Yorkshire v Derbyshire T20

Yorkshire 83-3 (Malan 50, Kerr 2-18, Watt 1-18)

Derbyshire 84-1 (Madsen 39*, Masood 32*)

Derbyshire won by nine wickets

Wow!

That was a wonderfully professional performance by Derbyshire at Headingley tonight, as they trounced Yorkshire by nine wickets in an eight over game.

Hayden Kerr's first over saw him remove the dangerous Lyth and Shadab for just two runs, before a fine half century by Malan threatened to take the game away..

Sam Conners took some stick in his first over, but came back well in his second. Mark Watt bowled two very canny overs, his second a masterpiece of canny skill that saw Malan well held by Sam Conners in the deep. Scrimshaw, who survived a nasty fall in bowling his first ball, held his nerve and the home score of 83-3 was challenging but not out of sight.

After two overs, one of them excellent from Rauf, we had only 14 on the board and Reece was run out at the start of the next over.

But then it was the Masood and Madsen show. The pair added 69 runs in 5. 2 overs of exhilarating batting that put the home bowling to the sword. Masood yet again played some sparkling strokes, but Madsen tonight, in his 400th game for the county, was sublime.

Was his slashed six off Haris Rauf better than the reverse swept one off Adil Rashid? I don't know, but you could put that five overs of batting on a DVD and sell copies. It was that good, two brilliant players at the top of their game, pacing a run chase to perfection and winning with three balls to spare.

What a display! Lancashire next, who slaughtered Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge tonight. That should be good.. 

Forget the Hundred. I have seen the future and it is 48s...

Yorkshire v Derbyshire T20 preview

Alex Thomson comes into the Derbyshire squad for the trans-Pennine double header against Yorkshire at Headingley tomorrow, then Lancashire at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

Mikey Cohen drops out and the selection makes sense, especially with Old Trafford so often favouring spin. Whether we went with three front line spinners is a moot point, but we at least have the option. 

It is a funny old group, Leicestershire beating the white rose yesterday, after looking pretty dismal against us. Sometimes it is easy to think that team X was poor, rather than giving credit where it is due. We played a very savvy game at Leicester and will need more of the same over the next two nights.

David Willey returns from IPL duty to captain the Yorkshire side, which misses Harry Brook and Joe Root on England duty. Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf play their last games before heading back to Pakistan as the following squad has been named by Ottis Gibson :

Dom Bess
Will Fraine
George Hill
Shadab Khan
Tom Kohler-Cadmore
Adam Lyth
Dawid Malan
Adil Rashid
Haris Rauf
Matthew Revis
Jonny Tattersall
Jordan Thompson
David Willey

It is a good squad, but I don't fear them, any more than Lancashire on Wednesday. I watched them against Worcestershire yesterday and only a fine spell by Richard Gleeson got them over the line.

Their top six has serious firepower, with Tim David and Liam Livingstone among the biggest hitters in the game. But they aren't infallible and like anyone else it only needs one ball to get them out.

I would perhaps settle for one win from two, but with Nottinghamshire to come at the end of the week, we will have a pretty good idea of our credentials by the weekend.

What do you think? 

Leicestershire v Derbyshire T20

Derbyshire 159-5 (Masood 53, du Plooy 38* Kerr 19*)

Leicestershire 89 (Mike 26*, Kerr 2-6, McKiernan 2-17)

Derbyshire won by 70 runs

Even the Sky commentators were impressed.

Derbyshire produced a controlled, clinical and professional display at the Uptonsteel County Ground to trounce Leicestershire today. 

Playing on the wicket used for the last game, I thought the home side might have opted to bat first on a wicket that got slower and lower, but they put us into bat.

It never looked easy, as evidenced by the captain's watchful knock, but his diligence saw us to a score that Mickey Arthur, in a brief stint in the commentary box, deemed par. His half century was matched by a common sense unbeaten 38 from vice-captain Leus Du Plooy, with good support from Hayden Kerr at the death.

Leicestershire bowled steadily, but seeing Guest bowled by one that kept horribly low made me think 160 was going to be a stiff task for them. 

So it transpired. Wayne Madsen was magnificent, taking the key wicket of Hamish Rutherford, making a brilliant run out of Lilley and holding two catches. Meanwhile George Scrimshaw looked way too fast for some of the batsmen, while spinners Watt and McKiernan wheeled away beautifully. It all meant that Sam Conners was only needed for two overs, yet took the key wicket of Colin Ackermann that finished the Powerplay with us well on top.

McKiernan has come on so much this season, while Watt came back from conceding 12 in his Powerplay over to only concede another eleven, as well as bowling the ball of the day  to dismiss Walker. 

Masood skippered his side very well and the tactic of one-over spells, aimed at stopping bowlers being 'lined up', worked like a charm. Derbyshire look a well-drilled side, in which everyone knows their role and there is an obvious game plan. It is so good to see.

