Godleman sits this one out after awful form

DERBYSHIRE have dropped captain Billy Godleman for the LV Insurance County Championship match starting today against Nottinghamshire at the Incora County Ground.

The opening bat has suffered a dreadful run of form this season with a high score of 38 in the opening four-day game of the season.

Godleman’s last five innings have been two, six, one, three and nine and head of cricket Mickey Arthur has decided a change is needed.

Harry Came is handed the chance to open after scoring 80 and a century for the seconds last week.

Arthur had encouraging words for his captain, however.

“I think there is no harder trier in the game than Billy,” sxaid Arthur.

“He has worked exceptionally hard at his game but he just hasn’t got the results at the moment.

“So it’s right that we give a young guy, on the back of an 80 and a 100 in the twos, an opportunity to show us what he can do.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing how Harry Came goes and I think he’ll be fine.

“Also, we have a programme that we are working on to get Billy back up to where he needs to be.

“We value Billy and his batsmanship so highly at the club and it’s in our interests to get him ready for the rest of the season that lies ahead.”

Leus du Plooy will captain the team in a match crucial to Derbyshire’s remaining hopes of promotion.

Notts lead the table but there is not much between the teams.

“The table is very bunched and another win could potentially put us up to second,” said Arthur.

“The boys have been outstanding through the summer so far but the games just ramp up and ramp up and this is another really important one for us.”