Rain frustrates again but this was better, at least, as Sussex pegged back - This is Derbyshire

Rain frustrates again but this was better, at least, as Sussex pegged back - This is Derbyshire

THE Clydesdale Bank 40 League continues to frustrate Derbyshire.

Beaten in their last three fixtures after struggling to get to grips with the 40-over competition, the Falcons made their best start to a game since their only victory, against Unicorns, only to be beaten by the weather.

1. Luke Wright misses a pull against Mark Turner

2. Luke Wright misses a pull against Mark Turner

They had group pacesetters Sussex Sharks in trouble at 111-5 in the 25th over at Horsham yesterday when the steady drizzle turned to a proper downpour and denied them the opportunity to finish what they had started.

But the consolation for head coach Karl Krikken, as he turns his attention to the start of the Friends Life t20 with an opening match at home to Lancashire on Thursday, was that this was already much better than last weekend's home defeat by Warwickshire.

"It's a shame but I'm really pleased with how the guys have responded after last week," he said.

"The last three games have been non-events for us but we've come here to take on the side at the top of the league who have not lost a game and we've competed really well.

"There were another 16 overs left and anything can happen from there but from where we were, we were in the driving seat.

"I thought we bowled really well. We put plans in place and tried a few new things and the bowlers did us proud."

Mark Turner got Derbyshire off to the start they wanted, after they won the toss and put Sussex in, when he knocked over the off stump of former England one-day batsman Ed Joyce to make it 20-1 in the fourth over.

Two wickets in three balls from Tim Groenewald really put the Falcons on top.

Luke Wright, another with good international credentials, was second to go with the score on 39 when he sliced a cut at Groenewald and was safely taken at third man by David Wainwright.

Wright made 14 and Chris Nash soon followed him back to the pavilion when he was lbw to Groenewald for 16 to make the score 40-3 in the seventh.

Sussex were scoring at a good pace on a small ground with a fast outfield and New Zealander Scott Styris can score very quickly but his debut for the Sharks ended when he tried to pull Groenewald and was caught by Alex Hughes at deep midwicket for five at 58-4.

Groenewald bowled through his eight-over allocation to finish with 3-30.

Joe Gatting threatened to take the scoring to another level as he hit two sixes in his 34 but he was the fifth man to go at 102 in the 21st over as he hit a drive at Wainwright solidly but straight to short extra cover, where Wayne Madsen juggled the ball twice before he held on.

The premature end came four overs later and Derbyshire could feel good with their efforts.

Groenewald was the pick of the bowlers but Turner got through four good overs with pace and control.

Alex Hughes did not look out of place and held his nerve under fire from Gatting and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan got in a useful four overs as preparation for the t20s.

The Pakistani was irritated with his second burst of two overs, in which Gatting hit him over long on for six, but his first two showed how tough he can be to get away for batsmen.

"Rana has fitted in well and I think he's enjoying it," added Krikken.

"We're really pleased he's here and he looked good in the blue of Derbyshire.

"He's got a knack of drying people up when they are trying to hit him and it augurs well for the twenty20."

Source: www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk