There have been times - and plenty of them over the years - when I would have laughed, or at least grinned sheepishly, at the suggestion that Derbyshire would chase down a winning total over 300 in a one-day game.
Let's not forget that my first forays of one-day watching with the county came in 1969, when the John Player League started. In those early years, if you got 160 in forty overs, you generally won more than you lost. We didn't often get to those giddy heights, so we lost a few.
Even later, when we had good batsmen, we were prone to collapses and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. After a partnership, we often collapsed and sometimes limped across the line with seven or eight wickets down, after new batsmen panicked and went for unnecessary shots.
Today, at no point when Billy Godleman and Shiv Thakor got going, did I ever think we would lose. Ben Slater's dismissal was unfortunate, though brilliant fielding, while that of Shiv Thakor was careless. Yet four men down, we had Daryn Smit and Gary Wilson at the crease and they eased to victory with nary a backward glance. There was still Jeevan Mendis and Alex Hughes to come, too.
We were professional today. Consummately so. Billy Godleman played a captain's knock and he is a gutsy, worthy cricketer. You don't watch him play and talk in such hushed tones as once earned by the likes of David Gower, but Billy has worked out his game, plays the percentage shots and is a proper, professional batsman. You want him on your side in the fight and I liked the way he skippered today. There was a brains trust out there with Smit, Madsen, Wilson and Mendis and the way they set fields and brought it back after the Northamptonshire start was impressive.
Shiv Thakor is special. Very special. I was unsure of him at three, but today he showed himself worthy of the role. His defence was secure, his attacking play brilliant. Once or twice I watched his wristy leg side shots and his off side flashes and was reminded of the great Mohammad Azharuddin. A bold comparison, but today a worthy one. His closing overs too were outstanding, bowling full and cleverly. He will play for England, I'm sure of that.
Ben Cotton also impressed again. Ben isn't an express bowler, but he has a quick ball and gets bounce from his height and a whippy action. He is leaner and fitter this year and bowled superbly throughout the innings on a very good batting wicket.
There was little spin for Jeevan Mendis but again, his variations of pace and flight caused problems. He took stick in one over, but name me a bowler who hasn't and I'll call you a liar...
Tom Taylor and Tom Milnes were the weak points, but their travails were put into context when Buck and Azharullah failed to impress later. Meanwhile, Alex Hughes galloped in manfully and remains a very handy and underrated player.
One final word. I was impressed with Gary Wilson. I liked how he kept wicket, read Mendis and kept the field on their toes. He also gives massive reassurance when he walks in with the bat and was a very shrewd winter signing.
Today was special and I enjoyed every minute. I also enjoyed the company of a lot of people and you all know who you are.
Tomorrow sees a return to the bosom of my family, much as I would love to see the big game on Tuesday. I will follow from afar and be reassured by a lot of what I saw today.
We wouldn't have done that last year, or many others that preceded it. There are weaknesses in the side, but a lot more strengths than we used to have.
Discount Derbyshire at your peril.
Sunday, 30 April 2017
Derbyshire innings - last 25 overs
Thakor completed an excellent fifty at a run-a-ball and looked a player of high class in doing so.
Should we win here, it would be a new club record for List A cricket for Derbyshire, beating last year's 298-3 to beat Worcestershire.
A period of steady accumulation ended with a straight six by Thakor off White, who otherwise bowled a steady spell for the visitors.
The last 20 overs started with Derbyshire chasing 130, something they would fancy in a T20 game with nine wickets in hand.
The two batsmen kept the scoreboard moving and the reintroduction of Buck to the attack saw a brutal slash for four by Thakor, followed by a delightful flick off his legs for another as the score passed 200 in the 33rd over.
99 to win from 17 overs. Less than a run a ball...
With both batsmen now in the 90s, the ball continues to be worked around quite delightfully. No daft shots, just sheer professionalism, though we cannot afford either the luxury of 'nervous nineties'.
The 150 stand came up with a single to Thakor, but both batsmen have become a little becalmed at this stage with the landmark in sight. Then on 97, Thakor hooks a bouncer for four to reach a superb century from 86 balls, which he follows up with two more boundaries off the following two deliveries. It is a maiden one day hundred and a wonderful effort.
The stand came to an end when Godleman was caught behind by Rossington off Keogh for a fine 95, a stand of 168 putting Derbyshire in control. With eleven overs to go, 66 are needed to win.
Madsen is next in and quickly off the mark, signalling the start of the last ten with a lofted shot over mid wicket for four. The visitors are understandably flat and only our doing something silly should lose from here.
The visitors are having endless chats about field placings, but with seven overs to go, forty to win, after a Madsen straight driven four.
31 to win from the last five overs, with Thakor limping on 122 and Madsen on 23.
A superb straight six from Thakor eases any pressure from the first ball of the 46th and this could be a key over. Then Madsen steps away and slashes hard, Duckett, who has fielded brilliantly, taking a rasping catch at cover and probably wishing he hadn't from the hand-wringing that followed.
Smit comes in at five with 24 to win and is quickly away, tucking one off his hip. Then a shocker..Thakor hooks a high full toss and is run out trying to take a second from a no ball. Two new batsmen at the crease and a silly end to a wonderful innings.
Smit then chips the free hit over mid wicket for four and Derbyshire need 16 from the last four overs, with Wilson with him at the crease.
Wilson thrashes his first ball through extra cover for four from Azarullah, then clips him through mid wicket for a single. Ten to win after a wide, then two fine shots from Smit find diving fielders, before a single leaves nine required from three overs.
Smit takes another single, as does Wilson and a solid over leaves six to win from the last two.
There is an air of calm about proceedings that is a pleasure to watch. No need for daft shots and Wilson wins it in style with a straight drive for four!
Very professional. Extremely composed run chase, so unlike the sides we have seen in the past. The men we brought in over the winter were calm and steady at the death, but Shiv Thakor wins man of the match for three wickets and a majestic century, well supported by the skipper.
More from me later, or more likely a look back at the game when I get home tomorrow.
Derbyshire - it was an absolute pleasure to watch you bat today.
Well done!
Should we win here, it would be a new club record for List A cricket for Derbyshire, beating last year's 298-3 to beat Worcestershire.
A period of steady accumulation ended with a straight six by Thakor off White, who otherwise bowled a steady spell for the visitors.
The last 20 overs started with Derbyshire chasing 130, something they would fancy in a T20 game with nine wickets in hand.
The two batsmen kept the scoreboard moving and the reintroduction of Buck to the attack saw a brutal slash for four by Thakor, followed by a delightful flick off his legs for another as the score passed 200 in the 33rd over.
99 to win from 17 overs. Less than a run a ball...
With both batsmen now in the 90s, the ball continues to be worked around quite delightfully. No daft shots, just sheer professionalism, though we cannot afford either the luxury of 'nervous nineties'.
The 150 stand came up with a single to Thakor, but both batsmen have become a little becalmed at this stage with the landmark in sight. Then on 97, Thakor hooks a bouncer for four to reach a superb century from 86 balls, which he follows up with two more boundaries off the following two deliveries. It is a maiden one day hundred and a wonderful effort.
The stand came to an end when Godleman was caught behind by Rossington off Keogh for a fine 95, a stand of 168 putting Derbyshire in control. With eleven overs to go, 66 are needed to win.
Madsen is next in and quickly off the mark, signalling the start of the last ten with a lofted shot over mid wicket for four. The visitors are understandably flat and only our doing something silly should lose from here.
The visitors are having endless chats about field placings, but with seven overs to go, forty to win, after a Madsen straight driven four.
31 to win from the last five overs, with Thakor limping on 122 and Madsen on 23.
A superb straight six from Thakor eases any pressure from the first ball of the 46th and this could be a key over. Then Madsen steps away and slashes hard, Duckett, who has fielded brilliantly, taking a rasping catch at cover and probably wishing he hadn't from the hand-wringing that followed.
Smit comes in at five with 24 to win and is quickly away, tucking one off his hip. Then a shocker..Thakor hooks a high full toss and is run out trying to take a second from a no ball. Two new batsmen at the crease and a silly end to a wonderful innings.
Smit then chips the free hit over mid wicket for four and Derbyshire need 16 from the last four overs, with Wilson with him at the crease.
Wilson thrashes his first ball through extra cover for four from Azarullah, then clips him through mid wicket for a single. Ten to win after a wide, then two fine shots from Smit find diving fielders, before a single leaves nine required from three overs.
Smit takes another single, as does Wilson and a solid over leaves six to win from the last two.
There is an air of calm about proceedings that is a pleasure to watch. No need for daft shots and Wilson wins it in style with a straight drive for four!
Very professional. Extremely composed run chase, so unlike the sides we have seen in the past. The men we brought in over the winter were calm and steady at the death, but Shiv Thakor wins man of the match for three wickets and a majestic century, well supported by the skipper.
More from me later, or more likely a look back at the game when I get home tomorrow.
Derbyshire - it was an absolute pleasure to watch you bat today.
Well done!
Derbyshire innings - first 25 overs
Derbyshire began their innings chasing over 300, a total achieved only four times against first-class sides in our history and never in a run chase. The portents were not good and someone had to do something special for us to get there.
Yet Slater and Godleman began well, trading boundaries and scoring at five an over from the first four, bowled by Buck and Azharullah. I always enjoy watching Slater, a busy player and one rapier-like cut shot had the crowd murmuring appreciatively. Godleman too was on the offensive, whipping one through mid on before carving another over point, both for boundaries.
Slater brought up the 50 from the second ball of the eighth over, a glorious extra cover drive, then greeted the arrival of Keogh into the attack with four more. After a loose first over, Miles Richardson, in his first List A game, brought things back before Godleman drove delightfully through extra cover for four and then forced through point for four more.
After ten overs, Derbyshire were 68-0, compared to the visitors 71-1
Disaster struck in the next over, when Slater set off for a quick single, was sent back after a smart bit of fielding and was run out for an excellent 30, despite a desperate dive for the crease.
Enter Shiv Thakor. There was greater circumspection for a while, but a thick edge was followed by a text book sweep for boundaries to Shiv. Two more brought up the hundred in the fifteenth over, two overs quicker than the visitors. Godleman's fifty followed, a well-compiled and professional effort by the skipper.
The introduction of White to the attack slowed Derbyshire, but a free hit brought a straight four to the Derbyshire skipper and the second wicket pair continued to work the ball around. Godleman nearly ran himself out with a chancy single to cover and was well short had the fielder hit.
At the halfway point, Derbyshire had reached an impressive 149-1. 159 from 25 overs and you would probably fancy such a chase in a 20-over game.
The mental side will win or lose this from here.
Yet Slater and Godleman began well, trading boundaries and scoring at five an over from the first four, bowled by Buck and Azharullah. I always enjoy watching Slater, a busy player and one rapier-like cut shot had the crowd murmuring appreciatively. Godleman too was on the offensive, whipping one through mid on before carving another over point, both for boundaries.
Slater brought up the 50 from the second ball of the eighth over, a glorious extra cover drive, then greeted the arrival of Keogh into the attack with four more. After a loose first over, Miles Richardson, in his first List A game, brought things back before Godleman drove delightfully through extra cover for four and then forced through point for four more.
After ten overs, Derbyshire were 68-0, compared to the visitors 71-1
Disaster struck in the next over, when Slater set off for a quick single, was sent back after a smart bit of fielding and was run out for an excellent 30, despite a desperate dive for the crease.
Enter Shiv Thakor. There was greater circumspection for a while, but a thick edge was followed by a text book sweep for boundaries to Shiv. Two more brought up the hundred in the fifteenth over, two overs quicker than the visitors. Godleman's fifty followed, a well-compiled and professional effort by the skipper.
The introduction of White to the attack slowed Derbyshire, but a free hit brought a straight four to the Derbyshire skipper and the second wicket pair continued to work the ball around. Godleman nearly ran himself out with a chancy single to cover and was well short had the fielder hit.
At the halfway point, Derbyshire had reached an impressive 149-1. 159 from 25 overs and you would probably fancy such a chase in a 20-over game.
The mental side will win or lose this from here.
The Northamptonshire innings - second 25 overs
The second half of the innings saw the reintroduction of Tom Milnes. The seamer must have thought Christmas had come early, when Keogh, after a composed 23, played a loose drive at a loose ball and hit it straight to Alex Hughes at extra cover.for the sort of catch that starts a catching session, before things get too serious.
To his credit, Milnes second spell was a major improvement, his first two overs going for just five and twice beating the bat. Hughes was busy at the other end, not looking overly dangerous but almost deceiving Levi with a clever slower ball. The Northamptonshire batsman, his bottom hand dominant as always, looked set for a big score and had progressed to 42 before his first six, clubbed in a familiar style over long on.
At the thirty over mark, Mendis bowled at the City End for the first time. Derbyshire had used six bowlers and each had bowled five overs at that stage, a fair division of labour, if not quality. Wakely played some classy shots, an on drive from Milnes being one for the aesthetes, while Levi reached his half century from sixty balls, sedate by his standards.
Godleman continued to rotate his bowlers and Thakor returned after two overs from Mendis at the City End. He looked to be moving more freely than when I saw him at Durham and continued to keep the runs down, though at the other end Taylor struggled and had bowled six overs for 47 as the visitors brought up the 200 in the 37th over. The batsmen worked the gaps well, though opportunities for two were not always taken, Levi being a player built more for comfort than speed. By the same token, he is the kind of player that most sides would like in the middle order and the consensus was that if he stayed to the end, Northamptonshire would come closer to 350 than 300.
With twelve overs to go, Hughes returned to the attack at the City End and with his first ball had Wakely caught at long on by Tom Milnes, a well-judged but regulation catch at this level. The skipper had played a good hand and the advent of the dangerous Adam Rossington seemed to signal a key period of play. Levi was starting to time the ball beautifully, one straight drive from Hughes bisecting the fielders at long on and long off with barely any effort.
After five leg side wides from Mendis, Rossington gave himself room and twice forced the spinner to the cover boundary as Northamptonshire entered the last ten overs in rude health at 236-4, eighteen coming from the over.
Mendis and Hughes clawed it back and Hughes bowled Rossington and continued to vary his pace well. The 250 came up with seven overs to go and Levi, on 87, remained the player who could put the total out of sight.
