Report: Derbyshire v Warwickshire, Royal London Cup
Ed Pollock hit a superb maiden List A century as Warwickshire got their Royal London Cup campaign up and running with an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Derbyshire at Derby.
It was a highly impressive all-round performance by a Bears side so heavily depleted by injuries and Hundred calls that Northumberland spinner Karl Carver was signed on a three-week contract on the eve of the game.
Former Yorkshire player Carver made an immediate impression as he linked up with fellow spinner Jake Bethell to restrict Derbyshire to 200 for nine from 42 overs (a D/L target of 205). Carver took two for 35 and Bethell three for 32 to reel Derbyshire in after they raced to 82 without loss.
The Bears then took nine wickets for 105 in 24 overs before cruising to 207 for two with five overs to spare having been set on their way by a sparkling opening stand of 121 in 23 overs by Pollock (103 not out, 115 balls, ten fours, one six) and Rob Yates (60, 70 balls, seven fours).
It was a high-class maiden List A ton for Pollock while Yates maintained his remarkable List A record – his three 50-over appearances have brought him 66, 103 and 60.
Put in, Derbyshire stared well as Harry Came (45, 69 balls) and Tom Wood (28, 42) added 82 but the innings went into freefall after Wood was bowled by Bethell. That was the first of three wickets for eight runs in 22 balls as Brooke Guest was run out by Yates and Came edged Carver to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess.
Thereafter, only Fynn Hudson-Pentice (51 not out, 57 balls, four fours) lasted long. Bethell bowled Aaron Hughes through a cut and had Anuj Dal caught by Will Rhodes an extra cover.
Carver castled Nils Priestley before a brilliant direct hit from George Garrett did for Mattie McKiernan. Ravi Rapaul skied Manraj Johal and was acrobatically held by Ethan Brookes and when the predatory Garrett also ran out Connor Marshall, the young Bears had showed really their mettle.
Pollock and Yates made immediate inroads into the modest target, putting 50 on the board in seven overs. The two left-handers dovetailed beautifully with Yates first to his half-century (51 balls, seven fours) followed in the next over by Pollock (61 balls, six fours).
After Yates was bowled by Wood, trying to cut, skipper Rhodes (25, 29 balls) and Pollock added 59 in ten overs as the latter climbed into some strokes. Six and four off Rampaul sped him through the seventies and left him needing 22 of the last 35 runs to reach his maiden ton. He completed it with the winning boundary, blasted over mid on to the evident delight of his team-mates on the balcony.
