Again we bowled pretty well and if you keep the opposition to under 170 in this format you usually have a chance.
Jade Dernbach showed the skills that made him an England player in two good spells to top and tail the innings. Varying his pace and line, it was the sort of spell that Ravi Rampaul and Charl Langeveldt would bowl to great effect, which has been missed this year. George Scrimshaw was less effective against his old county, while Logan Van Beek was again expensive, but Matt Critchley bowled a clever spell that kept the total 'gettable'.
Yet it was almost like a copy and paste of previous matches. Lead off well in the Powerplay, get bogged down as soon as the field goes out, make a late recovery but ultimately fall short.
There's no point going over old ground and there are signs of potential. Came and Reece could be a good partnership in this format, but both played ill-advised shots, the one by the former the kind swiped at club level, with six needed off the last ball.
Ten an over from the first six, but then only eighteen off the next four as the slow bowlers again tied us up. That's where the game was lost and although Tom Wood batted well, there was little support and the rate had become too challenging against a keen attack and well set field.
Whatever protestations to the contrary, the tournament had gone before this game. We had won three games in ten and the overall batting in the absence of key personnel, left me with little expectation of changing that by winning four from four.
We will see what the RLODC brings, but appear to need a batsman or two. With du Plooy now also recruited for the new competition and Hughes, Dal and Madsen unavailable, we seem to have Godleman, Came and Wood for a top five.
Regardless of form or experience, that seems light to me..
It's hugely disappointing when we throw games away like this. You're right, Steve, there is a predictable pattern. When we lost our first wicket at 57, like Dave Fletcher on BBC Radio Derby, I too felt that we would go the same way as the Notts game. And, of course, we did. Wood anchored the innings, but no one would provide the support or, towards the end, the big hitting.
ReplyDeleteYes, the batting department needs adding to for the RLODC. I've no idea who might be available. Presumably DH is making enquiries.
We really need teams to reach no more than 140 or you just know we'll struggle to make the chase. Our batting is wafer thin, nobody can score runs on a consistent basis and once we've lost three wickets it's as good as over. An overseas batsman is an imperative signing this winter, please no more seamers but I wouldn't be at all surprised if another one arrived.
ReplyDeleteJust the Rlodc to come now to save this wretched season, got very few expectations though that we'll finish one place off the bottom of our group
The problem is that the balance of the squad is wrong. We have good players and will sometimes produced good results and good individual performances, but what matters is consistency and coping with pressure, and that is a long way off. The root of the trouble is that this squad includes hardly anyone with significant experience of winning in first class cricket when the pressure is on. Inexperienced people in any walk of life need role models to help them when the going gets tough. Until we bring in that experience, we'll remain at or close to the bottom of the heap, and the occasional false dawns will continue to be precisely that.
ReplyDeleteIt is disappointing to keep losing these games as you say Peakfan, but unfortunately with the batting line up we have, it's going to be very hard for us to win games against accomplished/experienced sides.
ReplyDeleteWith all being said, the addition of Madsen and Hughes to that batting order makes all the difference and we would probably win the last 2 games. The positives are definetly there, with the likes of Wood finally being given his chance and showing Real quality and maturity, Cane certainly has talent and the likes of McKiernan and Scrimshaw are showing that they can also mix it at this level.
The fan base was calling for change and to move out the experienced heads who weren't performing and being given endless chances, but now that has happened with youth and inexperience comes inconsistency. We are going to get games when the above namee perform at a high level and win us games, but will then frustratingly mis out in other games. We have to be patient and do as we were all calling for at the start of the campaign and allow these younger, less experienced players time to progress, as they certainly all have ability and have shown they can perform and win games at this level! By the end of the campaign I would hope that we would have a stronger first team squad who have had experience, which we can then look to add to with quality, experienced players to give us the balance of a good side. We have also been very unlucky with the likes of Stanlake and McDermott having to return home and feel if we could have kept someone like McDermott, even with with injuries, he would have added that experience and glue needed to see these games out.
Wood, Cane, McKiernan and Scrimshaw all now need to be playing every game for the remainder of the tournament, plus the RLODC!
Steve A (Spondon)
With regard to the RLODC I'm guessing Dal will be fit for the start and Hughes will be fit for part of the competition which will be important as loans will be hard as all counties will be short of players due to the Hundred, even Surrey.
ReplyDeleteThe best squad of 12 I could come up with for the start of the tournement at the moment :-
Godleman, Came, Guest, Wood, Dal, Hosein, Hudson-Prentice, McKiernan, Thomson, Cohen, Aitchison, Scrimshaw
If we are short of players could we not give someone from Derbys Leagues a chance. If they have got runs or wickets this season they will be confident. It will also give the league a boost as players will think if I do well I will get a chance. Also if we are calling up local players it will give us the chance to silence the what is the point of Derby brigade by showing we can develop our own.
Hi Peakfan, we were able to come up from London last night to attend the game. Whilst it was a shame about the result, I was delighted to see Dernbach make an excellent debut. So well done to all at the club for recruiting him. As a regular attendee of Surrey, they have a long list of fast bowlers so keeping a close relationship there would make sense.
ReplyDeleteOther than the result I was blown away with how good the ground, the facilities and the services were. For such a small membership, I think the Executive Team have done a wonderful job. My wife and I had a great evening and enjoyed this as any of the Lords and Oval games we have been to. So if you have chance, get down to the ground and support the club when you can. Clay Cross Mark