Derbyshire Falcons | T20 Match Preview - 01/06/2023

Official Match Sponsor: Uptonsteel

Leicestershire face East Midlands rivals Derbyshire Falcons in the fourth round of the Vitality Blast at Uptonsteel County Ground.

The Foxes are looking to bounce back from Monday’s Bank Holiday defeat at New Road, and are heavily boosted by the return of fan-favourite Naveen-ul-Haq to the squad.

Derbyshire are also aiming to right the wrongs of Monday, having suffered a six-wicket defeat at the hands of Northamptonshire Steelbacks.

Last Time We Met:

The Falcons took victory by six wickets in the previous T20 meeting between the two outfits. Last June’s fixture saw Arron Lilley top score with 67 (41b), while Hamish Rutherford added 35 (28b) at the top of the order.

Derbyshire got off to a flyer in response, hitting 99 in the opening 8.3 overs, with then-captain Shan Masood smashing 73 of those from just 32 deliveries.

The Foxes fought back with wickets in the middle overs, but the hosts emerged victorious with eight balls to spare.

Head-to-Head:

Talking of fast starts, Leicestershire will pin much of their hopes on Nick Welch racing out of the traps.

The Zimbabwe-born opener averages 31.41 in T20 cricket, striking at a touch under 135. He became a vital cog in last summer’s side, winning five games from five when introduced to the side “ all while averaging 43.25 and striking at 158.71.

Wayne Madsen has been producing the goods for well over a decade now. At the ripe-old age of 39, his form hasn’t wavered, hitting three half-centuries in a row to begin the 2023 Blast. His overall T20 average sits at 30.96, striking at 136.7.

Squad:

The Foxes are boosted by the return of Naveen-ul-Haq, who comes straight back into the fold.

Leicestershire Foxes: Ackermann*, Ahmed, Budinger, Davis, Finan, Hill, Lilley, Mulder, Naveen, Parkinson, Patel, Scriven, Swindells+, Welch.

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