MATCH PREVIEW: Derbyshire vs Lancashire, Men's Rothesay County Championship
Derbyshire v Lancashire
Rothesay County Championship, Division Two
Sunday June 29 - Wednesday July 2, 2025, 11am
Queen’s Park, Chesterfield
Lancashire took a step forwards with a positive performance against Kent at Blackpool last time out, but still the Red Rose have been unable to kick the promotion door ajar.
Eight games gone, the county have drawn six of them and have lost the other two. They are sixth in Division Two on 80 points, 42 adrift of second-placed Derbyshire with six rounds remaining.
Derbyshire are next up at Chesterfield, and this has a make or break feel about it. It’s difficult to label this fixture as a must win with 144 points still to play for before the end of September. However, it’s certainly a must not lose.
Derbyshire are unbeaten so far after eight games, drawing six and winning two.
As Lancashire drew with Kent, the visitors finishing on 328-8 having been 116-7 midway through the afternoon and still 149 runs in arrears, Derbyshire drew away at Gloucestershire on Wednesday.
That was an equally pulsating fixture for captain Wayne Madsen and his troops.
Chasing 316 to win on day four, they finished on 296-8 having been on course for victory at 211-2.
Opposition
Derbyshire are having an impressive season and are eyeing up a first Division One campaign since the 2013 season. They were relegated that season and have failed to get themselves back up since.
But hopes are high at the Central Co-op County Ground that this can be their season. Lancashire, though, will hopefully still have something to say about that.
Derbyshire are hanging onto the coat-tails of runaway league leaders Leicestershire.
They have so far beaten Gloucestershire at home during the opening round of the season in April and Kent at home at the end of May.
Derbyshire and Lancashire played out a pulsating draw at Emirates Old Trafford at the start of May, which the Red Rose had the better of without being able to complete victory. In many ways, it was similar to the Kent game just gone.
Former international head coach Mickey Arthur is head of cricket at Derbyshire, while veteran batter Wayne Madsen is their captain.
Ex-Lancashire spinner Jack Morley is likely to feature against his home county, while they have Australian overseas left-hander Caleb Jewell opening the batting.
Jewell is the third leading run-scorer in Division Two with 808 runs, 17 behind Lancashire’s Marcus Harris, who misses this game.
Another former Red Rose player Luis Reece is their leading wicket-taker with 23 from six matches.
Opposition player to watch
Tasmanian Caleb Jewell is enjoying a superb first season in county cricket.
An Australia A international, Jewell - 28-years-old - has scored one hundred and six fifties in 808 runs in eight Championship matches so far in 2025.
That haul includes a career best 232 in their win against Kent at the end of May.
In all cricket for Derbyshire, including a friendly or two along the way, he has scored 1,136 runs at an average of 51.63. He is due to play all competitions for them this year.
Jewell is a versatile top order batter who can be punishing yet patient.
He made his first-class debut in 2016, but four of his eight first-class centuries have come inside the last two years, indicating a developing player who is fully getting to grips with his game.
Previous meeting
Lancashire and Derbyshire played out a high-scoring draw at Emirates Old Trafford in mid-May, one which the hosts almost won but couldn’t quite get over the line late on day four.
Derbyshire were set a target of 329 in 88 overs early on day four and finished on 220-8 from 87.5, ninth-wicket pair Anuj Dal and Jack Morley batted almost 11 overs unbroken to frustrate the Red Rose.
The game started with Lancashire, inserted, amassing 458 all out in their first innings, thanks largely to a superb 141 from Luke Wells in addition to half-centuries Matty Hurst, George Bell and George Balderson.
Derbyshire were bowled out for 314 in reply, with three wickets for Sir James Anderson - playing his first game since last July - and Tom Hartley.
Lancashire started their second innings during the second half of day four and built on a lead of 144 with 184-7 declared in 40 overs, Wells posting 50 and Hurst 56 not out.
Lancashire then chipped away at the wickets at regular intervals, with Anderson, Tom Bailey, Hartley and Josh Bohannon all taking two wickets apiece.
Unfortunately, however, Derbyshire held on as the Red Rose had to settle for their fifth draw in six matches at the start of the Division Two summer.
What they said
Sir James Anderson, Lancashire’s stand-in captain, has urged his team-mates to keep on enjoying the challenge of trying to get the county promoted.
Anderson said “we played some great cricket throughout the week” against Kent at Blackpool last time.
And while there was frustration at not being able to get over the line, he sensed a real positivity within the team that he wants to see against Derbyshire at Chesterfield come tomorrow morning.
The Red Rose and England fast-bowling legend said: “It’s really important that you enjoy it, because the season’s long and the scheduling is quite tough - particularly chopping and changing formats
“That’s certainly something we tried to do (against Kent).
“The start of the T20 Blast, we had quite a few games and then it was spread out. So I feel like the lads went into it quite fresh.
“Four-day cricket is hard, and to try and get a win is a slog.
“We didn’t get over the line, but I got the feeling everyone enjoyed that challenge.
“The main thing for me is to try and keep that positive attitude.”
How’s Stat
Lancashire have not played a County Championship match at Queen’s Park, Chesterfield since August 1989
The Red Rose last faced faced Derbyshire there in a fascinating, nip and tuck draw. The hosts were set a target of 220 on the third day of three, they finished on 193-8.
Lancashire’s standout performers were captain Neil Fairbrother with a first-innings 161 and Phil DeFreitas with six wickets in the first innings.
The two sides fielded overseas fast bowlers; Wasim Akram for Lancashire, Ian Bishop for Derbyshire.