Derbyshire Match Preview - 26/09/2022

As the season draws to a close, Leicestershire have one last chance to record a County Championship victory, as they head to East Midlands rivals Derbyshire on Monday.

Both sides tasted defeat in the previous round of fixtures, with the Foxes falling by 80 runs to Middlesex, while Derbyshire lost by an innings and 24 runs to Glamorgan.

Last Time We Met:

The two sides last met in the County Championship in April, where Derbyshire secured a resounding victory, winning by an innings and 68 runs.

That triumph was largely thanks to the expertise exhibited by Pakistan star Shan Masood, who hit a double century in a first innings total of 531 for Micky Arthur’s side.

Ed Barnes recorded his first five-wicket haul during that innings, but nobody could come close to Masood’s score with the bat for the Foxes; only Sam Evans and Louis Kimber passed 50 in the match.

Fox to Watch:

Lewis Hill’s return to the fold is a timely one for the Foxes. Having been ruled out of action with a broken hand sustained on the eve of last month's One Day Cup quarter-final, he’s raced to recovery in time for the final fixture.

After missing over half of the County Championship campaign through various injuries, the 31-year-old will add some much-needed experience to a batting line-up currently shy of runs.

He’s added 422 runs at an average of 38.36 this season, having fallen just shy of the 1000-run mark last summer, where he finished comfortably as the Club’s top run-maker (944 @ 44.95).

Opposition Player to Watch:

Anuj Dal has had an extraordinary red-ball summer, showing his true capabilities as an all-rounder. With the bat, he’s amassed 926 runs at a terrific average of 71.23, with three centuries and five fifties to his name.

The 26-year-old set his new career-best during a defeat to Sussex at Hove in June, scoring 146 not out in Derbyshire’s first innings.

With the ball, he’s claimed 32 wickets at 29.31, again recording his career-best bowling performance when taking five for 40 in victory over Worcestershire.

Squad:

Lewis Hill has recovered from the hand injury that has kept him out of action for the past month, and comes straight back into the fold. Colin Ackermann has joined up with the Netherlands contingent in preparation for next month’s World Cup, while Michael Finan also drops out after being given permission to attend a pre-arranged personal commitment.

Leicestershire: Ahmed, Barnes, Budinger, Evans, Hill, Kimber, Parkinson*, Patel, Scriven, Swindells+, Walker, Wright.