Derbyshire v Kent preview

Eighty two comments on a blog post..

While not scanning quite so well as 'Fifteen Men on the Dead Man's Chest', it reveals a depth of feeling about the current situation at Derbyshire. The natives are restless and with good reason, there's no denying that. 

It has been a hugely disappointing season. Perhaps all the more so because of the anticipation that surrounded the arrival of Mohammad Abbas. Perhaps the only positive that has come from that signing, at this stage, is that the club hasn't had to pay much from the rumoured £400 a wicket incentive that made the cricket press...

Anyway, we reach the final home game of the season and I will miss the first day, since I'm meeting up with old friends in Manchester tomorrow. As usual in such situations, I will create a page for your comments and normal service will be resumed in time for the second day. 

Kent are the opponents and they have been on a fine run since Derbyshire played them into form at Canterbury, back in May. It was another of those games that have littered the season... remember that we had them 55-5 in their second innings, just 103 runs ahead, then they made 335 and won? Mickey Arthur's men have squandered so many strong positions this summer, it is a surprise that they haven't registered for charitable status...

Luis Reece is back and he has been a huge miss this summer. In 2025 he took fifty wickets, whereas this year he has just one. Maybe, if his body had played ball, an opening attack with him alongside Ben Aitchison would have made a difference, but he will need better form and fortune in the final year of his current deal, next year. There have been off field challenges too, of course and we must hope that he returns to the form of his best days in 2027. 

Nye Donald is with England Lions for their two T20 matches against Sri Lanka, while Zak Chappell is missing, still building himself up from injury. Anuj Dal is also absent and I have a feeling we may have seen the last of him in Derbyshire colours, with his contract up this year, although that is a hunch, not based on any inside information.

I expect this to be the side, assuming Reece is fit to both bat and bowl:

Came, Naeem, Montgomery, Madsen, Andersson, Basra, Guest, Reece, Aitchison, Randell, Morley 

Potts and Rogers also in the squad. 

For me there is more to be gained by giving experience to Basra and having both he and Naeem as additional seam options, than in playing Nick Potts in this one. 

Kent currently set second in the table, 15 points clear of third place Northamptonshire. Adam Hollioake has done a good job with them this year and they must be favourites to go up with Durham, who hammered Darren Lehmann's side in the last match.

Kent will be aggressive and will go for the win, even though rain looks set to take some time out of the game on Thursday. They arrive with the following squad, which includes overseas bowlers Keith Dudgeon, Hasan Mahmud & Khaled Ahmed:

Bell-Drummond, Benjamin, Compton, Crawley, Dudgeon, Foreman, Mahmud, Khaled, Muyeye, Northeast, Parkinson, Quinn, Singh, Stewart

Given their most recent form, I cannot predict a Derbyshire win here. 

Time will tell if they can find the fight to make a game of it, which they singularly failed to do last time out. The main interest revolves around Ben Aitchison, who needs two more wickets to reach fifty in a splendid personal season.

I'm sure that he will get there and I am delighted that he has managed to recover from injuries to become a genuine force in the county game. 

Hopefully Zak Chappell, Pat Brown, Harry Moore and Rory Haydon can do the same next season.