Pre-Match Pack: Somerset

Derbyshire Falcons have named a 15-man squad for their Vitality Blast quarter-final against Somerset at the Cooper Associates County Ground (7pm). 

With batter Shan Masood away on international duty with Pakistan for their Test series against Sri Lanka, Leus du Plooy will captain the Falcons during the knockout stages of the competition.

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All eyes on tomorrow night ?#ThisIsDerbyshire#SOMvDER pic.twitter.com/Ap6gDhtKaI

— Derbyshire CCC (@DerbyshireCCC) July 8, 2022

Fresh from his maiden T20 century against Durham, Wayne Madsen will be looking to add to his 485 runs at an average of 40.41 in the competition so far, which has also included three half-centuries.

George Scrimshaw will join up with the England Lions squad for two ODIs against South Africa after this game, the tall quick has 21 Vitality Blast wickets to his name this season, the joint-fourth most in the competition this year, with the chance to add to his haul against Somerset. Spinner, Mattie McKiernan, has also claimed an impressive 17 wickets at an average of 20.52.

Derbyshire Squad: 

10. Luis Reece
4. Harry Came
76. Leus du Plooy (c)
77. Wayne Madsen
29. Brooke Guest (wk)
21. Mattie McKiernan
65. Anuj Dal
18. Alex Hughes
35. Hilton Cartwright
15. Alex Thomson
50. Hayden Kerr
11. Ben Aitchison
59. Sam Conners
51. Mark Watt
9. George Scrimshaw

The Opposition 

Somerset come into the quarter-final off the back of a South Group campaign in which they won ten of their 14 matches, although three of their four defeats came at home. 

Somerset’s batting has been impressive throughout the Vitality Blast, with Rilee Rossouw the standout performer, having scored 507 runs with a strike rate of almost 190.

He’s been ably supported by Will Smeed (380) and Tom Abell (351), while the ever-dangerous Tom Banton will still be a player Derbyshire are wary of, despite his average of 19.57 this season.

With the ball, Ben Green (17) and Josh Davey (15) have led the way, while the experienced Peter Siddle has picked up 14 wickets in just nine matches.

Pre-Match Talk

Head of Cricket, Mickey Arthur, sat down with national and local press to preview this Saturday’s Vitality Blast quarter-final against Somerset. 

Derbyshire Falcons prepare for their second Vitality Blast quarter-final in four seasons, with an away trip to the Cooper Associates County Ground in prospect having finished third in the North Group with a Club-record nine wins.

Click the video above to watch the Arthur press conference in full.

How to follow

Derbyshire’s Vitality Blast fixture against Somerset will be covered live on the Club website, through our improved Match Centre, delivered in partnership with Purpose Media.

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.

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