Too often over the years we have watched Derbyshire fluff their lines when it came to a live TV performance. It was if overcome by the spirit of Greta Garbo, reluctant in the spotlight in her later years.
Yet tonight they gave a virtuoso performance, a tour de force if you will and ran out easy winners against our hosts, who shared bottom place before this game.
Very thoughtfully they prepared a fast and bouncy track for arguably the quickest attack in the country and suffered as a consequence.
It might all have been academic but for the best batting performance of the competition so far, with the magnificent Calum MacLeod scoring a century of rare quality. While the hapless Sky commentators (who were calling him Cameron at one stage) tried to rationalise it as a poor attack, MacLeod hit so cleanly that its quality didn't matter. Nor was it slogging, with deft glances and clean sweeps amid an array all round the wicket.
The tempo was set by Billy Godleman, wearing one of Lockie Ferguson's tops. He hit the first ball for four and gave the innings a great base, built on by MacLeod and Wayne Madsen. Their century stand took the innings to a total of dominance and a late sparkle from Matt Critchley meant we had a defendable score for once.
In reply our hosts never got going. The hugely impressive Ferguson removed the dangerous Duckett with his first ball and bowled a spell in which his fastest ball was 93.6mph. This was missed by the commentators who were prattling on about The Open at the time but he was the quickest of the fast bowling trio, with Viljoen next. Hardus did well tonight and it was a welcome return to form.
So too did Ravi Rampaul who showed his nous at the death and got more movement than anyone on the night. Yet Alex Hughes deserves mention for four wickets and a canny spell when he varied his pace and length to great effect.
The bowlers were well supported in the field and Anuj Dal was especially impressive. It looked a better team and the fielding was in marked contrast to Northamptonshire, whose unfit looking squad were pedestrian in comparison.
Fair play all round and well done to those concerned. I thought Gary Wilson skippered the team well and switched his bowlers around at the right times.
It was good to watch and makes you wonder why we can't do that more often. They will face sterner tests, but at least are up and running.
In closing, I have to say that the Sky commentary team was perhaps the worst I have heard yet. Mark Butcher seemed to spend all night trying to be smart with Ebony Rainford-Brent and neither seemed to have a clue what was happening. Rob Key was as bad and it confirmed why I usually watch with the sound down.
They have a long way to improve.
Derbyshire showed that they have it in them tonight. And it was a pleasure to watch.
Well done guys.
Summed it up when she claimed that Godleman’s shirt (which was very tacky it has to be said) must have been Ben Hutton’s due to it ending in ‘ON’. Ben Hutton that is who plays for Northamptonshire in a Northamptonshire shirt. I have no idea why Sky think they must have a female commentating when they haven’t got a clue what they’re watching.
ReplyDeleteAs for the game, well done Derbyshire. Let’s try it when the cameras aren’t watching.
Shame on you, Tim, for a rankly sexist comment. ERB guessed wrong about who's shirt it was, but that was nothing to do with the fact she was a woman. The joker in the pack (literally) was Mark Butcher, who I usually have a lot of time for. He spent his time here though trying to flirt with her, to her obvious embarrassment. Isn't that even better grounds for asking why Sky thinks they must have a male commentating when they haven't a clue what they're watching?
ReplyDeleteIn fairness, too, I thought the commentators were very complimentary to Derbyshire's batting, Macleod in particular obviously, and were doing no more than pointing out the rank inadequacy of Northants fielding and bowling in the last 8 overs or so. Accustomed though we are to being run down by the Sky commentators over the years, they were lavishing praise on us as well as criticising Northants.
On the cricket itself, we're entitled to ask "where did that come from? There were some changes that probably had an impact. There was vindication for those of us who have been arguing that Godleman needs to play because of the power he brings in the powerplay overs. We know it doesn't come off every time, but when it does it gives a turbo-charge to the start of the innings that we don't often get from anyone else. It lets his partner ease into their innings as Macleod was able to, and capitalised on with such brilliance. Critchley batting at the right stage injected a kick in the last couple of overs. There was a lot more vitality in the field with Dal again a livewire, and Wilson proving a far better wicket-keeper than he is a fielder. Best of all, the flat dejected body language of the Notts and Lancs games was left behind.
It was a fine performance in almost every respect, and the irony is that most of the people watching it on TV won't have any idea just how bad we've been at times.
But it also puts those performances into a perspective that perhaps we've all been missing in our disappointment. We have lost to the top three teams in the group, and perhaps haven't given enough credit to just how good Lancashire and Worcs in particular are. All of the defeats have been on fairly slow, two-paced surfaces, with big boundaries. So perhaps it's not so surprising that the first time we've come up against a lesser team opponents on a quick wicket, we've looked like a different team.
There are still tougher opponents than Northants to come, and we can't expect to see too many more like this in our away matches, especially after our opponents see how good we are in the right conditions. But we can at least try to ensure that our home matches are played on faster pitches with shorter boundaries, and that our bowlers show the same kind of discipline in less helpful conditions as they did here. Win our next two and we're right back in this - all it needs is a double against Yorkshire!
Some good points made on where we improved based on small tweaks notoveryet. Have to say not sure where the sexist outburst came from?
DeleteFully agree
ReplyDeleteThe commentary is bordering on farcical
It is like a Lad's night out
Hurrah for the Win !
Atherton and Holding please
Fantastic performance lads well done. Must admit I was more team Slater than team Godleman for t20 but fair play Godleman set the tone wel. I have however asked for MacLeod to open and that was proved right so win some lose some. Main thing is we looked a team. Some of the bowling was superb. Fielding food we took some decent catches. Can’t pick a fault in that at all. Onwards and upwards we go.
