Cork salutes Derbyshire's impressive flying start

The Derbyshire captain Dominic Cork was delighted to have silenced the critics as his side recorded a 163-run victory over Glamorgan in the opening round of the County Championship in Cardiff.

Cork's side, who were disappointing last year and finished nearly 50 points adrift at the foot of the Second Division table, saw the new campaign off to the best possible start.

The combative all-rounder said: "Obviously I'm overjoyed that we've started the season with such a positive result and we know it's going to be a hard season. But the lads have put in a lot of work during the winter and in pre-season, especially on their fitness, and I'm delighted it's paid off in the first match.

"A lot of the Derbyshire players have had some stick in the press recently – a lot of it unfair – and it gets to the boys.

"I've told them not to read any of it, but it does get to them anyway. And through this game, none of our players has had one headline despite some great performances."

Worcestershire got their Second Division campaign off to a winning start as they wrapped up a comfortable 206-run victory over Gloucestershire at New Road.

The Australian pace bowler Andy Bichel claimed 10 wickets in a match for the fourth time in his career but was a virtual spectator yesterday as a spectacular batting collapse condemned their neighbours to a heavy defeat.