Mendis finished his spell with ten overs for 60, made worse by that one bad over. The difference between him and Imran Tahir, who will be with us for the second half of the season, is that he bowls the occasional bad ball, something that Tahir has largely eradicated from his game. He is a good bowler, but got little from the pitch today and depended more on changes of pace to trouble the batsmen.
Levi reached an excellent century from 104 balls and must wish he could carry this Derbyshire attack around to face every week. He will never be mistaken for an athlete, but is a very good batsman at this level and his lack of mobility isn't really an issue. Plenty of generously built batsmen have graced the game over the years and he is one of a handful in the modern era who does so.
He holed out to Wayne Madsen at deep mid wicket in the penultimate over from Shiv Thakor, but had given his side an excellent total. Thakor completed an excellent spell by bowling White with a yorker and finishing with figures of 3-39.
Cotton and Thakor closed the innings professionally for Derbyshire, who did well to keep the visitors to 307-7, but the problem we have is evident.
While Cotton, Thakor and Mendis can be trusted to bowl a steady ten over spell, after that we have a problem. Alex Hughes did well, but you would probably want him to bowl five or six, rather than close to a full complement. The twelve overs of Milnes and Taylor went for 86 and that profligacy is going to cost us too many games.
Nevertheless, on a wicket that looks good for batting and boundaries that are far from huge, Derbyshire could challenge that total.
More from me in the second half of the game.
To his credit, Milnes second spell was a major improvement, his first two overs going for just five and twice beating the bat. Hughes was busy at the other end, not looking overly dangerous but almost deceiving Levi with a clever slower ball. The Northamptonshire batsman, his bottom hand dominant as always, looked set for a big score and had progressed to 42 before his first six, clubbed in a familiar style over long on.
At the thirty over mark, Mendis bowled at the City End for the first time. Derbyshire had used six bowlers and each had bowled five overs at that stage, a fair division of labour, if not quality. Wakely played some classy shots, an on drive from Milnes being one for the aesthetes, while Levi reached his half century from sixty balls, sedate by his standards.
Godleman continued to rotate his bowlers and Thakor returned after two overs from Mendis at the City End. He looked to be moving more freely than when I saw him at Durham and continued to keep the runs down, though at the other end Taylor struggled and had bowled six overs for 47 as the visitors brought up the 200 in the 37th over. The batsmen worked the gaps well, though opportunities for two were not always taken, Levi being a player built more for comfort than speed. By the same token, he is the kind of player that most sides would like in the middle order and the consensus was that if he stayed to the end, Northamptonshire would come closer to 350 than 300.
With twelve overs to go, Hughes returned to the attack at the City End and with his first ball had Wakely caught at long on by Tom Milnes, a well-judged but regulation catch at this level. The skipper had played a good hand and the advent of the dangerous Adam Rossington seemed to signal a key period of play. Levi was starting to time the ball beautifully, one straight drive from Hughes bisecting the fielders at long on and long off with barely any effort.
After five leg side wides from Mendis, Rossington gave himself room and twice forced the spinner to the cover boundary as Northamptonshire entered the last ten overs in rude health at 236-4, eighteen coming from the over.
Mendis and Hughes clawed it back and Hughes bowled Rossington and continued to vary his pace well. The 250 came up with seven overs to go and Levi, on 87, remained the player who could put the total out of sight.
Mendis finished his spell with ten overs for 60, made worse by that one bad over. The difference between him and Imran Tahir, who will be with us for the second half of the season, is that he bowls the occasional bad ball, something that Tahir has largely eradicated from his game. He is a good bowler, but got little from the pitch today and depended more on changes of pace to trouble the batsmen.
Levi reached an excellent century from 104 balls and must wish he could carry this Derbyshire attack around to face every week. He will never be mistaken for an athlete, but is a very good batsman at this level and his lack of mobility isn't really an issue. Plenty of generously built batsmen have graced the game over the years and he is one of a handful in the modern era who does so.
He holed out to Wayne Madsen at deep mid wicket in the penultimate over from Shiv Thakor, but had given his side an excellent total. Thakor completed an excellent spell by bowling White with a yorker and finishing with figures of 3-39.
Cotton and Thakor closed the innings professionally for Derbyshire, who did well to keep the visitors to 307-7, but the problem we have is evident.
While Cotton, Thakor and Mendis can be trusted to bowl a steady ten over spell, after that we have a problem. Alex Hughes did well, but you would probably want him to bowl five or six, rather than close to a full complement. The twelve overs of Milnes and Taylor went for 86 and that profligacy is going to cost us too many games.
Nevertheless, on a wicket that looks good for batting and boundaries that are far from huge, Derbyshire could challenge that total.
More from me in the second half of the game.
The Northamptonshire innings - first 25 overs
Once again this morning, the opening Derbyshire bowlers gave the opposition far too much width to free their hands and pick their spot. The line of Ben Cotton was better than Tom Milnes, whose first two overs went for nineteen and could have been worse but for one good bit of fielding and the intervention of Ben Duckett's abdomen, when he couldn't get out of the way of a fierce drive.
Cotton looks to have improved from last season and also looks fitter, but Milnes was quickly replaced by Tom Taylor, thankfully recovered from his stress fracture of last year, The action has changed slightly but his run up is direct and smooth, his early line and length impeccable. Later he dropped his length and was punished by Josh Cobb, a six towards the pavilion following one over mid on.
Cotton made the breakthrough in the eighth over with one that cut away from Ben Duckett and took the edge of the bat, Daryn Smit taking a low, but by his lofty standards regulation catch.
Cobb eased into the forties with another towering blow over mid on, this time off Cotton, who finished his first five overs with 1-26, while 45 had come from the other end.
After the first Powerplay, at ten overs, the visitors were 71-1, tribute to some lusty blows but also to a little good fortune when two or three lofted shots just cleared or fell short of fielders.
Shiv Thakor came on to bowl at the City End and started steadily, keeping a full length and a tight line, while the advent of Jeevan Mendis saw people sitting up in their seats, for some perhaps the first sighting of the Sri Lankan all rounder.
He too began well, despite pulling one ball down for a regulation four to Cobb behind square. The latter reached his fifty from 49 balls, continuing to look the excellent one-day player that he is.
With the score on 88, however, Cobb went too far across to one from Thakor that clipped his leg stump and gave Derbyshire a much needed wicket. It was a well-deserved one for the Derbyshire all-rounder, whose figures at that stage read three overs for six runs, though a disappointing end for Cobb, who had looked set for a match-defining score.
Richard Levi had started quietly but is always a danger man in this form of the game. A big shout for leg before against him from Thakor closed the seventeenth over, with Derbyshire clawing the strike rate back well at 97-2.
Billy Godleman rotated his bowlers well at the Racecourse End, but Thakor's excellent five-over spell for just fourteen runs ended and saw the advent of Alex Hughes into the attack at the City End, while Mendis returned and continued to bowl a wily spell that troubled Levi.
It continued to look a '300' wicket, however and Derbyshire will do well to keep the visitors below that total. With the combined seven overs of Taylor and Milnes having gone for 57, the balance of their overs - and who bowls them - is likely to be key in the second half of the innings.
At halfway, the visitors were sitting nicely on 139-2.
Cotton looks to have improved from last season and also looks fitter, but Milnes was quickly replaced by Tom Taylor, thankfully recovered from his stress fracture of last year, The action has changed slightly but his run up is direct and smooth, his early line and length impeccable. Later he dropped his length and was punished by Josh Cobb, a six towards the pavilion following one over mid on.
Cotton made the breakthrough in the eighth over with one that cut away from Ben Duckett and took the edge of the bat, Daryn Smit taking a low, but by his lofty standards regulation catch.
Cobb eased into the forties with another towering blow over mid on, this time off Cotton, who finished his first five overs with 1-26, while 45 had come from the other end.
After the first Powerplay, at ten overs, the visitors were 71-1, tribute to some lusty blows but also to a little good fortune when two or three lofted shots just cleared or fell short of fielders.
Shiv Thakor came on to bowl at the City End and started steadily, keeping a full length and a tight line, while the advent of Jeevan Mendis saw people sitting up in their seats, for some perhaps the first sighting of the Sri Lankan all rounder.
He too began well, despite pulling one ball down for a regulation four to Cobb behind square. The latter reached his fifty from 49 balls, continuing to look the excellent one-day player that he is.
With the score on 88, however, Cobb went too far across to one from Thakor that clipped his leg stump and gave Derbyshire a much needed wicket. It was a well-deserved one for the Derbyshire all-rounder, whose figures at that stage read three overs for six runs, though a disappointing end for Cobb, who had looked set for a match-defining score.
Richard Levi had started quietly but is always a danger man in this form of the game. A big shout for leg before against him from Thakor closed the seventeenth over, with Derbyshire clawing the strike rate back well at 97-2.
Billy Godleman rotated his bowlers well at the Racecourse End, but Thakor's excellent five-over spell for just fourteen runs ended and saw the advent of Alex Hughes into the attack at the City End, while Mendis returned and continued to bowl a wily spell that troubled Levi.
It continued to look a '300' wicket, however and Derbyshire will do well to keep the visitors below that total. With the combined seven overs of Taylor and Milnes having gone for 57, the balance of their overs - and who bowls them - is likely to be key in the second half of the innings.
At halfway, the visitors were sitting nicely on 139-2.
Durham v Derbyshire RLODC
With Tony Palladino unfit. Tom Taylor comes into the Derbyshire eleven for the first home one-day game of the season. Otherwise, the side is the same as at Durham.
I hope that the early bowling is better than it was on that occasion and that we can make good of first use of the wicket, having won the toss.
The sun is shining at the 3aaa County Ground and a decent crowd is building up.
I will be putting sporadic reports on here at half way and the end of each innings and will be on Twitter too!
I hope that the early bowling is better than it was on that occasion and that we can make good of first use of the wicket, having won the toss.
The sun is shining at the 3aaa County Ground and a decent crowd is building up.
I will be putting sporadic reports on here at half way and the end of each innings and will be on Twitter too!
Saturday, 29 April 2017
Derbyshire v Northants preview
A thirteen man squad for Derbyshire for this one, as follows
Billy Godleman
Luis Reece
Ben Slater
Shiv Thakor
Wayne Madsen
Daryn Smit
Jeevan Mendis
Gary Wilson
Alex Hughes
Tom Milnes
Tony Palladino
Tom Taylor
Ben Cotton
I couldn't call the final eleven, but for me the key is to get the visitors, a strong batting side, in first and not chasing, something they do well.
No news on our visitors, but Derbyshire's cause would be helped considerably if Richard Levi is unavailable.
It will be a tough call for us and against a good one day side we will need to be at our best to win.
More from me tomorrow - I look forward to seeing friends old and new at the game!
Billy Godleman
Luis Reece
Ben Slater
Shiv Thakor
Wayne Madsen
Daryn Smit
Jeevan Mendis
Gary Wilson
Alex Hughes
Tom Milnes
Tony Palladino
Tom Taylor
Ben Cotton
I couldn't call the final eleven, but for me the key is to get the visitors, a strong batting side, in first and not chasing, something they do well.
No news on our visitors, but Derbyshire's cause would be helped considerably if Richard Levi is unavailable.
It will be a tough call for us and against a good one day side we will need to be at our best to win.
More from me tomorrow - I look forward to seeing friends old and new at the game!
Friday, 28 April 2017
Change of attack for Derbyshire?
At Durham yesterday, I watched as Derbyshire leaked far too many early runs against the home side. Tom Milnes was the culprit and his lack of line and length saw the openers make hay and get off to a flying start.
We simply cannot afford that and need to make changes for Sunday and Northamptonshire. I would think Hardus Viljoen will still be missing, and neither Tom Taylor nor Greg Cork have staked a claim for a place in the side.
I like Milnes and, at his best, he offers wicket-taking potential and late order runs. Yet his bowling this summer has been most profligate and this, for me, is the time for him to drop from the firing line and get his rhythm back away from the public eye.
At the same time that Milnes was going for seven an over at Chester-le-Street, Matt Critchley was bowling an excellent spell for the seconds against what was a very strong Yorkshire side with four international players. He finished with 4-24 and, together with his powerful late order hitting, may just have played himself back into the side.
Two leggies in the eleven? Make it three, if Daryn Smit is needed, but batsmen don't generally play it well and Critchley did well in the competition last year. I'd be inclined to go for this team:
Godleman
Slater
Thakor
Madsen
Smit
Wilson
Mendis
Reece/Hughes
Critchley
Cotton
Davis
There would be four seamers and four spinners available to Billy Godleman, with Reece's different angle a bonus for the skipper. Having said that, Hughes is more likely to bowl tight in this format and both could offer useful runs and agility in the field.
What do you think?
We simply cannot afford that and need to make changes for Sunday and Northamptonshire. I would think Hardus Viljoen will still be missing, and neither Tom Taylor nor Greg Cork have staked a claim for a place in the side.
I like Milnes and, at his best, he offers wicket-taking potential and late order runs. Yet his bowling this summer has been most profligate and this, for me, is the time for him to drop from the firing line and get his rhythm back away from the public eye.
At the same time that Milnes was going for seven an over at Chester-le-Street, Matt Critchley was bowling an excellent spell for the seconds against what was a very strong Yorkshire side with four international players. He finished with 4-24 and, together with his powerful late order hitting, may just have played himself back into the side.
Two leggies in the eleven? Make it three, if Daryn Smit is needed, but batsmen don't generally play it well and Critchley did well in the competition last year. I'd be inclined to go for this team:
Godleman
Slater
Thakor
Madsen
Smit
Wilson
Mendis
Reece/Hughes
Critchley
Cotton
Davis
There would be four seamers and four spinners available to Billy Godleman, with Reece's different angle a bonus for the skipper. Having said that, Hughes is more likely to bowl tight in this format and both could offer useful runs and agility in the field.
What do you think?
Thursday, 27 April 2017
Durham v Derbyshire RLODC
Durham 194-2
v Derbyshire.
No result
Watching the game unfold today, I was left with one big thought.
Hardus, Hardus. Wherefore art thou, Hardus?
The Derbyshire attack is too similar. All right arm, medium fast, with the exception of Jeevan Mendis. Once you have lined up one, you effectively have them all.
