Derbyshire CCC | County Championship Match Preview | 19/04/2024

With two rain-affected draws to begin the 2024 Vitality County Championship, third-placed Leicestershire make the trip across the East Midlands to take on Derbyshire for round three.

The Foxes shared the points with Sussex last time, while Derbyshire also picked up a battling draw away at Glamorgan.

Round three sees the much-anticipated return of the Dukes ball, following two fixtures with the Kookaburra ball to kick off the new season.

Last Time We Met:

Last May’s clash saw Leicestershire fightback with bat and ball at The Incora County Ground to preserve their unbeaten start to the 2023 campaign.

After being skittled out for 122 on day one, Wiaan Mulder picked up an impressive 5/67, before half-centuries from Rishi Patel, Lewis Hill, and Peter Handscomb ensured the Foxes left Derbyshire with a draw.

In Focus:

Runs are a key currency to any batter, but one Fox shone brighter than any other last term with his returns. Rishi Patel’s 1,075 runs placed him fourth in Division Two for the highest volume of runs in 2023.

Those runs came at a healthy average of 44.79, with four centuries to his name. The 25-year-old’s red-ball form earned him Leicestershire’s Batter of the Year award and a winter call from the England Lions.

Patel has started the summer exactly where he left off “ averaging 79.5 from his first four outings. The Chigwell-born opener told Foxes TV this week about his desire to convert starts and become more ruthless this summer “ if he does that this week, Leicestershire will be on the front foot from the off.

Opposition Player to Watch:

Alex Thomson has started the season in emphatic fashion for Derbyshire. His 12 wickets at 16.75 see him sit comfortably atop the division’s wicket-taking charts.

What’s even more impressive is all 12 wickets were taken on last week’s trip to Glamorgan, following a complete washout during the opening round.

The spinner took 7/65 in the first innings at Sophia Gardens and picked up 5/136 second time around.

Squad:

Just one change to the squad, as new arrival Ben Green “ signed on loan from Somerset earlier today “ comes straight into the travelling party. Chris Wright remains unavailable for personal reasons.

Leicestershire: Budinger, Cox+, Currie, Green, Handscomb, Harris, Hill*, Kimber, Mike, Patel, Salisbury, Scriven, Trevaskis, Wood.