ReplyDeleteWhere's that Derbyshire been, a side looking full of confidence and as you say Peakfan a fit looking outfit. Really impressed with Ferguson so far, and I reckon after another couple of matches behind him, he'll be unplayable. Great find whoever discovered he was available.
ReplyDeleteMacLeod looking like another inspired signing as well. Great performance Derbyshire.
Well that was a much better team performance & fully deserved the win.There seemed to be a good spirit & desire to achieve a positive result.
ReplyDeleteFrom the first ball we took the game to the opposition, had good partnerships allowing to put a challenging score on the board. This had not happened before in this campaign.
The bowlers performed well & bowled as a unit.
I can only assume after the result against Lancashire last Saturday there as been some backside kicking & a few harsh words been said.
Now the trick is to follow it up next game with a strong team performance.
Well done to all & keep it going!
MH
I agree the commentary team were totally unprofessional. Key was as abysmal as ever but on this occassion butcher ran him a close second on that score.
ReplyDeleteGreat performance - if only we could produce that type of wicket at Derby...
Credit where credit is due. Fine batting at the top after a tinker with selection and the order. Bowling a bit of a mixture in my view, they did hit 180 and we are not going to get that score consistently. Ultimately we won't qualify but purely on last night well done all at the club!
ReplyDeleteWell done Derbyshire - I didn't get to watch the game and was stunned when I saw the result.
ReplyDeleteIt's also remarkable how quickly things can change in this format - Northants were lifting the trophy two years ago. Hopefully we can put on an improvement in our T20 game that mirrors their decline.
Without wanting to make a mountain out of a molehill, well done to notoveryet for calling out a sexist comment. I'm not qualified to assess ERB's commentating skills, but she's a world cup winner and I don't think "haven’t got a clue what they’re watching" is valid.
Let's not get too carried away folks it's one win against the bottom club in front of the cameras.It's about time if you ask me we've suffered enough.If we start winning on a regular basis then for sure hand out the compliments but we've got some tough fixtures coming up so let's see where we sit after that.
ReplyDeleteIn Lisbon at the moment Peakfan, so didn't see any of the game. However from a distance, reading the team sheet, all the players seemed to be in the correct batting order and no funky positions we have seen recently. Very well balanced (except for a front line spinner, which we don't have anyway). Openers opened, middle orders just that and bowlers at the tail end! Simple really. Mark
ReplyDeleteI don’t think it’s sexist to question why Sky have concluded they must have a woman on each commentary team. The fact that she wondered if Godleman’s shirt was a Northants player’s says it all. Clueless. If they aren’t up to the task they shouldn’t get the gig, regardless of whether they have breasts or not (actually with Rob Key that criteria only confuses matters).
ReplyDeleteIn fairness some of the birds commentating for the BBC on the radio are actually very good.
Wow.where did that come from!..
ReplyDeleteAfter what seemed like an age of rob key ..MB .& ebony babbling on,
Once billy G whacked that 4 "up n over"...twas game on.( yes i know its there job to rabbit..however ..snoozze)....anyways
From that prelude..the falcons never looked back.the whole team really looking fired up and motivated.with an intensity i aint seen for awhile.
They all played there part...but i must say. what a F innings from mac cloud!.
More of the same boys.
Same to as well please...
No tinkering allowed
I didn't think Tim's comment sexist, hence why I allowed it. Just because it refers to a woman, doesn't make it so.
ReplyDeleteShe had a bad night, but I would expect more from Mark Butcher, who as notoveryet said, just seemed to spend the night flirting with her. Such banal stuff when she tried to make a favourable comment on Anuj Dal's fielding as 'Ooh I like a bit of Dal with a naan bread' was puerile and did neither him nor Sky favours. To prattle on about The Open when a bloke has just exceeded 93mph was unprofessional.
I have no issue with female commentators and there are some excellent ones and analysts in a range of sports. But when they have poor days, nor should they be exempt from criticism.
All three were shocking last night. How they are missing Corky...
I think the Sky T20 approach is to make it like a lads night out. When Flintoff and Lloyd are together it's cringeworthy - glad I don't subscribe to Sky.
ReplyDeleteGreat win and hopefully morale booster. A shame in a sense we are now back to red ball cricket and it's a different game but a bit of momentum might just provide an edge at Chesterfield.
On the subject of Sky and their staff I have to say that Kumar Sangakkara is a tremendous listen. Intelligent and engaging and offering a real insight into the game.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised this needs any discussion in 2018, but Tim's original comment started with a thoughtless comment by a woman commentator, and then generalised it to a criticism of all women cricket commentators. That is sexist, as was his subsequent trivialisation of women as "birds".
ReplyDeleteThere are women commentators I dislike intensely, not because they don't know anything about cricket, but because their voice grates on me, or they are formulaic and superficial, or because they are barely articulate. That's because they are poor commentators, not because they are women. There are male commentators I dislike intensely for exactly the same reasons, and in one local case, because he admits he knows nothing about cricket and boy does it show. It would never cross my mind (and I'm certain not Tim's) to criticise all male commentators because of one poor example, so to do it for women and not men is the very definition of sexism.
I actually think Ebony Rainford-Brent is one of the most articulate and intelligent of the former cricketers who increasingly populate the airwaves, and really only want to turn her off when she starts talking about Surrey, usually prompted and abetted by the execrable Daniel Norcross, who is obviously being groomed as the new Henry Blofeld, as though one of those snobby buffoons hadn't been enough. And just to throw the cat among the pigeons, wouldn't she be an interesting applicant for our vacant head of crocket position?
Head of crocket maybe. Cricket, absolutely not.
ReplyDeleteCorrespondence now closed on this one thanks
ReplyDelete