A final word for Hayden Kerr. Last night he had a baptism of fire, going around the park with the ball and being run out.

Today his unbeaten 19 was important in the context of the game, while the early dismissal of the dangerous Scott Steel set us on the road to the win. That he also took the last wicket, ending with 2-6, was wholly appropriate.

He will feel much better after that. 

As we all do. Very encouraging so far, despite the narrow defeat last night. 

Postscript: have we ever fielded three players who look so young as Came, Guest and Kerr? All of them look like they could still be at school, not necessarily in the sixth form!

Or am I just getting old...? 

Derbyshire v Birmingham T20

Birmingham 200-6 (Hose 55, Benjamin 43* Conners 3-33) 

Derbyshire 197-8 ( Guest 54)

Birmingham won by 3 runs

What a magnificent game of cricket at the Incora County Ground tonight.

Derbyshire started this game well, but Birmingham took the game away from them as they ran amok in the final 8 overs, scoring 111 runs.

Full credit to the batsmen, who struck the ball cleanly, but the bowling could have been in better areas and both Mark Watt and Hayden Kerr came in for heavy punishment. 

Mattie McKiernan was the pick of the bowlers, though George Scrimshaw bowled some rockets and Sam Conners should perhaps have bowled out.

Our reply never got going. The scoring rate was fine, but wickets fell too frequently for any genuine chase to be mounted, to a combination of poor strokes and even worse running, Kerr completing a debut to forget by being run out by half the pitch length.

Guest, who kept well and batted even better, took us very close in the end, mixing excellent running with clean hitting. There was fine support from Mattie McKiernan and Mark Watt, but we fell agonisingly short. 

Lets not get too disheartened, as Birmingham look a pretty good side to me. 

We didn't play well, yet so nearly pulled it off. The fighting spirit is alive and well. 

On to Leicester tomorrow. 

Seconds win back to back matches v Yorkshire

There were two fine wins by the county second team, featuring a number of Academy players, against Yorkshire at Queen's Park today. Alex Thomson skippered the side, but was the only senior staff member in the eleven. 

In the first game we made 182-7, with former Essex man Kishen Velani making an excellent 81 from 42 balls and ex-Sussex Harry Finch making 54. Wharton took a hat trick for Yorkshire, but it was a stiff task. 

They never got close, despite 38 from Harry Duke and 34 from Will Fraine. They were all out for 132, with Watson and Shaikh each taking three wickets. 

In the second, Yorkshire opted to bat but were restricted to 138-5 in their 20 overs. Derbyshire strolled to victory with over two overs to spare, with Harry Finch unbeaten on 52, Archie Harrison unbeaten on 30, having earlier taken 1-24.

A good day all round, with good academy performances and excellent efforts by the two trialists. 

Derbyshire v Warwickshire T20 preview

It is a sign of a competitive squad when one of fourteen is announced and you can't see who to leave out.

So it is with Derbyshire tomorrow, as we open our Vitality Blast campaign with a visit from the Birmingham Bears (Warwickshire, for those of us in the know..)

Luis Reece is fit, so too Anuj Dal, so quite who takes the field in the final eleven will be dictated by the pitch. I fully expect the batting lineup to go left/right as far as possible, leaving the bowlers having to constantly adjust their lines.

I suspect that there is a straight choice between Sam Conners and Mikey Cohen, but then it comes down to whether we need one spinner or two. It would be very hard to leave out Alex Hughes, for so long a certainty in this format, but competition is fierce. 

My best guess?

Masood

Came

Reece

Madsen

Du Plooy

Guest 

Dal

Kerr

Watt

Scrimshaw

Conners

I could make a strong case for Cohen, Hughes and McKiernan playing and none would weaken the side. 

For what it is worth, I think the signing of Hayden Kerr strengthens the side, with no disrespect to Suranga Lakmal, a veery fine bowler. But Kerr is a very good fielder, obviously a fine bowler and a batsman capable of late order impetus. Mark Watt can also biff it, so there is deep batting, as well as six or seven bowling options. 

Birmingham play Northamptonshire tonight so their team will likely be similar to that. Captained by West Indian Carlos Braithwaite, Ireland opener Paul Stirling is their other overseas and they have some fine players in this squad, named for tonight:

Braithwaite, Hain, Stirling, Davies, Benjamin, Bethell, Briggs, Brookes, Brookes, Hannon-Dalby, Hose, Lintott, Miles

Former Lancashire keeper Alex Davies is a danger man, so too Sam Hain. But I don't fear them and think that we can acquit ourselves really well in this competition. We should also have useful inside knowledge on them from Ian Bell. 

We will know soon enough and I hope that those filling the ground and the many who will enjoy the live stream will enjoy what is on offer. 

