Pre-Match Pack: Durham (A)

Derbyshire have named a 13-player squad for the LV= County Championship fixture against Durham at Seat Unique Riverside, starting on Thursday (11am). 

Brooke Guest followed-up his 92 against Leicestershire with a run-a-ball 85 in the Second XI Championship against Nottinghamshire, and he will be looking to replicate his century at Chester-le-Street in 2022, while Leus du Plooy passed 100 in each innings at the ground last season.

Luis Reece and Alex Thomson return to the matchday squad, with the latter having taken a five-wicket haul in the Second XI game at Lady Bay last week.

Anuj Dal misses the game against Durham after being withdrawn from a recent Second XI fixture with a side strain. He will continue to work with the Club’s Medical Team on his recovery. Fast bowler, Suranga Lakmal, is also out with a groin issue.

Derbyshire Squad:

1. Billy Godleman
12. Haider Ali
4. Harry Came
10. Luis Reece
29. Brooke Guest (wk)
77. Wayne Madsen
76. Leus du Plooy (c)
7. Matt Lamb
15. Alex Thomson
32. Zak Chappell
51. Mark Watt
59. Sam Conners
11. Ben Aitchison

The Opposition

After three games, Durham sit top of the LV= County Championship Division Two with 40 points to their name. 

Australia spinner, Matt Kuhnemann, has been one of the outstanding bowlers in the Championship so far, with 12 wickets at an average of 22.58, while Ben Raine and Matt Potts have combined for 18 dismissals.

Scott Borthwick and David Bedingham each have one century and one half-century to their names, with both averaging above 50 so far.

Pre-Match Talk

Head of Cricket, Mickey Arthur, says there’s still work to be done to get Derbyshire’s bowling attack up to speed this season, but he saw positives in the LV= County Championship Division Two draw with Leicestershire. 

Rain delayed the start on Day One and washed out Days Two and Three entirely, but a the full allocation of overs were bowled on Day Four, as Brooke Guest (92) and Wayne Madsen (75) scored half-centuries as Derbyshire claimed a batting pointing in the closing stages.

Zak Chappell claimed four wickets, but the attack struggled for consistency throughout, which allowed Lewis Hill and Colin Ackermann to reach centuries, with Leicestershire declaring on 451-9.

Arthur admits that the squad needs more time in the middle after seeing almost all of their pre-season campaign rained off, but there were some positives to take into the game against Durham, after a short break.

“I still feel we’re lacking a little bit with our bowling consistency, though I thought Zak Chappell was good, he came back really well, but as a bowling unit we’re just a little short – that’s the disappointing thing for me.

“We batted really well, we wanted to get 300 and two points and our intent was good, in the end we only managed one but the signs were good. But we still have a lot of work to do with our bowling.”

How to follow

Derbyshire’s LV= County Championship fixture against Durham will be covered live on the club website, through our improved Match Centre, delivered in partnership with Purpose Media.

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