Leicestershire 122 all out (Budinger 31, Brookes 6-20, Reece 2-13, Conners 2-53)
Derbyshire 144-3 (Ali 54, Came 49)
Derbyshire lead by 22 runs
It’s a funny game, isn’t it?
These two sides came into the game on opposite sides of the confidence spectrum, yet in a complete reversal of recent form, it was Derbyshire who dominated the first two sessions.
They were led by a stunning performance by the debutant, Henry Brookes, who in a performance in the greatest county tradition registered figures of 6-20, the best on debut by a county player at Derby.
He did it by bowling straight, something we had failed to do this season before today. I feared the worst when I saw the visitors had reached 30-odd without loss, all this while I was in at the hospital.
Yet I had no longer settled in my armchair than Brookes came on to commence the first of two spells that changed the game. Nipping it about beautifully, he was well supported in the field and showed what a talent he is.
I can understand why he isn’t getting a game at Warwickshire, when they had Woakes, Rushworth, Hannon-Dalby and Barnard in their attack today. But he is simply too good to be languishing in second team cricket and he showed his talent here, bowling with aggression, purpose and skill.
He was well supported by Luis Reece, who kept the pressure on at the other end and produced perhaps the best two balls of the day to dismiss Patel and Handscomb. It was so nice to see two bowlers working together and to see confidence seeping back into the Derbyshire players.
122 all out after lunch and a job well done. Backed up nicely by Harry Came and Haider Ali, who showed common sense and good running to be closing in on a century stand by tea. One day Ali will go big and it will be special, as he is certainly worth watching. He seems to have a couple of shots for most balls, even if he doesn’t always take the best option to the one coming at him.
He went to his fifty after the interval, but was dismissed as Mulder, who has been unable to bowl thus far, bent his back and showed his international credentials, albeit with one that kept horribly low in this instance. Guest didn’t last long and got a fine ball from the same bowler, and after a solid innings that deserved a fifty, Came played across the line and was leg before.
Madsen and du Plooy saw it to the close, which came prematurely because of bad light. But Derbyshire have worked themselves a good position here.
It was good to see a little more life in the Derby wicket. Good players could still score runs, but the game has to be an even battle between bat and ball and it was today.
And as for you, Monsieur Brookes…chapeau!
