Trouble as Derbyshire fail with bat again
THE theory was that if Derbyshire could bat through the first hour or so they could put themselves in a decent position in their LV County Championship match against Kent. That was the theory.
The actuality was that, yet again, Derbyshire’s batting failed and they ended the second day at the Incora County Ground in danger of defeat, again.
Kent took a lead of 276 into the third day. Quite how much play we will see on day three is another matter, if the weather forecasters are to be believed, but they may comfortably have time to complete victory anyway, if the rain holds off on day four.
Such is the state of the Derbyshire batting. This was the seventh time in 13 Championship matches this season they have failed to take a single batting point. The run is eight in 14 if you include the final game of last season.
Derbyshire were bowled out for 156 yesterday and only passed the follow-on mark because of a fiery career-best 39 down the order from Sam Conners. He hit four fours and two sixes, even though his mobility was limited by an ankle injury suffered as he set off for a quick single.
Conners did not bowl as Kent set out on their second innings and showed the theory about how flat the wicket would become did hold true, easing to 147-1.
Derbyshire were already a wicket down at the start of the day, having lost Harry Came to the first ball of the second over the previous evening, and it was 1-2 when Leus du Plooy edged the second ball of the day to third slip.
That over was bowled by Grant Stewart, who had taken 4-6 off nine overs by lunch and made that 5-12 shortly after. Six of those 12 runs came off a flashing cut over the slips from Anuj Dal, who went on to become victim number five.
Apart from one extraordinary scoring burst from Billy Godleman and Matt Critchley, in which five successive deliveries flew to the boundary, it was a woeful morning for the home side.
Wayne Madsen took 26 balls to get off the mark but went for 14 to a fine flying catch at third slip from Jack Leaning. It was the first of four catches for Leaning, the best of which was a full-length, one-handed exceptional diving effort in the gully to dismiss Godleman.
Critchley drove loosely and was caught behind, Tom Wood had his off bail clipped by a Stewart inswinger and Brooke Guest was lbw to Harry Podmore to make it 80-6.
Godleman hung in through it all until Leaning’s superb effort dismissed him for a 109-ball 31.
When Conners’ fun ended with a catch on the midwicket boundary and Ben Aitchison skied one to cover, the innings was over. Stewart finished with 5-23.
Zak Crawley lost focus again and holed out to mid off for 68 at 114-1 but, up to that point, Derbyshire had not threatened to take a Kent wicket. They already appear resigned to another defeat.