Derbyshire v Durham T20 - match report by Huw Lloyd

Derbyshire set out tonight looking for a win that would all but guarantee them a place in the top four of the North group and a quarter final berth for the first time since 2005. Durham set out to add more respectability to their points total which has been blighted by the deduction of four points for financial issues last season. By the end of the night the hosts needed to look no more, winning and moving them to 15 points and second place in the Northern Group of the T20 Blast and edging them closer to that precious quarter final berth.

With the quarter final qualification left in the hands of stand in captain Daryn Smit, he would have wanted a good start and despite losing the toss in his first game in charge, that’s exactly what he got. His bowlers and fielders restricting Durham to 42 for 4 in the powerplay, which included two run outs, one by Critchley in the first over, dispatching outgoing England opener Keaton Jennings with a superb direct hit and the second with Hardus Viljoen running out Michael Richardson without scoring in his follow through using fancy footwork, not his hands. 

The other two wickets fell to the excellent Wayne Madsen and overseas player Matt Henry, Madsen really put the breaks on the Jets, with his tight nagging off spin limiting the scoring options for the Jets batsmen. Henry saw the back of danger man Tom Latham off the last ball of the Power play, when he picked out Alex Hughes on the deep mid wicket boundary for a well made 28 of 23 balls.

Smit’s spinners continued to give him control with the ball in the middle overs, restricting the flow of boundaries, with the Jets failing to find the boundary for a period of five overs and at that point it looked like Durham were going to struggle to post a really competitive total, not helped by the loss of two further wickets with Coughlin and Burnham both departing. This brought Poynter to the crease and this gave Durham the impetus the innings needed, scoring a magnificent 61 not out off 40 balls. 

Durham still looked to be well short of a competitive total, but 35 off the final two overs with Cotton and Henry both losing their control of length, allowing the Jets to post 161 for 7 and setting the Falcons 162 for victory.

That chase got off to a steady start with Critchley and Godleman nudging singles and finding the boundary once anover, until Godleman was caught off what looked to be a no ball but the third umpire saw some part of Weighell’s boot behind the line and he had to go. The Falcons reached the end of the powerplay with 44 runs to their name and the further loss of Critchley. 

Madsen and Reece then set about building an innings and moving Derbyshire towards their victory total. When Madsen fell in the 11^th over they had moved the score to 76 for 3 and looked relatively comfortable, although not guaranteed that win. The man who took them there was Luis Reece, who scored a beautifully crafted 66 of 49 balls, including five 4s and two 6s and in the process became the first Derbyshire batsman to make four scores of 50 or more in a T20 season. 

It could have been very different however had Paul Coughlin held on to a relatively simple catch offered to him on the deep mid-wicket boundary when he was just on 21. This was a running theme for the Jets fielders throughout the innings, with mis-fields and dropped catches the norm and when they did hold a catch it was off a no ball.

While Reece quite rightly named man of the match a special mention must go to Matt Henry, who came in and scored a quick fire 20 off 10 balls and allowed Derbyshire to have a stuttering finish, before captain Smit hit the winning runs with three balls and three wickets to spare.

On the victory Smit said “I’d have taken 161 at half time, I thought it was below par looking at the batting side and If you’d told me at 15 overs we would’ve won with three balls to spare I’d have taken that, we were under pressure at one stage, before Luis Reece and Matt Henry changed the momentum of the innings.” 

Derbyshire now move on to play Leicestershire on Thursday knowing a win will guarantee them a place in the quarter finals and, barring a set of results which would challenge even the loftiest of maths professors, a home one to boot. Durham however move on to Northampton on Friday certain of finishing bottom of the group.

Huw Lloyd writes for Deep Extra Cover

Derbyshire v Durham T20

Durham 161-7 (Poynter 61 not, Henry 3-42)

Derbyshire 164-7  (Reece 66)

Derbyshire won by 3 wickets

My evening was spent on a delightful coastal walk in Berwick-on-Tweed, after a lovely meal at the local golf club. We finished, as Derbyshire rather stumbled across the line, as the only people (and dog!) on an otherwise deserted beach.

Every 'beep' of my phone saw it eagerly checked for a score update, the signal remarkably good for a remote area, though there were way too many irrelevant ones - in other words, on a night such as this, from the football updates at Pride Park.

Yet we got there, crossing the line with a fine cover drive from the skipper (thanks Twitter) after three wickets went down in ten balls. Once again Luis Reece played a key innings after Billy Godleman was given out to what looked like, from the pictures I was sent, a no ball. There were contributions down the line, none more valuable than that of Matt Henry, after the equation came down to fifty from five overs.

More than that I cannot really comment, so I do hope you all come on later tonight or tomorrow to share your thoughts on things.

Thank you to those who kept me updated as the evening went on, which was really appreciated.

