Yorkshire v. Derbyshire Metro Bank one day cup

Derbyshire 278-8 (Andersson 67, Came 58,  Cliff 3-57)

Yorkshire 281-5 (Whiteman 94, Wharton 75, Hill 63* Potts 3-78, Aitchison 2-41)

Yorkshire won by 5 wickets

Derbyshire lost at Scarborough today by five wickets, once again failing to capitalise on an excellent position. 

At 140 for no wicket in the 26th over, they should have been looking at a minimum of 300. Instead, the last 24 overs brought only 138 runs for the loss of eight wickets, which was a mediocre effort. This was why I didn't get excited at the last two wins, because the elevens we were playing bore no relation to the senior sides of the clubs concerned, while ours did. Here, the sides were more evenly matched and after an excellent opening burst by Ben Aitchison, James Wharton and Sam Whiteman were able to work it around on a small ground and ease the home side to within range of a comfortable win.

Hill came in on Wharton's departure and in a situation when they only needed to be sensible, that is what they did. Both he and Whiteman showed eminent good sense and in the end it was a stroll for them, although the latter missed out on a century when brilliantly held down the leg side by Guest, from the bowling of Nick Potts. He took three wickets today, but there was a little too much loose stuff amid the wickets and it wasn't a 3-78 pitch.

Came and Andersson were excellent in that opening stand, but to lose both in the same over was a setback from which Derbyshire never recovered. Only Madsen and Potts, each too briefly, hinted at fluency thereafter on a pitch that seemed to get slower. It was good to see Luis Reece back, but his usual rhythm wasn't there with bat or ball, while Whiteley again struggled to deliver the hoped for late impetus. I don't know why Ross didn't come in before Luis, as the team's nominal finisher and there was a case for Potts to come in before Dal as the innings subsided. Indeed, there were spells when it appeared Derbyshire were fighting for a fourth day draw, rather than building a defendable one-day total.

Derbyshire's interest in this competition ended with the defeat - if it hadn't already - and the sensible thing now would be to give opportunity to younger players, which might bear fruit down the line. Surely Naeem and Stewart should play in the remaining games, if only to give a breather to Madsen and Aitchison before the return of the red ball fixtures.

For now, Derbyshire are a very ordinary white ball side. It hurts to say it, but you can't look at performances this year and say otherwise.

There is much to do to change my mind on that assertion, because there have been too many capitulations with bat and ball this year.