Derbyshire v Leeds/Bradford UCCE day 3

Leeds/Bradford UCCE 200-7

Derbyshire 248-7 (Donald 58, Andersson 58 retired, Dal 32*)

Match drawn

The gap in class between 'very good' and 'first class' cricketers was never better exemplified than in the truncated game between Derbyshire and Leeds/Bradford UCCE.

Make no mistake, there are some good players among the students, but their innings of 200-7 took 80 overs of hard work to accumulate. The home bowling was tight, accurate and constantly probing on a pitch that offered encouraging help to the bowlers throughout.

Conversely, when the Derbyshire players finally had a chance to bat today, they rattled along quite merrily at almost six runs an over. There was still plenty of lateral movement, but the home players took things in their stride and accumulated nicely, in the last action before the first match (proper) of the season. Bad balls were despatched and there was plenty to enjoy.

If there were still places to be played for, Nye Donald might have given Mickey Arthur food for thought. While accepting the standard of attack was less than will be faced on Friday, he batted fluently and in fine style in making 58 from just 50 deliveries. There were 12 boundaries among his runs, so he clearly didn't plan on running too many of them. Harry Came also batted well, before edging a catch to slip. Was it a face off between the two of them to partner Caleb Jewell on Friday? Only one man knows the answer to that.

Matt Montgomery went early (though seemingly unconvinced he had touched the ball), while Brooke Guest struggled initially with his timing. He got going quite nicely, before being bowled by a good delivery from Hawkins and while Luis Reece went first ball, playing across the line, Derbyshire had passed the visiting total by that stage and it was all rather academic thereafter. Dal and Aitchison shared a pleasing and unbroken stand of 36, the latter again showing he can handle a bat.

Perhaps the best batting came from Martin Andersson, who has looked in very good touch pre-season. If Wayne Madsen is unfit to take his place on Friday, the side largely picks itself, with Martin slotting in at number five and Anuj Dal at seven. He also looked in good touch, both with bat and ball, in this game and would be unlucky to miss out.

The only other decision would appear to be which among a strong seam bowling contingent will get the nod alongside the eagerly awaited debut of Mohammad Abbas. I expect that to be Ben Aitchison and I see the following eleven taking the field on Friday:

Jewell

Donald/Came

Montgomery

Guest

Andersson

Reece

Dal

Chappell 

Aitchison

Bashir

Abbas

If Madsen is fit-  and he is undertaking a fitness test today - then perhaps the final place will be between Dal and Aitchison. I don't see the omission of Bashir, because if we need more than five seamers, something is radically wrong, regardless of the message it would send.

What do you think? 

Finally tonight, I was quite staggered to read about the new Worcestershire overseas player, Beyers Swanepoel, and the actions that have left his contract and, of course involvement on Friday in doubt.

I have no idea what has gone on there, but I wouldn't be best pleased were I a fan of either team involved.

Postscript - this should have been published at the end of the day and for some reason the publication was deferred. 

Apologies to those who were looking for it