The commentators still appear to know as much about Derbyshire as I do about Peruvian pottery dynasties. Rob Key apparently referring to Wayne Madsen's 'leg spin' and Nick Knight referring to our having 'found a good one in Luis Reece'. Yes we did, at Old Trafford...

Still, second in the league, two games to go and we have won more this season than in any previous T20 campaign.

The sea air, a Derbyshire win  - and one for the Rams, because I do care really - means I will sleep well tonight.

Great stuff lads - and well done to Daryn Smit on his captaincy debut.

It's within touching distance now...

Polite request

Regulars will know that I am in Northumberland right now, with Mrs P, our daughter and Wallace.

That being the case, I cannot watch the Sky coverage tonight, but if anyone is able to record the highlights for me from Sky late tonight, I'd be very grateful.

More than happy to pay for a disk and postage, if anyone can get in touch to the usual address.

Mind you, if we have a nightmare, I might revise that...

I will, of course, look forward to all of your comments, on a day that has already broken the blog record for most visits in 24 hours.

That's before we play, and shows the level of interest in this match.

Go well, boys!

Match preview: Derbyshire v Durham by Huw Lloyd

Derbyshire Falcons vs Durham Jets

Durham and the Sky TV Cameras are visiting the 3aaa County Ground tonight with Derbyshire looking for a victory which will push them towards the precipice of the quarter finals for the first time since 2005. The match for Durham however is a dead rubber, with them sitting bottom of the North Group on 2 points following their points deduction at the start of the season for the financial matters last season, meaning they are playing for nothing but pride. Conversely Derbyshire though find themselves in fifth on 13 points, but with two games in hand over the sides above them and a victory will see them climb to second in the table and virtually guaranteed a quarter final place.

Last time out Derbyshire lost to the table toppers Nottinghamshire and will be looking to put that behind them and get back to winning ways and move back into the quarter final spots. Before that they beat Leicestershire comfortably and they will be hoping for a repeat of that tonight. Durham also lost last time out and won the time before that and will be hoping to get back to winning ways, although with nothing to play for Derbyshire’s desire for victory should be higher.

The bookies make Derbyshire clear favourites and it is clear to see why, the weather looks set fair and Derbyshire have only lost once at home this season they will be looking to keep that record intact.

Key Men

Derbyshire Falcons: When Derbyshire started this campaign not many would’ve put four day skipper Billy Godleman in their starting eleven, with a reputation for steady and safe scoring, however in this competition Billy the sensible has become “Billy the Basher” and given the side real impetus at the top of the order, impetus that every side needs. If Godleman can fire as he has done throughout the campaign then Derbyshire’s chances of victory will be greatly enhanced. With Wilson away as well Godleman’s captaincy experience will be invaluable to stand in skipper Smit.

Durham Jets:

Durham started the campaign poorly to say the least, but this was without overseas star Tom Latham, since Latham has come into the side the Jets’ fortunes have improved having only lost one of the games he has played. When Latham scored runs for the Jets, they have won, scoring 62 in the victory over Worcestershire. If Latham can repeat this tonight then Durham’s chances will improve no end.

Team News

Derbyshire will be without their regular T20 captain Gary Wilson, who is away on international duty with Ireland, so Daryn Smit takes over the reigns and will also continue to keep wicket. The Falcons do however have Matt Crictchley back, who has had an enforced absence since being struck on the helmet against Leicestershire and his clean hitting at the top of the order will be welcomed

Durham are yet to announce their squad for the game, however they will be hoping for consistency in selection to enable their recent improvement in form in this competition having Won and Drawn one of their last three matches. They will be looking for Tom Latham and the evergreen Paul Collingwood as the experience and quality in their squad to push for victory.

Derbyshire Falcons squad: D Smit (c, wk), C Brodrick, G Cork, B Cotton, M Critchley, B Godleman, M Henry, A Hughes, W Madsen, T Milnes, L Reece, I Tahir, H Viljoen, T Wood

Durham Jets squad:

TBA

Form

Derbyshire Falcons: LWWAWL

Durham Jets: LWDLWL

Weather and conditions

The forecast is good for Derby this evening, with Sunshine predicted for the entirety of the game. The pitches at Derby so far this year have provided runs and have played true and provided entertaining cricket. The game last week at the 3aaa County Ground against the West Indies also provided plenty of runs and I would imagine this will continue this evening.

Date: 15^th August 2017

Time: 18:30

Ground: 3aaa County Ground, Derby

Umpires: Peter Hartley and Martin Saggers

Odds (SkyBet): Derbyshire Falcons 4/7 Leicestershire Foxes 11/8

Huw Lloyd writes for Deep Extra Cover

Derbyshire v Durham T20 preview

Finding myself with a far better WiFi signal than last year, together with a little early morning time while my family are getting ready, I have an opportunity to preview tonight's big game at the 3aaa County Ground against Durham.

On paper and on form it is a game we should win. Yet we all know that such things often count for nothing in the game, especially if the favourites go into it with a blase attitude. This is a decent Derbyshire side, yet we can only aspire to such status if everyone is fit and available, then delivers the 100% commitment that is necessary.

