Glamorgan 237 and 361-7 Derbyshire 198 and 225-3 (Reece 91*, Guest 72* Harris 2-24) Match drawn There may be those who are thinking tonight that Derbyshire should have had a go at the run chase at Cardiff. It was never on. The loss of overs in the morning and a further stoppage after lunch meant that the run rate had climbed and, having lost the wickets of David Lloyd and Wayne Madsen before lunch, it would have been very easy for the side to have capitulated.  That they didn't was due to fine innings from Brooke Guest and Luis Reece. Both are players of high quality and I never felt ..read more

This book is a terrific read, but it is a shame that it has to be written at all.  It is effectively a 'state of the nation' address about English cricket in 2024. It is an elegy to days gone by, as well as being a warning to what may happen in the future and indeed is happening right now. But as well as recognising the challenges faced by those who play the game, and the concerns of those who have watched it for decades, the author also recognises that the game has had to change and diversify.  Indeed, as Derbyshire's CEO Ryan Duckett says within its pages, in the 2022/23 fi ..read more

I think it is fair to say that the wicket changed a little on day three of this match.  There was still turn, but not as sharp as it had been on the first two days. The ball still nipped off the seam, but really only when it was new and the old Kookaburra ball didn't do that much.  There are some good bowlers in this Derbyshire side and that leads me to be hopeful that we can, at the very least, hold out for a draw tomorrow.  We could have done without losing the wicket of Harry Came before the close, but Lloyd and Reece took it to that point without any further loss. Earlie ..read more

Glamorgan 237 and 74-4 (Thomson 3-35) Derbyshire 198 (Madsen 63, Lloyd 60, Crane 4-60) Glamorgan lead by 113 runs An intriguing match is well balanced at the end of day two, with day three looking likely to be the final one at this stage.  I cannot help feeling that Derbyshire let themselves down a little today, with a lack of assertion with the bat. With the benefit of hindsight, perhaps more aggressive intent towards Mason Crane may have brought dividends. Then again, an extra spinner in the side for this one would probably have seen us on the way home by lunch time tomorrow.  ..read more

Glamorgan 237 (Carlson 74, Thomson 7-65, Tickner 2-57, Conners 1-51) Derbyshire 46-1 (Lloyd 35*, Came 11*) Derbyshire trail by 191 runs Career best bowling figures of 7-56 by Alex Thomson put Derbyshire into a strong position at the end of the first innings of this game. An off spinner. In April... Thomson bowled superbly, flighting the ball beautifully and getting significant turn from the start of his spell. Perhaps the only concern was that Derbyshire, having won the toss, had opted to bat last on this pitch and omitted Jack Morley the second spinner. Whether Mason Crane and Kiran Carls ..read more

Whisper it quietly, but it looks like we will get some cricket over the next four days at Cardiff... The forecast doesn't look too bad at all, so a prompt start will depend on how well the ground recovers from the recent rain that has covered the country.  Derbyshire will travel with a squad of thirteen and unless the pitch suggests turn, which would be unfeasible at most places this early, I don't see many changes to the likely side at Derby. One spinner, and/or a choice between Matt Lamb and Nye Donald - unless we decide to pack the batting, of course.  Squad: Lloyd, Reece, Cam ..read more

So we now know the identity of Derbyshire's second overseas player, South African quick bowler Daryn Dupavillon. It will certainly be a fine signing for lovers of alliteration... I have seen him bowl and he has looked impressive, an arms pumping, all-action, somewhat open-chested quick. To be honest I had discounted him, as he often seems involved in the Caribbean Premier League where he has done well, but  his first-class record is excellent, well over 200 wickets at mid-twenties average, while he goes for less than eight an over in T20, which is impressive for one who bowls at the ..read more

I enjoyed a lovely chat with a friend last night, who suggested another name that might be of interest to Derbyshire for that second overseas role.  Duane Jansen, anyone? Younger brother of South African international bowler Marco, bowls left arm around 90mph and from a height of 6 feet 8 inches. Also a very handy batter and I could see him very much an option for a discerning county before too long.  I suspect it won't be too long before he achieves international recognition and very much in his favour from a Derbyshire perspective is that he would give a different angle, as well ..read more

There is not a great deal that anyone could do about the lack of cricket at Derby in the last two days. Storm Kathleen has caused considerable damage across the whole of the UK, but especially in the Midlands and North. On top of what had already been a March and April of ridiculous volumes of water, it was very much the straw that broke the camel's back. Derby has very good protection of the square, but the reality is that the outfield resembles a paddy field and it has not been of sufficient standard for first class cricket. You and I may have risked it for our weekend game, but we are not ..read more

For those who are statistically minded, the 2024 summer will be the 58th season in which I have followed Derbyshire. Which makes me sound like a weird kind of stalker, truth be told. It is also the sixteenth season in which I have written this blog. Having done a deep dive into the statistics, during that time I have written 4441 posts and there have been nearly sixteen thousand comments. I was astonished today to see that there were 60,000 views last month and already 14,000 views this month, after three days. Sometime during the first game, with a nice degree of symmetry, the blog will go p ..read more