Tough opening day for bowlers at Lord's

Derbyshire’s bowlers pushed hard on Day One of the LV= County Championship fixture against Middlesex at Lord’s, but were only rewarded with four wickets. 

Suranga Lakmal claimed two wickets on his first day in Derbyshire colours, while Sam Conners and Alex Thomson also took one each as the hosts ended the day 307-4.

Stephen Eskinazi struck an accomplished knock of 118 – his eighth Championship hundred and his first at Lord’s in five years – as he and teenage opener Josh de Caires shared a second-wicket stand of 186.

De Caires, the 19-year-old son of former England captain Michael Atherton, registered his maiden first-class half-century in an innings of 80 that helped to lay the foundations for the home side to post 307 for four.

It was a difficult day for Billy Godleman’s team, who opted to put Middlesex in but quickly lost the services of on-loan seamer Ryan Sidebottom, pulling up with a suspected hamstring problem just 1.1 overs into his Derbyshire debut.

Mark Stoneman got Middlesex’s campaign off to a positive start after Godleman had invited them to bat, clipping Sam Conners’ opening delivery firmly to the square-leg boundary.

However, the left-hander was first to depart, with Derbyshire’s two overseas players combining to remove him for 12 in the fourth over as Shan Masood dived forward at midwicket to hold a catch off Lakmal.

The Seaxes’ second-wicket pair dug in, with Eskinazi quick to punish loose bowling and displaying excellent timing and placement – exemplified by a sweet straight drive to the boundary off Anuj Dal to raise the 50 partnership.

There was a let-off for De Caires on 21, when he carved a widish delivery from Conners to point, but the ball whistled through Dal’s fingers and Derbyshire’s four remaining bowlers continued to toil after lunch.

Eskinazi brought up his half-century from 80 balls in the first over of the afternoon session, while his junior partner took a little longer to reach that landmark but did so in style, cutting Lakmal off the back foot for four.

De Caires’ watchful style took his stay at the crease beyond four hours before Conners tempted him outside off stump and Brooke Guest gratefully snapped up the opportunity to end the partnership prior to tea.

Lakmal claimed his second wicket when Eskinazi’s outside edge carried to Wayne Madsen at slip, but Robbie White and Max Holden maintained Middlesex’s momentum, joining forces in a stand of 58.

Holden (35) looked well set, only to perish reverse sweeping off-spinner Alex Thomson, but White (40 not out) and Jack Davies ensured a third batting point was safely secured before stumps.

2022 Membership – One Club, Our County

2022 Membership is on sale now, with supporters able to attend a full season of Derbyshire home cricket for the first time since 2019, along with a host of other great benefits for!