Ben Cotton bowled some good balls in his first spell and continued to do so when he came back later. He seems to have worked out his game now and zipped the ball around well. Tony Palladino bowled wicket to wicket, without looking as if success was around the corner, but for the rest there was a lot of huffing and puffing, without threatening to blow the house down.
The exception was Jeevan Mendis and no one seemed to play him confidently. He varied his pace well and beat the bat on the inside and outside with regularity. The only shot assayed in anger resulted in Jennings being stumped by a distance and only a couple of balls pulled down short ruined an exemplary spell.
The Durham batsmen worked the ball around well and were largely content to push it into wide open spaces on a big outfield and wait for the bad ball to come.
Too many came early and both the excellent Keaton Jennings and Stephen Cook were able to get away to starts more easily than should have been the case.
Three stoppages for rain helped Derbyshire and left the batsmen having to re-start, but Duckworth/Lewis left Derbyshire chasing a notional 243 in 34 overs.
It was all largely academic though, because showers of increasing frequency and content meant that Derbyshire never got out there.
We'll take that, I think. On Sunday, we simply have to bowl better than this, or Northamptonshire will score 400.
After four wickets for the second team today, there must be a temptation to play Matt Critchley and go with two leggies for greater control.
For now, adieu from soggy Chester-le-Street.
v Derbyshire.
No result
Watching the game unfold today, I was left with one big thought.
Hardus, Hardus. Wherefore art thou, Hardus?
The Derbyshire attack is too similar. All right arm, medium fast, with the exception of Jeevan Mendis. Once you have lined up one, you effectively have them all.
Ben Cotton bowled some good balls in his first spell and continued to do so when he came back later. He seems to have worked out his game now and zipped the ball around well. Tony Palladino bowled wicket to wicket, without looking as if success was around the corner, but for the rest there was a lot of huffing and puffing, without threatening to blow the house down.
The exception was Jeevan Mendis and no one seemed to play him confidently. He varied his pace well and beat the bat on the inside and outside with regularity. The only shot assayed in anger resulted in Jennings being stumped by a distance and only a couple of balls pulled down short ruined an exemplary spell.
The Durham batsmen worked the ball around well and were largely content to push it into wide open spaces on a big outfield and wait for the bad ball to come.
Too many came early and both the excellent Keaton Jennings and Stephen Cook were able to get away to starts more easily than should have been the case.
Three stoppages for rain helped Derbyshire and left the batsmen having to re-start, but Duckworth/Lewis left Derbyshire chasing a notional 243 in 34 overs.
It was all largely academic though, because showers of increasing frequency and content meant that Derbyshire never got out there.
We'll take that, I think. On Sunday, we simply have to bowl better than this, or Northamptonshire will score 400.
After four wickets for the second team today, there must be a temptation to play Matt Critchley and go with two leggies for greater control.
For now, adieu from soggy Chester-le-Street.
Wednesday, 26 April 2017
Durham v Derbyshire preview
In old Peakfan's house today, it is like the night before Christmas.
The bags are packed (well, both of them, I don't travel like the Kardashians...) and I am all set for an early departure tomorrow morning. I plan to be down by the Riverside (where..?) before the start of play and to see Derbyshire for the first time in my fiftieth summer supporting the club.
From there it will be on to God's Own County and seeing my folks, while pulling in the game against Northamptonshire on Sunday. A nice mini tour and I hope that the cricket I see is worthy of the trip.
Tomorrow's weather looks a little 'iffy' and it may be that the game is reduced. There is light rain forecast in the morning, but it looks to clear in the afternoon, so good news on that score.
We have named a fourteen-man squad for the game, which is as follows:
Billy Godleman
Luis Reece
Ben Slater
Shiv Thakor
Wayne Madsen
Daryn Smit
Jeevan Mendis
Gary Wilson
Alex Hughes
Tom Milnes
Rob Hemmings
Tony Palladino
Will Davis
Ben Cotton
Milnes and Hemmings look the most likely to miss out, for me, but it will be a tough call on all the exclusions. Indeed, there was a strong case for Tom Wood's inclusion, after a sparkling century against Northamptonshire yesterday. There were seven sixes in his ton, which must have made for exciting watching. Such players outside the squad give reasons to be cheerful and the players 'in possession' need to deliver.
Durham will be missing Mark Wood, who has a groin strain, as well as Jack Burnham, who has a broken thumb. Keaton Jennings will lead the side and form an impressive opening pair with South African Stephen Cook.
Their squad:
Keaton Jennings (c), Stephen Cook, Graham Clark, Michael Richardson, Paul Collingwood, Cameron Steel, Paul Coughlin, Ryan Pringle, Stuart Poynter (wk), Brydon Carse, James Weighell, Chris Rushworth, Barry McCarthy
It is a winnable game and to do so would make Derbyshire supporters feel more at ease after a mixed start to the season. I think the one-day formats might suit us this year, if we can keep key men fit. Jeevan Mendis should come into his own in this competition and we seem to have the crucial depth in batting and bowling.
I will be tweeting through the day, all being well, though my close of play report may be delayed until Friday.
Either way, I'm going to enjoy it!
The bags are packed (well, both of them, I don't travel like the Kardashians...) and I am all set for an early departure tomorrow morning. I plan to be down by the Riverside (where..?) before the start of play and to see Derbyshire for the first time in my fiftieth summer supporting the club.
From there it will be on to God's Own County and seeing my folks, while pulling in the game against Northamptonshire on Sunday. A nice mini tour and I hope that the cricket I see is worthy of the trip.
Tomorrow's weather looks a little 'iffy' and it may be that the game is reduced. There is light rain forecast in the morning, but it looks to clear in the afternoon, so good news on that score.
We have named a fourteen-man squad for the game, which is as follows:
Billy Godleman
Luis Reece
Ben Slater
Shiv Thakor
Wayne Madsen
Daryn Smit
Jeevan Mendis
Gary Wilson
Alex Hughes
Tom Milnes
Rob Hemmings
Tony Palladino
Will Davis
Ben Cotton
Milnes and Hemmings look the most likely to miss out, for me, but it will be a tough call on all the exclusions. Indeed, there was a strong case for Tom Wood's inclusion, after a sparkling century against Northamptonshire yesterday. There were seven sixes in his ton, which must have made for exciting watching. Such players outside the squad give reasons to be cheerful and the players 'in possession' need to deliver.
Durham will be missing Mark Wood, who has a groin strain, as well as Jack Burnham, who has a broken thumb. Keaton Jennings will lead the side and form an impressive opening pair with South African Stephen Cook.
Their squad:
Keaton Jennings (c), Stephen Cook, Graham Clark, Michael Richardson, Paul Collingwood, Cameron Steel, Paul Coughlin, Ryan Pringle, Stuart Poynter (wk), Brydon Carse, James Weighell, Chris Rushworth, Barry McCarthy
It is a winnable game and to do so would make Derbyshire supporters feel more at ease after a mixed start to the season. I think the one-day formats might suit us this year, if we can keep key men fit. Jeevan Mendis should come into his own in this competition and we seem to have the crucial depth in batting and bowling.
I will be tweeting through the day, all being well, though my close of play report may be delayed until Friday.
Either way, I'm going to enjoy it!
Tuesday, 25 April 2017
Thank you to Office Care for sponsorship
The eagle-eyed among you will notice a new header bar on the blog, kindly supplied by Office Care. They have been blog sponsors for several years now and their support enables me to keep the blog ad-free and looking professional.
They have renewed that sponsorship for another year and their support is very much appreciated. Thanks also to Karl Shaw of Silver Birch Media for the design work.
I'd also like to thank former Derbyshire star Chris Taylor, for renewing his company's sponsorship for the summer. All Rounder Sports are one of the country's leading cricket specialists and I hope that you check out their excellent web site by following the link on the left hand side of the page. The Discount Cricket Outlet is also worth a look, another of Chris' projects.
He is a very busy man!
If anyone else is interested in a line-link to their website or business, please get in touch to the usual address and I will gladly supply rates.
They have renewed that sponsorship for another year and their support is very much appreciated. Thanks also to Karl Shaw of Silver Birch Media for the design work.
I'd also like to thank former Derbyshire star Chris Taylor, for renewing his company's sponsorship for the summer. All Rounder Sports are one of the country's leading cricket specialists and I hope that you check out their excellent web site by following the link on the left hand side of the page. The Discount Cricket Outlet is also worth a look, another of Chris' projects.
He is a very busy man!
If anyone else is interested in a line-link to their website or business, please get in touch to the usual address and I will gladly supply rates.
A question of balance
Let me clear up two things straight away.
I don't think for a minute that Derbyshire haven't improved from last summer. We have and I think will show that as a long summer progresses. There are still weaknesses in the side, but you are never going to sort the amount that we had in one winter. We were poor last year, but the addition of good cricketers can and will only have a positive effect on results.
At the same time, I don't think thus far that we have the balance right. In trying to fit in everyone who is deserving of a game we are leaving ourselves short in that most key area - balance.
As was pointed out the other night, we went into the game against Kent with at most three specialist bowlers, the other overs made up of all rounders who are either new to the wickets, new to the county or struggling with injury. It is little wonder that the bowling proved our problem, especially when one of the three specialists was off with his radar.
For the RLODC games this coming weekend, I hope to see Derbyshire field something that offers more in that way, with a recall for Ben Slater and Ben Cotton on the cards.
Ben Slater is in form and was for this competition last year. Shiv Thakor is learning the role at number three, but if his ankle isn't up to bowling, he should be rested and either Luis Reece or Alex Hughes could bat there, as could Daryn Smit. Matt Critchley is an excellent one-day bowler, but The Riverside is usually a seamer's track and he may miss out.
We do need six bowlers though, because you usually find that someone takes a bit of stick in the one day game and a spell is split. There's options around though and a decent depth to the batting, if required.
More from me on the game tomorrow, when one assumes the squad will be announced.
To finish on a positive note, the seconds enjoyed a fine win over a strong Nottinghamshire side at Denby yesterday.
Ben Slater made an unbeaten 139 and Harvey Hosein an unbeaten 64, Tom Wood 47 and Charlie Macdonell 36 as we amassed 309-2 in fifty overs.
The visitors, skippered by Brendan Taylor and including Harry Gurney, Tom Moores, Brett Hutton and Billy Root, made 294-6, both Ben Cotton and Matt Critchley bowling tight spells.
That was a very good effort by a young side that featured several academy players.
I will follow their fortunes closely over the summer.
I don't think for a minute that Derbyshire haven't improved from last summer. We have and I think will show that as a long summer progresses. There are still weaknesses in the side, but you are never going to sort the amount that we had in one winter. We were poor last year, but the addition of good cricketers can and will only have a positive effect on results.
At the same time, I don't think thus far that we have the balance right. In trying to fit in everyone who is deserving of a game we are leaving ourselves short in that most key area - balance.
As was pointed out the other night, we went into the game against Kent with at most three specialist bowlers, the other overs made up of all rounders who are either new to the wickets, new to the county or struggling with injury. It is little wonder that the bowling proved our problem, especially when one of the three specialists was off with his radar.
For the RLODC games this coming weekend, I hope to see Derbyshire field something that offers more in that way, with a recall for Ben Slater and Ben Cotton on the cards.
Ben Slater is in form and was for this competition last year. Shiv Thakor is learning the role at number three, but if his ankle isn't up to bowling, he should be rested and either Luis Reece or Alex Hughes could bat there, as could Daryn Smit. Matt Critchley is an excellent one-day bowler, but The Riverside is usually a seamer's track and he may miss out.
We do need six bowlers though, because you usually find that someone takes a bit of stick in the one day game and a spell is split. There's options around though and a decent depth to the batting, if required.
More from me on the game tomorrow, when one assumes the squad will be announced.
To finish on a positive note, the seconds enjoyed a fine win over a strong Nottinghamshire side at Denby yesterday.
Ben Slater made an unbeaten 139 and Harvey Hosein an unbeaten 64, Tom Wood 47 and Charlie Macdonell 36 as we amassed 309-2 in fifty overs.
The visitors, skippered by Brendan Taylor and including Harry Gurney, Tom Moores, Brett Hutton and Billy Root, made 294-6, both Ben Cotton and Matt Critchley bowling tight spells.
That was a very good effort by a young side that featured several academy players.
I will follow their fortunes closely over the summer.
Sunday, 23 April 2017
Kent v Derbyshire day 3
Kent 259 and 308 (Stevens 90, Rouse 95, Davis 3-48)
Derbyshire 159 and 239 (Wilson 97, Madsen 32)
Kent won by 169 runs
Notwithstanding that this is a pretty decent Kent side, and in Darren Stevens they had the best player on the pitch, today was wretched from Derbyshire.
You pays your money and takes your choice, but when Kent added 166 in the morning session, one assumed that the wicket had at least eased to allow a decent stab at a target in excess of 400. Yet our limp batting thereafter, with the honorable exception of Messrs Wilson and Madsen, was not what one would hope for in a summer that we hope brings a bright new start.
Wilson has been highly impressive since his move from Surrey, a huge asset to the side and was unlucky to miss out on another century. Meanwhile Madsen keeps on being Madsen, but I don't look at the Derbyshire side right now and think it is balanced.
In all likelihood the batsmen and bowlers were equally culpable today, because there was some poor bowling in that first session. That Tom Milnes went in excess of five an over, on a wicket that most seamers would want to carry around with them is disappointing. Tony Palladino bowled tight, while Will Davis shouldn't have to carry an attack at 21 but is doing so just now.
Shiv Thakor was obviously not fit enough to bowl much, but I'm not sure how realistic it is for Luis Reece to be a main bowler AND open the batting. To be fair to the lad, I can't think of anyone else who has bowled first or second change and opened and it is a huge ask for anyone. Likewise I am not yet sold on Shiv Thakor as a number three, though it is early days yet. We need more than flashy forties from that position though and Ben Slater is knocking on the door, as is Charlie Macdonell.
I think Smit will be fine once he gets used to the wickets, and neither so far has been a batting paradise. He has added greatly to the fielding side, but we have three bowling issues to address before we can start to win matches.
First and very obviously, we need Hardus Viljoen fit. How he would have gone on such a wicket is worthy of thought, though it was more a wicket for those who slowed it down a little.
