Mohammad Kaif’s one-day debut for Derbyshire, in the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy, was memorable – he made 81 off 85 balls, playing an innings of class and character

Wisden CricInfo staff28-Jun-2003Mohammad Kaif’s one-day debut for Derbyshire, in the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy, was memorable – he made 81 off 85 balls, playing an innings of class and character. But he couldn’t quite get it together after that, failing to justify his reputation as one of the rising stars of World Cricket.
Derbyshire averagesAugust 24 National Cricket League
Derbyshire beat Northamptonshire by 3 wicketsDerbyshire avenged their crushing defeat by Northamptonshire in the Frizzell County Championship, eking out a three-wicket in the National League. Kaif’s contribution was just 10, but Michael Di Venuto slammed 130 to take Derbyshire to the victory target of 252.
Scorecard ReportAugust 20-22 Frizzell County Championship
Derbyshire lost to Northamptonshire by an innings and 231 runsOnce again Kaif got starts in both innings, scoring 31 and 14, but failed to carry on, as Derbyshire slumped to a humiliating defeat by an innings and 231 runs. Derbyshire were bowled out for a measly 138 in their first innings, while Northamptonshire bludgeoned 647 for 5 declared. Derbyshire made a better effort the second time around, but despite Michael Di Venuto’s 116, could manage just 278.
ScorecardReportAugust 17 National Cricket League
Derbyshire lost to Hampshire by 6 wicketsIn Derbyshire’s first innings of 158 in 45 overs, Kaif made the third highest score, stroking 21 off 33 balls before falling to Tremlett. His captain, Dominic Cork, made 49 lower down the order, but their final total of 158 for 9 was still not enough to test Hampshire, who cruised home with six wickets to spare.
Scorecard ReportAugust 13-14 Frizzell County Championship
Derbyshire beat Hampshire by an innings and 43 runsKaif failed to convert his start, being trapped lbw by Chaminda Vaas for 36, but Derbyshire coasted to a thumping win inside two days. Their hero was Dominic Cork, who had match figures of 10 for 67 as Hampshire were bundled out for 143 and 155.
Scorecard ReportAugust 10 National Cricket League
Derbyshire beat Sussex by 6 wicketsKaif and Dominic Hewson combined to guide Derbyshire to a six-wicket victory, with seven balls remaining. Kaif anchored the run-chase, making 55 from 62 balls, while Hewson chipped in with a 29-ball 39. Sussex’s total owed much to a 55-ball 60 from Matthew Prior, but it wasn’t enough in a match restricted to 32 overs-a-side by rain.
Scorecard ReportAugust 7 C&G Trophy semi-final
Derbyshire lost to Gloucestershire by 1 wicketKaif rose to the occasion of a semi-final encounter, scoring a fluent 72 off 83 balls, but Derbyshire were edged out by one wicket in a thriller. Kaif’s knock lifted Derbyshire to 219 in an innings where no other batsman topped 40. Ultimately, though, he was upstaged by Shoaib Malik’s 74, which won the day for Gloucestershire.
Scorecard ReportAugust 4 National Cricket League
Derbyshire lost to Lancashire by 8 wicketsThe first half-century for Kaif in the National League, but his 70, scored off 89 balls with nine fours, wasn’t enough to secure a win for Derbyshire. Kaif got little support from the rest of the batsmen, as Derbyshire folded up for 197. Lancashire romped past the target with almost 10 overs to spare.
Scorecard ReportAugust 3 National Cricket League
Derbyshire lost to Middlesex by 4 wicketsKaif managed just 1, taking his National League tally to a miserable 69 from four innings, but Derbyshire rode on a 111-ball 106 by Michael Di Venuto to post a challenging 259. It wasn’t enough, though, as Middlesex won by four wickets.
Scorecard ReportJuly 24-27 Frizzell County Championship
Derbyshire drew with DurhamMohammad Kaif had another disappointing match, scoring 31 and 7 as Derbyshire drew against Durham. Three declarations in the first three innings of the match left Derbyshire chasing 251 for victory, but by close of play they managed only 204 for 7.
Scorecard ReportJuly 15-18 Frizzell County Championship
Derbyshire lost to Worcestershire by an innings and 42 runsMohammad Kaif will be disappointed with contributions of 31 and 30, but in both innings of the game against Worcestershire, he end up topscoring, as Derbyshire recorded paltry totals of 129 and 96. Worcestershire’s 301 proved to be more than enough to seal a game dominated by their bowlers. Michael Mason’s first-innnings 5 for 43 was overshadowed by Kabir Ali, who scythed through the Derby batting with 8 for 58 in 15.4 overs.
Scorecard ReportJuly 13 National Cricket League
Derbyshire beat Sussex by 6 wicketsA game of two centuries, with Christopher Bassano’s being the decisive contribution, as Derbyshire made it past the target with 20 balls remaining. Mohammad Kaif cobbled together 44, and Dominic Hewson – who had earlier snared 4 for 40 – made 34 in support of Bassano’s brilliant 126. Murray Goodwin was Sussex’s batting hero with a classy 129.
