Derbyshire V Lancashire day 1

Derbyshire 153 (du Plooy 38*Anderson 5-18, Onions 3-19)
Lancashire 8-1

There was an air of inevitability over proceedings at Derby today.

After the rain of the last few days, together with the covering of the wicket for a good part of that time, I would have put good money on our having to bat.

I might also have been inclined to wager we would struggle, too. Inside fifteen overs we were 21-5, as Jimmy Anderson and Graeme Onions weaved their magic, as both have done for years, of course.

Lancashire should not be in division two of the County Championship. With their resources they should be ashamed to be so, but their promotion at season end is another thing with an air of the inevitable.

Those opening bowlers are craftsmen, though just how good they would be when Anderson is with England, and if Onions is injured is a moot point. I was disappointed in my first sighting of Saqib Mahmood, who took more stick than a bowler should in such conditions. He struggled for length and direction and it was a relief that Richard Gleeson had been omitted from the final eleven.

There can be no criticism of the batting, as any side would have struggled against that attack and in such conditions.

Hughes and Critchley restored a little sanity to proceedings for Derbyshire, but trouble was always only one ball away. du Plooy again came in at eight and was again a class above some of those preceded him.

I find it hard to appreciate the rationale of having a top batsman so low, when all he has to bat with is the tail. He made a top score of an unbeaten 38 and spirited resistance from Sam Conners and Ravi Rampaul helped take the score past 150. We need to sort that, however, as for me it gives a disjointed look to the batting.

Lancashire lost the wicket of Keaton Jennings before the close, leg before to Luis Reece. At 8-1 they trail by 145 runs, but we will need something special with the ball tomorrow to stay in this game.