Second, we need to use Jeevan Mendis better. If a bloke is worth bringing over as an overseas player, surely he is worthy of a bowl before the 49th over? From what I have seen of him so far, he is a very handy leggie, but I don't see how he has scored so heavily in Sri Lanka. Why we let Stevens and Rouse add 90 before we remembered we had him in the side is puzzling. That he got a wicket straight away was just mighty frustrating. He's not in Tahir's class, but we need to use a bowler whose style often puzzles English batsmen, in a far more savvy manner.
Finally, we need to bring in Ben Cotton. Whether he takes wickets or not, Cotts is generally accurate and we can't afford to give runs away as Milnes did in this game. He needs to work on line and length to stay in the side, or drop down to the twos to rediscover it in a less demanding environment.
Disappointing sums it up tonight.
To quote the old song, things can only get better.
Derbyshire 159 and 239 (Wilson 97, Madsen 32)
Kent won by 169 runs
Notwithstanding that this is a pretty decent Kent side, and in Darren Stevens they had the best player on the pitch, today was wretched from Derbyshire.
You pays your money and takes your choice, but when Kent added 166 in the morning session, one assumed that the wicket had at least eased to allow a decent stab at a target in excess of 400. Yet our limp batting thereafter, with the honorable exception of Messrs Wilson and Madsen, was not what one would hope for in a summer that we hope brings a bright new start.
Wilson has been highly impressive since his move from Surrey, a huge asset to the side and was unlucky to miss out on another century. Meanwhile Madsen keeps on being Madsen, but I don't look at the Derbyshire side right now and think it is balanced.
In all likelihood the batsmen and bowlers were equally culpable today, because there was some poor bowling in that first session. That Tom Milnes went in excess of five an over, on a wicket that most seamers would want to carry around with them is disappointing. Tony Palladino bowled tight, while Will Davis shouldn't have to carry an attack at 21 but is doing so just now.
Shiv Thakor was obviously not fit enough to bowl much, but I'm not sure how realistic it is for Luis Reece to be a main bowler AND open the batting. To be fair to the lad, I can't think of anyone else who has bowled first or second change and opened and it is a huge ask for anyone. Likewise I am not yet sold on Shiv Thakor as a number three, though it is early days yet. We need more than flashy forties from that position though and Ben Slater is knocking on the door, as is Charlie Macdonell.
I think Smit will be fine once he gets used to the wickets, and neither so far has been a batting paradise. He has added greatly to the fielding side, but we have three bowling issues to address before we can start to win matches.
First and very obviously, we need Hardus Viljoen fit. How he would have gone on such a wicket is worthy of thought, though it was more a wicket for those who slowed it down a little.
Second, we need to use Jeevan Mendis better. If a bloke is worth bringing over as an overseas player, surely he is worthy of a bowl before the 49th over? From what I have seen of him so far, he is a very handy leggie, but I don't see how he has scored so heavily in Sri Lanka. Why we let Stevens and Rouse add 90 before we remembered we had him in the side is puzzling. That he got a wicket straight away was just mighty frustrating. He's not in Tahir's class, but we need to use a bowler whose style often puzzles English batsmen, in a far more savvy manner.
Finally, we need to bring in Ben Cotton. Whether he takes wickets or not, Cotts is generally accurate and we can't afford to give runs away as Milnes did in this game. He needs to work on line and length to stay in the side, or drop down to the twos to rediscover it in a less demanding environment.
Disappointing sums it up tonight.
To quote the old song, things can only get better.
Saturday, 22 April 2017
Kent v Derbyshire day 2
Kent 259 and 142-7 (Stevens 53 not)
Derbyshire 159 (Madsen 56, Stevens 6-47)
Kent lead by 242 runs
It was the Darren Stevens show at Canterbury today, as the soon-to-be 41 year old bowled us out with his old-fashioned medium pace and then scored a crucial half century to, in my opinion, put the game beyond us.
Stevens is a throw back to the days of Tom Cartwright and Derek Shackleton, bowlers who could run in all day and just drop it on or around a length, nibbling around a little to induce the false shot. At this stage of the season he is gold dust to his side, as the wickets suit him down to the ground. Our best chance of success here is to get him pulling a muscle while going for a quick single, as he is the standout bowler in the attack.
He is also a classic case of the late maturing cricketer. He was a decent batsman who bowled a bit for most of his twenties, but became a genuine all rounder since he turned thirty. While youth in any side is an asset in the field, an old head in these conditions is worth its weight in gold.
Our profligate nature in the first hour of the game will be what cost us here, as cost us it will assuredly do. For all the protestations to the contrary tonight, unless Stevens can't bowl and the wicket settles down, we will be likely rolled over a second time and lose by some distance.
It's disappointing, but we can't complain too much. We had the option of bowling and chose to do so, but in making such a decision, you need your main strike bowlers to find line and length, something that ours failed to do until they had 80 on the board, not far shy of the first innings deficit.
We fought back well in the final session tonight, indicative of the battling mentality now in the side, but we will need a lot more of that tomorrow.
Shiv Thakor and Wayne Madsen took the attack to the home side, but as Wayne said tonight, there is always a ball with your name on it, on this wicket.
I hope to see the battling continue tomorrow, but expect a heavy defeat at the end of it all.
If we can win this one, I can win Miss World.
It would need something very special, in each instance.
Derbyshire 159 (Madsen 56, Stevens 6-47)
Kent lead by 242 runs
It was the Darren Stevens show at Canterbury today, as the soon-to-be 41 year old bowled us out with his old-fashioned medium pace and then scored a crucial half century to, in my opinion, put the game beyond us.
Stevens is a throw back to the days of Tom Cartwright and Derek Shackleton, bowlers who could run in all day and just drop it on or around a length, nibbling around a little to induce the false shot. At this stage of the season he is gold dust to his side, as the wickets suit him down to the ground. Our best chance of success here is to get him pulling a muscle while going for a quick single, as he is the standout bowler in the attack.
He is also a classic case of the late maturing cricketer. He was a decent batsman who bowled a bit for most of his twenties, but became a genuine all rounder since he turned thirty. While youth in any side is an asset in the field, an old head in these conditions is worth its weight in gold.
Our profligate nature in the first hour of the game will be what cost us here, as cost us it will assuredly do. For all the protestations to the contrary tonight, unless Stevens can't bowl and the wicket settles down, we will be likely rolled over a second time and lose by some distance.
It's disappointing, but we can't complain too much. We had the option of bowling and chose to do so, but in making such a decision, you need your main strike bowlers to find line and length, something that ours failed to do until they had 80 on the board, not far shy of the first innings deficit.
We fought back well in the final session tonight, indicative of the battling mentality now in the side, but we will need a lot more of that tomorrow.
Shiv Thakor and Wayne Madsen took the attack to the home side, but as Wayne said tonight, there is always a ball with your name on it, on this wicket.
I hope to see the battling continue tomorrow, but expect a heavy defeat at the end of it all.
If we can win this one, I can win Miss World.
It would need something very special, in each instance.
Friday, 21 April 2017
Kent v Derbyshire day 1
Kent 238-8 (Reece 3-38, Davis 3-59)
v Derbyshire
Earlier today, in my pre-match write up, I suggested that someone needed to put their hand up as a wicket-taker for Derbyshire. Lo and behold, two men did and both Luis Reece and Will Davis took three wickets today.
There has been criticism of the bowlers so far, but we all need remember that at this stage of the summer, for batsmen and bowlers alike, there is a quest for rhythm that can at times prove elusive. As I have written on several occasions over the years, professional sportsmen can have their good and bad days, just the same as you and I.
For bowlers, that action needs grooved and things like the slope and the wind can impact on their ability to pitch the ball where they want on a given day. Bowling up a hill can be tough and you find yourself reaching for the crease, while going down you can find yourself going too fast and throttling back. It is particularly an issue for young bowlers and our two youngsters did very well today.
Reece was assisted by another blinding slip catch by Daryn Smit, who has enhanced the close catching cordon considerably, irrespective of anything else that he does. Tony Palladino bowled his normal, controlled spells without success, though that quest for rhythm thus far hasn't been realised for Shiv Thakor and Tom Milnes. Both are yet to hit their stride, but they will get there.
Tomorrow's challenge is to take the last two wickets quickly and Kent must have the best number eleven in the country in Matt Coles. Then, we need to build an innings and bat for a long time.
At 83-0 tdday, Kent were looking at 400 and we were looking down a barrel.
We fought back well and need to show similar application against a keen attack tomorrow.
v Derbyshire
Earlier today, in my pre-match write up, I suggested that someone needed to put their hand up as a wicket-taker for Derbyshire. Lo and behold, two men did and both Luis Reece and Will Davis took three wickets today.
There has been criticism of the bowlers so far, but we all need remember that at this stage of the summer, for batsmen and bowlers alike, there is a quest for rhythm that can at times prove elusive. As I have written on several occasions over the years, professional sportsmen can have their good and bad days, just the same as you and I.
For bowlers, that action needs grooved and things like the slope and the wind can impact on their ability to pitch the ball where they want on a given day. Bowling up a hill can be tough and you find yourself reaching for the crease, while going down you can find yourself going too fast and throttling back. It is particularly an issue for young bowlers and our two youngsters did very well today.
Reece was assisted by another blinding slip catch by Daryn Smit, who has enhanced the close catching cordon considerably, irrespective of anything else that he does. Tony Palladino bowled his normal, controlled spells without success, though that quest for rhythm thus far hasn't been realised for Shiv Thakor and Tom Milnes. Both are yet to hit their stride, but they will get there.
Tomorrow's challenge is to take the last two wickets quickly and Kent must have the best number eleven in the country in Matt Coles. Then, we need to build an innings and bat for a long time.
At 83-0 tdday, Kent were looking at 400 and we were looking down a barrel.
We fought back well and need to show similar application against a keen attack tomorrow.
Kent v Derbyshire preview
Every season there are sides whose early performances suggest a season of toil and struggle. This season, Glamorgan, Leicestershire and Warwickshire are such teams and their early displays have suggested that it could be a long summer.
Then there are those who go off like a train and produce individual and team performances that suggest they could be in the mix. Last week's opposition, Northamptonshire, are such a side, as are today's, Kent.
With Sam Northeast in sparkling form and at the head of a solid batting line-up, we will have to play at our best to come out on top in this one. With the evergreen Darren Stevens in form with bat and ball, they have Wayne Parnell as overseas professional and he is a part of a good home attack, which includes Matt Coles, a cricketer I really like. He may have attracted more news than he should have for off-field exploits, but Coles bowls some nasty balls, runs in hard and hits it harder.
Derbyshire name the same eleven that played well against Northamptonshire, plus Ben Slater, Charlie Macdonell and Ben Cotton.
I couldn't second guess the final eleven, with both Ben and Charlie scoring centuries this week that may earn them a role. I think Ben Cotton will play, after a good effort in the seconds, as there must be an element of doubt over Shiv Thakor's ankle for a lot of bowling. The other big decision is on whether Alex Hughes plays as a specialist batsman and slip fielder over the other two. Given he didn't bowl at all in that last game, one can only assume he is in the side to lengthen the batting, although the success of Darren Stevens, a similar bowler, on these early summer tracks may offer him an opportunity.
It should be a good game and our senior players can at least make the decision on bowling here, with it being an away game. In the continued absence of Hardus Viljoen, I share concerns over the taking of wickets and await someone allaying those concerns.
Maybe this is the one?
Then there are those who go off like a train and produce individual and team performances that suggest they could be in the mix. Last week's opposition, Northamptonshire, are such a side, as are today's, Kent.
With Sam Northeast in sparkling form and at the head of a solid batting line-up, we will have to play at our best to come out on top in this one. With the evergreen Darren Stevens in form with bat and ball, they have Wayne Parnell as overseas professional and he is a part of a good home attack, which includes Matt Coles, a cricketer I really like. He may have attracted more news than he should have for off-field exploits, but Coles bowls some nasty balls, runs in hard and hits it harder.
Derbyshire name the same eleven that played well against Northamptonshire, plus Ben Slater, Charlie Macdonell and Ben Cotton.
I couldn't second guess the final eleven, with both Ben and Charlie scoring centuries this week that may earn them a role. I think Ben Cotton will play, after a good effort in the seconds, as there must be an element of doubt over Shiv Thakor's ankle for a lot of bowling. The other big decision is on whether Alex Hughes plays as a specialist batsman and slip fielder over the other two. Given he didn't bowl at all in that last game, one can only assume he is in the side to lengthen the batting, although the success of Darren Stevens, a similar bowler, on these early summer tracks may offer him an opportunity.
It should be a good game and our senior players can at least make the decision on bowling here, with it being an away game. In the continued absence of Hardus Viljoen, I share concerns over the taking of wickets and await someone allaying those concerns.
Maybe this is the one?
Wednesday, 19 April 2017
Post-match thoughts
Well, we lost an opening game of the season, not for the first time.
Yet in that loss, there was more than a suggestion that this could be a highly entertaining summer. It wasn't a game in which we were outclassed, as so often last year, To the contrary, we made the running for most of it, even without our fast bowling spearhead, Hardus Viljoen.
We were defeated because we tried to win the game and were not fully taking into account the length and strength of a very good visiting batting side. There was a time when five an over across 65 overs would have been a test. Now, when 200 from twenty overs is far from unusual, I think that we erred on the side of generosity with a declaration that lost us the match. Anyway, 'tis done now and we must move on.
Other downsides? The bowling didn't seem too demanding, with the honorable exception of Will Davis and Tony Palladino. Tom Milnes can do much better, Shiv Thakor's injury didn't help and Jeevan Mendis will come more into his own on warmer days and drier tracks. Luis Reece may prove only an occasional bowler, but will need to be tighter than he was in that game, while Daryn Smit will doubtless take wickets when his shoulder is fully restored to health.
That's really it, though. The positives far outweigh them. As a batting side we fought in both innings, when conditions were not at all in our favour and appear to have a solid opening pair. There were debates when Luis Reece was preferred to Ben Slater, but the latter, a player I really like, hasn't yet found his touch this year. He only got 14 yesterday for the seconds, while Charlie Macdonell hit an unbeaten 136, perhaps making himself the next in line in the process.