Scorecard ReportJuly 9-11 Frizzell County Championship
Derbyshire lost to Gloucestershire by 5 wicketsAn encounter both Derbyshire and Kaif would like to forget. Derbyshire batted first on winning the toss and were skittled out for 89 in just 36 overs (Kaif 12 from 28 balls). Gloucestershire then made 277, and Derbyshire batted a bit better in the second innings, hitting up 356 – Kaif’s contribution was just 6 off 17 balls. Gloucestershire reached the target of 169 without breaking much of a sweat.
Scorecard ReportJuly 2-5 Frizzell County Championship
Derbyshire lost to Yorkshire by 10 wicketsYorkshire thrashed Derbyshire with time to spare, as Kaif saved his side the embarrassment of an innings defeat. Derbyshire followed on after being dismissed for 128 (Kaif 0) chasing Yorkshire’s 444 (Yuvraj 6), and Kaif then grinded four-and-a-half hours for his 87, ensuring that Yorkshire would have to bat again. The result, though, was hardly in question.
Scorecard ReportJune 27-29 Frizzell County Championship
Derbyshire lost to Northamtonshire by 180 runsKaif made a duck in the second innings, as Derbyshire – needing 287 for a win – were bowled out for a paltry 106. Kaif’s 28 was the second-highest score in Derbyshire’s first innings, and he also chipped in with a wicket, trapping Philip Jacques in front. It was only his 18th first-class scalp.
Scorecard ReportJune 24 Twenty20 Cup
Derbyshire lost to Leicestershire by 1 runKaif was at the forefront of a thrilling run-chase – he came in with Derbyshire on 9 for 2, chasing 171, and made a combative 53 off 40 balls. Derbyshire eventually fell just a run short, in a match marred by controversy, as Derbyshire disputed the legality of a late boundary catch where the fielder appeared to have crossed the rope. In a few earlier matches, Kaif had failed and his team had won. This was the reverse.
Scorecard ReportJune 23 Twenty20 Cup
Derbyshire beat Durham by 6 runsKaif failed again, making just 4, but Derbyshire won regardless, posting 157 and restricting Durham to 151 for 5.
Scorecard ReportJune 21 Twenty20 Cup
Derbyshire beat Lancashire by 7 wicketsKaif failed, though Derbyshire won easily. Dominic Hewson took four wickets as Lancashire was skittled out for 91, but Derbyshire almost made a meal of it. They were 10 for 2 when Kaif walked in, and though he made only 7 off 12, he added 35 crucial runs with Michael Di Venuto, who continued a fine run of form and wrapped up the game with 52 not out.
Scorecard ReportJune 19 Twenty20 Cup
Derbyshire beat Nottinghamshire by 9 wicketsNot much for Kaif to do in this game. Nottinghamshire was knocked over for 94, and Kaif walked in to bat with Derbyshire on 56 for 1. He eased himself to 11 off 12 balls as Derbyshire won with 8.3 overs to spare – a handsome margin for a 20-overs-a-side game.
Scorecard ReportJune 15 National Cricket League
Derbyshire lost to Lancashire by five runsKaif failed again, as Derbyshare fell short of Lancashire’s total of 251 by just five runs. He walked in to bat at 24 for 2, but just as a recovery seemed to be underway, Kaif was bowled by Brad Hogg for 12.
Scorecard ReportJune 14, Twenty20 Cup
Derbshire lost to Yorkshire by 45 runsKaif ended on the losing end of a battle of rising Indian stars; Yuvraj Singh made a sterling 44 off 41 as Yorkshire made 186 for 5 in their 20 overs. Kaif, coming in to bat 36 for 2, made a second-ball duck, being trapped lbw by Ryan Sidebottom. Derbyshire duly crumbled to a 45-run defeat.
Scorecard ReportJune 11 C&G Trophy
Derbyshire beat Surrey by 137 runsMohammad Kaif played a matchwinning innings of 81, off 85 balls, in his first one-day game for Derbyshire. Kaif came in to bat with the score on 75 for 2, and played an innings of character, nurdling the bowling with ease and dominating a fourth-wicket partnership of 88 with Dominic Hewson. His placement was excellent and his cover-driving, sublime. Derbyshire thus walked into the semi final of the C&G Trophy with an astonishingly easy win, against the one-day powerhouse of the previous year.
Scorecard ReportJune 4-7 Frizzell County Championship
Derbyshire lost to Glamorgan by an innings and 70 runsMohammad Kaif’s debut for Derbyshire ended in debacle, as Kaif made 13 (off 26) and 6 (off 12; note the strike-rate in both innings) and Derbyshire lost by their biggest margin of the season. Not an auspicious start.
Scorecard Report