Sunday round up

There is no better way to start today's piece than in congratulating Wayne and Kyla Madsen on the birth of their baby girl, Tanna Jade.

With a new contract, a baby girl and a testimonial, it has been a hectic and exciting few months for the club captain and his family and I am sure you will all be equally pleased about the exciting news.

Congratulations to you both!

Back to cricket matters, it was good to see Tom Taylor back in the bowling drills under the watchful eye of Tony Palladino this week. Tom is a fine cricketer and his return to full fitness would be a big asset to Billy Godleman and Steve Stubbings. With Ben Cotton, Will Davis and Greg Cork, he makes up a talented, home-reared quartet and the likelihood is that a couple of these, at least, will progress to become established county cricketers. Further progress depends on a range of factors, but their talent is undeniable.

We will have few complaints if they get to the standard of Palladino, a very reliable county cricketer with over 300 first-class victims. With Tom Milnes in support and the all-round trio of Luis Reece, Shiv Thakor and Alex Hughes to back them up, we only need the  promised strike bowler to be confirmed to have some reasons to be cheerful, ahead of 2017.

Finally today, I watched a very good T20 game today between the Lions and Warriors in South Africa, in which the former came out on top by six runs. It was played on the sort of wicket I expect at Derby this year, with the ball turning, but the wicket too slow for easy stroke play.

The Lions prevailed despite some fairly average ground fielding and because of a match-changing spell of leg-spin by Eddie Leie, which rather highlighted the value of such bowlers in one-day cricket.

Colin Ackermann, recently signed by Leicestershire for next season, looked a useful one-day bowling option but failed with the bat. The best two players on display were Colin Ingram, who batted beautifully before rather giving it away and Hardus Viljoen, who bowled a fast and full spell of 3-16 that topped and tailed the innings quite beautifully. International bowlers Dwaine Pretorius and Aaron Phangiso both took some serious 'tap' and looked off the pace, to me, the latter the only spinner who got hit all day.

I was a little bemused by the commentary, however. With eight needed to win off three balls, viewers were informed that 'only two boundaries will do now'.

Er..or a six and two singles, a four and two twos, a four, three and one, two threes and a two...

More from me soon.