The Shank Play the Game. Share the Passion
Both Foxes and Falcons will look to replicate 4-day form into Blast
After the opening game of the 2025 T20 Blast last night, the competition hits the East Midlands as the Leicestershire Foxes take on the Derbyshire Falcons with both teams looking to take their impressive early season form in the red ball game into their first foray with the white ball for the season.
The Foxes sit at the top of the Rothesay County Championship Division 2 with a handy cushion between them and their nearest challengers, Derbyshire but they will have to make changes to their side for the T20 Blast, with Overseas Club Captain, Peter Handscomb taking a well-earned break. His replacement, being the former Derbyshire Captain and current Pakistan Test Captain, Shan Masood, who will complement Dutch International Logan van Beek, another former Falcons star, who has been another impressive signing by the Foxes hierarchy. Louis Kimber will take the reins for the Foxes for the first time this season and he will be looking to steer his side into the knockout stages and maintain the Foxes momentum.
Derbyshire will also make a few changes to their line-up but will again be a side that are looking to push their recent red ball form into the white ball game. Whilst they have not had the season the Foxes have had, sitting second in the County Championship after the previous wooden spoon campaign of 2024, they will want to ensure that their foot remains on the gas. The evergreen Samit Patel will continue in charge of the Falcons white ball side and we are likely to see both Anuerin Donald and Pat Brown come into the side for this format. Both have flirted with red ball cricket this season but haven’t been able to lock down that place in the side. Joining Caleb Jewell as their overseas players, is the young Afghanistan player Mohammad Gahzanfar.
Form Guide – (Most Recent First)
Leicestershire Foxes – LWWLLNR
Derbyshire Falcons – LWLNRWW
Head to Head – Last Season (2024)
- 1st June 24 – Falcons (178-6) beat Foxes (176-6) by 4 Wickets
- 6th July 24 – Falcons (188-6) beat Foxes (184-6) by 4 Wickets
Players to Watch
Leicestershire – Shan Masood – The signing of Pakistan Test Captain, Shan Masood is a big coup for the Foxes as they look to make the Finals Day for the first time since they won the competition in 2011. Whilst he isn’t necessarily the explosive force some teams will have, his consistency to make big contributions could be a key factor. Add in his experience which could be key for rookie Foxes captain Louis Kimber to lean on.
Derbyshire- Caleb Jewell – The Aussie has been a big hit in the East Midlands so far in the red ball game but his pedigree in the T20 format is just as impressive and he will be looking to take his Hobart Hurricanes form in the Big Bash to the Falcons with early innings impetus that could propel Derbyshire to finals day for only the second time ever.
Team News/Injury News/ Likely XI’s
Leicestershire Foxes
The Foxes will be without Aussie Club Captain Peter Handscomb but have replaced him with another star in Shan Masood. The Foxes will be without the services of Ben Green who has returned to Somerset for the white ball formats. Ben Mike will likely come into the side and will be one of the many Foxes all-rounders giving them options all the way down the order.
1.) Rishi Patel 2.) Sol Budinger 3.) Shan Masood 4.) Louis Kimber © 5.) Lewis Hill 6.) Ben Cox (wk) 7.) Logan van Beek 8.) Liam Trevaskis 9.) Tom Scriven 10.) Roman Walker 11.) Sam Wood
Derbyshire Falcons
The Falcons will go into the 2025 Blast with skipper Samit Patel returning to the squad. Caleb Jewell will no doubt be a big plus for Derbyshire but the jury is out on young Afghan spinner Mohammad Gahzanfar as to how he will fare. Club Captain Wayne Madsen will again be a key wicket and former England man, Pat Brown will be looking to regain the form that got him into consideration with the England hierarchy.
1.) Caleb Jewell 2.) Aneurin Donald 3.) Wayne Madsen 4,) David Lloyd 5.) Brooke Guest (wk) 6.) Samit Patel © 7.) Martin Andersson 8.) Zak Chappell 9.) Mohammad Ghazanfar 10.) Ben Aitchison 11.) Pat Brown
Latest Stats & Info
- The Falcons are the least successful T20 side in England with only 4 visits to the knockout stages and only one visit to Finals Day.
- The Foxes have the joint most wins in the competition with 3 alongside Hampshire but haven’t been to a finals day since 2011.
- Rishi Patel (413 Runs) and Wayne Madsen (336 Runs) were the highest run scorers for the Foxes and Falcons respectively in the 2024 T20 Blast.
- Pat Brown (22 Wickets) and Scott Currie (20 Wickets) were the two leading wicket takers for each club in the 2024 T20 Blast.
Stadium & Pitch News
The match will take place at the Foxes, Grace Road venue, where the pitch is likely to be similar to what we have seen across the early rounds of the County Championship. A wicket that has a bit of something for everyone, where if you can get yourself in, you can go onto make big runs, but also with something in it for the bowlers.
Prediction
It’s not the easiest game to predict with both teams in form in the longer format but unsure as to how that will transfer across the the shorter formats. The Falcons look like they will have the more settled side with the Foxes short of a few of their match winners through both injury and England Lions call ups. Recent history has also Derbyshire on top and so a high scoring but narrow victory for the visitors is where we think this will go.
Result Prediction: Derbyshire Falcons to Win
How to Watch
UK – Watch highlights on – Foxes TV
