Why did Derbyshire, on winning the toss, decide to bat?
It was a green pitch, on the ground that historically offers early help to seam bowlers. Talking to people around the ground, some of them family members of Yorkshire players, they were astonished that they were not asked to bat today. As it was, It only took them 27 overs to bowl out Derbyshire in a batting display so anaemic it would need both a transfusion and continued medication to improve.
The rationale was presumably to put on a high score then bowl out the visitors twice if and when it started spinning. To say that the Baldrick-style cunning plan was flawed is an understatement. I would love to hear Mickey Arthur's explanation at the end of this game...
I didn't see the early play, as I was visiting Edwin Smith and his wife, Jean on the way through. It was to turn out a highlight of the day, together with the many people I met for a chat as I walked around the ground. Thank you to everyone for your company, kind words and thoughts about the club and the blog. They were much appreciated.
As for Derbyshire, I cannot believe the players were happy with having to bat and I felt especially sorry for Mitch Wagstaff. He waits all season for a first-class opportunity then gets given it as opener on a lively pitch. Don't get me wrong, I would love to see such pitches at Derby, but we made a mess of the decision at the toss, a total hash of our innings and then produced some pretty uninspiring bowling when it was Yorkshire's turn to bat. Only when Guest and Reece were together was there any suggestion of permanence, but the conditions were such that the next ball was always likely to be a challenge. Especially against the succession of batters who played across the line or wafted at the moving ball.
Fair play to the visitors, who were purposeful and impressive. Sri Lankan Fernando made full use of the gifted conditions with the ball, while James Wharton made a splendid century full of crisp strokes. His late unbroken partnership of 118 with Tattersall put the visitors in a nigh-unassailable position at the end of day one and it is not inconceivable that they could wrap up an innings win tomorrow.
The Derbyshire side looked beaten well before the end came with bad light, the body language speaking volumes. Had it been a boxing match, the referee would have stepped in at the tea interval.
It really was that bad. Embarrassingly so.
It was, however, lovely to catch up with a couple of cricketing heroes during former players day. Ole Mortensen was resplendent in his blazer and club tie, while the great Dickie Bird was happy to chat and pose for a selfie. Not something I do very often, but then it isn't everyday you meet a bona fide legend.
91 and going strong. Take 'em in singles, Dickie...
Postscript: a recent contributor to the blog suggested that Sam Conners had signed for Lancashire.
I can confirm that is NOT the case, at this stage.
Where do we start or go from here ?
ReplyDeleteIt was a strange day around the country with a number of games even more advanced than our game.
It just seems when a wicket goes 2 or 3 (or more) always seem to follow. It is hard to put your finger on it from the outside without knowing what is going on in the dressing room. Morale does not look too bad when out on the field but there must be a "Here we go again" feeling once wickets start to tumble.
Looking at David Griffin's photo of the ex players remembering the Good Old Days. Always great memories seeing Bob Taylor as he was one of my first favourite players.
It reminded me of the Ripping Yarns episode "Golden Gordon" (can be found on some streaming services). It couldn't be any worse at the moment.
Just when you think the season in the County Championship couldn't get any worse...I've run out of things to say about how poor both our batting and bowling has been. Dreadful sums everything up. And, also, embarrassing.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos. Ole Mortensen looks like a player from the 1940s. Brilliant. I saw Dickie bird ring the bell on the live stream - and by the time he'd reached his seat Derbyshire were all out.
The question on my lips was why hasn't Arthur gone yet? I'm genuinely not sure who's worse. Him or Southgate? Come on Mickey, do the honourable thing and walk.
ReplyDeleteI don't know the guy Mickey Arthur, he maybe the nicest guy in the cricket world, but he is paid to get results. If he was a football manager then he would have been shown the door by now!!
DeleteThe big difference is Yorkshire have two top overseas in this game. This then allows average players like Wharton (career average 24) to shine. Which begs the question of why we have been chasing Amir since last September and have yet to see him in action? Kris
ReplyDeleteI think that was one of the most depressing days of watching Derbyshire I can recall . Everything just seems scrambled at the moment . Cloud cover ,cool conditions ,green pitch ,win the toss and decide to bat with a current squad that has just had two batting order collapses at Lotds ( roughly 11 wickets in 90 odd runs across the end of Ist innings and start of 2nd innings ) I agree with reference to Wagstaff , very tough call . This handed Yorkshire the initiative and they walked all over us tbh . Hoping to go Tuesday but it might not last that long ,I wonder what our former players made of it all . I think a root and branch review is needed internally within the Club asap , I respect we are well run and debt free but we are a cricket club and sadly we are not competitive and we would be “low hanging fruit” if the ECB were to revisit the structure and format of the County game …
ReplyDeleteWagstaff is dispensable, Lloyd isn't because he's Mick's pick. We've brought a lad trying to make his way in as cover for the team captain.
ReplyDeleteAnd why on earth would Lancs want Sam Conners?
Conners - quite agree unfortunately. Once we had high hopes of a home -grown fast bowler but he has failed to progress at all.
DeleteI can Southend 1997 Derbyshire managed to loose to Essex by an innings in less than two days
ReplyDeleteWe look a total shambles. On a helpful wicket against 3 good seamers, I could forgive the batting collapse had we not have chosen to bat on it ourselves. But the bowling was reprehensible. After we lose 10 wickets pretty much all to front foot shots, we conspire to bowl back of a length and wide of the stumps and concede runs at 5 an over, which would have been far worse had Luis Reece not had to bowl 18 of the overs himself. I can only assume the instructions to avoid bowling at the stumps came from the coaching staff, but we must have conceded 180 of the runs to back foot shots. Apart from the few overs that lead up to the Lyth wicket, there was no pressure whatsoever. They seem to have totally lost the concept of bowling tight, stringing maidens together, and letting pressure build is just as acceptable a way of taking wickets as any other. 48 boundaries in 58 overs, and only 7 maidens tells its own story, that for me is even more worrying than being dismissed for 76.
ReplyDeleteI'd really appreciate it if we could get it into tomorrow, but in hope more than expectation.
ReplyDeleteA penny for Tom Pointons thoughts right now. Time for brave decisions to be made?
Andy
The report about this game in the DCCC yearbook says " They seemed merely to participate and not compete in this match, with form and confidence seemingly at a very low ebb" Deja vu.
ReplyDeleteI wrote that report in the days when I travelled to watch Derbyshire in various different locations. The difference between that season and this is that in 1997 we managed to achieve some notable victories - against the the Australians and also Yorkshire. In the latter match, Barnett and Tweats made a record stand of 417 runs and their photo, taken with the scoreboard in the background, shows the two batsmen and is on the cover of the 1998 Yearbook. So while the Essex game proved a disaster for us then, we achieved some notable victories - unlike this season which has been a truly unmitigated disaster.
ReplyDelete1997 was a truly awful season in the history of Derbyshire CCC the captain walking away half way through the season and the manner of it and the following recriminations lasted for years, watching Kim and Tim Tweats break Derbyshire s all time record was a pleasant end of season reward for us loyal members
DeleteMy comment above is in relation to KJB's earlier post re Southend 1997
ReplyDelete