REPORT | Derbyshire face fight after tough Day Two

Derbyshire know they will have to improve on Day Three, if they are to turn their fortunes around against Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens. 

Andy Gorvin, who was dropped after taking a four-fer in the opening match of the season, took 4 for 49 after a dogged 39 in contribution of an 86 partnership with Timm van der Gugten (62) for the eighth wicket in the hosts’ innings after resuming from day one to reach 431.

Wickets were shared for Derbyshire as the visitors bowled over 330 overs consecutively and showed periods of resistance in their own innings in between clusters of wickets.

Martin Andersson and Brooke Guest combining for 76 before Alex Thomson together with, unable to run, Luis Reece finishing the day with momentum for a 53-run partnership to reduce the deficit to 216.

After controlling day one, fears of an early day two collapse and not fulfilling their bonus point potential were enforced as Colin Ingram was dismissed in the first over; a third wicket to fall to a mishit hook shot. Thankfully for Glamorgan, they managed to pass 400 for the first time this season despite Gorvin being hit on the head by a sharp bouncer by New Zealand international Blair Tickner.

Coming out after lunch fresh for both sides, the hosts continued their control, Asitha Fernando bowling David Lloyd attempting an expansive drive inside the first over of the innings.

Good old-fashioned County Championship battles went on as van der Gugten had three maidens from four overs and Celeb Jewell and Harry Came bided their time at the crease, enjoying the occasional punch through vacant cover or straight regions while Glamorgan attacked.

Then enter Gorvin. Striking first ball, Came strangled down the legside, immediately enjoying the cloud cover that came with the sun disappearing over lunch, as if controlled by the Glamorgan bowlers, making Wayne Madsen rue his toss decision to bowl who was next to fall, Ned Leonard in on the action, Kiran Carlson with a sharp catch at second slip.

Jewell couldn’t continue his half-century hitting form since joining Derbyshire as Gorvin found one to stick, the Australian through his shot prematurely for a return catch.

Guest and Andersson stabilised as the ball and pitch started to do less, counter-attacking a wayward second spell from Asitha Fernando, bringing up their 50-partnership with a boundary on the final delivery of the second session.

Wickets at the right time hampered Derbyshire once more, Andersson replicating Lloyd by chopping on and a spectacular Chris Cooke leg-side stumping in the same over after a long spell on the shoulders of a now-trusted Gorvin in just his second match this season, moving to the top of the 2025 Glamorgan wicket takers chart in the process.

With the injured Luis Reece finally entering, two places lower in the order than anticipated, stability still couldn’t be renewed. Zain Ul Hassan starving the Derbyshire batters of the half-century milestone as Guest another to fall agonisingly short after a length ball kept low.

Still with 120 to avoid the follow-on with three wickets in hand, Reece, accompanied by runner Came, and Thomson negotiated a less threatening ball and pitch combination positively for the remainder of day two despite a dropped catch from Carlson and economic spells from Ul Hassan and van der Gugten.

Derbyshire wicket-keeper batter Brooke Guest: “Still two days of cricket to play if we can get another 100-150 runs out of the last three wickets and a couple quick wickets or us and pressure is back on Glamorgan.

“It’s a decent wicket with some variable bounce and if you get yourself in there’s no demons in it yet. Both sides have bowled well in periods so the run rate has been slowed a bit, but it’s a good pitch.

“It was nice. I think it’s the first time I’ve batted with him [Martin Andersson] so to put on a partnership with him was good and hopefully many more to come.”