So, imagine you're Karl Krikken tonight and have got to finalise your team from the thirteen-man squad announced for the Middlesex game tomorrow. What do you do?
Chesney Hughes
Ben Slater
Wayne Madsen
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Wes Durston
Richard Johnson
Alex Hughes
Tom Poynton
Peter Burgoyne
Tony Palladino
Tim Groenewald
Matt Higginbottom
Mark Footitt
While Mark Eklid in this morning's DET suggested that Krikk might stick with the youngsters, I think that Matt Higginbottom will miss out, probably alongside Richard Johnson. The latter may get the nod over Tom Poynton, as some have suggested, but I see no reason to drop Tom. His presence would still see a likely eleven that features four Academy graduates, no mean feat and something to be proud of.
I am surprised that there's neither Wainwright nor Knight in the squad, so can only surmise we're going to slug it out toe to toe with the much-vaunted Middlesex seam attack, leaving Durston, Burgoyne and our new all-rounder, Wayne Madsen, to bowl the spin if required. Did the media reaction to the track against Durham change the thinking? Who's to say, but the decision is made and we'll stand or fall by it.
Middlesex's squad is as follows:
Neil Dexter
Gareth Berg
Corey Collymore
Joe Denly
James Harris
Eoin Morgan
Tim Murtagh
Ravi Patel
Ollie Rayner
Sam Robson
Toby Roland-Jones
John Simpson
Adam Voges
Whichever two are omitted (Patel and Collymore is my guess) that is a strong side and we will need to be at our best to beat them. Should Steve Finn be omitted from the England side for the final Test he can return for the second day onwards. This will be tough match and we will need eleven players at their very best to compete, let alone have expectation of a win.
Yet we must hope and battle - and then? I long ago ceased to be surprised by what happens in cricket, but if I could predict which Derbyshire side would turn up for a given game it would be a good deal easier. If the right one plays tomorrow and over the next four days, this game could just be a good deal closer than most will expect; likewise if Middlesex treat us lightly.
Logic suggests we will be beaten, but you never can tell.
Give it your all lads. We can't ask for more.
Looking forward to spending tomorrow and Wednesday at the game. If I was Krikk (and lets face it, there's a reason I'm sat here talking theoretically about I'd do, rather than being to paid to actually do it like him) I'd go with the following...
ReplyDeleteChesney Hughes
Ben Slater
Wayne Madsen
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Wes Durston
Richard Johnson
Alex Hughes
Peter Burgoyne
Tony Palladino
Tim Groenewald
Matt Higginbottom
If I'm honest, it's a toss up between Tom Poynton and Richard Johnson, I just think RJ is more capable of batting at 6 - which is a place too high for Alex Hughes, currently, and Poynton.
As for the bowlers, well, I'd rather pick myself to bowl than Footitt (and I'm an opening bat!). I know he has pace but, for me, he's not consistent enough. Give Higgy a go.
Cheshire Chris
I would go with exactly the same team as you Peakfan although Durston is extremely lucky to return and is in only because he adds a bowling option and we don't need two keepers!
ReplyDeleteThis brings me to a real bone of contention- KK has created a great team spirit and developed and encouraged the younger players. His handling though of his old position has been shocking. For what it's worth I think TP is slightly the better keeper with RJ the better bat. For me TP should have played all CC games and RJ all one day games. Instead we have had a complete mess with either keeper bobbing in and out of all formats and no apparent plan or policy bring in place for selection. This has culminated In them both playing at times. Ridiculous!
This chopping and changing is not good for either keeper or the bowlers and smacks of a coach trying to please everyone and actually pleasing no one!
Of course there might be a plan but this is not shared with the supporters. I am not anti KK with some of his attributes highlighted above BUT he is one if the worst communicators publicly I have ever known at the club.
I realise there are things that must stay in the dressing room but the lack of information about certain team decisions/ injuries is appalling eg
Where has Clare been since early T20? Injured ? What type of injury? It's only recently that we have discovered he was injured and I believe it was this site that told us! no wonder other less savoury rumours start.
The perennial one- why no Palladino in one dayers? Last Thursday proves he can play it?
Whats happened to Redfern ? Suddenly on the website today in the Middlesex preview there is a footnote saying he is out for the season. Why ? What with ? Of course it doesn't say.
I could go on and on with numerous examples.
DCFC used to be good at telling us supporters nowt. Now under Nigel Clough if a players injured we are told how long hes out and the injury. If a players dropped we get information as to why.