Gary Wilson will be missing from the next three matches on international duty and the loss of the captain and 'finisher' is a big one for us. The former will be replaced by the appointment of Daryn Smit to the role, a man who captained the Dolphins for a number of years in South Africa. His experience doubtless trumped the claims of Alex Hughes, even if it means that his matches will be hectic. Smit has a shrewd cricket brain and others have alluded already to how Wilson and Billy Godleman seek his counsel in matches.

The 'finisher' role is one for which someone must stick up their hand. The likeliest scenario, from the announced squad, is that Matt Critchley returns and slots into that position, leaving Tom Wood at the top of the order where he is used to batting. There's no point in tinkering at this stage, as most people, I think, know our best eleven.

For me, in this game, it reads:

Godleman
Wood
Reece
Madsen
Hughes
Critchley
Smit
Henry
Viljoen
Cotton
Tahir

That would leave Callum Brodrick, Greg Cork and Tom Milnes on the sidelines, with Brodrick for Wood the most likely alternative, if one was required.

As for our visitors, we cannot underestimate them. Keaton Jennings returns from England duty with a point to prove, while Paul Collingwood is as dangerous as ever. Michael Richardson and Ryan Pringle are also good cricketers and Paul Coughlin has shown ability with bat and ball. With Kiwi Tom Latham at the top of the order, they have the firepower, even if results have largely eluded them.

It is a game we can win and need to win. By general consensus, we need two wins from the last three games and the knock-out stages lie tantalisingly within reach, but only if we deliver a performance, in front of what I hope is a good crowd.

We have a good, well-balanced side, with four local lads among the international stars.

If they all fire, we will win it. If they don't, we won't.

Simple as that really, and in a format where one stand out performance on either side can nick it, these are matches where you need your big names to stand up.

Here's hoping.

Good luck lads.

Derbyshire v West Indies day 3

West Indies 427-3 and 327-6 (Powell 100 retired, Chase 60 not, Sonczak 2-56, Macdonell 2-57)

Derbyshire 181 and 51-0 

Match drawn

Three days of practice - you couldn't really call it a match  - for the West Indies ended in a somewhat predictable draw today.

Declaring at tea, or is it supper, they left us 574 to win in a session, which was as unlikely as it gets. Perhaps they could have declared and pushed for a morale-boosting win, since we hadn't got an especially strong batting line-up out there.

Instead they opted for batting practice, which saw Powell make a century before retiring and Roston Chase make his fourth score over fifty in four innings. I look forward to watching Chase against better bowling, having watched him making centuries in a couple of online videos. One of them, against Pakistan, reminded me of a young Carl Hooper in his languid style. That he bowls off spin makes it an especially apposite comparison and I suspect that there will be a county looking closely at him for an overseas role in some capacity next year.

The problem, of course, is the Caribbean Premier League and the amount of time that it takes out of our season. While their players will improve more by gaining experience on wickets around the world, the temptation to stay home and make money for less effort and disruption to their life will be strong.

Matt Sonczak will remember his debut with fondness, having bowled decently in both innings, while Charlie Macdonell also took two wickets and steered us to calm waters at the close, sharing in an unbeaten first wicket stand of 51 with Ben Slater.

I've not yet heard from anyone who was there, but it didn't strike me as the kind of game that would have one rushing for the computer to comment.

A very young Derbyshire side at least got a taste of senior cricket. For some, there was almost certainly the realisation that they have a lot of work to do. For others, perhaps, the understanding that, good players as they are, this is a level too high for them.

On the evidence of the three days, we have a decent enough first eleven, but are not yet blessed with anything like strength in depth, nor competition for places.

Food for thought come September, no doubt.

And now for a big week of T20.

I will flit in and out as time permits, but holidays beckon.

Derbyshire v West Indies day 2

West Indies 427-3 and 60-1

Derbyshire 181 (Brodrick 52, Slater 39)

West Indies lead by 306

It was a better day for Derbyshire off the field than on it yesterday.

Yorkshire's defeat at the hands of Leicestershire in the T20 Blast left them in grave danger of elimination, while keeping our opponents in the final game of this week in the mix. Crucially, at this stage we are firmly in control of our destiny and our next two matches are against the bottom two sides of the division. Two wins from three should see us through, so the portents are good.

Of course we could lose them. Neither Worcestershire or Durham are bad sides and Leicestershire are better than they looked at Derby. They have to be, to beat a side like Yorkshire, but the undeniable fact is that if we don't make the knock-out stage this year, we have no one to blame but ourselves. Having beaten two of the three sides above us (we have a game in hand), no one can say that we aren't good enough. It will come down to attitude and holding our nerve.

That said, on the evidence of yesterday, should we have any injuries there aren't many people banging on the door for a place. It is harsh, but true, to say that all the runs in second team cricket count for nothing if the form isn't translated into the occasional first team opportunity. Luck plays a big role in anyone's career, and not just in sport, but the key to success is in grasping opportunity when it is offered.

