For Derbyshire, the Twenty20 Cup began with two victories over Durham and Leicestershire, as both teams were defeated by chasing totals less than 140. They never managed any sustained streak of results, though, and they required a win against Nottinghamshire and that Essex did not beat Kent if they were to proceed to the quarter-finals. Both happened, and Derbyshire went through to the quarter-final – where they would meet Lancashire for the fourth time in a month, having lost all three previous encounters.