Derbyshire play Leicestershire tomorrow evening at 6.30pm, then head back to play Yorkshire at Chesterfield on Sunday at 2.30pm. But whatever you do, make the most of it, as we are only playing on 14 days in the next 49. Bonkers? I think so...
Mohammad Amir is in line to make his county debut tomorrow and his presence will make a difference to the squad. I did another interview with North Derbyshire Radio yesterday, due to be aired tonight (I will post a link later) and said that the advent of Amir, together with the return of Patel, Fletcher and Brown would change things up for the squad that was hammered by Yorkshire in the four-day game.
Mickey Arthur has named a squad of 15, but I expect the following side, with the last four named also in the squad:
Donald, Lloyd, Madsen, Fletcher, Whiteley, Guest, Patel, Thomson, Chappell, Amir, Brown
(Dupavillon, Came, Wagstaff, Reece)
Reece or Wagstaff could push Thomson for the final place, depending on the surface.
This is a strong squad. I have no issue with the addition of another specialist bowler when that player is of world-class standard and should deliver results accordingly. Amir's arrival has been longer coming than a new owner for Derby County was, but if he has brought his best game with him, such players can transform sides.
We need to win five of our last six games to have a chance. The quality is there, we just need the players to have the confidence in their ability and show it to the world. Seeing a world-class operator in the corner of the dressing room should bring confidence and I am excited about the weekend fixtures.
Looking at the Leicestershire and Yorkshire squads for the weekend, we are every bit as good. The Foxes have brought in Jimmy Neesham and Paul Stirling as overseas players in place of Wiaan Mulder and Peter Handscomb, with Rishi Patel taking over as skipper.
Their squad for tonight against Nottinghamshire is:
Patel, Budinger, Cox, Currie, Evans, Goldsworthy, Hull, Kimber, Mike, Neesham, Stirling, Swindells, Walker, Wood
As for Yorkshire, there is no Bairstow and no Rashid in the squad against Birmingham tonight, which may or may not change for Sunday.
Masood, Lyth, Malan, Hill, Wharton, Thompson, Revis, Bess, Cliff, Ferreira, Moriarty, Leech, McKerr, Tattersall.
My thoughts? We are capable of winning both of these games IF the real Derbyshire turns up. I would like to see Samit bowl in the Powerplay, because his control makes him a powerful weapon. If everyone plays to their potential, the talent in the side is still such as to make a late run for qualification.
But we can only afford to lose one more and that is a big ask. This weekend could well go down as being season-defining.
What do you think?
It's a team that could be decent on paper. Let's see. Out of interest, why do Leicestershire think that putting the start back half an hour let's people watch both the football and the cricket when it'll start midway through the second half?
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