Shan Masood's Derbyshire Army are ready to roll.

Strap yourselves in and enjoy the ride! 

Hayden Kerr signs for Derbyshire!

While it is nice for supporters to see their club sign big names, there is equal pleasure in the signing of a lesser name, very much on the way up.

In county terms and Australia I am thinking of players such as Greg Chappell and Andrew Symonds.

Hayden Kerr could be another. 

He is that rarity, a genuine all rounder and his left-arm seam will offer useful variation to the Derbyshire attack. Meanwhile his powerful batting will be a big bonus, offering crucial depth and that precious boundary - clearing ability at the end of an innings.

He had a fantastic Big Bash this winter and only went for 7.5 runs an over while taking 25 wickets, while making a highest score of 98. 

He seems to have a lot of varieties in his bowling and that different line will be an asset. So too a young man with a reputation to build, taking his place in a team doing the same. 

He is with us until September too, for all formats. That will help him to hone his game, and will be a great asset to Mickey Arthur and his team mates. 

I can't wait to see him in action. 

Welcome to Derbyshire, Hayden! 

All happening today!

I had a feeling that stuff would kick off down Derby way when I was in Manchester for a couple of nights.

I am down here to see a couple of museums I have wanted to see for a while and tomorrow sees me at the Imperial War Museum North.

Back to matters in hand, I claim no psychic powers in the breaking news that Suranga Lakmal is out for the season and Shan Masood is the new T20 captain. The first seemed certain after Mickey Arthur said the injury was bad, while Masood was the logical (and for me only) choice for the skipper's role.

He leads from the front, has experience, now knows the players and should very soon have a new overseas bowler to help him.

I have heard that it may be announced tomorrow, but without any confirmation at this stage. I still think that player being available for Friday is a long shot, unless he is already in the UK in club cricket.

Also today, Wayne Madsen has agreed a new one-year deal, so Mickey Arthur is gradually getting together 'his' squad. It was expected, again but wonderful too think we will have at least one more season to admire one of our greatest-ever players. 

He has been in fine form this season and if that translates to the Vitality Blast, don't back against Derbyshire surprising a, few people. 

On the pitch, there was a resounding win over Nottinghamshire today. Both teams appeared only a couple short of full strength and George Scrimshaw's pace appeared too much for our neighbours on this occasion.

He took 5-22 as they were out for 134, Dan Christian's unbeaten 30 the highest score. Both Mark Watt and Mattie McKiernan bowled tidy spells of spin, while Sam Conners and Mike Cohen did their bit.

Masood and Came led off with 55 in five overs and from there it was a stroll, Came making 50, Masood 33 and Madsen an unbeaten 38, he and Brooke Guest sterling us to a win with over four overs to spare.

All good stuff. 

Lets hope we can replicate that when the serious stuff starts. 

And let's hope for some exciting news tomorrow! 

T20 thoughts

The next phase of the season will be starting on Friday, with a home game for Derbyshire Falcons against Birmingham Bears, closely followed by one on Saturday afternoon against Leicestershire, at the Uptonsteel County Ground.

The Vitality Blast is back! 

Injury and circumstance have not been kind to the club this year and the available squad is cut down accordingly. 

I understand that the likely replacement for Suranga Lakmal, who looks set to miss the remainder of the season, may well come from Australia, at least for the T20 Blast. A number of their players have now returned home from IPL duty and of course, Mickey Arthur's contacts book is around the size of a volume of Encyclopedia Britannica.

There are plenty of players who would fit the bill from that country, of course, but a bowler or bowling all rounder would seem a likely target, as the greater need of the side. 

The challenge, of course, would be getting someone in for the weekend and we may need to start the campaign with only one overseas. 

I still don't think that Billy Godleman will skipper or play this format, so my expectation is that Shan Masood will be announced skipper before the weekend.

From the players and the form that we have seen, my guess is this side, unless something happens very quickly:

Masood

Reece

Madsen

Du Plooy

Came

Guest

Hughes

McKiernan

Watt

Scrimshaw

Conners

The only other bowling options are Mikey Cohen and Nick Potts. The former hasn't bowled at his best in the seconds, while Mickey Arthur will be wary of over-bowling the latter at this formative stage of his career.

It may be that Nuj Dal recovers from his ankle injury before then, but they may err on the side of caution and ensure it is fully right before he resumes his key role in the side.

As I have written before, we have the players to do well in this format if they all play to potential. We have a world-class coach too, but I maintain that this year will be a free hit for him until he can reshape the squad as he wants it at season end.

More from me before the game, when we should know a little more! 

Lakmal replacement sought?

According to Mickey Arthur, the elbow injury sustained by Suranga Lakmal is 'pretty bad'

'We will have proper news in the week on that', he said 'but we are looking potentially at a replacement'.

