HAMPSHIRE'S players will wear black armbands as a mark of respect following the death of Derbyshire captain Luke Sutton's girlfriend.

Derbyshire's shocked players did not want to play the match initially, following the shock news that Nia Walters, 26, had died in a car accident.

But director of cricket David Houghton decided against making the call to the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Houghton said: "I talked about it with Keith Stevenson, the acting chief executive, and the match will go ahead.

"It is the right decision. If the players need any inspiration in finding the strength to play, they need look no further than the man himself.

"One of the first things Luke said to me when I went to see him on Saturday was that he didn't think he would be able to play this week.

"That shows the character and the dedication of the man. Luke is absolutely devastated.

"He'd just bought Nia an engagement ring.

"They had been living together for a few years and were going to get married.

"It's a tragedy, but the rest of the team have got a job to do."

Wicketkeeper Lee Goddard, a Loughborough UCCE teammate of Chris Benham and Jimmy Adams, will make his debut behind the stumps in the absence of Sutton.

Derbyshire have only won once in the championship all season, by 165 runs at Durham in late July. Since then they have drawn three and lost twice.

Derbyshire (probable): Stubbings, France, Moss, Adnan, Bassano, Bryant, Welch, Sheikh, Goddard, Dumelow, Havell.