Yorkshire v Derbyshire - Match Preview

I don’t know if Wayne Madsen knows any magic tricks, but if he can perfect a little sleight of hand that can produce a two-headed coin and an appropriate call at Headingley tomorrow, it will get us off to a good start.

The skipper has lost three tosses running and we’ve lost two matches, the ensuing decision from the opposition skipper on whether or not to bowl being easier than that made by a hungry man who is offered a sandwich.

In the first round of rain-affected matches, every captain who won the toss fielded. Two subsequently won their matches, while Somerset lost at Durham. In the next round of six fixtures, five won the toss and fielded, three going on to win their game. In the latest round of six matches, five skippers actually chose to bat, but only one went on to win the game, two of them losing, with the other drawn.

It suggests that fielding first at this time of year pays dividends, but certain wickets (The Rose Bowl, The Oval) are already good for batting first. If one were to look at Headingley, Yorkshire were skittled for just 96 by Sussex on the season’s opening day, so it would be a brave captain who won the toss and batted tomorrow.

Karl Krikken has named a thirteen-man squad, effectively the side that played Nottinghamshire, plus Mark Footitt and Chesney Hughes. Based on two decent innings for the seconds, I think Chesney will come in against Yorkshire at the expense of Ross Whiteley, who has yet to hit form this summer. I’d be inclined to give him a go at the top of the order, allowing the skipper to drop to the middle order where he would be so much more effective. The worry would be his footwork against a new ball, but maybe we need to see if it can work rather than base judgement on supposition. I just hope that Chesney, who has been involved in a few run outs over the past couple of summers, and Billy Godleman, who was involved in two at Lords, can get their calling sorted should it happen.

Mark Footitt deserves a call up to the squad after his six wickets against a Surrey/Hampshire XI for the seconds and would give us useful variety and pace. While Tony Palladino in top form would enjoy Headingley, he’s not yet reached that and a blow on the foot yesterday from Stuart Broad might affect the decision to play one over the other. For what its worth, my team would be:

GodlemanHughesDurstonChanderpaulMadsenRedfernWainwrightClarePoyntonGroenewaldFootitt

The irony being, of course, that omitting Palladino would weaken the batting – and substantially, based on his sterling efforts so far. Yet we need the guys above him to contribute now and reveal their true ability. When you depend on nine, ten, jack to score runs it is a worry, for sure. It has been a poor start, but the players know what to expect now and are going to play no one better than they’ve already faced. Yorkshire were, after all, behind us in the table last summer.

The Yorkshire side will likely be as chased down 338 to beat Durham, with England man Joe Root in top form and one of seven internationals in some format. Gary Ballance will no doubt fancy his usual runs against his former county, but the side is substantially one that we played last year. They have greater experience, but the sooner our lads go out mentally feeling they are on a par with the opposition the better we will do.

Fingers crossed the season proper starts tomorrow. Come on lads!