley be a better option? Will we remember that Durston is a decent off spinner who has been a regular bowler at Somerset, especially in one day games?

My forecast? I'll take the Fifth, as it is impossible to call Derbyshire at present. We have the players to win it, what I'm less sure of is the self-belief. We need someone to have one of those days where it all goes right and it could change our fortunes dramatically. If we win even one of these two games before the arrival of Bosman and Langeveldt it is good going and might set us up for a decent campaign.

Elsewhere, it is interesting to see that Tim Ambrose has been replaced as first choice keeper at Warwickshire, as someone picked up on IMWT. Lee Goddard is on a one year deal and I'd be surprised if John Morris wasn't monitoring the situation. Ambrose has been out of form this season (we can relate to that) but was England's first choice not that long ago and has an excellent first class record. I think Goddard is a wicket keeper/batsman of some talent, but that needs to be translated into batting form before long. I really hope he comes good, but if not, there has to be a plan B as we need a wicket keeper who can contribute his share of runs. The days of wicket-keeping specialists are long gone and since Bob Taylor we have had the likes of Bernie Maher, Karl Krikken, Luke Sutton and James Pipe, all of them able to contribute well with the bat.

Given most first class counties have solid, performing keepers, Morris may have a clearer run than might otherwise have been the case if Ambrose decides to move. Let's be honest, Edgbaston has hardly been an unhappy hunting ground for us in recent years. I would, however, suggest that ex-England keepers at Warwickshire may be on more money than we could afford.

Another option may be Josh Knappett, formerly of Worcestershire, another who has done well for the Unicorns this season. John Morris has made it clear that ours is a squad in constant evolution. He has brought in players who are better than those replaced, but in some cases perhaps not yet of the standard required. Any and all options will, I'm sure, be explored and we will eventually get it right. Matches against so-called lesser lights (ha ha) afford an opportunity to look at players and perhaps John Morris saw something in one or two of the opposition the other day.

For now it is up to the present incumbents to do their stuff, starting tomorrow night. Sunday is done, if not yet forgotten and it is all about who does their stuff tomorrow.

Who's going to step up?