Derbyshire CCC skipper Wayne Madsen relishes challenge ahead

Wayne Madsen is relishing the challenges that await in 2016 after the fixtures for the new season were released today.
Derbyshire CCC skipper Wayne MadsenDerbyshire CCC skipper Wayne Madsen
Derbyshire CCC skipper Wayne Madsen

Derbyshire begin their County Championship season away against Gloucestershire at Bristol on Sunday 17 April before Glamorgan visit The 3aaa County Ground the following Sunday for the Club’s first home fixture.

Local NatWest T20 Blast derbies versus Notts Outlaws and Yorkshire Vikings have been handed prime dates in 2016. The Club is anticipating a capacity crowd for the local clash with Notts Outlaws, which will take place on Friday 24 June at The 3aaa County Ground.

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The fixture against Yorkshire Vikings – which was an advance sell-out in 2015 – will bring the curtain down on next summer’s Chesterfield Festival of Cricket on Sunday 10 July.

Madsen says the fixture announcement is an exciting time for the squad as they continue their pre-season preparations ahead of the new season.

“It is a good start to be playing at Bristol first up. We have got some good memories from the game last year where Martin Guptill and Shiv Thakor played fantastically well to help win us the game,” said Madsen.

“Then the first game at home to Glamorgan will be a great occasion, with the development of the new Media Centre going on the background it will be like playing in different surroundings.

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“The local derbies will again be exciting times for us, but throughout the fixture list there are some big matches and some exciting challenges.

“I liked last year’s setup with the Royal London One-Day Cup when you could really focus on 50-over cricket for a period of time, but they have decided to split it up this year and we will have to adapt to that.

“We will have a North Group this time, which we haven’t had in recent years so that will be a bit different, but we know all the teams we are playing against and that is a competition we want to progress in.”

Derbyshire return to Queen’s Park this year for the 11th successive Chesterfield Festival of Cricket, a place that Madsen always enjoys visiting.

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“Chesterfield is a great place to play, we have Northants twice in the NatWest T20 Blast and the Championship before a big game against Yorkshire so it will again be an exciting time.

“I love going to Queen’s Park and we will look forward to another good week. The Yorkshire fixture is always a great occasion, we beat them last year and we will have to play well again this year.”

Membership for 2016 is on sale now. Purchase online at derbyshireccc.com, in person at The 3aaa County Ground or by calling 0871 350 1870.