Derbyshire got their Royal London One-Day Cup campaign off to the perfect start with a 57-run win over Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
Billy Godleman led from the front with a career-best 137 and there were contributions across the lineup with bat and ball as Derbyshire put in an impressive performance to claim an opening-round win.
A true Captain’s innings, Godleman batted for 46 overs to give Derbyshire a platform to go on and post 357-8 in their 50 overs. Sam Hain hit a century of his own in the Warwickshire chase, but wickets fell regularly as Derbyshire dismissed the hosts for 300 to claim two points.
After losing the toss and being put into bat, the Derbyshire opening pair of Godleman and Ben Slater (69) set about laying a platform for a highly-competitive first innings total.
Slater was at his fluent best, hitting Oliver Hannon-Dalby through the covers and also looking to go over the infield as Derbyshire made the most of the first powerplay.
Their opening stand of 129 was eventually broken by Aaron Thomason in the 20th over, as Slater was well-caught by Hose.
Derbyshire continued to push on as Wayne Madsen joined his Captain at the crease to begin a powerful and flamboyant innings. Driving the seamers and sweeping when pace was off, the 34-year-old attacked whilst Godleman continued his run-a-ball innings at the other end.
Madsen hit four sixes and three fours to bring up a half-century, but was lbw missing an attempted sweep, Jeetan Patel removing him for 58.
Matt Critchley was promoted up the order to four with the aim of accelerating the Derbyshire innings after the top three set a solid platform in the first 30 overs.
He crashed 35 off 28 in a cavalier innings, but was stumped off Trott to start a fightback from Warwickshire.
Godleman, who was a constant throughout the majority of Derbyshire’s innings, reached a fine century off 101 balls, with ten fours, shortly after Alex Hughes joined him in the middle.
He hit a four and a six but was out for 12 and when Luis Reece fell two balls later, Derbyshire’s impressive pace-setting began to stutter.
Godleman took it upon himself to be the aggressor and hit Trott for six, four, six, two at the start of the 46th over, before being run out by a direct hit from Adam Hose chasing a quick single.
Daryn Smit closed a Derbyshire innings with an unbeaten 26 off 18 balls as the Falcons finished on 357-8, setting the Bears a challenging 358 to win.
Derbyshire’s defence got off to a good start as both Ed Pollock (8) and Trott (11) fell early, with the score 20-2.
Hain came in at three and set about rebuilding the innings, whilst keeping the run rate competitive and the target in sight. He struck at a run-a-ball, but Ian Bell failed to settle and was lbw to Critchley for 18 off 31 balls.
Hose looked good for his 33 off 32 balls, but he was caught and bowled by Ravi Rampaul which reignited a period of dominance for Derbyshire during which they claimed five wickets in 11 overs.
Tim Ambrose (4) and Thomason were out to seamers Reece and Hughes, before Hain’s well-paced innings was brought to an end by Reece with Rampaul taking a good catch in the deep.
Falling well behind the rate, the Warwickshire tail resisted and Keith Barker hit an unbeaten 48 off 34 balls to take the hosts past 250 and towards 300.
However, Derbyshire stuck at their task and debutante Safyaan Sharif took his second wicket and Warwickshire’s last, Hannon-Dalby caught in the deep by Madsen, to bowl the hosts out for 300 and give Derbyshire a deserved 57-run victory.
Derbyshire are back in Royal London One-Day Cup action on Saturday 19 May, when they travel to face Worcestershire Rapids at Blackfinch New Road; 11am start.
Royal London One-Day Cup is back at The 3aaa County Ground! Derbyshire will host four 50-over fixtures in May and June. Buy your match tickets in advance & save.
