Rain washes out Derbyshire's match against South Africa A

While South Africa's main touring side were romping to victory over England at Lord's, their A team were falling foul of the British weather in Derbyshire. For their 50-over game against the county, scheduled for Derby, was abandoned for their second washout in three days.
Derbyshire bowler Ben Cotton, who took the only wicket to fall.Derbyshire bowler Ben Cotton, who took the only wicket to fall.
Derbyshire bowler Ben Cotton, who took the only wicket to fall.

Only 20.1 overs were bowled before a storm halted play with the tourists 145-1 in a game that had already been reduced to 41 overs by heavy overnight rain.

With no sign of any improvement, the umpires called the match off, leaving the South Africans short of game-time going into Thursday’s opening fixture against England Lions at Trent Bridge.

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This latest disappointment means the bowlers have not bowled a single ball either in this game or the one at Headingley on Saturday, and head coach Shukri admitted: “It’s not ideal, but it is what it is.

“We would have loved to have got some more of our batters out in the middle and our bowlers especially to have a bit of a run out because they haven’t had anything yet.

“But we definitely won’t use this as an excuse, irrespective of what cricket we play or what the results are, and we have to make sure we put in the graft in the indoor nets.”

There was at least some time for Reeza Hendricks and Theunis de Bruyn, who both failed against Yorkshire, to score half-centuries after Derbyshire had won the toss and put the tourists in.

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Although the hosts rested a number of senior players, including skipper Billy Godleman and Sri Lankan all-rounder Jeevan Mendis, they still named six who have appeared for the first team this season, including pace bowler Ben Cotton, who forced Aiden Markram to play on in the fourth over.

Derbyshire’s 16-year-old fast bowler Alfie Gleadall looked sharp on his first senior appearance, but Hendricks and de Bruyn dominated, despite the murky conditions

Hendricks straight-drove Tom Milnes for six, while de Bruyn lifted Rob Hemmings and Luis Reece over the long-off boundary on his way to a 36-ball 50.

He also pulled Hemmings into the scoreboard, while Hendricks deposited the seamer into the car park to put South Africa A on course for a 300-plus total before the rain arrived.