This is not 'same old Derbyshire'

SAM DALLING AT LORD'S: Derbyshire lost 4 for 0 in nine balls to slip from 304 for 6 to 304 all out. However, there are plenty of positives for Mickey Arthur to take from the match and change will, of course, be incremental

The water from St Ann’s Well in Buxton has been famed for centuries now. So much so, that a few hundred years back some bright spark decided to bottle it up and sell it. 

And they do so still. A multi-national conglomerate may run the operation now, it’s shareholders more interested in the bottom line than anything else, but the original spring is still used. 

Why? Because of the water’s healing qualities. Sir Henry Willoughby first referenced those back in the early 1600, packed with goodness and minerals they say. Which brings us to this Derbyshire side, which has plenty of both of those.   

Now this piece could easily be about Middlesex, about Max Holden and Robbie White – two Academy graduates and lockdown housemates – who combined first in the evening gloom, and then in the evening sunshine (albeit the floodlights once on, had to stay on; clearly they haven’t seen what electricity costs these days) to add an unbroken 141 in 157 balls 

Holden, a left-hander with a T20 hundred, was initially the aggressor, all sweeps and reverse sweeps, including one into the Grandstand off Wayne Madsen.  He will continue tomorrow on 68, having matched his 2021 tally of red-ball fifties already.  

White was more watchful initially but ended unbeaten on 79 from 93 having twice danced at spinners and cleared the ropes. A non-traditional cricketing pair for him to start then: two half-centuries. 

^{Anuj Dal has been among the runs and wickets for Derbyshire [Alex Davidson/Getty Images]}

They will get their plaudits on other days, perhaps even tomorrow if Middlesex go on to secure victory. A Derbyshire win is, bar the tie, the unlikeliest of the results. A generous declaration is unlikely, which is why the visitors’ time comes here. 

Yes, they erred a little in the final session, lacking clarity of thought. Declaration bowling came, then it went again. What is the plan exactly Billy? 

But that is harsh. They had enjoyed the better of the day before that. Look at the scorecard and you might think 'same old Derbyshire' - the last four wickets fell in nine balls for the addition of nowt. Anuj Dal fell first but looked well set having reached 50. He will do well too if he avoids losing a little cash for his reaction to an LBW decision. "I asked Mickey whether I should mention this…unfortunately I got an inside edge," he said laughing afterwards. "Sometimes you get those."

There has been plenty of fight before that. Plenty of positives for Mickey Arthur to balance some negatives. This isn’t just platitude either. Arthur is a coach, not a miracle worker. Gains will, therefore, be incremental.

Naturally, they are a professional sports team and so they will be judged mainly in wins. Those were rare last season, just half-a-dozen from 34 attempts in all formats. But other barometers should be used to measure their improvements. 

And there are some already. 

Arthur is missing two things his predecessor had: the club’s leading wicket-taker in all formats (Fynn Hudson-Prentice) and a spinning all-rounder with 1,000 runs and 32 wickets (Matt Critchley). One went home, the other understandably wanted to further his international chances. 

Those charged with plugging those holes are Dal and off-spinner Alex Thomson. And they combined to add a trouble free 86 for the seventh wicket before Dal fell.  Who knows what might have happened but for 'that' decision. 

Dal is an all-action character, running his own coaching company while also being vice-chair of the PCA. His primary task though are runs and wickets. He nudges and nurdles, pushes and prods, sprints every run like it’s his last. Few on the circuit are quicker over 22 yards. A checked straight drive off Tim Murtagh was glorious. 

Thomson, all six foot plenty of him, shapes up well. A graduate of Cardiff UCCE, he was picked up late by Warwickshire and had a game-less loan spell at Durham before joining Derbyshire.  

Sam Conners or Superman? 🦸‍♂️

Another big wicket for #DCCC after tea!

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— Derbyshire CCC (@DerbyshireCCC) April 9, 2022

He looked strong square of the wicket, clipping Murtagh nicely off his hips and pulling Tom Helm, who doesn’t lack for pace, violently in front of square. 45 is one short of his career-best. 

He is an idiosyncratic cricketer, each delivery faced is followed by a single very deliberate stroke off the back foot to ensure his guard has not gone AWOL. With ball in hand, rarely does he not bend his frame to the ground and dry his hands in the footmark. 

Speaking of which, Thomson picked up his fourth wicket in the match when Mark Stoneman caught by Sam Conners after a pre-emptive slog sweep went belly up. That was after Josh de Caires had left a nip-backer from Conners that clipped his off-stump before the scorers had been troubled.

That was just after those four wickets in nine balls, making it five in a baker’s dozen without a run added. Anyone who popped out to pick up an early tea from a nearby food outlet may have returned bemused. 

Then Dal trapped Stevie Eskinazi down the hell to leave Middlesex 60 for 3 – leading by 157. Derbyshire sniffed an opening. The scent soon disappeared. They will likely bat again in the morning trying to save the game. 

But back to those positives.  Last year their batting was woeful. They failed to reach 200 in 11 of County Championship innings, going bonus-pointless in exactly half their games. They got two here. 

They have international class in Shan Masood. He has been a level above everyone else, and so he should be - a banker, as they say. They have experience in Billy Godleman, Madsen, Leus du Plooy and Luis Reece, all of whom got starts but didn’t kick on. If they are to move forward though, Dal and Thomson will be key.

They may not get much attention, which is why they have it here.

Related Topics

• Championship Digest: Saturday, April 9, 2022