It will be a major blow for the player if his season is over, but also for Derbyshire.

It is fair to say that we are not awash with seam bowling options at present. 

Watch this space...

But might options from a country where Mickey Arthur is held in especially high esteem be either Mohammad Wasim Jr or Shahnawaz Dahani? Both especially good bowlers in T20, with Wasim also a powerful late order hitter.

Dahani was a team mate of Shan Masood for the Multan Sultans and is a player I like, playing with an infectious enthusiasm, a regular smile and an Imran Tahir-style celebration of a wicket..

Tahir himself still bowls beautifully, as he showed in the PSL and he is in the country, playing in the Staffordshire League. However, he is now 43 and playing third division league cricket to the Vitality Blast is a jump, even for such a fine bowler. 

He would also need to be hidden in the field, so I don't see it as a long-term option for us. Especially having already signed Mark Watt. 

Nottinghamshire v Derbyshire day 4

We ran out of steam on day four here, losing the unbeaten record at the same time.

Such is life. A ten wicket win doesn't reflect that the game was fairly close for large parts. It was a good, result wicket and the irony is that both Sura Lakmal and Anuj Dal would have enjoyed bowling on it. 

As I wrote before, we battled and there was great pride in seeing eight Nottinghamshire wickets fall to our own lads. 

Now it is time to regroup and prepare for the start of the T20.

I can't wait! 

Nottinghamshire v Derbyshire day 3

Derbyshire 260 and 262 (Madsen 52, Hughes 49, Hurt 49, Paterson 3-35, Pattinson 3-59)

Nottinghamshire 358 and 3-0

Nottinghamshire require 162 runs to win

Nottinghamshire may well end up winning this game tomorrow, but by crikey, they know they have been in a game.

We fought, all the way down the order. 

Nick Potts  ended up with 4-50, as he and Sam Conners shared an eight - wicket academy alumni haul and we wrapped up the home innings fairly quickly.

Then Shan Masood got a frankly poor decision, the umpire pressured into an lbw call by embarrassing theatrics from Stuart Broad. Yes, I am old fashioned, but these type of celebratory appeals do no one any favours, least of all the perpetrators. Masood was outside off stump and later Leus Du Plooy got an even worse call.

Godleman grafted and he, with Madsen, got us close to parity, but a rush of wickets saw an end look likely before the close 

Then Alex Hughes and Liam Hurt added a gutsy 90 runs in 23 overs, each missing a deserved fifty by one run. Let's not forget that there are international attacks worse than this Nottinghamshire one, so the players deserve every credit for taking it into the fourth day.

Could there yet be a twist in the tale? Alex Thomson got sharp turn in the final over of the day and a couple of early wickets tomorrow might set alarm bells ringing.

But there is no disgrace here, none at all. 

Nottinghamshire v Derbyshire day 2

Derbyshire 260

Nottinghamshire 334-7 (Duckett 86, Conners 3-80, Potts 2-39, Thomson 2-49)

Nottinghamshire lead by 74 runs

When four of your attack have less than 50 first-class games between them, losing the one regular bowler of experience after just eight overs of his spell is more than a little unfortunate.

At this rate, we will need to loan a seam bowling attack for the T20, but I think Sam Conners, Nick Potts and Alex Thomson did very well today. They stuck to their task against a strong batting line up and picked up wickets steadily.

They were aided by some high quality catching. Guest held an agile one to dismiss Moores,  Madsen a stunning one to remove Hamid.

Nottinghamshire took the lead late in the day and will hope to push on tomorrow, but we have been far from disgraced here.

This is light years ahead from the equivalent games last year, even with a lot of regulars missing.

I have to say it was especially nice to see five wickets taken by lads from our Academy. 

Good stuff. Let's hope to polish them off tomorrow and then bat better still second time around. 

Godleman signs new deal

The new contract signed by Billy Godleman is a big vote of confidence for the long-time skipper from Mickey Arthur.

On the one hand he is in the top ten century-makers for the county, a run machine at the top of the order in red ball cricket and certainly in the fifty-over game.

The references to him as our 'red ball captain' in the media pieces suggest that he won't be the white ball equivalent and that makes a lot of sense. I don't see him in our best T20 side, as Harry Came, for one, is better-suited to that format.

The team needs Billy to return to his best and to be fair we haven't seen that for a while. Last year was a struggle, bar for a century at the very end, while this year has seen much of the same.

I would love to see him less intent on crease occupation and playing more shots. I feel this year, perhaps with the pressure of the final year weighing on him, he has not played his normal game. Batting time is fine, but at some point there will be one with your name on it.

Having said that, taking the shine off the new ball is also very important. Paul Borrington didn't get the credit he deserved for his role in 2012, when he kept an end going while Martin Guptill blazed away. The runs scored down the order that year were made because the bowlers were tired and the ball old. The likes of Anuj Dal and Alex Thomson are cashing in similarly this year.

