DERBYSHIRE FALCONS V SURREY at Derby (YB40), 29 MAY 2013

Rain has dogged the opening to Derbyshire's 2013 YB40 campaign. In their three outings to date, the Falcons have faced just 53.4 overs, while their bowlers have only sent down 56. What's more, it would seem the weather is likely to play its part at Derby tomorrow night.

In one-day terms, Derbyshire appear to be a team in transition. Mind you, having lost more 40-over games than they have won in six out of the last seven seasons, who can blame the Peakites for choosing to blood the likes of 19-year-old off-spinner Peter Burgoyne and 21-year-old seamer Alex Hughes. Ahead of the Lancashire game, I correctly predicted that Stephen Parry would be the danger. Derbyshire's potential danger-man is slow left-armer David Wainwright - an experienced one-day practitioner who gives absolutely nothing away with the ball.

Click here for the Surrey v Derbyshire List A Records sheet as at the start of the 2013 season.

Ricky Ponting is set to make his Surrey debut. Jason Roy needs 35 more for 1,000 List A career runs, while Gary Wilson is 49 runs shy of the 2,000-mark.

Ricky Ponting and, wait for it, Azhar Mahmood have been named in a 14-man Surrey squad that includes seven players aged 35 and over. Had Graeme Smith been fit, Ponting wasn't expected to make his debut until next week. But in view of Smith's absence, the Australian has answered the Oval outfit's call; as has Azhar Mahmood, who had originally just committed himself to the South Londoners' Twenty20 campaign.

If you listen to the weather forecasters, rain will be the winner at Derby tomorrow night. But, in the event of a game, Surrey must go into it as favourites due to their injection of new blood (if one can call a couple of 38-year-olds "new"). Throw in the fact that the South Londoners have won four out of their last five List A encounters with Derbyshire and everything points to a victory for the visitors, who will be making their first appearance on Sky Sports this summer.

C Hughes, S Chanderpaul, P Borrington, W Madsen (capt), B Godleman, R Johnson (wk), D Wainwright, P Burgoyne, A Hughes, M Turner and M Footit.

Neil Bainton and Michael Gough. (Third umpire - Nigel Cowley).

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