Derbyshire Falcons Vitality T20 Blast at County Ground Derby Loss 0 pts Report

 

29/05

INEPT BOWLING SENDS OUTLAWS CRASHING

Notts paid the price for an inept bowling performance making it three losses out of three at Derby last night. The home side recorded their highest ever T20 score of 234 for 4. This eclipsed their previous record score of 231 for 4 off 20 overs made against Leicestershire at Derby in 2023. The 16 sixes they hit from a plethora of short balls was also a club record. Leading the way was Derbyshire’s skipper Aneurin Donald who scored a 31 ball 84 (7x4, 8x6). Despite a fine and brave 34-ball unbeaten 75 from Tom Moores (3x4, 7x6). Notts fell to a 23-run defeat in a match which saw 445 runs scored.

Derbyshire won the toss and elected to bat. Stone came in for Farhan. It turned out to be a bad move, Stone bowling far too short went for 32 runs off his first over and has currently bowled 4 overs for 76 runs in this year’s competition.

Despite the perfect weather they were plenty of empty seats around the ground when play got under way at 18:30. The crowd were remarkably quiet during the evening given what was happening on the pitch.

Andersson hit Pennington (City End) for six towards fine leg, seven off the first over. Donald hit three consecutive fours off Linde through backward square leg, third man and long leg; 15 off the second over. Linde bowled poorly throughout – a baffling signing. Imagine Samit Patel conceding 52 in 4 overs? Donald smashed Pennington for six over square leg then Andersson edged him for four, 12 off the 3rd over. Donald edged Ali for four and Andersson hit him for four through third man; 11 off the 4th over. Ali impressed once more with the ball, head and shoulders ahead of the rest of his Notts bowling colleagues and was desperately unlucky to pick up only one wicket. The one positive with the ball.

Stone bowled the worst over in Notts T20 history with Donald hitting him for 32 runs. The first ball went for six over square leg and brought up the Derbyshire 50. The second ball went for four through third man. A dreadful short ball followed which was hit for six over mid-wicket. The next ball went for four through point. The fifth ball was hit for six over point bringing up Donald's 50 off 20 balls. Another short ball was hit for six over square leg. Ouch!

Andersson inside edged a yorker by the unlucky Ali for four through fine leg. Derbyshire 82 for 0 after 6 overs.

Donald hit Howell for successive sixes over square leg and then a straight four; 21 off the 7th over including four leg byes. Donald (84) hit Linde for a straight six but was dismissed next ball caught by Haynes on the mid-wicket ropes (112 for 1), 11 off the 8th over. Andersson hit Howell for six over wide third man, eight off the 9th over. Andersson scooped McCann (1 0 6 0) for four. Derbyshire 128 for 1 off 10 overs. McCann strangely not given a second over, the captain preferring to stick with his pacemen which Ali apart appeared to be having a competition to see who could bowl the most short balls. They need to have a one-to-one with the Blaze bowling coach to discuss how to bowl a yorker.

Andersson hit Howell for a straight six. Jewell (4) was caught low down on the mid-wicket ropes by Haynes off Howell (135 for 2), eight off the 11th over. Madsen hit consecutive fours off Pocklington, 11 off the 12th over. Why was Pocklington only given one over? Madsen reverse swept Howell (4 0 41 1) for 4 through third man, nine off the 13th over. Pennington went for 4 in the 14th over. Derbyshire 160 for 2 off 14 overs.

Madsen hit Stone for four through third man and Andersson then hit him for four through mid-wicket to reach his 50 off 35 balls; 12 off the 15th over - Stone’s most economical in the 2026 Blast. Madsen (24) was caught at short third man by Ali off Linde (172 for 3). Whiteley hit Linde for a square four and a six through wide long on; 11 off the 16th over.

Ali conceded seven off the 17th over. Whiteley hit Pennington (4 0 40 0) for six over long off. Whiteley then hit for consecutive fours through long on and backward point, 17 off the 18th over. Pennington 11-0-147-2 @13.36 RPO after three games.

