Get off the mark this week with quick-fire stories to keep you up to date with the latest news from Derbyshire.
The 2020 fixtures have been released, Luis Reece is heading to Bangladesh and Billy Godleman is encouraged by preparations abroad.
Derbyshire’s fixtures for the 2020 season have been released, with more weekend cricket spanning all three domestic competitions next summer.
In total, Derbyshire will play 17 days of home weekend and Bank Holiday cricket in 2020, with all but one home County Championship match spanning a weekend.
The club, which celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2020, will begin the four-day campaign with the visit of Leicestershire to The Pattonair County Ground, starting on Sunday 19 April.
The Vitality Blast begins earlier next summer, as The Falcons get underway in the North Group on Friday 29 May, at home to Leicestershire Foxes.
The clash is the first of seven home group stage fixtures, all given prime evening and weekend slots as Derbyshire aim to build on last year’s Finals Day appearance.
Click HERE to view all fixtures
All-rounder Luis Reece will return to the Bangladesh Premier League this winter after being selected by Dhaka Platoon.
The seventh instalment of the competition gets underway in December, with Reece set to feature for a second time after representing Chittagong Vikings in 2017.
The 29-year-old played in eight matches two years ago, scoring 141 runs, with a top-score of 80 not out, while he also claimed 7 wickets at an average of 21.
Reece will be hoping to build on a stellar Vitality Blast campaign in 2019 which saw him score 325 runs and take 10 wickets as Derbyshire reached a maiden Finals Day.
See Reece and the rest of the Derbyshire squad in action as they aim to make it back-to-back Finals Day appearances. Never miss a moment of the explosive Vitality Blast action with our Blast Pass – new for 2020. Click HERE to buy.
Billy Godleman believes that playing cricket abroad over the winter months will help some of Derbyshire’s players in their development ahead of the 2020 season.
A host of players have been in action in other countries since the season ended, with Fynn Hudson-Prentice impressing in New Zealand, Wayne Madsen and Ravi Rampaul took part in the Abu Dhabi T10 league, while Matt Critchley, Mattie McKiernan and Luis Reece have all been playing in Australia.
Godleman himself scored more than 300 runs for the MCC throughout their Legacy Tour of Nepal, in which he played six matches across three formats.
“It is all down to what the individual feels they need to do to keep developing,” Godleman said.
“Obviously, that is in conjunction with Houghts and what he deems best for them, but it is all about how we develop in the five or six months that we aren’t playing cricket for Derbyshire, and there’s a variation of ways to do that.
“In my own personal experience, it’s good to go to different parts of the world and be exposed to new ideas and conditions.
“Playing under different pressures in a new environment is really good for the development of your game and we are hoping to bring that experience into the new season.”
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