Nottinghamshire v. Derbyshire preview

Mickey Arthur has announced a squad of 14 for tomorrow's Vitality Blast game against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

For me, it looks like the final place will be between Tom Wood and Mattie McKiernan, with Ben Aitchison and Alex Thomson missing out.

It would leave the following side:

Ali, Reece, Madsen, du Plooy, Dal, Donald, Wood/McKiernan, Chappell, Watt, Scrimshaw, Khan

There are least seven bowlers in that side, which should cover most eventualities. The wicket will as always determine the final selection.

I saw someone on social media earlier suggesting that McKiernan should bat at three as a pinch hitter. I have to say that baffled me, as I cannot think he will score faster than Madsen or du Plooy, nor Tom Wood for that matter. I am a strong subscriber to the view that you need your best bats at the crease for as long as possible in T20, so the order above makes the most sense to me.

I am not unduly worried about the loss in the first game. Had it not been for Luke Wells, the result could have been different and Derbyshire clawed the game back pretty well. Having watched the red rose county thrash Leicestershire today, it was easier to see how well we did in that game. 

I cannot see past Lancashire for this year's competition, so it was a good benchmark. I also watched Worcestershire beat Northamptonshire last night and wasn't over impressed by either side. The game effectively turned on the former's new Pakistan spinner, Usama Mir, who was made to look like Abdul Qadir by the opposition, who looked to be baffled by him, despite a relatively modest first class record.

Nottinghamshire have yet to announce their squad for tomorrow, but will welcome new overseas recruits Colin Munro and Shaheen Afridi to their ranks. They have also signed on short-term loans Conor McKerr from Surrey and Jack Brooks from Somerset, so I am not sure how much of a local derby this will actually be. I accept that they have a few injuries, but their social media channels are forever crowing about highly talented young seam bowlers like Pettman, Hayes and Loten. When do they get an opportunity?

It should make for good watching. Removing Duckett and Hales early will be a key to success, but with Slater, Clarke and Munro to follow, our bowlers will need to be disciplined, or we could be chasing well over 200.

If they can do that, there is enough firepower in the Derbyshire side to win this one, something we haven't done often enough on this ground.

Maybe tomorrow...

Postcript: The Nottinghamshire squad is:

Afridi, Brooks, Carter, Clarke, Hales, Hameed, Harrison, James, McKerr, Montgomery, Moores, Mullaney, Munro, Patel