Derbyshire v Durham day one

Durham 102-2 (Lees 53*)

v Derbyshire

For a long time today, it looked like Derbyshire would have been better spending their overseas money on the ghost of Gene Kelly, so there could at least have been some entertainment as the rain came down. 

The hardy souls who braved the elements and the forecast eventually got some cricket and a first sighting of Brett Randell, this after too much of Neil Godrich for the comfort of most.

Randell, like all of the seam attack, bowled well. The first rule of bowling, especially with the new ball, has to be to make the batters play and our new Kiwi wasted nary a delivery. It irks me when I see ball after ball being allowed to pass outside off stump in the early exchanges and here both Randell and Aitchison kept the Durham openers on their toes. 

Competitions, like seasons, come and go but Ben Aitchison continues to take wickets. Bionic Ben has kept going through thick and thin this summer and here, after being dismissively swatted through the legside for six by McKinney, he had him pouched behind by Guest next ball. 

It was a good toss to win for Derbyshire and Dal, with Potts, kept up the pressure as first changes. The score advanced slowly, the fifty only coming up in the 20th over, but Lees and Rhodes did a good job for their side. Hard as Derbyshire huffed and puffed, no further Durham 'houses' were blown down, until Randell, having returned and  changed ends, found the edge of Rhodes' bat and the chance was pouched by Aitchison at second slip. 

The day ended with Durham 102-2.