Date-stamped : 07 May97 - 06:16 Derbyshire wary of adjudication By Neil Hallam at Derby Derbyshire 32-0 v Worcestershire DERBYSHIRE, who finished on the wrong end of one arcane Benson and Hedges Cup regulation in a game of tied scores last week, can be excused some trepidation about the possibility of a joust with the complexities of the "Duckworth/Lewis" method of adjudication today. Defeat by Yorkshire on Friday came on a "countback" after scores were tied, a result which left Derbyshire likely to require victory in both their remaining games to reach the quarter-finals. Only seven overs were possible yesterday with Derbyshire, put in on an easy-paced pitch, reaching 32 for no wicket before rain left the ground awash. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) =======================>more Captain has Derbyshire warming to their task By Neil Hallam at Derby Derbyshire (231) bt Worcester-shire (211) by 20 runs THERE was no more useful item of cricket equipment at the notoriously exposed County Ground, on a day which began with snow flurries and remained witheringly cold, than the hand-warmers given to Derbyshire players by their captain, Dean Jones. Four of these gel-filled devices, which look like tea- bags and are activated by a sharp punch, kept Jones`s own hands supple as Worcestershire pursued a far from daunting target of 232, and his three catches were crucial in carrying Derbyshire to a 20-run victory and a fair chance of further progress in the competition. Crucial to Derbyshire`s hopes on a pitch of easy pace but unreliable bounce was the inhibition of Worcestershire`s likeliest match-winners, captain Tom Moody and Graeme Hick, and Jones displayed a shrewd knowledge of the repertoire of each, with catches in unusual limited-overs fielding positions to dislodge them. "I reckon I know a fair bit about them," explained Jones, "but you`ve still got to hold the catches and anything you can do to keep your hands warm for the job has to make good sense." Philip Weston failed to stifle the pace of Devon Malcolm in playing on to a ball of full length and Hick, whose five previous innings this season had yielded only 74 runs, might well have gone without addition. A thin edge on to his pads spared him as his first ball shot through low but after chiselling out 11 runs in eight overs he whipped Malcolm firmly off his legs and was out to a fine catch by Jones at short midwicket. Gavin Haynes fell working across the line, Vikram Solanki was unlucky to be torpedoed by another shooter and Derbyshire had the game by the collar when Moody, whose 77 came off 110 balls and contained six fours, miscued to Jones at short extra cover. An angry waft of the bat was evidence of his frustration at being out-manoeuvred by a former colleague in the Australian Test side while Derbyshire`s hugs and high- fives signalled their belief that a decisive blow had been struck. So it proved. Reuben Spiring was bowled behind his legs attempting to work Glenn Roberts`s left-arm spin behind square and when David Leatherdale pushed tentatively down the wrong line against Vince Clarke, a leg-spinner in medium-pace mode, Worcestershire had lost four wickets in five overs. Steven Rhodes and Stuart Lampitt, batting with a runner because of a back strain, briefly threatened a revival but Jones`s third catch, this time at long on, accounted for the latter as Derbyshire got home with seven balls to spare. Derbyshire, resuming at 32 for no wicket from seven overs after a first-day deluge, were relaunched by a second-wicket stand of 85 in 17 overs from Kim Barnett and Jones against an attack which soon lost Lampitt and had Moody unwilling to risk a suspect back. Barnett, batting with a badly swollen right knee, reached his fifty off 83 balls with four fours before charging at Hick`s off-spin on 59 but fresh momentum came with Clarke`s 52 off 39 balls, including a six and six fours, before a collapse cost five wickets in 11 overs. Clarke`s assault and two wickets earned him his first Gold Award but along with this pat on the back there was a slap on the wrist. "Good performance," explained Jones, "but he`s had a ticking off from me for getting out the way he did. We`d already taken 14 runs off the over when he holed out to long on and with seven overs left there was no need for heroics." Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)