Shiv Thakor may or may not establish himself at three, but needs a run at the role, so with the rest of the batting largely stable, the thoughts over the next day or two will revolve around the bowling. A good performance in the seconds could see Ben Cotton or Tom Taylor elevated for the trip to Kent and we all hope that Hardus Viljoen is fit for that one.
We also held some excellent catches. Daryn Smit stood out with stunning efforts at second slip, but Wayne Madsen is a sound first slip and Gary Wilson set the tone behind the stumps. In that second innings run chase of Northamptonshire, we only conceded two extras, a level of discipline that is gratifying. In an attack that is best described as a work in progress, the least we should expect is that and hopefully greater penetration will come. No one should underestimate the value of a fast bowler at one end and his impact on all the others in the attack.
One final thing. We have a skipper who is prepared to risk losing, in order to win. It would have been very easy to bat all day on Monday and take practice in a match situation and a few points.
Billy Godleman tried to take more than that and is to be applauded. While it didn't work out this time, there will be others when it does.
It all suggested that Derbyshire watching this summer will be anything but dull.
Which has to be worth something, at the end of the day.
Yet in that loss, there was more than a suggestion that this could be a highly entertaining summer. It wasn't a game in which we were outclassed, as so often last year, To the contrary, we made the running for most of it, even without our fast bowling spearhead, Hardus Viljoen.
We were defeated because we tried to win the game and were not fully taking into account the length and strength of a very good visiting batting side. There was a time when five an over across 65 overs would have been a test. Now, when 200 from twenty overs is far from unusual, I think that we erred on the side of generosity with a declaration that lost us the match. Anyway, 'tis done now and we must move on.
Other downsides? The bowling didn't seem too demanding, with the honorable exception of Will Davis and Tony Palladino. Tom Milnes can do much better, Shiv Thakor's injury didn't help and Jeevan Mendis will come more into his own on warmer days and drier tracks. Luis Reece may prove only an occasional bowler, but will need to be tighter than he was in that game, while Daryn Smit will doubtless take wickets when his shoulder is fully restored to health.
That's really it, though. The positives far outweigh them. As a batting side we fought in both innings, when conditions were not at all in our favour and appear to have a solid opening pair. There were debates when Luis Reece was preferred to Ben Slater, but the latter, a player I really like, hasn't yet found his touch this year. He only got 14 yesterday for the seconds, while Charlie Macdonell hit an unbeaten 136, perhaps making himself the next in line in the process.
Shiv Thakor may or may not establish himself at three, but needs a run at the role, so with the rest of the batting largely stable, the thoughts over the next day or two will revolve around the bowling. A good performance in the seconds could see Ben Cotton or Tom Taylor elevated for the trip to Kent and we all hope that Hardus Viljoen is fit for that one.
We also held some excellent catches. Daryn Smit stood out with stunning efforts at second slip, but Wayne Madsen is a sound first slip and Gary Wilson set the tone behind the stumps. In that second innings run chase of Northamptonshire, we only conceded two extras, a level of discipline that is gratifying. In an attack that is best described as a work in progress, the least we should expect is that and hopefully greater penetration will come. No one should underestimate the value of a fast bowler at one end and his impact on all the others in the attack.
One final thing. We have a skipper who is prepared to risk losing, in order to win. It would have been very easy to bat all day on Monday and take practice in a match situation and a few points.
Billy Godleman tried to take more than that and is to be applauded. While it didn't work out this time, there will be others when it does.
It all suggested that Derbyshire watching this summer will be anything but dull.
Which has to be worth something, at the end of the day.
Monday, 17 April 2017
Derbyshire v Northamptonshire day 4
Derbyshire 281 and 351-1 (Reece 168, Godleman 156 not)
Northamptonshire 307 and 330-7 (Levi 99, Newton 98, Mendis 3-84)
Northamptonshire won by 3 wickets
I have no doubt that supporter's opinion will be divided tonight.
On the one hand, Derbyshire were involved in a thrilling game of cricket to open the county season, one which went down to the penultimate ball and made for an enthralling afternoon for those in attendance.
On the other, we lost.
It would have been very easy to write off today as an easy draw, as I largely had. I suggested last night that only a contrived finish could change that, and so it came to pass.
I have only my good friends, Ranjith and Paul, to verify that at lunchtime today I suggested that our declaration was 15-20 runs short of challenging. That it went down to the wire was full credit to both teams and to the two captains. Rather than petering out around 5pm, the game went to the last over and as an entertainment form would have been hard to beat.
I just felt that, playing the current T20 champions, a side packed full of aggressive batsmen down to number nine in the order, 325 in 65 overs was very much on. If you break the innings into bite-sized chunks, it was five an over, or a hundred off each twenty. Against a side shorn of its main strike bowler, with another seamer who had a dodgy ankle and ending the innings with a leggie bowling who hasn't in a match since before Christmas and shoulder surgery, the visitors seemed to hold all the aces.
When they slipped to 124-4, courtesy of what I understand was another stunning slip catch by Daryn Smit, we were on top, but the game was taken away from us by Richard Levi. You have to give credit where it is due and Levi is capable of that, and has done it against international attacks. While Rob Newton kept them in the game, Levi won it for them with 99 from 79 balls. Yes, it hurts to lose, but you have to applaud something special and Levi produced it today.
I'm unsure why we didn't give Will Davis or Tony Palladino a last spell, and even more baffled why Alex Hughes didn't turn his arm over in the game. I didn't get the impression that the wicket was turning, so the merits of spin at each end was questionable, but maybe there were things that I'm not privy to.
Earlier, Billy Godleman and Luis Reece set a new county record for the first wicket,erasing Joe Bowden and Harry Storer from the record books forever with a stand of 333. I suspect that the earlier heroes faced bowling more demanding than today, though, certainly in this morning's session. Well done to both though, because the record books will still bear their names, irrespective of how they were scored.
It might last another 88 years, too...
More thoughts on the game tomorrow. Shame to start with a defeat, but we played positive cricket and have a lot of positives to come out of the match.
Northamptonshire 307 and 330-7 (Levi 99, Newton 98, Mendis 3-84)
Northamptonshire won by 3 wickets
I have no doubt that supporter's opinion will be divided tonight.
On the one hand, Derbyshire were involved in a thrilling game of cricket to open the county season, one which went down to the penultimate ball and made for an enthralling afternoon for those in attendance.
On the other, we lost.
It would have been very easy to write off today as an easy draw, as I largely had. I suggested last night that only a contrived finish could change that, and so it came to pass.
I have only my good friends, Ranjith and Paul, to verify that at lunchtime today I suggested that our declaration was 15-20 runs short of challenging. That it went down to the wire was full credit to both teams and to the two captains. Rather than petering out around 5pm, the game went to the last over and as an entertainment form would have been hard to beat.
I just felt that, playing the current T20 champions, a side packed full of aggressive batsmen down to number nine in the order, 325 in 65 overs was very much on. If you break the innings into bite-sized chunks, it was five an over, or a hundred off each twenty. Against a side shorn of its main strike bowler, with another seamer who had a dodgy ankle and ending the innings with a leggie bowling who hasn't in a match since before Christmas and shoulder surgery, the visitors seemed to hold all the aces.
When they slipped to 124-4, courtesy of what I understand was another stunning slip catch by Daryn Smit, we were on top, but the game was taken away from us by Richard Levi. You have to give credit where it is due and Levi is capable of that, and has done it against international attacks. While Rob Newton kept them in the game, Levi won it for them with 99 from 79 balls. Yes, it hurts to lose, but you have to applaud something special and Levi produced it today.
I'm unsure why we didn't give Will Davis or Tony Palladino a last spell, and even more baffled why Alex Hughes didn't turn his arm over in the game. I didn't get the impression that the wicket was turning, so the merits of spin at each end was questionable, but maybe there were things that I'm not privy to.
Earlier, Billy Godleman and Luis Reece set a new county record for the first wicket,erasing Joe Bowden and Harry Storer from the record books forever with a stand of 333. I suspect that the earlier heroes faced bowling more demanding than today, though, certainly in this morning's session. Well done to both though, because the record books will still bear their names, irrespective of how they were scored.
It might last another 88 years, too...
More thoughts on the game tomorrow. Shame to start with a defeat, but we played positive cricket and have a lot of positives to come out of the match.
Pre-last day thoughts
While all three results are possible today, the thinking man or woman's money would be on the draw.
From our perspective, we are 116 runs on and would need to set them between 275 and 300 in perhaps 50 overs to win. For me, the rain has taken too much time out of the game and unless they served up 'buffet' bowling, the wicket hasn't been conducive to aggressive stroke play to get there.
Then again, and taking nothing at all away from our excellent opening pair's efforts, 142-0 doesn't suggest that the last day wicket would be a minefield on which to survive, so could we realistically take ten wickets in fifty overs, unless they collapsed as they did in the first innings?
To win would require a huge effort from all eleven players and a special one from at least one bowler. I don't think that Billy Godleman would risk a damaging loss by dangling too attractive a carrot in front of the visitors and we may just need to write this up as a very encouraging first game. A ton for either or both openers, especially Luis Reece on debut, would be most welcome.
Let's face it, Northamptonshire won their first game in a canter but they are in trouble here and would doubtless be quite happy with the draw.
For all the comments I have seen that suggest we should 'go for it', the reality is that of course they will, but won't risk undoing three days of very hard work with a silly declaration on the last day.
Because the usual suspects will then start saying 'same old Derbyshire'.
Which I suspect we're not.
More from me later. Sadly, work beckons so the desktop scoreboard awaits...
From our perspective, we are 116 runs on and would need to set them between 275 and 300 in perhaps 50 overs to win. For me, the rain has taken too much time out of the game and unless they served up 'buffet' bowling, the wicket hasn't been conducive to aggressive stroke play to get there.
Then again, and taking nothing at all away from our excellent opening pair's efforts, 142-0 doesn't suggest that the last day wicket would be a minefield on which to survive, so could we realistically take ten wickets in fifty overs, unless they collapsed as they did in the first innings?
To win would require a huge effort from all eleven players and a special one from at least one bowler. I don't think that Billy Godleman would risk a damaging loss by dangling too attractive a carrot in front of the visitors and we may just need to write this up as a very encouraging first game. A ton for either or both openers, especially Luis Reece on debut, would be most welcome.
Let's face it, Northamptonshire won their first game in a canter but they are in trouble here and would doubtless be quite happy with the draw.
For all the comments I have seen that suggest we should 'go for it', the reality is that of course they will, but won't risk undoing three days of very hard work with a silly declaration on the last day.
Because the usual suspects will then start saying 'same old Derbyshire'.
Which I suspect we're not.
More from me later. Sadly, work beckons so the desktop scoreboard awaits...
Sunday, 16 April 2017
Derbyshire v Northamptonshire day 3
Derbyshire 281 and 142-0 (Reece 69 not, Godleman 63 not)
Northamptonshire 307
Derbyshire lead by116 runs
It is hard to think a positive result can come here, in a match where run scoring at any rate has proved problematic. Nor, I think, will either side be prepared to risk all in an early season match where a loss would undo what to this point has been an encouraging start. Yet if it does come, Derbyshire are in the driving seat to dictate the terms.
Full credit again to them, and specifically to Billy Godleman and Luis Reece, for batting through to a century stand in which they had to make several 'starts' with rain delays. It is little more than we have come to expect from the skipper, who with Wayne Madsen has become one of the rocks on which we depend. For Reece, though, it marked an encouraging effort and start to a county career.
As I wrote before the season started, many people I spoke to on speaking engagements over the winter in Lancashire were astonished that they allowed him to leave. Today's innings will have done his confidence good and I hope that he kicks on from here. A century tomorrow would be the icing on the cake.
Just a short blog from me tonight, as a good friend is over visiting from the US of A.
I will be back in more detail tomorrow, likely reporting on a draw, unless it turns into a raging turner on the last afternoon, or Ben Duckett goes berserk in a run chase.
Very encouraging though so far.
Well done lads.
Northamptonshire 307
Derbyshire lead by116 runs
It is hard to think a positive result can come here, in a match where run scoring at any rate has proved problematic. Nor, I think, will either side be prepared to risk all in an early season match where a loss would undo what to this point has been an encouraging start. Yet if it does come, Derbyshire are in the driving seat to dictate the terms.
Full credit again to them, and specifically to Billy Godleman and Luis Reece, for batting through to a century stand in which they had to make several 'starts' with rain delays. It is little more than we have come to expect from the skipper, who with Wayne Madsen has become one of the rocks on which we depend. For Reece, though, it marked an encouraging effort and start to a county career.
As I wrote before the season started, many people I spoke to on speaking engagements over the winter in Lancashire were astonished that they allowed him to leave. Today's innings will have done his confidence good and I hope that he kicks on from here. A century tomorrow would be the icing on the cake.
Just a short blog from me tonight, as a good friend is over visiting from the US of A.
I will be back in more detail tomorrow, likely reporting on a draw, unless it turns into a raging turner on the last afternoon, or Ben Duckett goes berserk in a run chase.
Very encouraging though so far.
Well done lads.
Saturday, 15 April 2017
Derbyshire v Northamptonshire day 2
Derbyshire 281
Northamptonshire 291-9 (Holden 68 not, Duckett 53, Newton 50, Davis 4-55)
A day that ebbed and flowed at Derby today, with late runs from Alex Hughes and Tom Milnes edging Derbyshire to a decent first innings tally. By early afternoon, with the visiting openers putting on a hundred, it didn't look close to enough, before persistent bowling, loose shots and fine catching reduced them to 171-8. Matt Holden and Nathan Buck then put on a crucial stand of 89, before Jeevan Mendis got his second wicket of the day.
There were four wickets for Will Davis, who continues to look a terrific prospect and two for Shiv Thakor, who worryingly had to leave the field with an ankle injury in the final session. The absence of Viljoen's bazookas was felt, but Derbyshire can be pleased with a position of parity at this stage.
There were two puzzles for me today. Luis Reece bowled as first change, but never got an over afterwards, suggesting that he was either injured or oddly ignored. Meanwhile, Alex Hughes never turned his arm over at all and his skiddy medium pace may have been just the thing to break that ninth wicket partnership, given opportunity.
What we do appear to have is an excellent close catching combination, with Madsen, Smit and Hughes taking good slip catches and Wilson a good one down the leg side. Only nineteen extras conceded to the visitors 47 too, but we will want to finish the innings quickly tomorrow and not have too great a deficit to claw back on a wicket that continues to offer something for the bowlers.
