I have a few observations, as you might expect, on the announced fourteen-man squad for tomorrow's RLODC game against Northamptonshire.
First, it would appear likely that Anuj Dal is one of those outside the eleven. On Twitter today he was advertising his availability for a sub Pro role on Saturday. Something I would think unlikely were he playing on Friday and Sunday.
Second, there appears a likely change to the batting order, which for me would make eminent sense. If Tom Lace moves up to open and Leus du Prooy slots in at five, we can have a left/right combination through the top six. In one-day matches this makes sense, and anything with potential to mess up the lines of opposition bowlers is no bad thing.
If my likely eleven take the field, Sam Conners and Alfie Gleadall will also miss out from a side that bats down to number nine and offers eight bowling options.
That side:
Godleman, Lace, Reece, Madsen, Du Plooy, Hughes, Hosein, Critchley, van Beek, Watt, Rampaul.
So, as I predicted the other day, Mark Watt earns an early elevation to the first team. He is a good cricketer, experienced beyond his years and will let no one down.
Northamptonshire have not announced their side yet, but it is unlikely to show any change from the one that was beaten by Durham in their first game.
Derbyshire will be aware of the danger in hard hitting opening pair Josh Cobb and Richard Levi, while Alex Wakely is the strength in their middle order. They also have perhaps the tallest pair of opening bowlers on the county circuit, in West Indies captain Jason Holder and Zimbabwe international Blessing Muzarabani.
Their likely side:
Cobb, Levi, Newton, Wakely, Rossington, Holder, Keogh, Procter, Buck, Sanderson, Muzarabani.
It will be a tough game, but they all are and I have confidence that a battling Derbyshire side will come out on top, ahead of the East Midlands derby on Sunday.
As always, I welcome your comments.
That would be my XI. My reservations are the bowling in the opening power play & the middle order being able to accelerate the scoring. On paper tomorrow & Leics are our easiest games, it is simply a must win.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of LH/RH combos something I’ve spoken about a lot on here. It hasn’t been the way in championship through (appreciate it’s probably more of an advantage in one day) but we had the chance in first two championship games of going L/R/L/R but we decided to go L/L/R/R which made no sense to me when it seemed to me Lace had the temperament to open last season
ReplyDeleteThis sounds a likely XI. At some point, we are going to need a batsman who will come down the wicket, perhaps Du Plooy or, more likely, Critchley, and get that scoreboard working over time.
ReplyDeleteLooks a solid line up
ReplyDeleteNeed 4 wins to be in the mix,5 to qualify and Northants needs to be one of them
Won’t be there today but looking forward to the Notts game