Derbyshire 318-6 (Guest 88, McKiernan the 72*, Reece 52)
Essex 226 (Richards 46, Roelofson 43 Aitchison 2-21, Reece 2-30, Watt 2-49)
Derbyshire won by 92 runs
The result was never in doubt once Brooke Guest and Mattie McKiernan launched an excellent partnership of 125 in 15 overs, that helped towards 174 runs coming from the last twenty.
Both were excellent, sensible and fast with the running at first, before becoming more expansive with their strokes as the bowlers tired and the end of the innings came.
Earlier Godleman and Reece led off in fine style, before the skipper gave it away at the end of the Powerplay, when looking as good as he has all season. Came looked stylish, as he often does, but got out without going on to a match-defining score. Wood went second ball and Reece, after a good display, popped up a tame caught and bowled.
Dal and Guest provided a busy 'engine room' and restored the equilibrium after the slip from 117-1 to 117-4, before the eventual match-winning partnership took Derbyshire past three hundred and out of sight.
Guest is a very fine player and has been hugely enjoyable to watch all summer. McKiernan is one who makes the most of every bit of his talent and today was unforgiving on any bowler who missed his length.
The home side were never really in it. Roelofson played some nice shots but got bogged down, while Richards later played an array of shots unbecoming of a number ten. But the bowling was keen and Guest, behind the stumps, quite excellent. Dal, who fielded brilliantly as always, effected a fine run out as the batsmen had brain freeze, while McKiernan did the same on a fiercely hit return to run out the non striker.
I thought Ben Aitchison bowled very well today, with nary a bad ball, while Luis Reece looked more lithe with the ball than I have seen this season, perhaps at the point of trusting his body again after his winter surgeries.
Most of all, this was a good come back by Derbyshire after the opening loss, much more the sort of display we have become accustomed to this year.
And Shan is back for the next one...
Evening Peakfan, I’ve just left Chelmsford after watching a great performance by Derbyshire. Your summary was spot on. Derbyshire batted very well and each of the bowlers put in an excellent shift. Well done Mickey, Billy and all the team.
ReplyDeleteI sat in the main stand and I was the only Derbyshire fan there (with my Essex wife) and their hospitality was excellent even in defeat.
Clay Cross Mark
Yes I thought the support fair in their applause and appreciation of players from both sides. Nice to see!
DeleteWe have a reputation for rowdiness (well in the t20) but I think we are very fair and happily welcome all cricket fans without being partizan unlike some counties (looking at you somerset and the abuse both fans and players got in the 4 day game down there this season, so much that Siddle told the crowd to stop it )!
DeleteGood crowd in as ever it seems as well I belive CCM? One thing the ground itself is a disgrace for a pro team...ramshackle is an understatement!
Hope derbyshire do very well in this and stop Kent or Glamorgan winning it!
Essex fan
You can tell its been a good match when Peakfan starts waxing lyrical. In this case using both "nary" and "lithe" in the same sentence. Good work Steve!
ReplyDeleteYou got me, Dave. To be fair, 117-4 would have become 165 all out in summers of recent vintage. There is a reassurance in Nuj and Brooke at the crease, while there is always a fight in Mattie and Alex Thomson.
DeleteWe have become professional.
As you say - Shan is back for the Lancashire game. Who do you see him replacing? I guess the obvious answer would be one of Came or Wood, but for my money I would take out one of the spinners, probably Thomson. It would still leave us with 6 bowlers (4 seamers and 2 spinners) and add further depth to the batting - McKiernan at 8 would be reassuring.
DeleteNext question is the batting order - again the obvious answer is Masood to open and Reece to go to 5. I think I would like to try sticking with Godleman and Reece opening and Masood at 4 or 5. As we saw in the Essex match, Godleman and Reece opening can get their eyes in over the first 4 or 5 overs before accelerating, which is harder to do if coming in later. Masood as we know can go hard from the first ball. Any thoughts?
Masood is a world class opener, David. So you let him open. Leave out Thomson, as the least contributor the other day, Reece at 5, perhaps.
DeleteShould be good!
For me Masood must open so he can hopefully bat through. Wood out as Old Trafford is usually a spinners paradise so three proper twirlers may be required
DeleteWith no Parkinson and Livingstone they may leave more grass on it. We will see..
DeleteA fantastic performance, especially after the Glamorgan debacle. I thought we were going to get bowled out for 200 -22o, but Guest and McKiernan were superb. Once Essex wickets started to tumble, and the run rate started to climb, a victory always looked on the cards.
ReplyDeleteA heartening win, irrespective of how strong an Essex XI this may have been. The most impressive aspect for me this season has been the resilience and character the team has shown in the wake of chastening defeats. Must have a decent coach!
ReplyDelete