Perhaps now, knowing he will be staying around, we will see the best of Billy in the Royal London and the later return of the four-day game.

His captaincy has matured and is less formulaic, while he undoubtedly has the respect of the players. You will struggle to find anyone with a bad word to say about him, too and I have always found him a thoughtful, thoroughly pleasant and charming man, as interested in me and my family as I am in him. 

Whatever happens at the end of the season and whoever comes into and goes out of the club, the skipper will be around for a while longer. 

That is no bad thing, eh? 

Nottinghamshire v Derbyshire day 1

Derbyshire 260 (du Plooy 57, Guest 51, Reece 49, Hughes 33 Paterson 3-36, Broad 2-36, Pattinson 2-85)

Nottinghamshire 22-0

Derbyshire lead by 238 runs

When most of the seam attack on your staff are either injured or coming back from injury, the last thing you want is to lose the services of your overseas star, as well as one of your all-rounders, before play.

So it was for Derbyshire today, Suranga Lakmal ruled out with an ongoing elbow problem, while Anuj Dal twisted an ankle in the warm ups. 

Then again, we don't plan to lose three wickets before we had fifty on the board either. Masood looked good once more but got a decent ball from Pattinson, Godleman's travails continued as he edged to slip, while the prolific Madsen was caught behind first ball from one that lifted but he could perhaps have left alone.

Last year's Derbyshire would have gone for 120 from there. The wicket had green tinges all day and batting was never easy, even if one side of the ground had a boundary within 'decent push' range. Plenty went past the bat, but they grafted, played nice shots and eventually got up to a position of respectability.

Guest again looked terrific, Du Plooy is getting back to his best and Reece played some sumptuous strokes. None went on to the big score we really needed, but Alex Hughes, a late addition to the side, grafted hard and the tail wagged pleasingly. 

It was encouraging against an all-international seam attack. I thought the home side overdid the short ball at times, but we got into line and battled it out. 

How our attack will do tomorrow is anyone's guess. When Sam Conners has played four times the first-class cricket of the other two, the biggest weapon they have is surprise. If Luis Reece can bowl his share it will help and if conditions stay the same, Alex Hughes, like Steve Mullaney, may nip it around.

All things being equal, not at all unhappy with that day. 

Nottinghamshire v Derbyshire preview

There's always an additional excitement ahead of a derby match, especially this one. On the one hand you have Nottinghamshire, who think they are the best team in the country. Then there's Derbyshire and we KNOW they are... 

I jest, of course and recent history has seen us come out on the wrong side of these encounters far too often. The financial divide in cricket, the have and have not, are rarely more clearly marked than in this fixture, but for all their resources, their 'gun' players and their oft-supercilious attitude that does them few favours, this one may not be a foregone conclusion. 

Nottinghamshire are doing well, as you would expect, but they aren't running away with division two. Derbyshire are unbeaten, their batsmen in form and confidence high and only five points separate the two sides. 

Tomorrow we welcome and are likely to debut quick bowler Liam Hurt from Lancashire. Quite frankly, we have few options, with Scrimshaw and Cohen perhaps being kept back for the T20, Aitchison injured, Melton the extra overseas (and likely injured too as not in the second team) and Sidebottom now with a hamstring injury. 

Talent as he is, exposing Nick Potts to the Nottinghamshire batting would be brave or silly, at this stage, so Hurt comes in on, short term loan. He has impressed me when I have seen him for Lancashire and he runs in hard. I suspect him the only change from the last match, with Hughes and Potts the extra men after this eleven:

Godleman, Masood, Guest, Madsen, Du Plooy, Reece, Dal, Thomson, Conners, Hurt, Lakmal

There are five seamers in that side, with Luis Reece back in his bowling boots and that is a very welcome sight. 

The hosts have also named thirteen, namely:

Broad, Slater, Hameed, Clarke, Duckett, Mullaney, Moores, Patterson-White, James, Hutton, Pattinson, Paterson, Fletcher. 

They will fancy a win and it was no contest last year, but I don't expect to see a Mickey Arthur Derbyshire side to roll over easily. 

The forecast suggests rain on the second day which will take time from the game. Our batsmen will be high in confidence but will be tested against an attack likely to feature two international overseas bowlers, as well as the evergreen Luke Fletcher and England legend Stuart Broad. 

Nonetheless I am going for a draw here. There are runs, in both sides, but if the wicket offers help I have no concerns about the potency of Lakmal and Conners with a new ball, nor the quality of the supporting bowlers. 

One thing is for sure. Like you, I will be glued to my TV screen for much of the next four days. 

Do us proud, lads. 

Derbyshire v Worcestershire day 4

Worcestershire 368 and 225-2 (Linby 105*, Azhar 60)

Derbyshire 565-8 declared

Match drawn

The result that I predicted came to pass today. 

