Middlesex 282 and 256 (Robson 52, Holden 44, Thomson 3-71, Dal 2-22, Aitchison 2-37, Conners 2-53)
Derbyshire 205 and 42-1 (Godleman 21*, Wood 18*)
Derbyshire need 292 to win in 104 overs.
They added 58, aided and abetted by Matt Critchley dropping an easy caught and bowled, taking the lead to 333.
In the light of our four-day batting this season, they could likely have declared 250 ahead and still been safe. Unless something extraordinary happens tomorrow, a defeat is in store, to go with the others in this format this season. But before I get into the match detail, a few observations.
1) I thought Alex Thomson bowled pretty well today. It is only the second time I have felt that but there was some canny bowling in his spell. Maybe there is a decent bowler in there and I think the fact that he bowled before Matt Critchley in both innings is telling. I fully expect Matt to go at the end of the season.
2) I also thought Anuj Dal bowled steadily again, although I won't change my previous assertion that he isn't quite good enough at one discipline to be retained. Is 'handy' enough for a first-class player? He has been around for four years now and while he might be a classic late developer, the overall signs are not positive.
By the same token, I think the club will announce a new deal on the back of this game. You may not agree he deserves it, as I don't after what has been a very poor year, but watch this space...
3) There is potential in this side. I like the look of Conners and Aitchison, while Brooke Guest is developing into a very good cricketer. His batting has been impressive this summer, even if the numbers could have been better. Here I have been very impressed by his glovework, especially standing up. The catch he took off Matt Critchley this afternoon was excellent and he has been agile and sure behind the stumps. For me, he will start next season as first choice and deserves it.
4) Luis Reece. I would love to see him open in full on Trescothick or Barnett mode. We know he has the shots from T20 and he is much more effective when he is going for it. He might get out a time or two in doing so, but has the talent to deliver the memorable and should follow his instincts. Especially if he is still to open the bowling too.
5) We need a change of captain. It remains painful to watch Billy Godleman's struggles and that has to have a detrimental effect on the side. He is a reactive skipper at the best of times and I feel the time is right for change, hopefully someone with greater willingness to try things and be positive.
As for the cricket, we were briefly still in the game when the wickets tumbled this afternoon, but needed to be chasing closer to 250 than 350. I would love to be proved wrong tomorrow, but has anyone seen anything this year to suggest 334 is within our compass? Certainly the struggles when we opened our reply can have offered little encouragement for those to come, but fair play to Godleman and Wood for battling it out in murky conditions and getting through to the close. I like and respect that.
Finally today, the news that the Members Forum is scheduled for 9.30am on September 3 seems to have annoyed a few people, judging by my mail bag today.
The consensus is that the club want as few people there as possible to ask awkward questions, which as usual are to be submitted and vetted in advance anyway.
Apparently 'there will be time for questions from the floor'.
Or will there? Several people seem to have their doubts...
Anyway, where's your money tonight, folks?
It's time for the old brigade to go and give the youngsters a chance they have proved more than capable.If only their was another Dean Jones out there someone who could take a game by the scruff of the neck and risk losing to try and get the win.As you say Peakfan although Dal has done ok in this game he has been terrible all season.For me Godleman,Hughes and Dal should be moved on.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure Critchley will leave. If he is offered the chance to captain the team in T20 or the 4 day competition, he may be tempted to stay.
ReplyDeleteI also think Thomson is a better spinner than Critchley, but Matt is now regarded more as a batsman who can bowl a bit.
I do not think any other County will offer Matt the chance to captain their team. Apart from Leus du Plooy, no other player from Derbyshire, had a good ‘Hundred’ competition.
Yes, Matt won't get a captaincy offer elsewhere. I hope he stays, but would be surprised
DeleteJust a brief word about captaincy. When Wayne Madsen was captain he encouraged, cajoled, praised and was always on the move, speaking to players and giving the impression that he was in control of the situation. In his first season as captain we won promotion. On the occasions I have seen Godleman captaining he has fielded at mid off or mid on and rarely seemed to be in control of the situation or encouraging his team the way that Madsen did. But who to replace him with if Critchley is on his way out?
