Derbyshire skipper embarrased by defeat to Middlesex

The below-par Falcons were walloped by an innings and 66 runs after once again failing to perform.

“It is embarrassing, if I’m honest,” he said. “Since that Glamorgan game, it has been a tough few weeks for us as a group. We have been outperformed again in this game. We tried to get ourselves in a good position in the game after winning the toss and we failed to do that. There is no excuse really..

“We’ve got the final game of the season coming up and confidence is low but we have to find a way to show fight and some sort of character.

“Mickey had given us the belief that we need but at the end of the day it is down to us after we cross that line. We need to have a hard look at ourselves and work out how we are going to win games next season, to try to get the best out of ourselves going forward.

“For me it has been extremely disappointing. I’ve done everything I can to try to get the lads ready to give their best but at the moment it is not working. Obviously I’m new to the club but it is hurting for me as much as for anyone.”

With skipper Toby Roland-Jones continuing his impressive streak of form with another five-wicket haul, Derbyshire, 74 for three overnight, were shot out for 119 after 87 minutes of the day’s only session.

Roland-Jones finished with five for 38 for match figures of 10 for 72. The 36-year-old seamer has taken five wickets or more in six of his last nine innings to total 52 wickets for the season. Ethan Bamber and leg spinner Luke Hollman picked up two wickets each, with 20-year-old left-arm seamer Noah Cornwell completing their demise with his maiden first-class wicket.

A seventh defeat of the season means that Derbyshire are almost certain to finish bottom of Division Two for the first time since 2016 after a poor

season under head coach Mickey Arthur.