As I get ready to go out in a little while, only two results are possible at Derby on a wicket that appears to have no demons.
Either it will be a draw, with Derbyshire batting out the last afternoon when our visitors have posted 600, or we will collapse in a fashion we have seen too often over the years.
I don't think it will be the latter, because there is barely a ball passed the bat since the first hour and a half. Poynter and Richardson have batted superbly, but there has been nothing for the Derbyshire bowlers.
Realistically, if we want to win many more matches at home this season, we need more in the wickets for bowlers. Signing top seam bowlers and giving them wickets like this is like recruiting Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck for your new band and not bringing amplifiers.
Postscript - We shouldn't lose this, as since I posted last night Durham's innings ended only 93 ahead.
In the absence of a front line spinner, and unless Aiden Markram turns into Simon Harmer overnight or we bat poorly, the last day should be largely batting practice for Derbyshire.
I stand by my comments of last night that the wickets need to offer more to bowlers for us to win many home four-day matches. Look around the country and most matches have finished inside three days. From a viewing perspective that is a day lost, but positive results have been achieved.
I accept there's a fine line between one that ends after tea on the final day, and one that is simply too good for batting. And for me, there is still a large area of concern over the number of extras we are conceding. Forty-two again yesterday, with 24 byes, which could have been a lot worse bar for some athletic wicket-keeping from some frankly awful balls.
If those lines extend to one-day cricket, we haven't a prayer.
More from me at my earliest opportunity.
Having been there until the better end and agreeing with you comments regarding the pitch,two observations strike me. I've rarely seen a better innings than the one played by Poynton today, shots all around the wicket and only two false shots in the whole innings. Secondly, I think Billy seemed very reluctant to turn to Critchley and Madden. Whilst I'm not saying there was much in it for them either, our pace attack looked predictable and one dimensional and the two spinners would have just mixed it up a liile better. Both Oliver and Viljoen's radar was too often awry again with extras a significant scorer for Durham. But I agree the winner of this one will be the pitch....
ReplyDeleteHave to agree with Vince the batting of Poynton, is that the correct spelling, was as good an innings seen for a long time. The running between the wickets was excellent they never took a backward step. As for the wicket it seemed to get slower and slower did think there was a bit of turn for Critchley after tea, fortunately they don't have a front line spinner. Time will tell, if their bowlers manage to get anything out of it then we may need to ask some questions about our own pace attack. Credit to Palladino who stuck to his task and got some reward at the end
ReplyDeleteI can see us imploding tomorrow I'm afraid, Durham victory. Good luck to the rams Peakfan, I want to see them back in the prem.
ReplyDeleteApologies for the typos in the original - its hard trying to type on a handheld device with the bus bouncing all over the show... and auto-correct didn't help either. here's what I meant to say.
ReplyDeleteHaving been there until the bitter end and agreeing with your comments regarding the pitch, two observations strike me. I've rarely seen a better innings than the one played by Poynter today, shots all around the wicket and only two false-ish shots in the whole innings. Secondly, I think Billy seemed very reluctant to turn to Critchley and Madsen. Whilst I'm not saying there was much in it for them either, our pace attack looked predictable and one dimensional and the two spinners would have just mixed it up a little better. Both Olivier and Viljoen's radar was too often awry again with extras a significant scorer. But I agreem the winner of this one will be the pitch....