I wasn't being negative in suggesting it would be so, merely realistic. The wicket was excellent for batting and remained so until the end of the game, but it was hard work for bowlers and we only managed one wicket today. 

Derbyshire have become a hard side to beat, as Mickey Arthur said was the first step to being a good side. We bat solidly down to number eight and I think we have a decent attack, when we can field one that is a first choice.

It was a bonus to see Luis Reece bowl again today, but with the visitors rightly taking no risks, it wasn't the most exciting of days to watch.

Our revival is encouraging, but will be tested at Trent Bridge this week. The Nottinghamshire attack is strong and there is more life in the wickets there than many places.

But we go into that match the only unbeaten side in the division. 

Something to be proud of, as we take small but positive steps. 

Derbyshire v Worcestershire day 3

Worcestershire 368 and 59-1 (Lakmal 1-19)

Derbyshire 565-8 (Dal 114*, Du Plooy 62, Thomson 54, Reece 42, Sidebottom 31*) 

Derbyshire lead by 138 runs

Well as Derbyshire played today - and once again they played very well indeed - it is hard to see a positive result in this game.

With Worcestershire having to bat for 96 overs - or whatever the weather allows - and simply not yet out, we may need dynamite to dislodge them from a wicket that batsmen would likely carry around in their kit bag.

Derbyshire batted well down the order, with all ten making double figures, Anuj Dal making a career-best century and even Ryan Sidebottom contributing a career-best on one leg.

Dal batted splendidly, full of bustle and wristy strokes. Alex Thomson also played a fine innings after Reece and du Plooy gave early impetus.

197 runs on, Derbyshire would have hoped to see the odd ball misbehave, but little passed the bat all day and although Lakmal dismissed Pollock, who seemed to be netting for the T20, it will be a hard day's graft tomorrow, especially with only four front line bowlers.

I can't see any option bar a draw, unless more cloud cover offers the bowlers more than they have had all match.

Derbyshire v Worcestershire day 2

Worcestershire 368 (Conners 5-109, Sidebottom 3-76)

Derbyshire 274-4 (Masood 113, Guest 77, Du Plooy 23*, Reece 20*)

Derbyshire trail by 94 runs

What a difference a day makes, eh?

Last night we were all hoping that we could keep Worcestershire under 450 in their first innings. As it was, they struggled to get over 350,  as an early morning Sam Conners burst removed three wickets in two overs. 

They added only 42 runs for those last five wickets, Conners finishing with five for the second time in his career, while Ryan Sidebottom reinforced the positive impression he has made with another three.

The main concern was when Sidebottom limped off, midway through an over. We await news on the seriousness of his injury, which with the T20 around the corner we hope isn't too bad.

Derbyshire's openers survived until lunch and took their stand to 49 before Godleman played on. He was just starting to look in decent touch and his dismissal was a disappointment, but it heralded a partnership between lunch and tea which was as good as you could wish for.

Shan Masood progressed to another sublime century, while Brooke Guest scored 77. They added 158 together in 31 overs, the only tactic to slow them being to bowl short, with sweepers out on the fence limiting them to singles or well-judged twos. 

Masood's placement is so good that otherwise he would have raced past 150. Their running was excellent and for the second day in succession no wicket fell between lunch and tea.

Also for he second day running, three fell in the evening session. Masood also seemed to play on, before Guest played a little loosely and edged behind. Both had batted beautifully and although Madsen failed for once, his average now down to a 'piffling' 86, du Plooy and Reece batted with common sense until the close, when we ended 94 runs behind. 

The game? Well, it is wide open. Worcestershire will hope to do to us tomorrow morning what we did to them, while Derbyshire have two fine players at the crease and more to come.

At the rate we have scored thus far, by lunch we should be pretty much level if still batting and the game would again be set up for any result being possible. There is no immediate need to score quickly, but if we can bat until tea we will be in a strong position. 

A few stats to close: Guest is only 80 runs short of his tally for last season, while Madsen is only 150 runs away. Both have been in the most wonderful touch thus far. 

Meanwhile Masood the Magnificent has 826 runs in seven innings. Think about that and enjoy every minute. 826 runs in SEVEN innings. 

We may never see its like again. 

What a difference a day makes? 

What a difference a year makes.. 

Dal signs two-year extension

If ever a player deserved a new deal at a club it is Anuj Dal, who was today announced as staying with the county until the end of 2024.

He has hinted at his talent for a few years, even when the main reason for his selection in the side was his fielding. There were times when his batting flattered to deceive, when he would look good for a quick twenty-odd, then get out.

I saw him do that one day in the second team at Belper. Aneurin Donald made a brilliant century for Glamorgan, but Dal lost nothing in comparison, with quick feet, even faster hands and an ability to find the gaps in the field at will. 

