Vitality Blast in focus: North Group

With the Vitality Blast fixtures announced, we take a look at the five teams Derbyshire will compete with for a place in the quarter-finals. 

When Derbyshire take to the field at the Fischer County Ground on Thursday 27 August, they will be looking to replicate the form that saw them reach Finals Day for the first time last year.

The Falcons claimed seven wins in the group stage last time around, and a similar number this time would put them in good stead to progress to the last eight, which they have done in two of the last three seasons.

In fact, The Falcons have recorded the fourth most group stage wins of any county since 2017, but they will have to do it this time around without a designated overseas player, with the arrivals of Australia’s Sean Abbott and Ben McDermott delayed due to the COVID 19 pandemic.

Ravi Rampaul finished as the competition’s leading wicket-taker in 2019 with 23 dismissals, while Matt Critchley’s 17 equalled the previous club record. With the bat, the top-order of Billy Godleman, Luis Reece, Wayne Madsen and Leus du Plooy will be looking to add to the combined 14 half-centuries they made last season.

Let’s take a look at the teams that will be looking to stop Dominic Cork’s side this campaign.

Notts Outlaws

When do we play them?

Our East Midlands Rivals, and the only other side in our group to appear at Finals Day last season, Notts Outlaws will have high hopes of once again reaching the knockout stages.

Opener Alex Hales remains one of the most destructive white-ball batsmen in world cricket, while Harry Gurney enjoyed a stellar 2019 tournament with the ball, claiming 22 wickets, one less than Rampaul.

Yorkshire Vikings

When do we play them?

Derbyshire are looking to make it seven-consecutive Twenty20 victories over Yorkshire, but the White Rose county are not to be taken lightly in this year’s Vitality Blast.

With the likes of Adam Lyth opening the batting, the power and international experience of Dawid Malan and Adil Rashid, alomg with the leadership of David Willey, the Vikings will be aiming to go deep into this year’s competition.

Lancashire Lightning

When do we play them?

If the first two entries in this article don’t highlight the quality on show in the North Group, this one certainly will. Along with Derbyshire and Notts, Lancashire are the third team in the group to have featured in last year’s knockout stages, losing to eventual champions Essex.

Liam Livingstone will once again be a key player for Lancashire, having taking 14 dismissals and scored two half-centuries last season, while they will also rely heavily on Matt Parkinson, after his 21-wicket tournament in 2019.

Leicestershire Foxes

When do we play them?

Having finished bottom of the group last season, Leicestershire will be determined to put in a better showing this time around, and they are not without proven quality in their ranks.

Colin Ackermann took the cricketing world by storm when he claimed world-record figures of 7-18 against Birmingham Bears, but his 342 runs in last year’s Vitality Blast shows he can also be just as destructive with the bat, while opener Mark Cosgrove has the ability to take games away from opponents.

Durham

When do we play them?

Durham missed out on a place in the quarter-finals by two points last season, and they will be hoping to go one step further this time around, but they will be without the star pairing of D’arcy Short and Peter Handscomb.

In their absence, Alex Lees and Scott Steel will need to take an even greater roles at the top of the order, having struck 128 and 369 runs respectively last season, while Matthew Potts will be key with the ball.

Derbyshire Falcons: Underestimated No More.

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