Come on KK good communication helps , let's have more specific stuff rather than " the team is hurting, thus isnt good enough blah blah blah"
We know all that.
Its no good Grant and Storey wandering around the ground chatting to fans if you are sat there telling us nowt about what we are really interested in. The team!
We are all in this together and when KK and the players have moved on we the supporters will still be here so please treat us with the respect we deserve and keep us rightly informed.
Up the Falcons. We CAN still do it
Notoveryet said:
ReplyDeleteI suggested last week that we should go this way, building on the return of Palladino to pitch our strongest available pace attack into this one. Middlesex don't have our variety of spinners, but it's worth reflecting that Rayner has taken almost as many wickets as Wainwright, Burgoyne and Durston together, so I'm not convinced that we would have used a pitch helpful to spin any better than Middlesex.
A defeat here won't be a catastrophe, but a win will be gold dust, and any one of Palladino, Groenewald and Footitt are capable of bowling through sides in helpful conditions. Of course we know that Middlesex can do the same and have done so much more regularly than us this year. However, I think we have to back our strongest suit against a relatively fragile batting side, and that has to be our quick bowlers.
I'll go a step further and suggest that Higginbottom should also play. He's shown against Sussex that he can bowl with control, and if he can do so again, it means that Groenewald and Palladino won't have to bowl long spells. That would mean no place for Burgoyne, but I can't see his bowling playing much of a part and with Poynton also playing (and I can't see why we'd want to drop him) Burgoyne would have to bat at 6 and that's too high for him at present. That would leave two out of Johnson, Durston and Hughes at 5 and 6. I'd go with the first two, as I wouldn't expect Hughes' bowling to be needed if Higginbottom plays. It's a gamble, but with the inconsistency we've shown this year, anything is.
Notoveryet said:
ReplyDeleteI suggested last week that we should go this way, building on the return of Palladino to pitch our strongest available pace attack into this one. Middlesex don't have our variety of spinners, but it's worth reflecting that Rayner has taken almost as many wickets as Wainwright, Burgoyne and Durston together, so I'm not convinced that we would have used a pitch helpful to spin any better than Middlesex.
A defeat here won't be a catastrophe, but a win will be gold dust, and any one of Palladino, Groenewald and Footitt are capable of bowling through sides in helpful conditions. Of course we know that Middlesex can do the same and have done so much more regularly than us this year. However, I think we have to back our strongest suit against a relatively fragile batting side, and that has to be our quick bowlers.
I'll go a step further and suggest that Higginbottom should also play. He's shown against Sussex that he can bowl with control, and if he can do so again, it means that Groenewald and Palladino won't have to bowl long spells. That would mean no place for Burgoyne, but I can't see his bowling playing much of a part and with Poynton also playing (and I can't see why we'd want to drop him) Burgoyne would have to bat at 6 and that's too high for him at present. That would leave two out of Johnson, Durston and Hughes at 5 and 6. I'd go with the first two, as I wouldn't expect Hughes' bowling to be needed if Higginbottom plays. It's a gamble, but with the inconsistency we've shown this year, anything is.
Fair comments guys...the argument on spin is valid notoveryet but assumes that Rayner is twice the bowler of our guys which he isn't. He can't bowl both ends and Voges is very much part time.
ReplyDeleteAnyway the die is cast. Don't think we need four seamers as if three can't do it we are stuck. Maybe slower and skiddy a la Hughes would be useful if only as a change of pace.
We will see soon...
Our spin theory hasn,t materialised Peakfan which I think might be a mistake. The seamers did the trick against Sussex but close examination reveals that was the only game this season where this has really happened. The clamour for Palladino is understandable but apart from one innings,he too has struggled to find last season,s form and was finding it very difficult to take wickets earlier in the season.
ReplyDeleteBy setting our stall out to include Wainwright and Knight would of course have left room for at least two seamers and given us better options than those offered by Burgoyne. He may develop into a useful spinner,indeed a useful all rounder,but at the moment his wicket taking ability can only be based on optimism rather than facts.
Given the squad selected,I agree we must go with our senior bowlers and hope for the best. Higginbottom can count himself unfortunate if he misses out,but circumstances dictate this is the correct decision. I hope our tactical planning works out and if it does,I will be the first to acknowledge it. At the moment though,I can,t help thinking we may have gone down the wrong path. I sincerly hope that is not the case.
Same team as Sussex away. Beautiful day at Derbados.
ReplyDeleteCheshire Chris