Our batting may have misfired at times this summer, probably too many times for comfort, but on this evidence there is no one better waiting in the wings.  It is hard to be overly critical of a side that, if one takes out Tony Palladino, has an average age of 21, but opportunities for most appear to be some way down the line.

Only Ben Slater and Callum Brodrick scored any runs yesterday. Ben will be disappointed to have got in and then out when he'd done the hard work. I am a big fan of the lad, but after a fine start in the RLODC, his season has been too inconsistent for comfort. He's never had the security of a role in the side guaranteed, but that is the way with professional sport and the pressure to maintain performance levels is acute.

That's why the recent move of Dominic Sibley from Surrey to Warwickshire astonished me. Apparently the latter 'guaranteed' him a role in the top three, which you simply cannot do in professional sport. His form since his move barely suggests him worthy of such an assurance and it is one that is likely to end in tears, because form is always a transient thing.

Maybe the escape clause is 'we never specified in which team'...

Back to Derbyshire and the man who came out of yesterday with claims enhanced was 19-year old Callum Brodrick. We have seen this slight young man in the T20 and his fleet-footed ability in the field stood out. Yesterday he showed that my glimpse of his talent at Belper a few weeks back was a true reflection, as he scored a maiden half century on first-class debut. In doing so, he made the highest score by a Derbyshire player on debut against the West Indies.

Callum has been through a lot in his young life and has come through the devastating effects of Crohn's disease. In April last year he was in a critical care ward in Derby Royal Infirmary after major surgery, so to get back to this standard, so quickly, is a massive tribute to a young man of unquestionable talent and commitment.

Like Darren Fletcher, he had a long haul to fitness, but has got there. On the evidence of yesterday, he is the likely first man in line should there be a batting vacancy and he can be proud of his efforts, as I am sure his family were.

Let's hope that a few others at least jostle for that position today.

PS Worthy of mentioning a debut wicket for sixteen-year old James Taylor, younger brother of Tom. It has been quite a summer for players of that age and while he has a long way to go, James will have slept well last night having got his wicket tally underway.

Derbyshire v West Indies day 1

West Indies 340-3 (K Hope 105, Powell 92, S Hope 69 not, Chase 62 not)

v Derbyshire

I am not sure how much their exposure to a Derbyshire Seconds and Academy attack will have helped the West Indies prepare for Anderson, Broad, Ali et al, but they pretty much all enjoyed lengthy time in the middle yesterday.

The score ticked over at four an over and by all accounts were largely untroubled, as you might expect. There will be better times to judge their true value, but the potential of Shai Hope, the younger of two brothers, appears good, even if he can't claim the gloves in this game. Seems like we aren't the only side with a surfeit of keepers...

The most interesting player, for me, appears to be Roston Chase, who at 25 looks to be the best bet for the big time among their batsmen. He followed scores of 81 and 50 not out against Essex with n unbeaten 62 here, confirming why a career average of 45 and Test average of 48 doesn't flatter. With five centuries and 18 fifties in just eighty first-class innings, he would appear to have talent and eighty wickets with his off spin makes him the sort of player most teams would like to have in their ranks.

Derbyshire? Well , we had James Taylor, at 16, joining his older brother Tom in the side and shading him in terms of economy, while Matt Sonczak, who I have seen described as an off spinner and slow left arm, confirmed himself very much the latter and took a maiden first-class wicket in bowling Kyle Hope.

Otherwise it was a tough old day for the bowlers. There was an early wicket for Tom Milnes and one for Tony Palladino, but senior cricket is tough and our youngsters will have got a clear indicator of that yesterday.

We'll see how they go later today, pink ball and all.

Sincere thanks to Huw Lloyd

I am very grateful to Huw Lloyd of Deep Extra Cover, who is going to send me previews and reports on the first two T20 matches of the coming week.

I will contribute as I can, but am unsure of the time I will have available and found our wifi last year to be very erratic.

Sincere thanks to Huw, and to anyone else who gets involved.

Your comments are always appreciated, so please keep them coming!

Derbyshire v West Indies

There was a time, back in the day, when the tourists match against your county was special. A chance to see names that you had only previously read about in newspapers, to watch them bat and bowl and maybe get close enough for an autograph or two.

Nowadays, most of those players are on Sky TV all the time and the thrill isn't quite the same. Added to that, most counties field second elevens, using the game as an opportunity to see who might, just might have what it takes at senior level.

While the West Indies of today are a pale shadow of the great teams of yesteryear, the game that starts tomorrow offers a chance to see a few players who are less well known and who can use this tour as a springboard for something special.

It is now unusual for West Indian players to be signed as overseas professionals. The bigger names can earn so much as T20 'guns for hire' that they don't need the county grind. Most don't even play full T20 stints here, so the Caribbean players are less well-known than most. The rest simply don't get the opportunity to hone their techniques on different wickets and the search for the next Richards, Lara and Chanderpaul goes on.

