Derbyshire v Birmingham preview

After a couple of rounds of matches in the North group, only Lancashire, Worcestershire and Durham are unbeaten.

That is how open it is and there are winnable games for Derbyshire, IF they play to 100% intensity like last night.

We can't expect Luis Reece to blaze to a quick fifty every match and the injuries to Madsen and Hughes are a concern. Both are massive players in this format and a concern is that if Reece fails, the other two of the top three will be either largely untried or unsuited to the format.

I am happy to be in the minority of one but would play Tom Wood tomorrow. I don't expect it to happen, but we need an eleven all suited for the format. Every county has players who don't play T20, or those who only do. Ross Whiteley rarely plays four day cricket for Worcestershire, but is first name on the sheet for T20. Sam Robson rarely plays T20 for Middlesex, nor did Tony Palladino for us. There are plenty of examples out there, including Rahul David and Cheteshwar Pujara, neither especially  good at this format but very fine players. 

So if anyone thinks I am 'getting at' Billy Godleman, I am not. I respect him for the runs and contribution he has made to our club, but not the process that includes him in T20. I have always believed you bat your best players in the top four, those who can score big AND score quickly. For THIS format, that isn't Billy. He had a fine 2019, when we made finals day, but since then teams worked out he struggles against spin, early innings.

For those who like their metrics, consider this. Last year, he had the slowest strike rate of anyone batting in the first NINE, with a highest score of 49. This year he has two runs in two knocks from eight balls. Even in his best year, 2019, he was slowest scorer in the crucial top five.

If Dominic Cork is picking the side, then he needs to realise the obvious solution. If Billy is picking the side, and genuinely  has the club's best interests at heart, then he would stand down from this format and charge his batteries for the others.

Were I picking the side for tomorrow and the dangerous Birmingham Bears, I would replace Alex Hughes (injured) with Mattie McKiernan and go with this side:

Came, Reece, Wood, du Plooy, Critchley, McKiernan, Hudson-Prentice, Guest, Dal, Van Beek, Cohen.

I don't think Alex Thomson can play against Birmingham, his own club. It is a young, fit, agile side, well-equipped to score fast, field tigerishly and with bowling options. A second overseas would be a massive help, but whether Dave Houghton can find one is the big question.

Birmingham beat Nottinghamshire last night in a high-scoring game, with big-hitting knocks from Ed Pollock, Carlos Brathwaite and Sam Hain. They may well be unchanged with this side:

Pollock, Jose, Rhodes, Hain, Mousley, Brathwaite, Burgess, Bresnan, Miles, Briggs, Lintott

It will be a tough game and will need a performance of similar standard to win it from Derbyshire. 

I think the team I named above could do it.

But I don't expect it to be the one named.

Postscript: Godleman, Scrimshaw and Conners added to the eleven I named. Dal is also injured..