Lancashire 219
Derbyshire 120-7 (Hosein 44* McKiernan 19*)
Derbyshire trail by 99 runs
We quickly polished off the home side's first innings, but then a combination of injudicious strokes, good bowling and frankly poor umpiring disposed of our batting.
It isn't a good wicket and the toss will likely prove key to the result, but we didn't help ourselves early on by 'pushing' at the moving ball, or playing across the line. Du Plooy is currently doing this early in his innings, going for square leg when previously it was mid on. On this wicket a ball keeping low ensured he didn't last long, and none of the top order batted time, but Matt Critchley got a shocker from umpire Graham Lloyd.
He presumably lost the ball but expected a beamer, ducked and was hit on the full, well outside off stump. It may also have been too high as it dipped, but the decision, one of village standard, seemed to have derailed a battling attempt at recovery, as we slipped to 61-7. Given this was effectively Lancashire's second team attack, we have to be disappointed at that.
A crucial and gutsy partnership between Harvey Hosein and Mattie McKiernan then almost doubled the score by the close. Both showed admirable technique and fighting spirit. IF we could somehow get to 200, a batting point and go on to win the match we COULD still qualify for the final, but with the games elsewhere going the way of Essex and Somerset, that is a serious set of circumstances from where we are right now.
Even my perennial positivity struggles to see another 80 runs in the rest of our batting. If we don't make it, my understanding is that Essex will qualify, having had more wins and the rest of this game is largely academic, bar for pride.
If we do...well, there's one heck of a final day in store.
Harvey, Mattie, Sam and Dustin...you know what you have to do...
Very poor from the top 4 let's be honest. We and they expect much better than that.
ReplyDeletePleased to see those 2 battling away at the back end of the day but sadly it's likely to be too little from too big a whole.
Still, regardless of the qualification situation we're in a position to at least be competitive in this game.
Our top four batsmen need to get their collective fingers out and start plundering some runs. All four are hopelessly out of form and if they're not scoring we really are in deep trouble. So well done to Harvey Hosein for getting us out of an embarrassing mess. We really have to be better than this, worrying form carrying on from the poor T20 campaign. Get a grip Derbyshire!
ReplyDeleteBit harsh, Mark. They are as likely to have a collective bad day as anyone else and I still wouldn't swap them for any around the country.
DeleteThe second innings will be a challenge on a last day pitch and, whatever happens, it looks like we will at worst be the 3rs best team in the competition.
Did many predict that?
HH is maturing into a very steady wicket keeper batsman indeed. There are very few on the county circuit I'd swap him for at the moment. I suspect he will end up a top 5 batsman in red ball cricket, he has the technique and crucially the temperament and application to match.
ReplyDeleteAll a bit harsh chaps. Read Paul Edwards on cricinfo and he certainly notes some peak grit. Agreed this is probably the worst performance in the long form this season, but how many of you really thought we would still be in with a chance now. As for me, this counts as a home fixture, but not allowed in. Aarrghh
ReplyDeleteDave, Wirral
Thought that Lancashire bowled well. Reece and Godleman got good deliveries which on another day they might have missed. Not much blame there. Madsen got one that nipped back. He was well down the track which is all that you can do really to such deliveries and might have been hit outside the line. Du Plooy did, as you say, play across the line early on and so is probably at fault. Hudson P and Dal also got good deliveries. You can tell that I am a batsman!
ReplyDeleteThe Critchley decision was very poor.
We all know that some of our top order will fail from time to time, but what concerns me is that this gas happened three times in a fortnight. And today, okay Billy gets out early, maybe then Reece, but you would expect Madsen or du Plooy to do the business. What do coaches think and say in these sort of situations? I've no idea, but thee's a problem somewhere. But great credit to Hosein and McKiernan, who knuckled down and demonstrated everything that the top four failed to do. Thanks to them, we're still in the game and the BWT. They might well get to 200 in the morning, or even - with help from Connors and Melton - 250.
ReplyDeleteFrom the post and the comments I agree with most of what has been said. Some is a little harsh given we are one of the smallest counties in terms of resources. We have managed to be the 3rd best team in the country and the best from the North Group (nearly I might add, still a possible 2 days of play weather permitting). We beat the noisy rich kids who sit by the Trent as well, what a bonus that was. The only 2 counties ahead of us are the top 2 from last season, Essex and Somerset.
ReplyDeleteBelow is a rant to an issue which I believe to be of paramount importance.
I dislike the way this sole season (as it stands) of the BWT has been formatted. T20s between rounds 4 and 5 of the BWT. Even when it gets back up and running the County Championship faces the same issue. I think a novel solution would be to put all 3 formats into separate blocks during the season.
I would have the following: 50-Over Cup, County Championship, T20. The 50-over competition is regarded as the most disliked from what I know of it so it would be best getting that out of the way. The County Championship would dominate the middle of the season as it is when we are most likely to see consistently dry/warm conditions in our reasonably rainy country. The T20 portion would be during the schools’ 6 weeks holiday as to get the biggest crowds and introduce new blood into the sport through inspiration. Finals Day would work in a similar fashion to the last day of school, a big knees-up to celebrate and acknowledge what has been achieved.
I’m sorry about the length but it just seems so unjust that our surprisingly abysmal T20 campaign has managed to derail our excellent BWT chances at the final hurdle. As for next season I would expect us to be promoted or, more realistically, fall just short but not by much.
Paul
Not a rant,Paul, a reasoned argument! They haven't yet decided what is happening next year and I have seen one and two divisions mentioned, as well as three within the current system and based on this year's positions.
DeleteBut yours makes sense, which we can only hope the one that finally appears does also.
Whatever happens today and tomorrow, no one can fail to be proud of the team's efforts in this shortened summer.
Quick reference guide to how today's events affect qualification for the final. Somerset on 81, Derbyshire, Essex and Worcs on 74, Yorks on 69. Derbyshire and Yorks can still add bonus points. If we don't get a batting bonus point, we can still qualify if we win, Middlesex beat Essex, and Somerset beat Worcs - Somerset finish on 97, we finish on 90, Essex and Worcs on 74. Yorks could reach 90 points with full batting bonus points but we beat them on the tie break by taking more wickets. Without the bonus point, both Essex and Worcs would beat us on 90 points, Essex on having won more games, Worcs on having taken more wickets.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise (and almost certainly), we need a batting bonus point. That means that regardless of anything that happens elsewhere, we would finish on 91 points which only Somerset can reach. There seems to be a school of thought that Essex might get a points penalty for the Chelmsford pitch, but I won't be holding my breath.
Tense morning ahead with disappointment the likeliest result, but our last 3 wickets have dug us out of several deep holes this year. And how many of us even dared to imagine 5 weeks ago that we might be in this position?
Points penalty for the Chelmsford pitch, in your head only im afraid noy, its September and its not different anywhere around the country with the odd exception.
ReplyDeleteA game effort but against whats at best is a Lancs 2nd xi attack.
The format of the competition this year lacks integrity, some counties are playing trialists and kids, some are not (essex, somerset). Nothing can be read into this season in my opinion, and understandably so given the Pandemic situation. The short format also means a team in form can do well that would otherwise be found out over the course of a season, and regionilised groups are a novelty as a one off, but boring thereafter and not to mention unfair given some are considerably stronger than others.
Notts apparently haven't won in 26 red ball games. haha
plumtree hill