Rain Washes Out Opening Day of Derbyshire Clash

By Jon Culley | ECB Reporters' Network

The inclement late September weather put paid to any play on the scheduled opening day of the East Midlands derby that brings Leicestershire and Derbyshire’s Vitality County Championship seasons to a close.

Wet areas on the playing surface following heavy overnight rain delayed the start despite some glimpses of sunshine in the morning but conditions were never good enough for the rapid drying that was necessary and  umpires Neil Bainton and Nigel Llong abandoned play for the day after their 2pm inspection.

With defeats in their last two Division Two matches having ended Leicestershire’s chance of promotion, and Derbyshire’s woeful red-ball season almost certain to see them finish bottom of the table, only local pride is realistically at stake for either side.

Mathematically, Derbyshire still have a chance to avoid collecting their 16th wooden spoon but Glamorgan need only to avoid defeat against Gloucestershire in Cardiff to make that impossible.