A fast bouncer from Ali was too good for Whiteley (33 off 16 balls; 2x4, 4x6) who edged an attempted pull shot to Moores (207 for 4). Andersson smashed Ali for 6 over mid-wicket. Montgomery slogged Ali (4 0 35 1) for four through long on, 12 off the 19th over. Andersson hit Linde (4 0 52 2) for six over long on. Montgomery hit the last delivery of the innings for six over long on. Derbyshire 234 for 4 off 20 overs with Andersson on 69 (off 43 balls, 5x5, 5x6) and Montgomery on 12. The game all but over at half time.

Morley (City End) conceded three including a leg bye in the opening over. Aitchison went for 10 off the 2nd over. Munsey hit Javid for a lofted four through third man, eight off the 3rd over. Clarke (9) hit Aitchison for four through third man but two balls later was caught behind by Donald off Aitchison, (24 for 1), five off the 4th over. Haynes hit Morley (2-0-13-0) for a square leg four. Munsey reverse swept Morley for four, 11 off the 5th over. Munsey (18) was caught behind by Donald off Javed (39 for 2). Notts 41 for 2 off 6 overs.

McCann (1) was well caught on the square leg ropes by Basra off Potts (42 for 3), two off the 7th over. Andersson conceded six off his opening over. Haynes hit Potts for a straight four and then he hit a long hop for six over mid-wicket, 16 off the 9th over. Haynes hit Andersson for four through mid-wicket, 11 off the over. Notts 76 for 3 off 10 overs.

Haynes edged Montgomery for four and Moores lofted him for six over extra cover, 15 off the over. Haynes (45) miscued Anderson and skied him to Madsen at cover (93 for 4), seven off the 12th over. A pleasing return to form for Haynes. Moores hit Montgomery (2-0-34-0) for a straight four to bring up the 100. Moores hit the former Notts man for six over mid-wicket and for a straight six; 19 off the 13th over. Linde hit Andersson (4 0 40 1) for consecutive fours through third man and long leg. Two balls later Linde hit him for six over mid-wicket, 16 off the over. Notts 133 for 3 off 14 overs.

Javed went for five in the 15th over. Moores hit Aitchison for a straight six and a six over extra cover to reach 50 off 24 balls.

Linde (29) hit Potts for six over extra cover but perished caught on the mid-wicket ropes by Basra off Potts (161 for 5). Howell hit Potts for 4 through square leg, 13 off the 17th over. Moores hit Javed (4 0 29 1) for four through mid-off but then took a nasty blow to the head and a long stoppage ensued. He edged the next ball to third man ropes and the following delivery went for six over long on, 18 off the over. Howell hit Potts (4-0-47-2) for a straight four. And for a six over long on.

Aitchison (4-0-44-2) bowled the last over. Moores hit him for six over long off. The fifth delivery, Howell was caught at short third man by Jewell for 19. Pocklington smashed the last delivery of the contest for a massive six over square leg. Notts 211 for 6 off 20 overs. In truth Derbyshire’s bowling was not much better than Notts’ and they are unlikely to qualify for the knockout phase.

Following Leicestershire’s victory at Old Trafford, Notts are bottom of Group 1 and with the worst record of all 18 counties an accurate reflection of their 2026 performances.

The only way forward is to put slow wickets out at Trent Bridge – Farhan should be an automatic selection. Ali apart they have not got a T20 seamer that can be trusted, their batting is flaky at best. The loss of Harrison and Montgomery has not helped but this is the third year in succession that their 20 overs performances have been poor which implies a lot of poor planning behind the scenes. the way the team is playing it could well turn out to be the worst they have had in the 24 years of the competition. It will probably cost the club a six-figure fee in lost gate revenue for the remaining five home games. Not a good time to announce a price hike in season ticket pricing for 2027.

Personally I would like to see young players given a chance, not all together but the team will only improve long term if they are backed. What supporters won’t put up with is seeing short-term journeymen in the line-up. Their signings are blocking the youngsters progress. There needs to be a plan not the continual application of short-term sticking plasters. MAG

28/05

Arriving at the Co-op tomorrow will be: 

Joe Clarke

George Munsey

Freddie McCann

Jack Haynes

Tom Moores

George Linde

Benny Howell

Joe Pocklington

Farhan Ahmed

Dillon Pennington

Mohammad Ali

Ben Martindale

Olly Stone

James Hayes