Derbyshire 368 and 349-3 (Guest 138, Madsen 135*)
Glamorgan 387 and 310-8 (Labuschagne 85, Northeast 81, Lloyd 49, Sidebottom 4-50, Dal 2-54, Lakmal 2-65)
Match drawn
A terrific advert for County Championship cricket ended with the fielders around the bat, when earlier they had been patrolling the boundaries. In a game that ebbed and flowed and which they looked for some time like losing, Derbyshire fought back well to have a sniff of victory at the death.
There was a time when 331 in 55 overs was challenging. Yet on a wicket where we hadn't lost a wicket in two sessions, where we had bowled rather poorly first time around and when the opposition has the world's best Test batsman, it seemed a little generous to me. Especially when we knew the Glamorgan batting strength from a successful run chase against a stronger Nottinghamshire attack
When many teams now chase 180 in twenty overs, Glamorgan needed to pace their reply and retain wickets in hand on a favourable batting wicket. Get to 170 in the first 35 overs then take it from there .
A lot of early runs came through a vacant third man, nor did we help ourselves with some poor catching. Labuschagne should have gone twice, first to McKiernan who spilled a routine slip catch, then to Guest who, wrong-footed, got to an edge with only one hand. Between times he played as you would expect a man of his stature to play. Brilliantly. Masood held a rasping catch to finally remove him, or he would have taken them home.
Lloyd got them off to a flyer, Northeast anchored things well and the Welsh side got into a winning position. Yet canny bowling from Anuj Dal slowed their charge and the return of Sidebottom ended their hopes.
I thought Ryan Sidebottom bowled really well, showing the benefit of experience, while Sam Conners, who has bowled so well this season, had an afternoon to forget. We came close to losing, but ultimately also to winning.
Fair play to Mickey Arthur, who concocted a finish when one seemed unlikely. He promised brighter, purposeful cricket and delivered here.
Earlier Guest became the first Derbyshire wicket keeper since Bill Storer in 1896 to score two centuries in a match. He batted splendidly and any concerns over his suitability for the role have been well and truly quashed.
Meanwhile Madsen moved level with John Morris on the all-time centurions list with another sublime effort. He really has returned to peak four-day form this summer and it augurs well for the rapidly approaching T20
It was a fine game of cricket and an exciting finish.
After recent seasons, we will take that, eh?
Second in the division. Unbeaten in 4. MA delivering on his promise to be harder to beat. Big runs coming along regularly and bowlers well at it.
ReplyDeleteEarly days, but it looks so much better already.
Last from Andy
ReplyDeleteFair play to Sidebottom, whose signing I've questioned, he delivered a crucial over when it mattered. Is he back to Warwickshire now?
ReplyDeleteI don't know, Jasper. Depends if they need him more than us. I am not aware of anyone being fit now.
DeleteHis contract is up this year, I think and a chance to look at what he can do could be worthwhile for the future
The pitches at Derby don't seem to deteriorate over 4 days offering no spin or inconsistent bounce, if anything they are at their best on day 4. The only chance we had to win was to dangle a carrot which Glamorgan accepted. The Sussex match was similar, no help to the bowlers on day 4.
ReplyDeleteThis new Derbyshire looks exciting to me, runs aplenty and capable of dismissing sides, albeit with our best bowlers available. Some of our batting averages are looking really good this early in the season, Shan, Guest, and Madsen all really high.
ReplyDeleteAnother promising performance, the future looks very bright
Wow what a finish! Happy to be proved wrong about Sidebottom.
ReplyDeleteThe most exciting finish since that win at Trent Bridge? The best result really, neither side deserved to lose.
ReplyDeleteUnlike last season, I'm wanting to find out the score when switching on the stream or arriving at the ground, not worrying what it will be.
Full credit to the captain for making an interesting game. Even if it had of ended in defeat we learn much more from testing the players in these situations.
ReplyDeleteI turned on to watch the final hour which was excellent. In truth if I was a Glamorgan follower, I would be critical of them not getting home when needing little over a run a ball but with the field set deep and twos should have been plentiful.
With the square at Derby starting to resemble the A38 without the potholes, the challenge this year will be taking 20 wickets. A good effort today from Sidebottom and I thought Connors bowled better than his figures. However, the lack of an meaningful spin option seems to be an issue.
The team is for sure markedly improved and runs are coming from other sources in addition to Masood.
Disappointing now we have to wait so long for the next game. Can any of the more experienced CC followers explain to me the logic behind the gap between fixtures?
I think Thomson a good spinner, but there was nothing here for him.
DeleteThere is no logic to the gap, it is the work of the ECB. But it might get a couple of bowlers fitter, with Cohen in the 2s tomoro, alongside Potts
Mickey, following on from his mentor ,and DCCC legend, Eddie Barlow has already established a different mindset in the squad. I mean, Brooke Guest (who I thought last season to have lots of potential with the bat) would have been told, "The number three spot is yours - if you can deliver. And, boy, did he deliver. And Madsen is flowing again. We don't see what goes on in training, but it's working. For heaven's sake, we have a guy who has coached Pakistan, Australia, South Africa, and Sri Lanka - and it shows.
ReplyDeleteWe are lacking some left arm variation in the attack and we don't half miss Critchley in the slips, but can't grumble too much. Kris
ReplyDeleteGuest came of age in this fixture. Two tons and impressive batting throughout. Career average went from 22 up to a hairs breadth from 30.
ReplyDeleteI feel with the confidence he'll have gained and the way he batted he's capable of finishing this season with that average well into the 30s.
Mickey has a dilemma to resolve before the next game. Does he drop Billy or not? He's only managed 118 runs in six innings, and he doesn't look in form. On the plus side, he's captained an unbeaten time that's second in the table. Will Mickey persist with Billy, in the belief that runs will come next time, or will he bring in Reece to open. If he does drop Billy, who will take over the captaincy role? Madsen? Masood?
ReplyDeleteI don't think he would do that yet, though much depends on whether Luis gets big runs in the 2s this week.
DeleteIf there was a change of skipper, it has to be Masood, for me
A great advert for country cricket. Pleased for Guest in particular.
ReplyDeleteDo we have an issue with dropped catches? It seems to me like there have been more of them this year... or perhaps we are just creating more chances in the first place.
If we do, then I'm sure MA will do something about it.