It was magnificent while it lasted, but didn't do so for long enough. For a while it seemed he was destined to be in that sizeable 'talented, but not quite' bracket, which so many fall into.

He started to swim, rather than flounder at the end of last season, reeling off big scores and taking important wickets. My question then was could he start a new season, against better opposition, as he finished the last?

He has. A much-improved batting line up has left less opportunity to bat, but he still averages 46, while ten wickets shows his increasing value to the side as an all rounder. Perhaps the departure of Matt Critchley, leaving a void for that role, will be the making of him. 

I always got the impression that Dave Houghton saw his bowling as a last resort, while Mickey Arthur sees it as a genuine option and threat. Certainly he wobbles it around just quick enough, varying that pace, to keep batsmen alert. He takes good wickets and showed a new string to his bow against Glamorgan, when wide yorkers helped to stem the flow of runs on the final day and save the game. 

I think he will be more often used in T20 than before. The only issue when he bowls, of course, is that he is not in his usual place at cover point, where he is brilliant. 

This year alone there was the catch to remove Ackermann at Leicester, the one yesterday to dismiss d'Oliveira.. the speed over the ground, often well into double figures on runs saved, even before he goes into bat. He sets a standard in the field and is up with the best I have seen in that cover point position. 

So it is right and proper that his deal is extended to the end of 2024. His batting and bowling averages will rise and fall respectively  in that time and he will remain an early name on the team sheet. 

Add in his role as PCA vice-chair and Mr Dal looks set to be involved in cricket for many years to come. His articulate interview with the DCMS during the racism investigations would have been the envy of many politicians. 

Well done Nuj. Keep it going. 

Derbyshire v Worcestershire day 1

Worcestershire 326-5 (Haynes 133, Azhar 85, Sidebottom 2-76)

v Derbyshire

After winning the toss and inserting their opponents, Derbyshire will have hoped for more than two wickets by the tea interval. 

There seemed a loss of intensity in the late morning and through the afternoon, perhaps the first time I have seen that this summer. 

To their credit, they fought back with another three wickets in the final session, one of them a sensational grab from Anuj Dal. It just about got them back into the game, but they will hope for early wickets tomorrow and to keep the score to not too much over 400.

Sidebottom took two wickets but all three seamers were off the pace, for me. Control came from Anuj Dal and Alex Thomson but Haynes and Azhar batted very well and were largely untroubled in adding 187 for the third wicket.

There was a little green at the start of the day and that likely influenced the decision to bowl first, but too often the ball was in the wrong areas, even from the usually reliable Lakmal.

Not a vintage day, then, but the fight in the final session was still good to see.

Lets hope for more tomorrow, then bat for a long time. 

Derbyshire v Worcestershire preview

Luis Reece makes a welcome and expected return to the Derbyshire squad for the game that starts tomorrow against Worcestershire.

He replaces Mattie McKiernan, while Nick Potts and Alex Hughes are also in the thirteen-man squad.

That notwithstanding, I would expect us to line up as follows:

Godleman, Masood, Guest, Madsen, du Plooy, Reece, Dal, Thomson, Conners, Lakmal, Sidebottom.

Durham welcome back pace duo  Dillon Pennington and Charlie Morris from injury and they will likely take their places in the final eleven, from thirteen named:

Libby, Pollock, Ali, Haynes, d'Oliveira, Barnard, Cox, Leach, Baker, Finch, Gibbon, Morris, Pennington 

The first three days look set fair, with a few showers forecast for Sunday. I think Derbyshire have a solid look to the side just now, which will improve further when Luis Reece returns to the bowling crease.

It is always handy to have a different angle in the attack and Michael Cohen's continued absence with injury and form is a blow. 

Yet there are four seamers, a front line spinner and a couple of part-time options, while the batting has fired for the first time in a few years. 

Worcestershire are a decent side and I think Pennington a fine bowler. But I don't fear them and nor will this Derbyshire side. If we can hold our catches, which will come from this attack

I am going for a win here. 

What do you think? 

Seconds fight back well

After being bowled out yesterday for 291, Derbyshire's second team were looking down a barrel today, when Nottinghamshire reached 184-1.

Yet the home side only took a lead of 50 on first innings, being bowled out for 341. Alex Hughes did best with 4-48, while Mattie McKiernan took 3-39 and George Scrimshaw 2-48.

It was a tough old day for Mikey Cohen, who had figures of 0-91 in his fifteen overs

Our first innings was built around a fine century by former Essex player Kishen Velani, who made an excellent 116, adding 152 for the last two wickets to take the side to a decent score.

Batting again, Derbyshire were 50-1, on level terms, by the close. Harrys Came and Finch are the not out batsmen.

The latter interests me, highly regarded in his time with Sussex and, with Velani, perhaps looking for - and deserving - another opportunity in the county game.