So the next three days offers dual possibilities for Derbyshire. We might see one or two of a very young side make a statement, while there might be someone among the tourists who catches the eye as an option for another summer.

Academy seamer James Taylor makes his debut, while off spinner Matt Sonczak does the same, the youngest members of an inexperienced side, led by Tony Palladino. With Harvey Hosein behind the stumps, the side is:

Ben Slater
Charlie Macdonell
Tom Wood
Callum Brodrick
Harvey Hosein
Tom Milnes
Greg Cork
Tom Taylor
James Taylor
Matt Sonczak
Tony Palladino

It is a big game for several players whose contracts are either up this year or were for this summer only; an opportunity to earn a deal for others.

I look forward to following the game and seeing who impresses - and look forward to the comments of those who manage along for the game.

And the rest of you, of course.

Postscript - unaware of the impressive fist we would make of the T20 this summer, I booked a week away with Mrs P, our daughter and Wallace for next week, when we will once again enjoy the scenic splendours of Berwick-on-Tweed and the Northumberland coast.

I will be back home for the Friday evening game, which may well be crucial, but may or may not have time to blog on the two matches earlier in the week.

I'd love to hear from anyone who would like to do a preview, or a post-match analysis, which I would be happy to post.

More than happy to comment as I can, but this one is for my wife, for reasons that will be obvious to all regular readers.

See you tomorrow.

Derbyshire v Nottinghamshire day 4

Derbyshire 220 and 227 (Godleman 47, Slater 44)

Nottinghamshire 508-9

Nottinghamshire win by an innings and 61 runs

A visit from my god friend and best man when Mrs P and I got married 31 years ago prevented any blogging last night. Iain now lives in New York and we see him twice a year on average, so a visit in our anniversary week was both timely and enjoyed.

It also gave me an evening to reflect on Derbyshire's performance, before putting my thoughts down.

Having done so, they can be encapsulated in one word.

Shocking.

I know Nottinghamshire are a good side, we ran into Alex Hales in prime form and they had Mark Footitt back, keen to make a point. I know we had a few players missing, ahead of the T20 finale next week. I know Wayne Madsen was poorly yesterday.

But that was dreadful. We batted badly, bowled without control and, from the messages that have come my way, showed a lack of commitment and willingness to battle that was hugely disappointing. With nine wickets and seventy-five overs to survive, granted on a wicket that had been under covers for over 24 hours, we lasted just 63.

Like most supporters of the club, I can take losing, as long as there is a fight - heaven knows we are used to it by now. But after the partnership between Ben Slater and Billy Godleman was broken, there was little evidence of this until Tom Taylor and Tony Palladino got together. When 'extras' is second top score, you have a major problem.

Good bowling? Yes, to a point, but you don't need to pull out all the stops when the opposition shows the resilience of a poppadom. Over the three days of cricket, we were so far second in this game that it would have been laughable, were it not deeply frustrating for those who care about the club.

Billy Godleman was right in his assertion that we have played better cricket this season, more so in saying that we did badly here. 

In a fixture where the bragging rights are important but too often go to Nottingham, we simply didn't turn up.

Derbyshire v Nottinghamshire day 3

No play yesterday, which given my lack of time last night was no bad thing.

It doesn't look like there will be a full day's play today either, so Derbyshire's batsmen have every incentive to battle and get a draw from the game. You could argue that our efforts so far don't deserve one (honourable exceptions for Messrs Hughes and Reece) but given the farcical ending at Trent Bridge, when we were robbed of a win, perhaps a draw might even things out a little.

More from me later.

Guest post - Keep the Faith, by Rob Enderby

What do people want? 

Have a look at the Test match grounds, full to the brim at £75 per day and £5 for a pint and you start to realise why supporters (the clue really is in the title ) should be more restrained and accepting of  our difficulties.

We are within touching distance of progressing in the Twenty20 against some huge teams.  We absolutely smashed Leicestershire out of the park, in a game that I attended and thoroughly enjoyed - perhaps too much, as at £3.70 a pint I had 4 or 5 too many.  Yet we question why we have rested Smit and Tahir, in a game we should on paper have no chance of winning in the championship.  In my opinion we should have rested a few more - Madsen, Wilson and Viljoen - and given youth a chance, in a competition where we are not going to finish above 7th.

I said earlier in the season that we shouldn't really be able to compete against Nottinghamshire. They hoover up all the talent, Footitt being another prime example.  Let other counties do all the work in developing a bowler of promise who has lacked opportunity, then take him back once that process is finished.  What hope do we have?

Our best bowlers have been injured for most of the season, one of our best players has found himself in difficulties off the pitch and others have found that they are perhaps short of  the required standard.

 Hosein gets a gig, is out first ball and all of a sudden is rubbish, in the eyes of some at the ground the other day. Why is that?