Its a funny game. Sometimes as a captain you have the wrong bowlers on. Other times you have them on, but at the wrong ends. Today we struck a combo that worked after lunch and looked to be well on top - until that final session, when we rather let them get off the hook.
Where does it go from here? Well, we will need a lead over 250 on the final day and then hope that the wicket dries enough to help our Sri Lankan leggie. The batting will again be tested by a keen Northamptonshire attack tomorrow and must show similar resilience to the first innings.
Game on, for sure and if this close contest is a sign of things to come there will be few complaints by the end of the season.
Especially if we come out on top at the end...
Northamptonshire 291-9 (Holden 68 not, Duckett 53, Newton 50, Davis 4-55)
A day that ebbed and flowed at Derby today, with late runs from Alex Hughes and Tom Milnes edging Derbyshire to a decent first innings tally. By early afternoon, with the visiting openers putting on a hundred, it didn't look close to enough, before persistent bowling, loose shots and fine catching reduced them to 171-8. Matt Holden and Nathan Buck then put on a crucial stand of 89, before Jeevan Mendis got his second wicket of the day.
There were four wickets for Will Davis, who continues to look a terrific prospect and two for Shiv Thakor, who worryingly had to leave the field with an ankle injury in the final session. The absence of Viljoen's bazookas was felt, but Derbyshire can be pleased with a position of parity at this stage.
There were two puzzles for me today. Luis Reece bowled as first change, but never got an over afterwards, suggesting that he was either injured or oddly ignored. Meanwhile, Alex Hughes never turned his arm over at all and his skiddy medium pace may have been just the thing to break that ninth wicket partnership, given opportunity.
What we do appear to have is an excellent close catching combination, with Madsen, Smit and Hughes taking good slip catches and Wilson a good one down the leg side. Only nineteen extras conceded to the visitors 47 too, but we will want to finish the innings quickly tomorrow and not have too great a deficit to claw back on a wicket that continues to offer something for the bowlers.
Its a funny game. Sometimes as a captain you have the wrong bowlers on. Other times you have them on, but at the wrong ends. Today we struck a combo that worked after lunch and looked to be well on top - until that final session, when we rather let them get off the hook.
Where does it go from here? Well, we will need a lead over 250 on the final day and then hope that the wicket dries enough to help our Sri Lankan leggie. The batting will again be tested by a keen Northamptonshire attack tomorrow and must show similar resilience to the first innings.
Game on, for sure and if this close contest is a sign of things to come there will be few complaints by the end of the season.
Especially if we come out on top at the end...
Excellent Cricinfo piece on Barnett
Lovely article by the always-readable David Hopps on Kim Barnett over on Cricinfo.
You can find it here
Enjoy!
You can find it here
Enjoy!
Flexibility and bravery the key for Derbyshire
Competition for places is quite likely going to be key for Derbyshire in their quest for improved fortunes this summer.
So too will the bravery and honesty of the senior players who will select the side, along with captain Billy Godleman.
There was a time, as told to me by several players of senior vintage, when a young player had to produce the exceptional to get into the first eleven and displace a senior, capped player on the commensurate (not especially high) salary. Even then, after a failure or two, that young player would be back to the second eleven, who rarely played enough cricket for them to force a way back through. It was very much survival of the fittest and only what Jean Brodie would have called the creme de la creme would survive.
As it should be, of course. The county game is the pinnacle for most players, only the elite status of the international game beyond. The only way that a place in the side should be maintained is on a sustained level of performance, exactly the same way as one should be earned.
Last season, for example, irrespective of the fact that he had flown thousands of miles to get here, Neil Broom shouldn't have held down a place in the side all summer. His form simply didn't warrant it and a closing average of mid-twenties was more in keeping with a young lad learning the game, than that of an experienced player of international experience.
This year, I think things will be different and players will be aware that they have to deliver to retain a senior role.
There have been several comments about the absence of Harvey Hosein and Ben Slater from the lineup and both could be considered unlucky to be out of the side for the first fixture. Yet Hosein is competing against the vice-captain, who has had two innings and scored a century and 72. You cannot argue on such figures and while there is perhaps one on whether either could play as a batting specialist, you look at the current side and ask 'replacing who'?
Slater picked up a pre-season knock and in his absence Luis Reece scored a fifty and took three wickets in a good spell against Loughborough UCCE. After such an effort it would have been hard, unfair even, to omit him, but Slater's turn will come.
Players should not be in fear of their place and failing in two successive matches should not equate to being dropped. That only results in people not playing freely, to their and the side's detriment. Yet the senior players will see how people are in the nets and be well aware when a rest is needed.
The beauty of the current squad is that there is cover, ironically, for all but Hardus Viljoen. His absence, however long it is, will be keenly felt, as genuine fast bowlers are few and far between. Yet for Reece, read Slater, Macdonell or Wood. For Wilson, read Hosein, or Smit. For Hughes, read Reece, dropping down the order, or Cork, or Cotton. Maybe even Critchley. You could do that with them all at this stage, except captains present and previous, Messrs Godleman and Madsen.
We should not be a one-dimensional side this year. While doubts of our ability to take twenty wickets without Viljoen remain, they are based on a twelve-month old perception of bowlers who should have improved. Whether that improvement is enough, we don't know yet, but we have an attack to handle most wickets and batsmen who, I think, have the mental toughness to follow a big score on a 'road' with one of our own, rather than falter under pressure.
Do I think we can win something this year? Probably not, but right now we would all take brighter, competitive cricket and signs of progress. Trophies come from talent, attitude and luck.
We have two out of those three, but no one will win anything without their share of the other one at key points of the summer.
So too will the bravery and honesty of the senior players who will select the side, along with captain Billy Godleman.
There was a time, as told to me by several players of senior vintage, when a young player had to produce the exceptional to get into the first eleven and displace a senior, capped player on the commensurate (not especially high) salary. Even then, after a failure or two, that young player would be back to the second eleven, who rarely played enough cricket for them to force a way back through. It was very much survival of the fittest and only what Jean Brodie would have called the creme de la creme would survive.
As it should be, of course. The county game is the pinnacle for most players, only the elite status of the international game beyond. The only way that a place in the side should be maintained is on a sustained level of performance, exactly the same way as one should be earned.
Last season, for example, irrespective of the fact that he had flown thousands of miles to get here, Neil Broom shouldn't have held down a place in the side all summer. His form simply didn't warrant it and a closing average of mid-twenties was more in keeping with a young lad learning the game, than that of an experienced player of international experience.
This year, I think things will be different and players will be aware that they have to deliver to retain a senior role.
There have been several comments about the absence of Harvey Hosein and Ben Slater from the lineup and both could be considered unlucky to be out of the side for the first fixture. Yet Hosein is competing against the vice-captain, who has had two innings and scored a century and 72. You cannot argue on such figures and while there is perhaps one on whether either could play as a batting specialist, you look at the current side and ask 'replacing who'?
Slater picked up a pre-season knock and in his absence Luis Reece scored a fifty and took three wickets in a good spell against Loughborough UCCE. After such an effort it would have been hard, unfair even, to omit him, but Slater's turn will come.
Players should not be in fear of their place and failing in two successive matches should not equate to being dropped. That only results in people not playing freely, to their and the side's detriment. Yet the senior players will see how people are in the nets and be well aware when a rest is needed.
The beauty of the current squad is that there is cover, ironically, for all but Hardus Viljoen. His absence, however long it is, will be keenly felt, as genuine fast bowlers are few and far between. Yet for Reece, read Slater, Macdonell or Wood. For Wilson, read Hosein, or Smit. For Hughes, read Reece, dropping down the order, or Cork, or Cotton. Maybe even Critchley. You could do that with them all at this stage, except captains present and previous, Messrs Godleman and Madsen.
We should not be a one-dimensional side this year. While doubts of our ability to take twenty wickets without Viljoen remain, they are based on a twelve-month old perception of bowlers who should have improved. Whether that improvement is enough, we don't know yet, but we have an attack to handle most wickets and batsmen who, I think, have the mental toughness to follow a big score on a 'road' with one of our own, rather than falter under pressure.
Do I think we can win something this year? Probably not, but right now we would all take brighter, competitive cricket and signs of progress. Trophies come from talent, attitude and luck.
We have two out of those three, but no one will win anything without their share of the other one at key points of the summer.
Friday, 14 April 2017
Derbyshire v Northamptonshire day 1
Derbyshire 219-6 (Wilson 72) v Northamptonshire
What do we read into day one of what appears to have been absorbing cricket?
First, I think, that we will be no pushovers this summer. Right down the order, batsmen came in and applied themselves on a day where the visitors were always going to bowl. There was greater likelihood of Lord Lucan riding Shergar into the 3aaa County Ground than the visitors opting to bat first, with cloud overhead an a good chance of the ball nibbling around on an early season track. They have a good seam attack and it was going to be tough from there.
When you put the opposition in, however, you would hope to get three or four out before lunch, but our visitors keen attack didn't do that because the openers applied themselves. As I always said about Paul Borrington, he may not have scored runs at times, but he took the sting out of the bowlers, put overs in their legs, took shine off the ball and made it easier for those who followed.
Luis Reece did much the same on debut and with his skipper gave Derbyshire a solid start. In such conditions you are always on the edge and when four were down for 114, the Derbyshire of seasons past may well have been gone for under 200.
They weren't, largely because of a battling stand between Gary Wilson, who already looks a huge asset, and Daryn Smit. They would have picked easier conditions for a debut, but took the score to 200 before they were dismissed before the close.
'We'll be happy if we bowl them out for under 250', said Nathan Buck, who appears back to the form of his Leicestershire pomp after a tough time at Lancashire. I am sure they will, but with Jeevan Mendis and Alex Hughes at the crease there are still runs in the home side, with Milnes and Palladino to follow.
With the ball likely to keep nipping around, anything over 275 would be competitive against a seven-man Derbyshire attack. As I have said many times, you can never judge a batting display until both sides have had a go on it, but it doesn't appear a wicket on which they should flay 450 in no time.
I will always take a team that grafts and does their best in the face of adversity.
We did that today and need to keep doing it until September.
I look forward to the comments of those who were there - and everyone else!
What do we read into day one of what appears to have been absorbing cricket?
First, I think, that we will be no pushovers this summer. Right down the order, batsmen came in and applied themselves on a day where the visitors were always going to bowl. There was greater likelihood of Lord Lucan riding Shergar into the 3aaa County Ground than the visitors opting to bat first, with cloud overhead an a good chance of the ball nibbling around on an early season track. They have a good seam attack and it was going to be tough from there.
When you put the opposition in, however, you would hope to get three or four out before lunch, but our visitors keen attack didn't do that because the openers applied themselves. As I always said about Paul Borrington, he may not have scored runs at times, but he took the sting out of the bowlers, put overs in their legs, took shine off the ball and made it easier for those who followed.
Luis Reece did much the same on debut and with his skipper gave Derbyshire a solid start. In such conditions you are always on the edge and when four were down for 114, the Derbyshire of seasons past may well have been gone for under 200.
They weren't, largely because of a battling stand between Gary Wilson, who already looks a huge asset, and Daryn Smit. They would have picked easier conditions for a debut, but took the score to 200 before they were dismissed before the close.
'We'll be happy if we bowl them out for under 250', said Nathan Buck, who appears back to the form of his Leicestershire pomp after a tough time at Lancashire. I am sure they will, but with Jeevan Mendis and Alex Hughes at the crease there are still runs in the home side, with Milnes and Palladino to follow.
With the ball likely to keep nipping around, anything over 275 would be competitive against a seven-man Derbyshire attack. As I have said many times, you can never judge a batting display until both sides have had a go on it, but it doesn't appear a wicket on which they should flay 450 in no time.
I will always take a team that grafts and does their best in the face of adversity.
We did that today and need to keep doing it until September.
I look forward to the comments of those who were there - and everyone else!
Thursday, 13 April 2017
Derbyshire v Northamptonshire preview
Regular readers will know that I warned of the possibility of Hardus Viljoen's absence from the start of the season a couple of weeks back.
He hasn't played since January back home, so it seemed a somewhat miraculous recovery in time for the season opener tomorrow.
Alas it is not to be and the club statement said that they are working to get him fit as soon as possible. Like you, I have no idea how long that will be, but as a major component of our four-day threat in attack, we need it to be sooner, rather than later. No doubt our opposition's batsmen are breathing a sigh of relief tonight, as no one likes playing genuinely quick bowling, but this is and should be more than a one-man team.
His absence gives opportunity to someone else and sometimes good fortune can be the catalyst for something special. Here's hoping...
A thirteen-man squad has been named for the game, which reads as follows:
Billy Godleman
Luis Reece
Ben Slater
Shiv Thakor
Wayne Madsen
Daryn Smit
Jeevan Mendis
Gary Wilson
Alex Hughes
Tom Milnes
Tony Palladino
Will Davis
Ben Cotton
Hard to call who drops out of that squad, but on pre-season opportunity I would guess any two from Slater, Cotton and Hughes. It is tough on all and a sign of how we have improved over the winter. Reece, Smit, Wilson and Mendis make their county debuts and there should be an improvement in the batting as a result. All are players of talent and should make us a harder, more competitive side.
We will need to be against a visiting side that steamrollered Glamorgan in their first game. The likelihood is that we will end up batting first and we will see the effectiveness of the pre-season marquee work against a keen attack.
The visitors have a good, solid squad that cannot be underestimated, but there is depth and greater experience to the batting that should serve us well over the summer.
Their squad:
Buck, Cobb, Crook, Duckett, Holden, Keogh, Kleinveldt, Levi, Rossington, Sanderson, Wakely, White.
It will be a good test for our side against one that always flies under the radar.
My money is on a draw to start, but we need to be fast out of the blocks and ready to battle.
Good luck lads. Make my fiftieth summer as a Derbyshire supporter a special one....
He hasn't played since January back home, so it seemed a somewhat miraculous recovery in time for the season opener tomorrow.
Alas it is not to be and the club statement said that they are working to get him fit as soon as possible. Like you, I have no idea how long that will be, but as a major component of our four-day threat in attack, we need it to be sooner, rather than later. No doubt our opposition's batsmen are breathing a sigh of relief tonight, as no one likes playing genuinely quick bowling, but this is and should be more than a one-man team.
