Despite being on the wrong end of both games, I have enjoyed them so far. I have always enjoyed the format and it is a proper day of cricket.
I think an inexperienced Derbyshire line up has struggled to pace the innings until now. Hudson-Prentice and Guest did it yesterday, but others have approached it either too much like four-day or like a T20. Wickets have been good and we should be aiming for 320-plus. I am sure a first-choice side would handle it, but both sides who beat us had experienced players in their batting who paced the chase well.
Based on the prognosis when he was first injured, I would reckon Alex Hughes should be back sometime soon and would be a welcome addition. The batting looked light yesterday, which made the reckless shots of Godleman and Wood all the more stark. One of them, or Guest, needs to bat through and aim to score big, thus allowing brighter cameos around them.
We also need to bowl better. Ravi seems to have found a rhythm, if not yet penetration, but Aitchison's line was off yesterday and our three spinners had eleven previous List A games between them. Indeed, besides Rampaul, only Thomson (just) has double figures in experience in the format at first-class level, so it is hard to be too critical.
Given the inexperience, they could do worse than move Ravi up the order too. As the commentators like to say, he won't die wondering and his clean hitting could have been utilised earlier. We have seen it enough to know it was not a fluke and he will either score quickly or get out.
My team for tomorrow (with fingers crossed on fitness)
Godleman, Came, Wood, Guest, Hughes, Hudson-Prentice, Dal, McKiernan, Thomson, Rampaul, Scrimshaw
Warwickshire were well beaten by Nottinghamshire yesterday and fielded the following side, which should not see too many changes:
Pollock, Yates, Rhodes, Burgess, Lamb, Bethell, Brooks, Chakrapani, van Vollenhoven, Jahal, Sidebottom
If Hughes is fit, it would tip the scales, but both batting and bowling need to learn the arts of the format quickly.
Postscript.. no Hughes, add Priestley, Aitchison and Marshall to the side named above for a thirteen man squad
I made the point about Ravi to 2 Derbyshire supporters today. He is not a number 11. He is simply too good with the bat to be.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you keep picking Dal Peakfan, another player who offers good fielding only. Never strikes me as a player who's going to score runs or take any wickets
ReplyDeleteThere aren't really many options.. Certainly none knocking down the door at present
DeleteAlready thinking about next season Steve.....off the top of your head those contracts are up ? etc etc Maybe could you do a piece ? This has got to be one of the most disappointing seasons in living memory.....stating the obvs I know !
ReplyDeleteI think Thomson may be ineligible as he's on loan from Warks this season before becoming permanent next?
ReplyDeleteI always agree with Chesterfield Blue and was thinking exactly the same about Dal. Has he managed to reach double figures in any format this season? The other point that occurs to me about the game currently in progress is that all of Warwickshire's star players are missing due the The Hundred. I've never heard of any of their bowling attack. Yet from 82-0 we collapsed to 132-5. Why is it that the reserve squads of other counties ate so much better than ours?
ReplyDeleteIs Billy injured or has he been dropped? All the talk last week about retaining integrity in the game how does that sit with so many counties having to field second eleven players because of the 16.4 being played at the same time I don’t buy the spin that it’s a great opportunity for club cricketers members have bought their memberships to see Derbyshire field their strongest most competitive team in a competition such as the 50 over and not watching second x1/ club cricketers making up the numbers
ReplyDeleteAnother mess today, Warwickshire absolutely thumping us. Players just coasting through games, terrible to see. I'll say it until I'm blue in the face, changes needed in the management now
ReplyDeleteThey can't use the injury to Madsen as an excuse in the RLODC as if he was fit he would have been in The Hundred.
ReplyDelete