Preview: Scotland v Derbyshire YB40

Derbyshire will be heading up north today on a six or seven hour bus trip to Edinburgh, where they play Scotland in the Yorkshire Bank 40 tomorrow.

Tomorrow’s game could be sponsored by Farleys, given the two sides. Our squad is missing both Tony Palladino and Wes Durston, the latter recovered from a back spasm having edged a ball into his heel in the nets and the 15-man squad for this game and the one on Monday against Durham carries an especially youthful look:

C Hughes, Chanderpaul, Godleman, Borrington, Madsen, Slater, Johnson, A Hughes, Burgoyne, Clare, Wainwright, Groenewald, Evans, Turner, Footitt.

It is a hard side to call. Given that Chanderpaul and Hughes opened against Lancashire in the three overs possible, should they do so tomorrow we then have three opening batsmen (Godleman, Borrington and Slater) to follow in a side of talent, but an initial look of being lop-sided.

My guess would be that we open with any two from the latter, then have Chanderpaul, Hughes and Madsen in the middle order. Alex Hughes would appear a likely six, with the bowlers decided upon after seeing if the wicket takes spin. I can’t see Turner and Footitt playing, but I have no concerns about the side being capable of doing a good job. Borrington and Slater both score heavily in the Derbyshire Premier League and the Scots bowlers should be no more or less demanding than those faced in that competition.

Don’t get me wrong. I won’t underestimate a talented bunch of players, but the Scots ‘county set’ who have joined them this summer, largely qualifying through maternal grannies who once spent a night in a Selkirk B and B, have returned south. There’s no Neil Carter, Ian Wardlaw, Kyle Coetzer or David Murphy and their squad for the game is also a youthful one, as follows:

Preston Mommsen, Richie Berrington, Calvin Burnett, Ewan Chalmers, Freddie Coleman, Matthew Cross, Gordon Drummond, Gordon Goudie, Majid Haq, Moneeb  Iqbal, Michael  Leask, Calum MacLeod, Dewald Nel.

There is danger in that squad. Nel has been a wily performer for years, while Gordon Goudie, who returns from injury, is one of the Scots most reliable players. MacLeod had a spell at Warwickshire, where Coleman is making a reputation as a young batsman of considerable talent. Meanwhile, Matthew Cross is currently having trials with Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire will underestimate them at their peril.

Berrington has also attracted the attention of English counties, as has Mommsen, while Haq, as highlighted the other day, is a good, solid cricketer. Yet Derbyshire SHOULD win. Irrespective of the youth of our side, there is talent in spades and enough ability to earn the first win of the season, as long as the attitude is right.

I’ll go for the win on this. I’m now heading out to do some work in our lovely garden and look forward to a solid, professional display from a Derbyshire side with more than a few pointers for the future.

Communications willing, I hope to do mid-innings reports on this one tomorrow, so please check in from time to time for some updates from the ground.