Performances such as Velani gave first time around can do nothing but impress. 

Weekend warmer

No cricket for Derbyshire this weekend then, which is a crying shame, but with the fixture list drawn up by the ECB, why should we be surprised?

There was a stirring win for the second team at Repton, where after being largely outplayed for much of the game they sealed an unlikely one-wicket win over Durham.

In a textbook 'stake a claim for a first team place' performance, Luis Reece followed 88 in the first innings with 166 in the second. With wicket keeper Harry Caton making an unbeaten 49 with four sixes and the winning boundary, while Josh Lacey of Ockbrook and Borrowash made 53, we chased down a victory target of 343 in 77 overs. 

Caton is an 18-year old from Ramsbottom CC and seems a likely lad, on this performance. With many of the Pathway players doing exams, the side featured a few trialists. 

But Reece must surely come back into the side for the next game. My only concern was that his knee might have flared up when he started limping in his last appearance, but that appears to be fine. 

Mickey Arthur said that he expected him to be bowling for the start of white ball cricket, which isn't far away now. His option of a change of angle will be a huge asset to the attack, as his batting will be to a line up that is doing well anyway. 

Who does he replace? Logically it has to be either Mattie McKiernan or Billy Godleman. The former would be unlucky after a fine century at Leicester, while dropping the captain would be a major decision. Yet so too would leaving out a bloke in such form.

Were it to be Godleman, the likely captain would surely be Shan Masood, who, in answer to various emails I have had on that subject, I expect to be named T20 captain in the coming weeks. 

He is the obvious, logical candidate, with 'previous' in Pakistan. I would be astonished if Billy was in the T20 side, where Reece would likely open with Masood. If that doesn't whet the appetite then nothing will! 

Elsewhere, Ryan Sidebottom's loan has been extended by a further month. For me, this allows bowlers to recover from injury, but also allows Mickey Arthur to have a longer look at him. 

On the basis of his bowling on the last afternoon against Glamorgan, the Warwickshire man might be a canny addition for next summer. A relatively inexperienced attack could do with another man who has been in match situations before and he as outstanding as Glamorgan went on the charge. 

By the end of the month, the Head of Cricket will have a very good idea of the longer term viability of signing him, as he seeks to put his own 'stamp' on the squad. 

As it stands, even with more injuries than would be their preference, they aren't doing too badly, are they? 

Enjoy your weekend! 

Derbyshire v Glamorgan day 4

Derbyshire 368 and 349-3 (Guest 138, Madsen 135*)

Glamorgan 387 and 310-8 (Labuschagne 85, Northeast 81, Lloyd 49, Sidebottom 4-50, Dal 2-54, Lakmal 2-65)

Match drawn 

A terrific advert for County Championship cricket ended with the fielders around the bat, when earlier they had been patrolling the boundaries. In a game that ebbed and flowed and which they looked for some time like losing, Derbyshire fought back well to have a sniff of victory at the death. 

There was a time when 331 in 55 overs was challenging. Yet on a wicket where we hadn't lost a wicket in two sessions, where we had bowled rather poorly first time around and when the opposition has the world's best Test batsman, it seemed a little generous to me. Especially when we knew the Glamorgan batting strength from a successful run chase against a stronger Nottinghamshire attack

When many teams now chase 180 in twenty overs, Glamorgan needed to pace their reply and retain wickets in hand on a favourable batting wicket. Get to 170 in the first 35 overs  then take it from there . 

A lot of early runs came through a vacant third man, nor did we help ourselves with some poor catching. Labuschagne should have gone twice, first to McKiernan who spilled a routine slip catch, then to Guest who, wrong-footed, got to an edge with only one hand. Between times he played as you would expect a man of his stature to play. Brilliantly. Masood held a rasping catch to finally remove him, or he would have taken them home. 

Lloyd got them off to a flyer, Northeast anchored things well and the Welsh side got into a winning position. Yet canny bowling from Anuj Dal slowed their charge and the return of Sidebottom ended their hopes. 

I thought Ryan Sidebottom bowled really well, showing the benefit of experience, while Sam Conners, who has bowled so well this season, had an afternoon to forget. We came close to losing, but ultimately also to winning. 

Fair play to Mickey Arthur, who concocted a finish when one seemed unlikely. He promised brighter, purposeful cricket and delivered here. 

Earlier Guest became the first Derbyshire wicket keeper since Bill Storer in 1896 to score two centuries in a match. He batted splendidly and any concerns over his suitability for the role have been well and truly quashed.

Meanwhile Madsen moved level with John Morris on the all-time centurions list with another sublime effort. He really has returned to peak four-day form this summer and it augurs well for the rapidly approaching T20

 It was a fine game of cricket and an exciting finish.

After recent seasons, we will take that, eh?