Derbyshire v Durham UCCE day 2

Shivnarine Chanderpaul: A true professional

While Derbyshire didn’t make the most of the start given to them by the top five batsmen, it would be churlish to complain too much about a display that saw us take a first innings lead of 361.

Graeme Welch may be disappointed that 376-3 became 428 all out, none of the last six making double figures, but Derbyshire’s key players have come up with the goods and will go into the first game of the season at Leicester full of confidence.

It would have been nice to see Wes Durston, Richard Johnson and Jonathan Clare make some runs, but their time will come and there won’t be a lot of concern over that. Weather permitting, we should win the game tomorrow, but the vagaries of our climate are a thing we can do little about.

It’s of little consequence for a game such as this, but if this was a key championship match and we lost a session of play, we might be a little more anxious tonight, seeking nine wickets to win the game. Of course, we’d still do it.

Something I have massive respect for is the attitude of Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Pretty much straight off a plane, he could have been excused for going out there to smack it around, then give it away. But no, he bats in time-honoured fashion for over four hours, doubtless getting himself into a good place and feeling good by the time it ended nine short of the deserved hundred.

Tomorrow, I hope to report on a morale-boosting win, but if the weather has other ideas, c’est la vie.

We’ve done well in this one.