I firmly believe that in my lifetime counties will go to the wall.  There will be six or seven Test match ground teams and that's it. And we will have contributed to our own downfall by hopeless negativity.

We currently have a handful of players who I would imagine would get a game at most second division clubs.  Godleman, Madsen, Wilson, Smit, a fit Davis and an equally fit Viljoen, perhaps Hughes and the young spinner Qadri.  The challenge is to supplement these with two or three others and we will compete, perhaps across the board.

Until then, buckle up and enjoy the ride. Stop thinking that we know better than paid professionals, or that there's a conspiracy theory around every corner when the club doesn't tell us what Tahir had for breakfast. 

Take the defeats, but my word celebrate like we've won the World Cup  when we win and above all else support, support, support.

 

Rob in Essex    

Derbyshire v Nottinghamshire day 2

Derbyshire 220 and 45-1

Nottinghamshire 508-9 (Hales 218, Read 75)

Derbyshire trail by 243 runs

After commenting before the game on how the season's fixtures between these two sides had been close affairs, this one has gone completely the way of the visitors. So much so, in fact, that if it were a boxing match the referee would have stepped in and stopped it already.

The visitors dominance was the result of a brilliant innings by Alex Hales, who really shouldn't have been here at all. For me, Hales is a really class act, and while he opens to great effect for England in the one-day game, he would be a huge asset for them in the middle order. I would take him every time over Dawid Malan and Tom Westley, both good players but not, in my humble opinion, in the same league as Hales. He can give it away on occasion, as any player with his aggressive mindset will do, but when it is his day, he is quite magnificent. Stick him at five in the England order, between Root and Stokes, then sit back to enjoy it.

He slaughtered us today, along with Bruce Read, in his final innings against us. Another great player in Nottinghamshire colours, who often produced his best against Derbyshire and was under-used by the England selectors.

As for Derbyshire...well, it wasn't good, was it? Notwithstanding the class of Hales, the bowlers all took stick and and, to quote the skipper, didn't find the top of off stump often enough. You might say they didn't find the top of any of them at times, judging by the fifty extras that we conceded.

I have to say that really annoys me, as a supporter. 24 no balls, 10 wides, 11 byes - it tells of indiscipline and that, at this level, is poor. They have to be better than that and well as Hales batted, he's going to face more demanding attacks than that.

Defeat lies ahead, the challenge for the players being to battle and take the game into the final day.

On the evidence of today, that looks unlikely.

Derbyshire v Nottinghamshire day 1

Derbyshire 220 (Reece 45, Hughes 55 not Hutton 5-52)

Nottinghamshire 93-2 (Mullaney 35 not)

Derbyshire lead by 127

It was always likely that Derbyshire would be batting first today, the visitors quickly exercising their right to bowl. It was equally likely that we might struggle, against a keen attack that contained our erstwhile favourite, Mark Footitt, as well as recent England man, Jake Ball.

As it turned out, it was a more unsung hero, Brett Hutton, who did the damage, taking five wickets as our batsmen laboured all day. Luis Reece did well for a while and Alex Hughes once again showed the battling instincts for which he is becoming known. Ben Cotton knocked it around too, in a last wicket stand that added 48, but I was left with the feeling that 220 was OK, but little more than that.

Tomorrow's first session is one where the visitors will either get away or be pegged back and we need a huge effort. Hardus Viljoen took his first championship wicket for us, but early inroads tomorrow are vital from an all seam attack.

Most of the comments and messages that I fielded today on Twitter and elsewhere revolved around Harvey Hosein playing, but not keeping wicket. The assumption that you would make, from that, is that Harvey is seen as the third best keeper in the club and is in the side for his batting exploits in recent weeks for the second team.

I think that a fair summation of things. Given that Gary Wilson was brought in to mentor the lad, he was obviously seen as a better wicket-keeper, but in turn was succeeded by Daryn Smit, who is seen as better still. As my old Dad said this afternoon, when we discussed it, how would you see him as the finished article at 20?

Harvey's return to the fold was short and sweet, nicking one through first ball to Chris Read from the bowling of Hutton. He is a better player than that and will hope to show his true worth in the second innings.

Plenty of work to do then, over the next three days.

Derbyshire v Nottinghamshire championship preview

If you add in the close finish at Trent Bridge in the season's first four-day fixture between Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire (which we would have won, bar for the weather, lest you forget), there's been very close finishes in every match between the two sides this summer.

There shouldn't be, of course, because there is considerable fiscal difference between the two clubs. Yet this year, in particular, the constituent parts have added up better for Derbyshire, especially in the one-day competitions.

Tomorrow's game is, however, tinged with irony. Earlier in the season, we struggled because our strike bowler, Hardus Viljoen, was injured, leaving a sizeable burden on the shoulders of Jeevan Mendis. Now, as Viljoen makes his championship bow at the start of August, we find ourselves without a fit or available spinner in the club.

