Derbyshire v Nottinghamshire championship preview

If you add in the close finish at Trent Bridge in the season's first four-day fixture between Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire (which we would have won, bar for the weather, lest you forget), there's been very close finishes in every match between the two sides this summer.

There shouldn't be, of course, because there is considerable fiscal difference between the two clubs. Yet this year, in particular, the constituent parts have added up better for Derbyshire, especially in the one-day competitions.

Tomorrow's game is, however, tinged with irony. Earlier in the season, we struggled because our strike bowler, Hardus Viljoen, was injured, leaving a sizeable burden on the shoulders of Jeevan Mendis. Now, as Viljoen makes his championship bow at the start of August, we find ourselves without a fit or available spinner in the club.

Imran Tahir has a minor injury, and is being rested ahead of the remaining T20 matches, while Matt Critchley is still recovering from the blow on the helmet against Leicestershire and Hamidullah Qadri is with England Under-19s.

So it seems we go with seam. There is a balancing act with Viljoen, of course, needing him to get some overs in his legs, yet not wanting any recurrence of the injury that has so blighted his season. The risk is that it is aggravated to the detriment of our T20 fortunes, but the fitness staff, the selection team and Viljoen himself must feel he is ready to go. Perhaps not for a huge workload, but enough to build the rhythm for the challenges ahead.

Matt Henry would probably have enjoyed a longer bowl too, but the possibility of  him replacing Tahir in the overseas role was scuppered by another minor injury. Daryn Smit is also rested, giving an opportunity to Harvey Hosein behind the stumps. Hopefully the lad acquits himself well after his wait for a place, as he lines up in this twelve:

Billy Godleman
Luis Reece
Ben Slater
Wayne Madsen
Alex Hughes
Gary Wilson
Harvey Hosein
Tom Taylor
Tom Milnes
Tony Palladino
Hardus Viljoen
Ben Cotton

Taylor and Milnes would appear to be battling for the final place and with that side we can only hope it's not going to be dry and dusty...

In another example of irony, Mark Footitt looks set to make his Nottinghamshire debut against his former employers, while Ish Sodhi is set for a first championship match. Their likely squad for the game, according to the Nottingham Post, is:

 Libby, Mullaney, Patel, Hales, Wessels, Root, Moores, Read, Hutton, Wood, Sodhi, Ball, Footitt, Gurney.

Logic suggests this a mis-match, but we know that Derbyshire can bat well on their good days. Whether the attack has the variety to bowl out a very strong side is  debatable, but local pride is again at stake and supporters will want to see the feel-good factor continue.

We'll find out soon enough.