More good performances by Derbyshire men overseas in recent days as our players gain valuable experience elsewhere.
There was a good 78 from Usman Khawaja as Queensland beat Tasmania in a one-day game, an innings that continues his current fine form and keeps him in the eyes of the national selectors.
Meanwhile, over in Melbourne Tom Knight continued his fine all-round form for his club. Opening the batting, Knight hit a belligerent 59 runs from just 41 balls, then followed it with figures of 1-21 from four overs as his side beat Bayswater Cricket Club.
It is highly encouraging and impressive the way that Knight has approached his first class career. After losing a lot of weight after his somewhat premature promotion to the senior side, he has realised that being a specialist spinner in the modern game is not enough, especially when up against all-rounders like David Wainwright and Peter Burgoyne. As I have written before, I could see T20 matches next summer where the merit of playing all three will be obvious, slow bowling having been proven as a match-winner in this format around the world.
Over in Antigua, Chesney Hughes helped his side Anguilla beat the more fancied Antigua to lift the Leeward Islands fifty-over cup. With 3-51 in ten overs and then 54 from 47 balls, Chesney was Man of the Match in a fine team effort. It is good to report on such news and I hope that the performance proves itself a catalyst for improved scores in 2013.
There were not enough such displays in any level of the game last summer for Chesney to force his way into Derbyshire's side. Calls for his inclusion from some quarters ignored this basic fact and the reality is that a batsman has to be middling the ball and moving his feet to score runs at top level. To suggest 'he's done it before' is pointless - if it were that simple we'd have brought back Kim Barnett.
I hope that Chesney rediscovers his mojo this winter and reports to the County Ground with a willingness to improve his game and force his way into the side. An in-form Chesney Hughes would be a major asset to the team in all formats and would create genuine competition for places.
Finally, there was a tidy bowling spell of 2-46 from Peter Burgoyne today, but his side, the Southern Rocks, need a major batting effort in the second innings to stave off defeat against the Matabeleland Tuskers. Despite thirties from Burgoyne and Ben Slater in the first innings, an astonishing unbeaten 188 from Glen Querl has put their opponents in poll position.
Good as it must have been, the innings perhaps suggests the standard isn't overly high, as three stints at counties and for the Unicorns have seen a previous highest score of 44. To be fair, Querl is better known as a bowler, but his innings and some good displays in his homeland might earn him one more opportunity somewhere next summer.
Until the next time. Enjoy your evening.
Yes,it,s good to see the younger players doing well abroad and such experience will do them no harm. We mustn,t get too carried away though as the general standard is obviously some way below county level. What it does show is players like Burgoyne and Knight have the capability to score runs and improve as batsmen.
ReplyDeleteWainwright,s place may not be as secure as some may believe,particularly if Knight and Burgoyne continue to score runs over here. A number seven batsman has to produce runs,which Wainwright struggled to do last season. Genuine competition for his place may do him good.
Hughes didn,t have a good season by any stretch of the imagination,but maybe he,s one of these players who thrives better in an atmosphere. Under the circumstances of last season,to not give him a chance was wrong,in my opinion. We persisted with Lineker and Borrington,who over an entire season,managed one decent score between them. Both scored runs at a lower level,but surely it,s what happens at first team level that really counts. I still believe Hughes is by far the better option to open,though I do agree he needs to work much harder at his game. At 22 he has much more to offer than Borrington,as an all round player and I hope he can come good again next season.