Ali, Reece and du Plooy all recorded sparkling half centuries, while both Madsen and Guest played lively cameos. Teams don’t tend to lose too many matches when they post 200 and Derbyshire won in a canter. The Nottinghamshire side wasn’t as strong, but Patel and Carter are T20 regulars for them, Harrison flitting around the side and Pettman is a good bowler. So the performance was good and the innings by Ali, in particular, showed how destructive he can be. If he can lead off in that style when the serious stuff starts, our chances of success are considerably heightened. Seventy off the Powerplay is a terrific base to work from and he and Reece looked a good pairing today.

The bowling? Aitchison was steady, Chappell very good and Watt his usual tricky self, from 22 yards or 24. Scrimshaw looked very quick and he and Zaman Khan should be a potent combo on the right wickets.

The second game, with a more conventional second eleven, showed limitations. Lakmal bowled well and will logically take the place of Aitchison on Saturday, but the latter bowled better today than Conners, whose tendency to under or over pitch a couple of times an over is costly in this format.

Dal played a nice innings, but Wood failed twice, Thomson and McKiernan once and the batting was a mess. Even Matt Lamb gave it away early. When you don’t use 25% of your allotted overs you will always struggle. McKiernan may get the nod this weekend if we go with two spinners, but has bowled better than here.

I thought reserve wicket- keeper Vikai Kelly did well and dual passport Aussie Callum Stow, a left arm Chinaman bowler who is playing with Alvaston and Boulton this summer, was tidy enough.

But batters are in form and the bowlers earlier did a good, professional job. Confidence will be high ahead of the Lancashire game on Saturday, but the standard of opposition will be cranked up a notch for that one. 

Hopefully our performance does the same.