Imran Tahir has a minor injury, and is being rested ahead of the remaining T20 matches, while Matt Critchley is still recovering from the blow on the helmet against Leicestershire and Hamidullah Qadri is with England Under-19s.

So it seems we go with seam. There is a balancing act with Viljoen, of course, needing him to get some overs in his legs, yet not wanting any recurrence of the injury that has so blighted his season. The risk is that it is aggravated to the detriment of our T20 fortunes, but the fitness staff, the selection team and Viljoen himself must feel he is ready to go. Perhaps not for a huge workload, but enough to build the rhythm for the challenges ahead.

Matt Henry would probably have enjoyed a longer bowl too, but the possibility of  him replacing Tahir in the overseas role was scuppered by another minor injury. Daryn Smit is also rested, giving an opportunity to Harvey Hosein behind the stumps. Hopefully the lad acquits himself well after his wait for a place, as he lines up in this twelve:

Billy Godleman
Luis Reece
Ben Slater
Wayne Madsen
Alex Hughes
Gary Wilson
Harvey Hosein
Tom Taylor
Tom Milnes
Tony Palladino
Hardus Viljoen
Ben Cotton

Taylor and Milnes would appear to be battling for the final place and with that side we can only hope it's not going to be dry and dusty...

In another example of irony, Mark Footitt looks set to make his Nottinghamshire debut against his former employers, while Ish Sodhi is set for a first championship match. Their likely squad for the game, according to the Nottingham Post, is:

 Libby, Mullaney, Patel, Hales, Wessels, Root, Moores, Read, Hutton, Wood, Sodhi, Ball, Footitt, Gurney.

Logic suggests this a mis-match, but we know that Derbyshire can bat well on their good days. Whether the attack has the variety to bowl out a very strong side is  debatable, but local pride is again at stake and supporters will want to see the feel-good factor continue.

We'll find out soon enough.

Derbyshire v Nottinghamshire T20

Nottinghamshire 189-4 (Moores 57, Madsen 1-39)

Derbyshire 181-7 (Reece 53, Madsen 31)

Nottinghamshire won by eight runs

Before this game, most of us thought that we needed to win two of the last four games to qualify for the knockout stage of the competition.

Tonight, after a battling display, it is two from three, in all likelihood.

The chase never seemed quite 'there' tonight and although the side battled hard to the end, the visitors ended up doing a narrow double over us, winning by eight runs. The sixes from the last two balls of the Nottinghamshire innings were the match defining moments and sealed the margin of victory.

I'm quite tight for time tonight and am up for work at six tomorrow, so I am happy to leave thoughts on tonight's performance to the many of you that I am sure were there. I will give my thoughts tomorrow night or Sunday, when I have a little more opportunity to do so.

Interestingly (make that happily...) both Yorkshire and Warwickshire lost tonight, to Durham and Worcestershire respectively, so we remain top of a very competitive group with three games to play.

Two of them are at home, too.

Our destiny remains very much in our own hands and we still have the second best net run rate in the group.

Yorkshire v Derbyshire T20

Yorkshire 180-5 (Sarfraz 42, Viljoen 2-46)

Derbyshire 184-5 (19.4 overs, Godleman 67, Madsen 47, Wilson 33 not)

Derbyshire won by 5 wickets

Wow. Wow, wow, wow!

Beating Yorkshire at Chesterfield was something special. Doing it at Headingley, therefore completing a T20 double over them, was simply astonishing.

This wasn't a weakened Yorkshire either. OK, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow were with England, but the rest of their big guns, bar Liam Plunkett, were there, including players who star in England's T20 side. Many would have expected us to come home with noses bloodied; instead, we head back down the M1 with the points and every right to be immensely proud.

Midway through the Yorkshire innings, 'Anon' sent a message to say that 'Henry and Viljoen are bowling their usual rubbish'. No name, not published and I disagreed. I thought we stuck to things well in the field, conceding only seven extras, compared to Yorkshire's seventeen. At the end of the night, such profligacy cost them. And for the record, aside from three successive wides in the penultimate over, Henry bowled well and Viljoen took key wickets.

Once again, Wayne Madsen starred with bat and ball, thoroughly justifying his earlier PCA Player of the Month Award. Imran Tahir also bowled a crucially tight spell and Yorkshire never got away in the middle section of the innings. Honourable mention too for Alex Hughes, who reeled off three economical overs that prefaced a telling final contribution later.

At halfway I dared to think 'maybe'. We needed a good start and while Tom Wood didn't set the world alight, 24 were on the board when he was out after three overs. Luis Reece didn't last long, but as soon as Wayne Madsen came in he was into his stride once more. Billy Godleman already was and the transformation of Billy into a very good T20 batsman this year has been simply extraordinary.

They put on 77 in eight overs, before Billy was out, with 62 needed off 6 overs, which brought in Gary Wilson.

