T20 Match Preview: Derbyshire v Nottinghamshire

Marcus North

In the light of our track record against them, allied to recent form, it is probably unrealistic to expect a Derbyshire win tomorrow against Nottinghamshire.

Yet let's not forget that this is cricket and that remarkable thrash at Trent Bridge last summer, when we beat them with some ease, our side featuring neither overseas player.

It can happen and our season has to start somewhere. How good would it be if it was tomorrow?

Graeme Welch is keeping everyone guessing by naming a fifteen-man squad:

Stephen Moore (2)                     Chesney Hughes (22)
Wes Durston (3)                         Marcus North (8)
Wayne Madsen (77)                   Scott Elstone (10)
Alex Hughes (18)                       Tom Knight (27)
Gareth Cross (7)                        Tony Palladino (28)                   
Tim Groenewald (12)                  Mark Footitt (4)
Matt Higginbottom (20)                Tom Taylor (15)
Mark Turner (6)

I can't call the side, so won't attempt to. Meanwhile, Nottinghamshire turn up with an England opening pair and are awash with international players, past and present. Logic suggests it should be the biggest mismatch since David tackled Goliath, but we must hope that Derbyshire's batsmen and bowlers pack especially potent slingshot tomorrow.

I'm working till 8.30pm tomorrow night, so the game will be pretty much done by the time I get home. Maybe that's no bad thing, but I am a man of simple pleasures and hope for just two things on the matchday:

1. Please let's bat against the clock rather than the sundial in the Powerplay.

2. Let's rotate the bowlers and throw more spin at them.

If nothing else, the latter will keep the seamers fresh for the game that starts against Leicestershire on Sunday, one that affords a genuine opportunity of a win.

But if somehow we can beat the Nottinghamshire Predators...sorry....Outlaws....we'd not say no, would we?