A 5.30am departure from home in Glasgow got me to the 3aaa County Ground in time to hear the cheers as Lockie Ferguson removed overnight batsman Drissell with a trademark fast and straight delivery this morning.
Thereafter it was largely the Luis Reece show again, with the all-rounder completing figures of 7-20, the most economical for a seven wicket haul for the county since the legendary, nay infamous, Bill Bestwick at Burton on Trent in 1920. It is fair to say that the two are somewhat diametrically opposed as personalities and Luis is a considerably better batsman than Bill. Mind you, Bill took 1457 wickets for the county, so Luis has some way to go with a ball in his hand...
Today he bowled another spell of immaculate line and length, the batsmen seemingly unaware how to combat his left arm swing. When Lockie Ferguson held on to catch at mid wicket to take the seventh, he was instantly surrounded by his team mates, who had been commendably upbeat and chipper all morning. It was a superb spell of controlled swing bowling, yet in marked contrast to two dreadful overs bowled by Hardus Viljoen before he was withdrawn from the attack. In a low-scoring game, 34 extras conceded, sixteen byes and ten wides, is unacceptable at this level and I attribute little blame to the wicket-keeper. One ball that went to the fence would have challenged a wide leg slip to take and it is so frustrating to see. Ironically, Viljoen produced a beauty with his final ball to dismiss Higgins, there being little that the batsman could do before the catch was pouched expertly at slip by Wayne Madsen.
A lead of 21 could have been more with less profligate bowling by the fast bowlers and it seemed to me that our best chance of winning this in the final innings will be for the bulk of the bowling to be done by Messrs Palladino, Reece and Hughes. Runs will be at a premium and we can ill afford to give away freebies as we did first time around.
The batting procession continued as our second innings began, the skipper's final knock of the summer lasting just three balls before being given leg before. Madsen and Reece saw it through to lunch but both went soon afterwards, at 32-3 the home side in danger of giving away their fine work earlier.
The Gloucestershire bowlers did well again. I particularly liked the look of Ryan Higgins, who bristled aggression though not really having the pace for it. He nipped it around as he has all season, as did David Payne, a bowler I have admired for some time and the ball fizzed past the bat and rapped the pad with uneasy frequency.
Yet Alex Hughes and Tom Lace showed commendable fortitude and no little skill in adding a painstaking partnership. It was proper, attritional, fascinating county cricket. Alex always looks good in such situations and sells his wicket dearly, while my first 'proper' sighting of Lace was enjoyable. He showed sound technique against a moving ball and got his head down again after a nasty blow on the arm from one that lifted from a length. Probably not what he wanted to be on the end of, but for the watching Derbyshire bowlers, something that may have brought a smile to their faces.
Of course, on such a wicket danger lurks in every delivery and Lace fell leg before to Howell for a hard-earned seventeen. It was nothing impressive in the score book, but worth more in the context of the game. At 66-4, there was more rebuilding to be done. As they had done in the first innings, Critchley and Hughes added a few, but on 84 Critchley made room against the off spinner Drissell and was bowled. In the context of the game it was a cheap wicket to lose.
Hosein didn't last long, well-taken at slip and the decent-sized crowd, basking in sunshine and doubtless contemplating a long winter without their cricket 'fix' realised that this game was very much in the balance. Derbyshire were only 106 ahead and more were needed, beyond doubt.
After tea Hughes went on the attack, a square cut for four and then a sashay down the track and a six over long on. At the other end Anuj Dal was again busy and tidy, quick footwork and fast hands seeing him look as comfortable as anyone, as the nicks fell short or went wide of the slips but many more were met with a resolute straight bat until he was caught at slip after a stand of 29.
There were a couple of lusty blows from Hardus Viljoen, but the innings subsided to 157 all out. The 195 minute vigil of Alex Hughes was a magnificent effort, his unbeaten 55 when no one else made more than 17 was priceless for the cause.
179 to win became 150 by the close, but Gloucestershire lost their skipper to the first ball and Bracey clean bowled, both to Ferguson in that time.
The visitors will need to bat very well to win this, on a wicket that offers the bowlers plenty of help.
Conversely, Derbyshire will need to bowl badly and bowl the wrong people to lose it.
It should make for an absorbing couple of sessions of cricket and I look forward to seeing the dying embers of an excellent summer's entertainment.
Your comment about Higgins reminded me of a team mate of mine, Gordon Parsons.
ReplyDeleteBullhead', as he was affectionately known on the county circuit circa the 1980s, employed a run-up which began in Derbyshire and he arrived at the crease at roughly the same velocity as a man fired from a circus cannon. OK, so the intimidation factor took a bit of a nosedive when the ball came out of his hand like a piece of churchyard confetti, but this never deterred Gordon when he got one past the bat. He is currently coaching the Highveld Lions in South Africa's domestic circuit.
Martin Johnson, The Daily Telegraph
Knack
I think it will be a tight one today PF. Gloucs are not a bad side although Dent and Bracey are probably their best batsmen. I went on the first day and one of those wickets where the bounce made it hard for the batsmen to have any confidence that they were 'in'. Very pleased for Madsen to get his 1000 runs; context is that he may be only one of a few to achieve this (incidentally depending on today Slater could join him if he can add to his overnight not out score) and he shows a wonderful consistency over a number of years.
ReplyDeleteMy final day of the cricketing summer - and it has been an excellent one - was spent at Edgbaston and a glorious sunny day. Was a bit sceptical when Warwickshire picked up Rhodes and Sibley as neither had overwhelmed with their previous counties but both have centuries in this match and Rhodes could also get to his 1000 depending on how the game goes today. You mention Higgins and it shows that the talent is out there for clubs like Derbyshire if you can spot it and Reece is another fine example of that. Reiterate my view that the priority is a good no 4/5 who will get consistent runs plus the return of Olivier if possible.
Should be an interesting day at dccc today, hopefully the wicket does not flatten out and our bowlers bowl wicket to wicket. I think that alex hughes innings should not be underestimated on that wicket, and shows how valuable a cricketer he is to us, as I have said before he is not the best but a good bits and pieces cricketer who always gives his best. Fantastic news re wayne Madsen, hopefully that will help retain any others looking to leave and possible encourage some to come to Derbyshire.
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