Derbyshire’s players have begun building match fitness, with concurrent friendlies at home to Yorkshire and away at Leicestershire providing time in the middle all before summer time begins this weekend.
It may still be March, but Derbyshire’s squad, starved of much competitive cricket in 2020 and restricted to winter training under Covid-19 regulations, have begun pre-season in earnest, ahead of the first LV= County Championship encounter at Edgbaston, starting on Thursday 8 April.
Billy Godleman’s frontline bowlers took control of their first friendly against Leicestershire as wickets were shared around, with Fynn Hudson-Prentice the stand-out performer. His figures of 3-16 off ten overs tied down a confident Leicestershire side, while Matt Critchley and Sam Conners also claimed three wickets apiece, finding early form before the trip to Lancashire on Saturday.
An excellent 50-run partnership between Wayne Madsen and Critchley ended the first day’s play, after contributions from openers, Luis Reece and captain Godleman. Overnight, the two set batsmen retired not out, hoping to allow the middle order some time at the crease. However, the rain set in and both sides shook hands to end the day’s play with only 5 overs possible.
At The Incora County Ground, Yorkshire’s top order batsmen made hay in the sun against a young bowling attack on Day One, as Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Gary Ballance, Harry Brook and Tom Loten all retired out for the White Rose.
Cricket Derbyshire in partnership with the University of Derby Academy prospect Jonny Lawrence claimed the best figures of the innings with 2-29. The leg spinner’s two wickets fell in the same over, bowling David Wiley for five before Matthew Waite followed him soon after. Ben Hutchinson claimed the scalp of Will Fraine, lbw for 24 as Yorkshire declared on 250-7 to turn their attention to bowling.
Brooke Guest (30) and Tom Wood (26) made starts for the hosts and after rain on the morning of Day Two, Leus du Plooy fell early to Ben Coad. Anuj Dal had partners come and go whilst he put on a score of 72, his innings played with class and real purpose. Closing what was a productive two days for the Derbyshire side, Nafis Shaikh (25) and Jonny Lawrence (22), both of whom continue to progress in the Academy, played with confidence against a strong Yorkshire bowling attack towards the close.
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