Dilemma decided...

I'd a tough decision to make last night...

In the light of our win yesterday, I was torn between heading home from work early on Wednesday to watch our huge game against Lancashire or leading my team into battle on the best track we play on all season. The fact that I've a weakened side suggests that we could get hammered on Wednesday by our strongest opponents of the season (the local Ockbrook and Borrowash!) and the lure of the game on Sky was substantial.

Anyway, I decided I could not neglect the boys and opted to play, albeit after a look at Wednesday's weather, which suggests that we'll be very lucky to see any play at Derby, while the "playing" match should go ahead with a decent forecast.

It's such a shame as yesterday was the sort of situation that Coach Morris must have dreamed of pre-season. A scoreboard reading 190-2 and 13 overs left with Law and Hinds in full spate after a cameo from Chris Rogers was the stuff of fantasy. We didn't make the 300 that was threatened, but on another day - who knows?

The jury's out on the use of Dan Redfern as an opener, but he's played a couple of good hands in that role and his bowling came in mighty useful yesterday and thoroughly vindicated his selection ahead of Steve Stubbings. Some may feel that either Garry Park or Greg Smith might be options "up top" but the speed of that pair between the wickets is a decided asset in the closing overs as ones turned into twos win many a one day match. Dan's no slouch either (at his age, neither was I) but Park and Smith are fine batsmen, useful bowlers and brilliant fielders. I read on 606 Northants fans saying that the difference between the sides was the fielding and that is most encouraging.

I also note with pleasure that our bowlers are bowling much better lines this season and the opposition are generally having to earn their runs, rather than being given a start with wides and other erratic dross. It was, as always, enlightening listening to Geoff Boycott dissecting batting during the recent Test match when he said that bowlers had to get the batsmen making their 6 decisions in as short a time and with as little room for error as possible. That way, the batsman had to work out should he go forward or back, was it coming at the stumps or wide and should he hit it or leave it. The more accurate the ball, the harder the thought process and greater chance of a mistake. Simple really, but doing it on a regular basis is the secret.

We've seen enough one day cricket this year to see that a tactic in the 20/20 is likely to be taking the pace off the ball with slow bowlers backed up by fast and at times brilliant fielders. Lawson, Needham, Smith, Redfern and Hinds could all have a part to play in this and if the batsmen can watch and learn from the expertise of Rogers, Law and Hinds we should do much better than last year. Mind you, wearing wellingtons and blindfolds we must surely do better than that, with least said about it the better.

Last year our FP Trophy campaign was derailed by bad weather (losing the game against Scotland in Glasgow was a bitter blow) and it would be a shame if the same happened again. Given decent breaks, we could still be in the knock out stage when anything is possible.