ReplyDeleteCritchley should have been offered the captaincy before now. That would maybe have been enough incentive for him to stay at the club.
DeleteIf Guest begins next season as first choice keeper, then Hosein would have every right to feel hard done to....
Reece would be one option, but already has plenty on his plate.
DeleteOr it could be a good incentive for a player from another county.
Hosein is a, solid bat and competent keeper. Guest is better than that, I think. And when Hosein has been openly criticised by the HOC at a Member Forum it doesn't look so good
They may be equally matched with the gloves but Hosein is surely a significantly better batter. They've played a similar number of innings this season:
DeleteHosein has averaged 41 at a strike rate of 46.5 with 4 fifties.
Guest averages 21 at 41.8 with 1 fifty.
Hosein has been superb and I find his ongoing concussion issues very worrying. Guest's batting returns frankly are poor and not much nearer good enough than Dals. I do think he has reasonable technique and temperament but his batting stats don't lie. More hundreds would be nice from Hosein but we've 1 all season so that's an issue for the team.
I'm more than happy with Guest as second choice keeper and I do have some sympathy with how he's been moved up and down the order but I find the claim that he's better than Hosein bizarre, though I accept and respect your opinion.
I think that Hosein is the better bat, at present. For what it is worth, if either was going to be tasked with batting 3, for me he is better suited to it, technically.
DeleteFor one thing he can then bat time, which he is good at. He can't really force the pace with the tail, so let him knock it around from early doors and maybe give us the solidity we need. The concussion blows are a concern though and I hope they haven't affected his confidence.
I do think his keeping improved, but more than one former club coach had concerns over his glove work. Together with his inability to score quickly, it is why he has never been in a one day side on merit.
But if we can't sign a couple of batsmen, he is worth a shot at three, providing he hasn't been shaken by those blows
I thought Dal has bowled well in this game but I still don’t understand DH picking both Dal and Hughes in the same team what’s happened to Harry Cane is he injured or unavailable?listening to the stats on Middlesex tv regarding Derbyshire’s recent innings brings it home how poor Derbyshire have been this season
ReplyDeleteI guess both were thought better options.. Hughes to score runs and Dal as they only had 3 seamers
DeleteI agree with many of the comments.
ReplyDeleteWe need to offer Matt the chance to captain the team in the County Championship and T20. No other team will give him that chance. That is the only chance we can offer to keep him and he did well this season in the T20 as a captain. Thomson is a slightly better spinner but Critchley is seen now more as a batsman and a second spin bowler.
I still think Hosein is a better wicket keeper/batsman and I would like to see Guest focus as a No 3 batsman next season.
If Derbyshire are going to progress, they need to keep and offer better long term contracts to Critchley, Wagstaff, Reece, Hosein, Guest, Du Plooy, Connors and Aitchison. That is a good spine of the team. If you add a good overseas batsman and fit Cohen and a new bowler, that could be a competitive squad.
Experienced players like Madsen and Godleman are still needed but some of our fringe players like Dal and Wood are really only effective in white ball cricket.
The next few weeks are very important and some big decisions are needed to be made. Unfortunately, the need for a new Head of Cricket, will be avoided for another season. I wonder if Wayne Madsen has been offered this position to start in 12 months and the Board are hoping they can get another season out of him as a player.
Agreed. And I wondered if the board might look at a natural succession with Wayne. No idea how he would be as a coach, but what a loss as a player.
DeleteIt shouldn't prevent us having a robust and proper recruitment process, however. There will be good people out there
Getting 292 when we have nine wickets in hand and a whole day to bat should be achievable, if we keep nudging ones and twos and hitting the occasional boundary. But, if our previous form is anything to go by, we will collapse. Yet the optimist in me would like to think someone will anchor the innings for us and get a big score, and we will get across the line. I'll be going to Lord's later today with my eleven-year-old son. He wants to see Derbyshire batsmen score runs. I've warned him in advance of what might happen.
ReplyDeleteIt is doable but only by a side in good batting form, which we haven't been.
DeleteLove to see us do it and 3 an over isn't a big ask, but we need to do much better than first innings!