The skipper hasn't had much opportunity in this competition, but three times now he has come in and played the role of finisher to perfection, exactly as we hoped for when he was signed last winter. He and Wayne knocked it around and, with ten an over off the next three, seemed to be steering us home.

Wayne's dismissal, closely followed by that of Matt Henry, wasn't in the script though and left the equation at 18 from nine balls, but two fours from Wilson left ten from the last. How many times have we lost three wickets in such an over and fallen five short?

Not this time. Alex Hughes smacked his first ball for six , then took a two and a single, leaving the skipper to pull the fourth ball of the over for the winning four. He finished 33 not out from 16 balls, a terrific innings. A captain's innings.

Top of the league. Anything from tonight and tomorrow, against Nottinghamshire, was regarded by most as a bonus. Yet we came, we saw, we conquered. Doubtless the often boorish local support went home unhappy tonight, but for Derbyshire fans, we'll float through the rest of the night and tomorrow.

No chicken-counting yet.

But this really could be the year we qualify, you know.

Two more wins should do it, I reckon, but let's keep the good times rolling.

Fantastic lads. Now for Nottinghamshire...

Yorkshire v Derbyshire T20 Preview

You could argue that tomorrow is the toughest game of the summer, as Derbyshire head to the lion's den of Headingley for a T20 showdown.

It is a game that in many previous summers we had little chance of winning, but surprised a few people. Greg Smith and Loots Bosman did well there and we must hope that the class of 2017 look back on their trip with a degree of pride in a job well done.

It will be tough. There's no news on the Yorkshire side, but it will be strong, albeit without Messrs Root and Bairstow. Tim Bresnan and Liam Plunkett will feature in the attack, alongside Adil Rashid, which offers a delicious leg spin shoot out with Imran Tahir.

Peter Handscomb has been replaced as overseas player by Pakistan's Sarfaraz Ahmed and with Shaun Marsh in the side too, the home eleven is packed with experienced cricketers.

And yet we beat them at Chesterfield.

They will be itching for revenge and the winner will likely move to the top of the table as a prize. Backed by a good few thousand home fans who, as always, will be generous with praise and gracious in winning or losing (!) it will be a hostile environment and only the strong survive.

Yet we have shown this summer that we have players of character, experienced themselves and with the ability to defend a total and chase one down with equal aptitude and elan. It could all go horribly wrong tomorrow, of course, but 48 hours against Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire is a tough gig and one of those, at the very least, may go pear-shaped.

We'll see. We are batting pretty well and bowled brilliantly last time out, so need to keep that going. A win of the toss would be no bad thing either.

Tom Wood looks set to replace Matt Critchley and it is in his and our favour that Yorkshire won't really know him. Otherwise, I expect an unchanged side and a battle royal.

If we hold our catches and bowl as we largely did at Chesterfield, they should know that they have been in a game.

Any more than that and we won't complain...

Comment creates research

An interesting comment from John, below the Leicestershire match report, provoked a little research today. In turn, it suggests to me that there will be an enforced change in the Derbyshire side for the games against Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire later this week.
The ECB Return to Play guidelines are quite clear in that after a player has taken a blow to the head:

Regardless of the extent or nature of the concussion there is a need for immediate cognitive and physical rest.
Understanding of concussion is evolving but neurophysiology suggests that the brain does not begin to recover for some days after the initial insult and that there is an increased risk for some time after the initial injury.

It goes on to explain that a return to activity should be gradual and monitored by an appropriate professional, but:

Graded steps of gradual increase in activity must be accompanied by a 24-hour window to check for further symptoms or signs.
To achieve the last two levels as identified in the below table, the player needs a 24-hour window for each level and this therefore means no further return to a full training situation for six days.

On that basis, Matt Critchley, who had to leave the field after a blow to the head on Sunday, will play no cricket this week, at the very least.

It is a shame for the lad, who was doing well in his role at the top of the order, but his well-being is of far greater importance than two games of cricket. I am sure he will be back before too long and will doubtless play a key role in the final phase of T20 matches.

As is always the case in life, one man's misfortune is another's opportunity and the likely beneficiary is Tom Wood. I suggested on several occasions that this competition might be his forte and unless Imran Tahir goes Kolpak and Martin Guptill flies in to replace him in an overseas role before Thursday (hey, a man can dream!), Tom Wood is likely to find opportunity knocking.

I feel sorry for Tom, as well as Charlie Macdonell this year. In most other seasons they would have had first team opportunity before this, having scored a fair share of runs at second team level. They can do no more than that, yet it is otherwise hard to see where a chance will come for either. Ben Slater is another whose chances have been limited since early season, but the batting line-up in this competition is solid and established.

All they can do is keep plugging away and take the chance if and when it is presented. Matt Critchley did that, as did Luis Reece when he was battling for a place. So too has Alex Hughes and more recently Ben Cotton. When the chance came, they were ready, prepared to battle and produced the goods.

No one can ask more.