County Cricket: Hampshire v Derbyshire day 1

Tony Palladino

Earlier today I got an anonymous mail berating the decision to put Hampshire in to bat at the Rose Bowl. I didn't print it, as there seemed little point. We can all be wise after the event and Derbyshire's decision could - and should - have been a wise one, had they not had a poor day in the field.

Two people who are normally sound in that area, Wayne Madsen and Gareth Cross, put down chances that might otherwise have seen the hosts bowled out for under 300 and the decision fully vindicated. Cross put down two, one of them straightforward and will be disappointed to do so as a man with a sound reputation for good hands.

Yet they all drop them, as does anyone who has played the game. Those who say otherwise have never done so, because there's no surer thing than that  we all have days when the ball appears to be soap and our hands and eyes are not in synch. You can practice all you like - and I know our lads work especially hard on that area - but sometimes they go down.

It didn't help, of course and despite four wickets for Tony Palladino, I think we will look at this as a missed opportunity. Tomorrow, Hampshire will aim to push on to 400 and then unleash their pace attack on our batting. It would be good to think that we will respond in an appropriate manner, but we will have to wait and see on that one.

Still, we're not alone in not making the most of a decision to bowl. Middlesex did the same at Durham today and ended up looking down the barrel of a home score of 411-4...

And with that adieu for this evening. A winning start for my club today and a few aching leg muscles for old Peakfan after a long bat. I might have gone for the ice bath remedy favoured today, except our ice tray's twelve cubes didn't suggest it would cover a great deal. Besides, a hot bath seemed much more palatable.

Tomorrow I hope to be able to walk without limping.