Friday 22 July 2016

Derbyshire v Worcestershire T20

Derbyshire 192-5 (Rutherford 64, Madsen 50 not)

Worcestershire 163 (D'Oliveira 44, Critchley 3-36, Cotton 2-24, Thakor 2-29)

Derbyshire won by 29 runs

Well done lads!

A stirring win tonight - batting first - saw us enter the last round of matches next week within touching distance of the knockout stage.

IF we beat Durham at the Riverside and Lancashire beat Warwickshire at Old Trafford, we will qualify. Alternatively, if we win and Northamptonshire beat Yorkshire at Wantage Road, it will come down to net run rate. The bottom line is we need to do our stuff and let the rest take care of itself.

They couldn't have done more tonight. It is important to take advantage of the Power play and we did, thanks to Hamish Rutherford's early assault. His innings was well-paced and quick enough to see us to 128 in the fourteenth over when he was out.

At that point we could have imploded and been rolled over for 160, but Wayne Madsen nursed the closing overs beautifully and reached fifty in the final over.  Jimmy Neesham played another brisk and important cameo, while Shiv Thakor hit one of the three balls he faced for six, to take us to an impressive 192.

It was good to see Ben Cotton back in the starting eleven in this competition and he led the attack to fulfil the other need of this format - taking early wickets. The first three were back in the pavilion before the end of the Powerplay, by which time Derbyshire were firm favourites and the visitors on the back foot.

There appeared a slight wobble when Ross Whiteley joined Brett D'Oliveira and they added 38 in three overs, but brave and inspired captaincy saw Wes Durston bring Matt Critchley on and he removed the former Derbyshire man. Two overs later, Matt took the scalps of D'Oliveira and Ben Cox in successive balls after taking a little stick and it was effectively all over. Three for 36 was another fine effort by the young leg spinner, as was the continued discipline by the side in the field, conceding only seven extras.

The whole attack did well. Neesham and Cotton did well at the top of the innings, Alex Hughes bowled his usual tight spell in the middle, while Wes nicked in with the wicket of his opposite number, Mitchell, one of three catches for Chesney Hughes.

It was a good effort and showed sound thought processes and execution. Too often we have over-reached and lost too many wickets up top, yet tonight the innings was well placed and the catches were held.

Whatever happens next week, supporters must realise there's been an improvement in our T20 disciplines this year. Graeme Welch and John Sadler did excellent work over the winter and the genial Sadler deserves every credit for inspiring some excellent cricket from his young side since he took over.

Nottinghamshire at Welbeck Colliery on Sunday, then Lancashire at Derby, both in the RLODC. Then that big game at the Riverside. It is a long time since we were in such a healthy position in the one-day game and I hope you all enjoy it, like I am.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and especially comments of those who were there tonight.

Come on you Falcons!

4 comments:

  1. Excellent performance last night in front of a pretty healthy crowd for a T20 against a side who do not bring a large amount of supporters with them and with no local rivalry aspect to grab people's interest.

    The batting was the key, only two overs out of the 20 went for less than a run a ball. No-one was afraid of playing their shots and that made for very enjoyable watching. It will not always come off but if we can approach batting first like that in the future then we will win more than we lose. Hamish Rutherford is a different player for us in the white ball format and once again he was crucial in us getting of to a flying start. Wayne played beautifully and it was great that he managed to get his fifty off the last ball.

    The bowlers all did their job and with that amount of runs on the board scoreboard pressure was always going to help us. Ben Cotton went for 12 in his first over but came back stronger after that. Matt Critchley deserves praise once again for never getting down after being hit for boundaries.

    We are still in with a chance going into the last game and there is definitely progress to work on looking ahead to next season.

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  2. Apart from some sloppy fielding from Rutherford and Neesham good performance all round. Madsen is a Derbyshire legend period!

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  3. Totally agree with both of you!

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  4. Paul Fitzpatrick23 July 2016 at 20:51

    A Big Week
    If we could take Notts Lancs (50 over) Durham(t20)
    We will potentially secure 2 Q/Fs and give us a much needed mid season boost
    The squad is now -5 (. Taylor Poynton Carter Elstone Knight)
    A good loan signing may be welcome ( bowler)
    Come on Derbyshire

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