Durham 96 and 376
Derbyshire 205 and 172 (Slater 68)
Durham won by 95 runs
And so the game that was lost on day three, after an opportunity to nail down a win on day two, came and went with nary a murmur in one session of day four.
Brodrick didn't last long, Smit lasted even less and despite a valiant and skilled fifty from Ben Slater that showed the rest what could be done, the good ship Derbyshire subsided beneath the waves of defeat with little more than a ripple to acknowledge its passing. Viljoen, who owed us plenty, didn't manage many either and it was left to Tony Palladino (again) to show that it was possible to bat on here, following a first innings 32 with an unbeaten 29.
It was all so predictable. Durham's seamers simply pitched the ball up and let the pitch do the rest. Ours, as I related with frustration last night, tried to be clever and macho by bouncing them out and ended up merely looking undisciplined and unprofessional.
I said at the ground the other day that a chase of 150, what I saw as 'worst case scenario' thinking, would have proved problematic. As it turned out, we lost nine wickets in passing that tally. Irrespective of the mettle and technique shown by the Durham lower order, on that wicket they should never have set close to the eventual target.
The time has come for a serious discussion on the make up of the team. Yet there are not enough people whose current form makes them an automatic choice for it. Godleman (after the RLODC and as skipper) Slater, Olivier, Madsen, - but then who?
James Kettleborough hasn't got many runs in the second team, Harvey Hosein hasn't either and isn't fit. Reece is injured, Wilson with Ireland and calls for Chesney Hughes aren't valid for me, as there has been nothing in any opportunities elsewhere since his release to warrant a return.
All we can do is ride the current storm, work in the nets and hope that the ball finding the middle of the bat for key players comes sooner, rather than later. Maybe the T20, freed from the shackles of close fielders, is what some of them need.
We need a very good second overseas player named for T20 sometime soon, to lift spirits, as well as continued patience while they try to get it right. They aren't bad players, but there are too many in bad trots for us to do anything at the moment.
That's worrying for all of us.
But the sun will still come up tomorrow.
This is a chastising defeat, one which I think will see us plummet down the division very quickly, we just don't have the strength in depth to compete.
ReplyDeleteSo many players are hopelessly out of form Hughes, Smit, Godleman, Madsen to name four, but nobody can come in and replace them. It's a mess and needs addressing pretty damn quickly.
We should have been freed up by recent one day cup games...
ReplyDeleteNot good
Delboy
I don't think much to Godleman's post match comments but then I don't think he's up to much as a captain. What's his CC record this season with the bat?
ReplyDeleteO dear, o dear o dear......what's to say other than that last 2 days must be high on the list of pathetic, gutless cricket that we have produced. We have 2 CC games until the blast starts so I would look at making a couple of changes. First of all get HH in for Smit and tell him no matter what he'll be in the team for both games, tell Smit to get in the nets a practice some white ball hitting. I really believe we need a proper number 3, moving Madsen down to 4 to (hopefully) take the pressure off him a little, who I don't know because I cannot see anyone on our books who could fill the role, maybe get a loan in for a month, someone mentioned Alex Lees, if he is available he'd certainly fit. The bowling is where we lost the game, to continue with the wayward dross we kept firing in at Durham was bad captaincy and bad decision making from the bowlers..........surely someone could of said after 5 overs of watching the ball go everywhere but near the stumps to get back to basics, bowl at top of off for a few overs and see what happens. Genuinely cannot believe that this didn't happen, maybe HV needs a breather too, what's wrong with Davis? Anyone know? I'd bring him into the side for HH and Ravi back in for Gleadall. I would also give Hughes a rest, but I cannot for the life of me think who'll replace him at the min. For all that's said about him his batting has been and is extremely poor, there are a lot of people who say he's got a good cricket brain and he's a good team player but where does this come from? In my eyes his 'cricket brain' is no different to anyone else's.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately there is only one 2nd IX 20/20 game before the next championship match so little opportunity for match practice. I suggest a bowlers v batsmen with whole squad on the square. Despite our efforts of the last few years the last week must rank as one of our worst. It is at time like this where a manager/coach is vital, it is easy when things are going well to have the inner committee self managing. I think that despite everything a return to Chesney would be a retrogade step, and Hosien has to come in although I agree he has not done much batting wise but we know he has the temprement for 4 day cricket. Our frailties have been hidden all season in that any runs we have got have been at top of the order with the odd cameo elsewhere, but nothing really from the middle order, everyone is batting too high, Hughes confidence must be zero, so I suggest a time in 2nds would help him get back to the good cricketer we know he is. Glamorgan still below us so let's hope for positive news next week
ReplyDeleteThere wasn’t a lot of cricket brain on show yesterday
ReplyDeleteWe need 2 batsmen on loan to go in at 2,3 and rebalance the order
We have also got to overcome the loss of Olivier at the end of the month
Championship
Slater
Loan
Loan
Madsen
Godleman
Broderick
Hosein
critchley/ Qadri
Overseas
Perm 2 from Rampaul Davis Palladino Viljoen
Put a layer of 5 professionals above the youth and go with 3 seamers
Hughes Wilson and Smit rested /possible t20 picks
Agreed Tim. I am not a Godleman fan and think he’s been given far too much power. I would replace him as captain next season. He’s a good opener and his role has seen him try to reinvent himself as a middle order calming influence and it didn’t work. Now he’s back at the top due to Luis injury and he’s all over the shop. Kim needs to take a look at this and action it. They will argue we’ve improved and won a game at home. I will say we’ve spanked a load of money on effectively 3 test quality bowlers and we still have deficiencies with the bat.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteIt makes me wonder how much time is spent in the nets during the season , having ‘honed their skills’ all winter indoors.Some of the players may have overdone the nets routine and Critchley may be due a break after his long spell in Australia the last 2 winters.To a talented player performing the basics should not present a problem.
All of our players need intensive practice at clearing the ropes either in the air or on the ground in readiness for the T20 , a facet of the game where there is a definite weakness.