His absence gives opportunity to someone else and sometimes good fortune can be the catalyst for something special. Here's hoping...
A thirteen-man squad has been named for the game, which reads as follows:
Billy Godleman
Luis Reece
Ben Slater
Shiv Thakor
Wayne Madsen
Daryn Smit
Jeevan Mendis
Gary Wilson
Alex Hughes
Tom Milnes
Tony Palladino
Will Davis
Ben Cotton
Hard to call who drops out of that squad, but on pre-season opportunity I would guess any two from Slater, Cotton and Hughes. It is tough on all and a sign of how we have improved over the winter. Reece, Smit, Wilson and Mendis make their county debuts and there should be an improvement in the batting as a result. All are players of talent and should make us a harder, more competitive side.
We will need to be against a visiting side that steamrollered Glamorgan in their first game. The likelihood is that we will end up batting first and we will see the effectiveness of the pre-season marquee work against a keen attack.
The visitors have a good, solid squad that cannot be underestimated, but there is depth and greater experience to the batting that should serve us well over the summer.
Their squad:
Buck, Cobb, Crook, Duckett, Holden, Keogh, Kleinveldt, Levi, Rossington, Sanderson, Wakely, White.
It will be a good test for our side against one that always flies under the radar.
My money is on a draw to start, but we need to be fast out of the blocks and ready to battle.
Good luck lads. Make my fiftieth summer as a Derbyshire supporter a special one....
Monday, 10 April 2017
Mendis and Viljoen gear up for action
Jeevan Mendis made his first appearance for Derbyshire today, scoring 40 runs and taking two wickets as the second eleven beat The Unicorns by four wickets at Ticknall.
Former Nottinghamshire batsman Sam Kelsall top scored with 88 as the opposition scored 278-7 in their fifty overs, a total that reflected a good batting track and a decent side of players seeking a route back into the first-class game.
There were two wickets each for Tom Taylor and Ben Cotton too, before Ben Slater led off a reply that eased to victory with an over in hand. Skippering the side, Slater scored 69, Charlie Macdonell 36 and Tom Wood 41, before Callum Brodrick hit an unbeaten 33 to seal the win.
Elsewhere, Hardus Viljoen had a rigorous training and net session under the eye of Steve Stubbings and pronounced himself fit for the start of the season.
Only four sleeps to go, my friends.
Exciting, huh?
Former Nottinghamshire batsman Sam Kelsall top scored with 88 as the opposition scored 278-7 in their fifty overs, a total that reflected a good batting track and a decent side of players seeking a route back into the first-class game.
There were two wickets each for Tom Taylor and Ben Cotton too, before Ben Slater led off a reply that eased to victory with an over in hand. Skippering the side, Slater scored 69, Charlie Macdonell 36 and Tom Wood 41, before Callum Brodrick hit an unbeaten 33 to seal the win.
Elsewhere, Hardus Viljoen had a rigorous training and net session under the eye of Steve Stubbings and pronounced himself fit for the start of the season.
Only four sleeps to go, my friends.
Exciting, huh?
Sunday, 9 April 2017
Loughborough UCCE v Derbyshire day 3
Derbyshire 363-8 and 255-2 declared (Madsen 80 not, Godleman 65 retired, Reece 58, Smit 18 not)
Loughborough UCCE 388 all out (Reece 3-22)
Today was a good final workout for Derbyshire, before they start the season proper at the 3aaa County Ground against Northamptonshire on Friday. It will be a tough test, the visitors having soundly thrashed Glamorgan in their own opening game of the season.
The home side batted on today and the last wicket was taken by Luis Reece, whose performance in this game will have given the selection panel at the club plenty to think about . There is a lot to like in a young player with the technique to open the batting and the ability to bowl skiddy medium pace from his left hand. For the angle alone, he represents an interesting option and I think he will have played his way into the opening side here.
I am unsure of Ben Slater's fitness, though he was nursing a knock, but Reece is a valid alternative 'up top' or could go at three. Then again, with Shiv Thakor supposedly getting a run at first drop, he may need to drop down the order - well down - in what, assuming no injuries, may be this team:
Godleman
Slater
Thakor
Madsen
Smit
Mendis
Wilson
Reece
Palladino
Viljoen
Davis
There's an option to play Tom Milnes, on form in this game, and I suspect that he and Tony Palladino may sub in and out of the side through the summer, but that eleven offers depth to the batting and six bowlers - seven, once Smit is fit to bowl in a few weeks time. Even eight, if one includes the mighty Madsen.
Billy scored another fifty today and added 125 with Reece before retiring. Luis reached a measured fifty and then hit out and got out, as did Shiv Thakor, but Wayne Madsen cruised to an unbeaten 80 from 71 balls and Daryn Smit spent useful time in the middle as Derbyshire batted out time.
They will face better teams this season, but had a solid test and there was good match play for everyone. Derbyshire can be quite happy with the state of individual games at this stage.
With Hardus Viljoen suggesting on Twitter that he is ready to roll and Jeevan Mendis due over this week, there's a rugged look to our side, competition for places and six months of county cricket to look forward to.
I can't wait...
Loughborough UCCE 388 all out (Reece 3-22)
Today was a good final workout for Derbyshire, before they start the season proper at the 3aaa County Ground against Northamptonshire on Friday. It will be a tough test, the visitors having soundly thrashed Glamorgan in their own opening game of the season.
The home side batted on today and the last wicket was taken by Luis Reece, whose performance in this game will have given the selection panel at the club plenty to think about . There is a lot to like in a young player with the technique to open the batting and the ability to bowl skiddy medium pace from his left hand. For the angle alone, he represents an interesting option and I think he will have played his way into the opening side here.
I am unsure of Ben Slater's fitness, though he was nursing a knock, but Reece is a valid alternative 'up top' or could go at three. Then again, with Shiv Thakor supposedly getting a run at first drop, he may need to drop down the order - well down - in what, assuming no injuries, may be this team:
Godleman
Slater
Thakor
Madsen
Smit
Mendis
Wilson
Reece
Palladino
Viljoen
Davis
There's an option to play Tom Milnes, on form in this game, and I suspect that he and Tony Palladino may sub in and out of the side through the summer, but that eleven offers depth to the batting and six bowlers - seven, once Smit is fit to bowl in a few weeks time. Even eight, if one includes the mighty Madsen.
Billy scored another fifty today and added 125 with Reece before retiring. Luis reached a measured fifty and then hit out and got out, as did Shiv Thakor, but Wayne Madsen cruised to an unbeaten 80 from 71 balls and Daryn Smit spent useful time in the middle as Derbyshire batted out time.
They will face better teams this season, but had a solid test and there was good match play for everyone. Derbyshire can be quite happy with the state of individual games at this stage.
With Hardus Viljoen suggesting on Twitter that he is ready to roll and Jeevan Mendis due over this week, there's a rugged look to our side, competition for places and six months of county cricket to look forward to.
I can't wait...
Loughborough UCCE v Derbyshire day 2
Derbyshire 363-8
Loughborough 351-9
Another day another workout for Derbyshire yesterday. It was the same for me, because I was working until 7 and then had family commitments all evening, hence no blog until now...
Loughborough must be the strongest University side in a number of years and appear to have some good players. Certainly their top five is very good and the Canadian, Kumar, has a wide range of shots that he is unafraid to use. James Bracey, who is on Gloucestershire's staff, made a composed century and the attack had to work hard and what is obviously a decent batting track.
It was good to see Tom Taylor back in the wickets on his first-class return after missing most of last season and he now needs to get his line and length grooved, much as Tony Palladino did - indeeed, always does. The wickets were shared around fairly evenly, but the surprise for me, following play on my desktop scoreboard, was that Luis Reece wasn't introduced until the sixty-over mark.
If for no other reason than he offers a different angle, the left-arm Reece is always worth a spell, as he seems to be a 'golden arm' type of bowler. There is much to like in the option of a player who can open the innings for you AND bowl ten to fifteen overs, though Reece could equally slot into the lower middle order.
He will doubtless get another chance with the bat today, but a controlled spell of 2-18 in nine overs suggests he could be an important player for us this year. Last year our attack was largely a battery of feast medium right arm bowlers, but variety, especially on a moribund track, is the way to success.
It would be good to see those who missed out first time around get some time in the middle today and a good score for Reece will make him hard to omit from the season opener next weekend.
Also good to see was Hardus Viljoen making an appearance at Loughborough and supporters will be eager to see the powerfully built quick bowler in action as soon as he is able. I suspect he may be too quick for some, once he gets his rhythm back, much as Mark Footitt was for Warwickshire yesterday. His destruction of a pretty solid batting line up suggests that Surrey, after a busy winter, could be the team to beat this year.
Mind you, Leicestershire's inept effort against Nottinghamshire, after the deduction of points for repeatedly poor behaviour, confirms that Derbyshire will still be ahead of two teams (Durham being the other) before we have played a county match.
Bizarre eh? One for the quizzes in years to come...
I'll be back later with a round up of day 3.
Loughborough 351-9
Another day another workout for Derbyshire yesterday. It was the same for me, because I was working until 7 and then had family commitments all evening, hence no blog until now...
Loughborough must be the strongest University side in a number of years and appear to have some good players. Certainly their top five is very good and the Canadian, Kumar, has a wide range of shots that he is unafraid to use. James Bracey, who is on Gloucestershire's staff, made a composed century and the attack had to work hard and what is obviously a decent batting track.
It was good to see Tom Taylor back in the wickets on his first-class return after missing most of last season and he now needs to get his line and length grooved, much as Tony Palladino did - indeeed, always does. The wickets were shared around fairly evenly, but the surprise for me, following play on my desktop scoreboard, was that Luis Reece wasn't introduced until the sixty-over mark.
If for no other reason than he offers a different angle, the left-arm Reece is always worth a spell, as he seems to be a 'golden arm' type of bowler. There is much to like in the option of a player who can open the innings for you AND bowl ten to fifteen overs, though Reece could equally slot into the lower middle order.
He will doubtless get another chance with the bat today, but a controlled spell of 2-18 in nine overs suggests he could be an important player for us this year. Last year our attack was largely a battery of feast medium right arm bowlers, but variety, especially on a moribund track, is the way to success.
It would be good to see those who missed out first time around get some time in the middle today and a good score for Reece will make him hard to omit from the season opener next weekend.
Also good to see was Hardus Viljoen making an appearance at Loughborough and supporters will be eager to see the powerfully built quick bowler in action as soon as he is able. I suspect he may be too quick for some, once he gets his rhythm back, much as Mark Footitt was for Warwickshire yesterday. His destruction of a pretty solid batting line up suggests that Surrey, after a busy winter, could be the team to beat this year.
Mind you, Leicestershire's inept effort against Nottinghamshire, after the deduction of points for repeatedly poor behaviour, confirms that Derbyshire will still be ahead of two teams (Durham being the other) before we have played a county match.
Bizarre eh? One for the quizzes in years to come...
I'll be back later with a round up of day 3.
Friday, 7 April 2017
Loughborough UCCE v Derbyshire day 1
Derbyshire 363-8 (Wilson 106, Godleman 76, Thakor 41, Hughes 39)
Loughborough UCCE 48-1 (Milnes 1-22)
A solid opening day for Derbyshire, with Gary Wilson producing exactly the sort of innings that he was recruited for.
A near run-a-ball century restored an innings that was wobbling at 148-4. Neither Wayne Madsen nor Daryn Smit got going, but these are early days and I am sure that both players will be in nick before too long. Wilson simply carried on the form that has seen him through a successful winter and that will doubtless prove a huge asset to us this
Billy Godleman got some early runs under his belt, as did Shiv Thakor, and the final total was scored at a healthy 4.5 runs an over, allowing Tom Milnes to take a wicket with his second ball, before the home side saw things through to the close.
Like last week, time in the middle is worth more than anything else here.
Expect a draw, but some solid personal performances will cement places in the side for the season opener proper next week.
More tomorrow.
Loughborough UCCE 48-1 (Milnes 1-22)
A solid opening day for Derbyshire, with Gary Wilson producing exactly the sort of innings that he was recruited for.
A near run-a-ball century restored an innings that was wobbling at 148-4. Neither Wayne Madsen nor Daryn Smit got going, but these are early days and I am sure that both players will be in nick before too long. Wilson simply carried on the form that has seen him through a successful winter and that will doubtless prove a huge asset to us this
Billy Godleman got some early runs under his belt, as did Shiv Thakor, and the final total was scored at a healthy 4.5 runs an over, allowing Tom Milnes to take a wicket with his second ball, before the home side saw things through to the close.
Like last week, time in the middle is worth more than anything else here.
Expect a draw, but some solid personal performances will cement places in the side for the season opener proper next week.
More tomorrow.
Thursday, 6 April 2017
Fantasy League starts tomorrow...
Eighteen teams are so far registered for the Peakfan Trophy 2017. You can still join after the season starts, but it would be akin to racing Usain Bolt while wearing wellingtons...
If you have any problems in registering, do please let me know. Thanks to all those involved so far!
8031395 is the PIN to access the league, and it is only £8 for one team, with discounts for more.
Use the link on the left hand side of the blog to get the the Telegraph site.
If you have any problems in registering, do please let me know. Thanks to all those involved so far!
8031395 is the PIN to access the league, and it is only £8 for one team, with discounts for more.
Use the link on the left hand side of the blog to get the the Telegraph site.
Loughborough UCCE v Derbyshire
Seems a long time since I did a proper match preview, but its that time again!
Derbyshire has announced a 13-man squad for the three-day game at Loughborough, that starts tomorrow.
It sees Daryn Smit and Luis Reece in the squad for the first time and offers several players an opportunity to stake a claim for a place in the proper stuff, starting next week for us. With Hardus Viljoen and Jeevan Mendis we assume fit for duty, tomorrow's game sees players fighting for places in this squad:
Godleman
Reece
Slater
Macdonell
Thakor
Madsen
Smit
Wilson
Hughes
Milnes
Palladino
Taylor
Davis
I have no idea who drops out in that squad, but there would appear a three-way battle for an opening berth between Ben Slater, Luis Reece and Charlie Macdonell, which is no bad thing. Alex Hughes will be keen to impress too, while the four seamers can stake a claim to bowl alongside Viljoen.
