Hampshire v Derbyshire Metro Bank One Day Cup game 6

Hampshire 295-8 (Weatherley 93, Gubbins 62, Dupavillon 3-52)

Derbyshire 152 (Guest 44, Patel 35* Kelly 5-19)

Hampshire won by 143 runs

Derbyshire were hammered at Southampton today, a defeat that gave us a reality check on our progress, while at the same time potentially losing us two players for the rest of the group stage. 

I don't think we bowled too badly, although the usage of bowlers justifies a question mark. Samit was bowled out but was more expensive today, while Sam Conners only bowled six and Harry Moore seven overs. I thought Daryn Dupavillon bowled better, but there was a stark contrast when the opposition opening bowlers took to the field.

Abbott and Abbas are genuine world-class operators and it was an education watching them at work. What I couldn't understand was why Matt Lamb opened, when we had a genuine opener, Mitch Wagstaff, in reserve when Harry Came had to pull out with a hamstring strain. It was asking a lot of Lamb, going from out of form middle order bat to opening against probably the best pair of opening bowlers in the country. That was before he sustained his latest injury, which seemed to render him pretty much immobile. He tried hard, but used up a lot of balls and the already challenging rate climbed still further.

I fear for him, with the end of season approaching and much of his time with Derbyshire ravaged by injury. Could you take a chance on another contract? He showed what he could do with a double century earlier in the season, but there have not been many other scores of note, as we approach decision time in the summer. 

I was quite disappointed in Samit Patel today. Brooke Guest had batted well to see off the opening attack and had just hit two imperious sixes from the bowling of Organ. He was unbeaten on 44 when he called for a quick single, running to the danger end and made it easily. Patel, however, took a couple of paces then decided he wasn't going. In that situation, he should, as the new batter, have sacrificed himself, not least because he was ball watching. Yet Guest had to go and I have to say that was a little selfish by the more experienced man.

He went on to make an unbeaten 35 and Chappell, the 'Derbyshire Bradman' in this competition, batted merrily for a while, but we were a long way off the pace as we were from the start of the innings. As a friend messaged me at the end of the game, when we lose we do so spectacularly. 

Hampshire youngster Dom Kelly, just eighteen years old, took 5-19 and finished things off with a hat trick as the innings folded after the dismissal of Chappell. Fair play to the young man, he will remember this game with understandable pride, which is more than Derbyshire supporters will do.

Anuj Dal took a fierce blow on his right hand from Abbas and required lengthy attention before he could continue his innings. Much will depend on the result of the inevitable x-ray, but I would be surprised if he was fit to play in two days time.

Given that Lamb would need to rise like Lazarus to do the same and we are likely to be missing Harry Came, there are only twelve players to choose from for Friday - and that assumes Ross Whiteley isn't recalled to the Hindered.

So the likely team for Friday would appear to be: 

Wagstaff, Reece, Guest, Lloyd, Naeem, Whiteley, Patel, Chappell, Moore, Conners, Dupavillon

with Potts in reserve.

Derbyshire still control their own destiny and when I saw Abbott was fit to play today, having not been named in the squad, I feared the worst against a big county, still with fine players available. 

The next two games are perhaps more winnable, but we need the experienced players to stand up and be counted.

This was definitely one to chalk off to experience today.