Pre-Match Pack: Kent

Derbyshire have named a 13-man squad for the LV= County Championship fixture against Kent at The Incora County Ground, starting tomorrow (10.30am). 

Having struck an unbeaten century in the draw against Leicestershire, Billy Godleman will be looking to continue his good form against Kent, in the final home fixture of the 2021 season.

Brooke Guest and Anuj Dal each scored maiden first-class centuries during a new Club-record sixth-wicket partnership of 227, the former will retain the wicketkeeping gloves for this game, with Harvey Hosein still out through concussion protocol.

Dustin Melton returns to first team action after recovering from a heel injury and playing for the Second XI this week, while batsman Harry Came also comes into the squad.

Derbyshire Squad: 

1. Billy Godleman
24. Tom Wood
4. Harry Came
76. Leus du Plooy
77. Wayne Madsen
20. Matt Critchley
29. Brooke Guest
65. Anuj Dal
15. Alex Thomson
59. Sam Conners
11. Ben Aitchison
13. Dustin Melton
23. Ed Moulton

Bite-sized Stats

The sides have met on 139 occasions in first class cricket, Derbyshire winning 40 games and Kent 57. A further 42 matches were drawn, while a further match was abandoned with a ball bowled, at Chesterfield in September 2017.

Chris Adams’ 216 at Maidstone in 1995 remains the highest individual score, while Donald Carr, Wayne Madsen and Donald Carr have all made three hundreds, more than any other player.

Three bowlers have taken hat-tricks against Kent – all at Derby – Joseph Marlow in 1884, Dominic Cork in 1994, and Kevin Dean in 1998, while the even more unusual feat of taking 3 wickets in 4 balls has been performed twice, at Derby in 1876 by Walter Hickton, and at Canterbury in 1931 by Les Townsend.

Click HERE to read the full stats preview.

Pre-Match Talk

Billy Godleman was pleased to score an unbeaten century in Derbyshire’s drawn LV= County Championship fixture against Leicestershire, with the captain praising a number of other standout performers in the match.

Godleman scored 100 not out on the final afternoon to guide his side to a draw, after they had lost three wickets in the second innings whilst still trailing the visitors’ first innings total of 528.

A day prior, Anuj Dal and Brooke Guest had scored maiden first-class centuries on their way to a Club-record sixth-wicket partnership of 227, pulling Derbyshire out of an early collapse, which left them 56-5.

Matt Critchley also ended the game unbeaten on 59, having added 139 alongside the captain, and Godleman wanted the emphasise the importance of their contributions to earn the result.

“I always set myself personal targets to make runs that either win or save games for Derbyshire,” he told BBC Radio Derby.

“I feel like I contributed in this game, and the personal milestone of a century is nice, but my measure is the games won or saved, and there was some brilliant batting when we were in trouble from Brooke and Anuj in the first innings, Critch played brilliantly too, with a lot of skill and experience.

“We pride ourselves on, at the very least, competing and making it difficult for any opposition who come to play at our home ground. Unfortunately, that hasn’t always been the case, but that’s not through any lack of trying on and off the field.”

How to follow

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

Multi-angle replays put you at the heart of the action, while our Match Centre also includes in-play scorecards, ball by ball commentary, clips and statistics, everything you need to stay up-to-date, no matter where you’re following from!

Clips and updates will also be provides via our social media channels, so make sure you’re following us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, so you never miss a moment of the action.