T20 BLAST PREVIEW: Dominic Cork's men had never reached English cricket's carnival day until 2019 when, with a side built on reliable runs and the experience of Ravi Rampaul, they upset the odds. Can they repeat the trick - possibly without Rampaul?
Coach: Dominic Cork
Captain: Billy Godleman
Last season: Semi-finals
Fixtures: August 27 – Leicestershire (h, 6.30pm); August 30 – Yorkshire (a, 2pm); August 31 – Lancashire (h, 2pm); September 2 – Durham (h, 6.30pm); September 4 – Lancashire (a, 2.30pm); September 11 – Durham (a, 6.30pm); September 13 – Nottinghamshire (h, 2pm); September 15 – Leicestershire (a, 6.30pm); September 17 – Nottinghamshire (a, 6pm); September 20 – Yorkshire (h, 1pm)
How did they do last year?
Until last year, Derbyshire were the only one of the 18 counties never to have made it to T20 Finals Day. They broke that duck in fine style, beating Gloucestershire in a terrific quarter-final display to join Essex, Worcestershire and Nottinghamshire at Edgbaston last September.
Ultimately, they were comfortably outmanoeuvred by eventual winners Essex in their semi-final, falling victim – like so many others – to the off-spin of Simon Harmer.
That said, the campaign represented a considerable success for Dominic Cork in his role as T20 head coach, whose side was built around the consistent runs of Billy Godleman, Wayne Madsen, Luis Reece and Leus du Plooy, as well as the wickets of Ravi Rampaul, who topped the competition ladder.
Who are their key players?
Wayne Madsen: Speaking to The Cricketer last month, the South Africa-born veteran batsman enthused: “I think in terms of a balanced team, I would say that this is one of the best white-ball teams that we’ve had.”
And at the core of that side is Madsen; last season, only Babar Azam, Tom Banton, Dawid Malan and D’Arcy Short scored more runs in the competition than the classy 36-year-old. Among his batch of 464 runs, there were four half centuries, all plundered at a strike rate of 146.83.
Billy Godleman: For Godleman, see Madsen: an experienced, reliable batsman with the ability these days to take the game away from opposition sides. Last year, he finished just 11 runs behind Madsen in the run charts with 453 at 41.18 apiece.
As well as his run-scoring, Godleman is a highly respected leader, having finally ended a 17-year hoodoo that had seen every other county reach Finals Day. He made his highest-ever T20 score of 92 in 2019, suggesting that he is becoming more and more comfortable in the format. His partnership at the top of the order with Luis Reece, another devastating left-hander, has proven crucial.
Matt Critchley: Highly regarded as a leg-spinning allrounder, the onus will be on Matt Critchley to reproduce his bowling form from last year’s tournament, while improving his record with the bat, having contributed just 94 runs in 10 innings as Derbyshire reached the semi-finals.
A phenomenal catch off his own bowling in a quarter-final win over Gloucestershire was one highlight.
What are their strengths?
In the words of Madsen, the biggest strength of this T20 side is its self-belief. “One thing we’ve developed, especially in T20 in the last three or four years, is that we’ve learnt how to win,” he told The Cricketer.
“We’ve learnt what our strengths are and what are weaknesses are and how we can be effective. I think our win percentage in Blast games in the last three or four years is up there in the top three or four in the country.
“I know we’ve had tough times and you might be playing against oppositions who are perceived to be bigger counties, but at the end of the day, it’s still 11 versus 11 on a cricket field.”
The batting, no doubt, has been a major strength; runs have come in good quantities from several sources.
With the ball, meanwhile, there is a multitude of options: the left-arm angle of Reece and Michael Cohen; the right-arm pace of Ben Aitchison, Sam Conners, Ed Barnes and Fynn Hudson-Prentice; Critchley’s leg-spin and the subtle variations of Alex Hughes’ seamers through the middle overs.
Where might they have a weakness?
Daryn Smit, last year’s wicketkeeper, has retired to take up a role as the county’s head of talent pathway, opening the door for one of Harvey Hosein or new signing Brooke Guest to take over as the man with the gloves.
While both offer exciting, youthful options, there is a more pertinent issue for the club in the shape of Ravi Rampaul.
The seamer was a vital component of the county’s success in 2019, taking 23 wickets, but the impact of Covid-19 means that commercial flights out of his Trinidad home have been cancelled, placing his participation this season in some doubt.
“To do what he does up front with the ball, and particularly at the death, there's no one better in the competition in my eyes so to lose him would be a disappointment to us all,” Godleman said last week.
Chances of reaching Finals Day?
With a similar side to last year and renewed belief, Derbyshire will enter this campaign with considerable confidence, not least on the back of an encouraging Bob Willis Trophy campaign.
Strongest XI: Billy Godleman, Luis Reece, Wayne Madsen, Leus du Plooy, Alex Hughes, Harvey Hosein, Matt Critchley, Fynn Hudson Prentice, Anuj Dal, Ben Aitchison, Michael Cohen
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