There are good options in the squad and that should keep people on their toes through the coming season. The result is largely immaterial, but good individual performances will be on a lot of minds tonight.
Time to get that desktop scoreboard on my computer at work once again...
Can't wait!
Derbyshire has announced a 13-man squad for the three-day game at Loughborough, that starts tomorrow.
It sees Daryn Smit and Luis Reece in the squad for the first time and offers several players an opportunity to stake a claim for a place in the proper stuff, starting next week for us. With Hardus Viljoen and Jeevan Mendis we assume fit for duty, tomorrow's game sees players fighting for places in this squad:
Godleman
Reece
Slater
Macdonell
Thakor
Madsen
Smit
Wilson
Hughes
Milnes
Palladino
Taylor
Davis
I have no idea who drops out in that squad, but there would appear a three-way battle for an opening berth between Ben Slater, Luis Reece and Charlie Macdonell, which is no bad thing. Alex Hughes will be keen to impress too, while the four seamers can stake a claim to bowl alongside Viljoen.
There are good options in the squad and that should keep people on their toes through the coming season. The result is largely immaterial, but good individual performances will be on a lot of minds tonight.
Time to get that desktop scoreboard on my computer at work once again...
Can't wait!
Weekly round up
Just a day to go until Derbyshire play their first 'proper' game of the summer, though still a pre-season friendly against Loughborough UCCE. Given that they took 500-plus off Leicestershire in their last game and three players scored centuries, I think it unlikely that Derbyshire will take them lightly.
That wicket at Northampton appears to have been the early season feather bed that sullied the start of last year. Such wickets do no one any favours other than batsmen, who build up a tasty season average that perhaps doesn't always reflect their true ability.
As a worthy old Yorkshire cricketer once said, 150 on a flat track will earn you another contract, but 50 when you really have to work for it earns you respect. A liberal scattering of such players, willing to graft when required, will turn any side into a better one.
It is rather what we hope for this season and, as my season preview said, I think we have got them. My only concern at this stage is that Hardus Viljoen, who threatens to be a genuine spearhead for us, has played no cricket back home since January. There has been an unspecified injury, but he will be over next week and we must hope that he is not too ring rusty and ready to roll. If he isn't, we have a little bit of a problem, though I would like to think that might have been mentioned by the club at some point were it a major one.
On to other things, Kim Barnett's assertion that he is ready to step back and hand things over to the players is the kind of thing one would hope for at this stage. We needed someone with Kim's contacts and standing in the game to bring players in and his is a role that should have its primary focus in the winter months, in targeting new recruits and ensuring that the best of current talent is retained.
I liked that John Hancock was rewarded for a good effort against us with a trial. Let's hope that similar process is followed with anyone unattached who does well for Loughborough in the coming days. They seem the strongest of the UCCEs on current showing and should give us a good work out.
Teams or squads will be out later, but ours should be close to that for the championship opener next week, ensuring that all those in the frame spend time in the middle. No Mendis or Viljoen, but opportunities for those who have impressed in the nets to cement a place in the starting eleven.
It can't come soon enough for me and, as Barnett has said, it is all up to the players now. They will stand or fall on their own efforts.
And there can be no excuses, no blame attached to a coach who is picking the wrong side, or not doing his job properly.
Make us proud, gentlemen.
That wicket at Northampton appears to have been the early season feather bed that sullied the start of last year. Such wickets do no one any favours other than batsmen, who build up a tasty season average that perhaps doesn't always reflect their true ability.
As a worthy old Yorkshire cricketer once said, 150 on a flat track will earn you another contract, but 50 when you really have to work for it earns you respect. A liberal scattering of such players, willing to graft when required, will turn any side into a better one.
It is rather what we hope for this season and, as my season preview said, I think we have got them. My only concern at this stage is that Hardus Viljoen, who threatens to be a genuine spearhead for us, has played no cricket back home since January. There has been an unspecified injury, but he will be over next week and we must hope that he is not too ring rusty and ready to roll. If he isn't, we have a little bit of a problem, though I would like to think that might have been mentioned by the club at some point were it a major one.
On to other things, Kim Barnett's assertion that he is ready to step back and hand things over to the players is the kind of thing one would hope for at this stage. We needed someone with Kim's contacts and standing in the game to bring players in and his is a role that should have its primary focus in the winter months, in targeting new recruits and ensuring that the best of current talent is retained.
I liked that John Hancock was rewarded for a good effort against us with a trial. Let's hope that similar process is followed with anyone unattached who does well for Loughborough in the coming days. They seem the strongest of the UCCEs on current showing and should give us a good work out.
Teams or squads will be out later, but ours should be close to that for the championship opener next week, ensuring that all those in the frame spend time in the middle. No Mendis or Viljoen, but opportunities for those who have impressed in the nets to cement a place in the starting eleven.
It can't come soon enough for me and, as Barnett has said, it is all up to the players now. They will stand or fall on their own efforts.
And there can be no excuses, no blame attached to a coach who is picking the wrong side, or not doing his job properly.
Make us proud, gentlemen.
Sunday, 2 April 2017
The season approaches...
The season is fast approaching and cricketers around the country are getting ready for a new season with the optimism that comes from some solid net sessions and perhaps some new gear to give them an extra percent here and there.
I have sadly got used to the idea of not playing now and it is almost three years since I last picked up a bat in anger, Yet I can still cast my mind back to the days of my youth, such a memory being dragged to the surface by an old picture sent to me by a school pal last week.
It was 1976, a summer of searing heat and soaring temperatures, when I combined A levels with playing cricket for my school and for a local club. Goodness knows how I fitted it all in, to be honest, but I did and the photo, of the Staff v School match that summer, shows a then tonsorially impressive me with my team mates on another glorious day in a summer that no one wanted to end.
The whole school watched the game from start to finish. No classes, just a chance to watch cricket or, if that was of no interest, chat to pals and eat ice creams. I still recall batting for some time and being in at the end against a very good staff side, managing to hold out for the draw with a tail-end batsman for company. There was even some gentle sledging from the close fielders with Bill, my Maths teacher who was a very good all-rounder, telling me as the last over was about to commence that I should entertain the crowd.
I ignored him, because he always did that and his probing medium-fast seam usually saw the staff side triumph. Not that year, and at over end, when I had survived the closest field I had ever experienced, he walked up to me, smiled and shook my hand.
'Well done son', he said. 'Rule number one...NEVER listen to the opposition'.
He passed away a few years back, but as a player and a man, he played a key role in my cricketing and personal development. And I never did get the punishment exercises and extra work that was threatened after every ball of that last over...
On a different tack, this weekend the blog has gone past the 1.25 million views mark. I never cease to be amazed at how it has taken off and thank you all for your continued support. Please keep your comments and emails coming and I look forward to more exchanges in the coming months.
Changing tack again, you have just under a couple of weeks until the first game and to register for the Fantasy League. If you have any problems in registering, do please let me know. Ten teams are so far registered and thanks to all who have got involved.
8031395 is the PIN to access the league, and it is only £8 for one team, with discounts for more.
Finally today, I read earlier this week that Chris Read has informed Nottinghamshire this season will be his last.
Whoever steps into those shoes has a mighty big job on their hands, because for me he has been the best wicket-keeper/batsman in the country for years. A man who always gets runs when most needed, very composed and tidy behind the stumps, plenty of less talented players have had long international careers, but England's loss has been Nottinghamshire's gain.
Given his county's track record of sniffing around the best young talent of their neighbours, it makes it all the more important that we look after Harvey Hosein. He has to perform and justify selection, of course, but the reality is that if a county with a reputation for throwing around money comes looking, it is likely to make a Godfather-style offer than cannot be refused.
Let's just hope that Tom Moores develops rapidly this summer and keeps the wolf from the door...
With that, adieu for now.
I'm off to correct a Cricinfo article, that labels Daryn Smit a Kolpak signing...
I have sadly got used to the idea of not playing now and it is almost three years since I last picked up a bat in anger, Yet I can still cast my mind back to the days of my youth, such a memory being dragged to the surface by an old picture sent to me by a school pal last week.
It was 1976, a summer of searing heat and soaring temperatures, when I combined A levels with playing cricket for my school and for a local club. Goodness knows how I fitted it all in, to be honest, but I did and the photo, of the Staff v School match that summer, shows a then tonsorially impressive me with my team mates on another glorious day in a summer that no one wanted to end.
The whole school watched the game from start to finish. No classes, just a chance to watch cricket or, if that was of no interest, chat to pals and eat ice creams. I still recall batting for some time and being in at the end against a very good staff side, managing to hold out for the draw with a tail-end batsman for company. There was even some gentle sledging from the close fielders with Bill, my Maths teacher who was a very good all-rounder, telling me as the last over was about to commence that I should entertain the crowd.
I ignored him, because he always did that and his probing medium-fast seam usually saw the staff side triumph. Not that year, and at over end, when I had survived the closest field I had ever experienced, he walked up to me, smiled and shook my hand.
'Well done son', he said. 'Rule number one...NEVER listen to the opposition'.
He passed away a few years back, but as a player and a man, he played a key role in my cricketing and personal development. And I never did get the punishment exercises and extra work that was threatened after every ball of that last over...
On a different tack, this weekend the blog has gone past the 1.25 million views mark. I never cease to be amazed at how it has taken off and thank you all for your continued support. Please keep your comments and emails coming and I look forward to more exchanges in the coming months.
Changing tack again, you have just under a couple of weeks until the first game and to register for the Fantasy League. If you have any problems in registering, do please let me know. Ten teams are so far registered and thanks to all who have got involved.
8031395 is the PIN to access the league, and it is only £8 for one team, with discounts for more.
Finally today, I read earlier this week that Chris Read has informed Nottinghamshire this season will be his last.
Whoever steps into those shoes has a mighty big job on their hands, because for me he has been the best wicket-keeper/batsman in the country for years. A man who always gets runs when most needed, very composed and tidy behind the stumps, plenty of less talented players have had long international careers, but England's loss has been Nottinghamshire's gain.
Given his county's track record of sniffing around the best young talent of their neighbours, it makes it all the more important that we look after Harvey Hosein. He has to perform and justify selection, of course, but the reality is that if a county with a reputation for throwing around money comes looking, it is likely to make a Godfather-style offer than cannot be refused.
Let's just hope that Tom Moores develops rapidly this summer and keeps the wolf from the door...
With that, adieu for now.
I'm off to correct a Cricinfo article, that labels Daryn Smit a Kolpak signing...
Saturday, 1 April 2017
Pre season game ends in defeat
First game and first defeat for Derbyshire today, as they were beaten by the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire Select XI by seven wickets.
Charlie Macdonell made 58, Shiv Thakor 40 and Wayne Madsen 28 in a Derbyshire total of 207-9 in forty overs. The consolation for what was only a decent total was that our own Academy fast bowler, Dan Gibbs, took 3-20 in seven overs.
The hosts soon slipped to 44-3 with Tom Milnes taking two wickets and Tom Taylor one, but John Hancock, with 88 not out and Dan Brierley with an unbeaten 80 shared a stand of 165 to steer their team to a comfortable win.
More important than the result is players getting time in the middle, which happens again with a fixture against Loughborough University away, starting on Friday.
Might be a few people back for that one...
Charlie Macdonell made 58, Shiv Thakor 40 and Wayne Madsen 28 in a Derbyshire total of 207-9 in forty overs. The consolation for what was only a decent total was that our own Academy fast bowler, Dan Gibbs, took 3-20 in seven overs.
The hosts soon slipped to 44-3 with Tom Milnes taking two wickets and Tom Taylor one, but John Hancock, with 88 not out and Dan Brierley with an unbeaten 80 shared a stand of 165 to steer their team to a comfortable win.
More important than the result is players getting time in the middle, which happens again with a fixture against Loughborough University away, starting on Friday.
Might be a few people back for that one...
First game of the season!
OK, it is only a friendly, but the fact that eleven Derbyshire players are going out to play a match heralds the start of another season. Breathe easy folks, we have made it through another winter and the fun starts now...
The game is against a North Staffordshire and South Cheshire XI and, as well as a chance to impress for our boys, there is an opportunity for players from traditional Derbyshire catchment areas to catch the eye too. Life can take funny turns at times, so you never know when a good display might lead to an opportunity down the line.
Truth be told, it is a Derbyshire XI that bears little resemblance to a first choice side, but the game likewise gives an opportunity to impress and stake a claim for players who may be on the periphery for a fair part of the summer. Unless...
Billy Godleman is unwell, Ben Slater has a knock, Daryn Smit must still be settling into the country and the area, while Jeevan Mendis and Hardus Viljoen have yet to arrive. With Gary Wilson rested after being on Ireland duty, the side is skippered by Wayne Madsen and the thirteen-man squad is:
Luis Reece
Charlie Macdonell
Shiv Thakor
Wayne Madsen
Tom Wood
Alex Hughes
Harvey Hosein
Matt Critchley
Tom Milnes
Tony Palladino
Greg Cork
Tom Taylor
Will Davis
I'll be back later with news on the game and look forward to seeing who puts up their hand at the start of the summer and says 'pick me'!
The game is against a North Staffordshire and South Cheshire XI and, as well as a chance to impress for our boys, there is an opportunity for players from traditional Derbyshire catchment areas to catch the eye too. Life can take funny turns at times, so you never know when a good display might lead to an opportunity down the line.
Truth be told, it is a Derbyshire XI that bears little resemblance to a first choice side, but the game likewise gives an opportunity to impress and stake a claim for players who may be on the periphery for a fair part of the summer. Unless...
Billy Godleman is unwell, Ben Slater has a knock, Daryn Smit must still be settling into the country and the area, while Jeevan Mendis and Hardus Viljoen have yet to arrive. With Gary Wilson rested after being on Ireland duty, the side is skippered by Wayne Madsen and the thirteen-man squad is:
Luis Reece
Charlie Macdonell
Shiv Thakor
Wayne Madsen
Tom Wood
Alex Hughes
Harvey Hosein
Matt Critchley
Tom Milnes
Tony Palladino
Greg Cork
Tom Taylor
Will Davis
I'll be back later with news on the game and look forward to seeing who puts up their hand at the start of the summer and says 'pick me'!
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