If you wanted an idea of the interest in Derbyshire cricket as we embark on our 2013 season, it can be evidenced in well over a thousand visits to this blog yesterday. The figure has only been exceeded on the day after we signed Shivnarine Chanderpaul, so thanks to everyone who came along. Please keep coming back and hey - tell your friends!
Today's cricket followed an expected pattern, in that there was none. I came across a heading earlier today online that said "Warwickshire thwarted by rain" which was more than a little presumptuous. If the writer, or indeed anyone out there thinks that this Derbyshire side will lie down and die, they are needing to do a little research.
For what its worth, I don't expect our hosts to enjoy an apparently slow track any more than we did. Assuming that conditions ease tomorrow, I think we will make life difficult for them. Bowling with a wet ball won't be great, but Derbyshire's seam attack will trouble sides at any level and how much our hosts want a win will be dictated by their attitude tomorrow, in what is now a good old-fashioned three-day game. I find it hard to believe that they will smash 400 and put us under pressure on the last day, so will they go for the batting points in an accumulative manner, or declare in the hope we set a last innings target?
A question was asked about the selection of Mark Turner over Jonathan Clare. I think that Turner's greater resilience and sustained form pre-season was a factor. Clare has bowled well, but doesn't have as many overs under his belt. In playing an extra batsman, we needed three main seamers who could potentially bowl over twenty overs each. That's perhaps come a game or two early for Clare, but he will have a major role to play in a long and arduous summer. Ross Whiteley will have a role to play too, but I see him as a 10-15 over bowler who offers useful and dangerous variety. He offers balance to the side and we don't want to jeopardise that through overwork.
I got the impression through the many press reports that the media had grudging respect for our battling performance on day one. We can live without losing five wickets for nothing and the loss of Ross Whiteley to Chesney Hughes' poor running was unnecessary, but we will learn from this. As Vic Marks wrote today, the top tier will be less forgiving, but the way in which we were steered to calmer waters on the good ship Palladino was encouraging. The tail that wagged consistently last summer continues to offer resistance and few sides will get us six down, anticipating the end is nigh.
Hopefully tomorrow there will be action to report on. It will be a very interesting day...
I thought yesterday was a disgrace and summed up everything wrong with county cricket. Had the drop of rain that stopped play for the day fallen at 11.05, they would have carried on playing at least until lunch. As for the apparently bad light that stopped play for the rest of the day, it wasn't dark at all. Edgbaston have paid a huge amount of money for very modern floodlights, and the Warwickshire radio commentator who I spoke to said they were comparable to football lights. For great periods of the afternoon, they weren't even required though. Thankfully my dad and I were able to get a full refund on the ticket, but if they didn't play yesterday then i can't see them playing much for the rest of the game. If we don't, the 4 points accrued will be as good as a loss
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Sam. I was unable to make it to this match but i,ve spent countless days in the past wondering why no cricket was being played. Bad light is a real bone of contention for many spectators with umpires seemingly looking for any excuse not to play,rather than the opposite. Time someone got to grips with it.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is Warwickshire will simply bat their innings out,maybe aim to bat until tomorrow lunch and put us back in 150ish behind in the hope of rolling us in two sessions. Even if they declare early I dont see where we could possibly bat to a declaration total and give ourselves a realistic chance of bowling them out. They may of course collapse,but I think in reality that is unlikely. Let,s get a few bowling points today and come away with a draw. That would be good enough.
Looks like the weather may well make this an early battle for bonus points. Don't see either side risking a loss on a last day run chase
ReplyDeleteListening to the commentary on Wednesday (such as it was) there was a period in the afternoon session when the floodlights WERE switched on during play, this being descrbed in more detail than the actual cricket.
ReplyDeleteIf on Wednesday, why not Thursday; Cricinfo did say 'no play due to bad light'?
Perhaps with £32 million debt they can't afford the electricity bill.
ChrisH