As clear an illustration of the "charm" of cricket comes from Australia, where Tom Knight is plying his trade and twirling his spin for England Under-19s.
One day after registering figures of 5-0-56-0 against Pakistan (albeit mainly down to getting serious stick in the last over) Knight was back in all-round form last night.
With his side in trouble at 104-7 at one point, Knight's 26 at number ten helped them to 220 all out, before he enjoyed a brief bowl and figures of 1.2-0-1-2 as Bangladesh crumbled to 89 all out.
As Jimmy Greaves once said about football, it's a funny old game...
Wednesday, 8 August 2012
Tuesday, 7 August 2012
Derbyshire v Sussex CB40 preview
Have to say that old Peakfan is looking forward to a trip to the County Ground tomorrow night to see this one, not least because my son is coming along for his first taste of county cricket action in some time (and quite likely his first taste of Theakston's in the bar...)
I would love to see Derbyshire produce a good display against the table-toppers, but I will reserve judgement on that one. We need to make a good fist of batting, as our bowling is largely taking care of itself. Few teams have really collared us this summer, but the concern is usually whether the batting will implode in chasing a target.
Derbyshire have announced the following squad for the game:
Chesney Hughes, Usman Khawaja, Wes Durston, Wayne Madsen (Captain), Dan Redfern, Ross Whiteley, Richard Johnson (Wicketkeeper), Alex Hughes, Jonathan Clare, David Wainwright, Tony Palladino, Tim Groenewald and Mark Turner.
My guess would be that Jonathan Clare and Tony Palladino may miss out, the latter to give him a breather after his heroics against Kent and in the light of his non-appearance in one-day matches this summer. That leaves a long batting order, good bowling options and enough talent to give the unbeaten league leaders a game. I think we would have beaten them earlier in the summer had the weather not intervened, so the game need not be a foregone conclusion, especially with Derbyshire buoyant after the stunning championship win.
I'll hopefully see you down there!
I would love to see Derbyshire produce a good display against the table-toppers, but I will reserve judgement on that one. We need to make a good fist of batting, as our bowling is largely taking care of itself. Few teams have really collared us this summer, but the concern is usually whether the batting will implode in chasing a target.
Derbyshire have announced the following squad for the game:
Chesney Hughes, Usman Khawaja, Wes Durston, Wayne Madsen (Captain), Dan Redfern, Ross Whiteley, Richard Johnson (Wicketkeeper), Alex Hughes, Jonathan Clare, David Wainwright, Tony Palladino, Tim Groenewald and Mark Turner.
My guess would be that Jonathan Clare and Tony Palladino may miss out, the latter to give him a breather after his heroics against Kent and in the light of his non-appearance in one-day matches this summer. That leaves a long batting order, good bowling options and enough talent to give the unbeaten league leaders a game. I think we would have beaten them earlier in the summer had the weather not intervened, so the game need not be a foregone conclusion, especially with Derbyshire buoyant after the stunning championship win.
I'll hopefully see you down there!
Monday, 6 August 2012
Fingers crossed for young tyro
Fingers crossed for the immensely talented young Derbyshire spinner Tom Knight, who plays his first practice game prior to the Under-19 World Cup for England against Pakistan tonight.
Knight's fitness regime for the competition saw him lose a stone and a half in weight and improve his game in every aspect. He fully deserves success for his country and will, I am sure, translate that into county wickets in due course.
I wish him every success and hope that he and his colleagues have a great tournament.
Knight's fitness regime for the competition saw him lose a stone and a half in weight and improve his game in every aspect. He fully deserves success for his country and will, I am sure, translate that into county wickets in due course.
I wish him every success and hope that he and his colleagues have a great tournament.
Monday musings - set for silverware?
Top of the table, five games to go, 26 points clear. Oh to be in Derbyshire, now that summer's here...
One look at the championship table tells its own story. In a summer that has been severely truncated and affected by rain, Derbyshire have still managed to win five of their eleven games. Only Hampshire, with three wins, have managed more than two.
There will be some counties will say that they have been more affected by the weather than Derbyshire. Not having seen the the respective figures I cannot comment, but what we have done is to produce results - good, solid cricket results - when the weather has allowed it.
The win at Essex was, until yesterday, the standout, but by any standards that was an extraordinary win against Kent. Even I couldn't see a win back at the end of day two. How could there be, when our opponents were over 200 ahead with seven wickets in hand? The wicket had already shown itself as offering something for seam bowlers and there seemed no way that a Derbyshire side that had shown a few batting frailties of late could score nearly 300 - the highest score of the match - to win.
Yet they did. They did so because everyone battled when they got out there and was prepared to do so in pursuit of the target they have chased since the end of March - promotion to division one. Time and again the team spirit at Derbyshire has shown itself as a twelfth man of some substance. The positive vibe around the club emanates from recent players such as Martin Guptill and Steffan Jones, both following the game's conclusion from the different locales of Jamaica and Somerset respectively. It also comes from the chairman, whose passion for the club is obvious in everything he says and does..
The strength of this side is in its seam bowling and in that respect it is a typically Derbyshire side. Tim Groenewald (32 wickets at 17 each) Jonathan Clare (29 at 20) and Tony Palladino (41at 22) have proved a handful for batsmen in this division and I will back them even now to enjoy success in the top flight. All have proved resourceful, accurate and penetrative, but their contribution to the side doesn't end there.
All average between 20 and 22 with the bat, priceless contributions to a batting line-up with talent, yet guilty of misfiring at times this summer. All contributed valuable runs to the cause yesterday, as they have done through the season, as has the other key member of the attack, David Wainwright. When numbers seven to ten in the order can add around 80 to an innings, over and above their stronger suit, it is indicative of a side, not just of some talent, but also considerable commitment.
Nor should the efforts of Mark Foottitt and Mark Turner be discounted. The former bowled with real pace early season before being stymied once again by injury. The latter bowls with greater rhythm this summer and when he gets it right is seriously quick. They have played their part in ending the old Derbyshire issue of concluding the opposition innings.
It is also appropriate to mention the captaincy of Wayne Madsen at this stage. While he had captained a side before in his native South Africa, Madsen's first summer as Derbyshire skipper has been solid. There have been mistakes, but name me a captain (especially an inexperienced one) who hasn't done that. Madsen's greatest achievement has been in welding together a team that at one point last summer seemed in danger of fragmenting into a single, cohesive whole, a team that works and celebrates success together.
I said at the start of the summer that I expected a promotion challenge in the championship, but the efforts of this side, which has only lost one game in the format this season, has been exceptional. While it should not be forgotten that several of the players were brought to the club by John Morris, Karl Krikken has worked with a new captain to create a young squad that Derbyshire fans can be genuinely proud of, one without any of the divisive elements that were so much a feature of too many of our sides of relatively recent vintage.
They can be proud of their efforts so far and just need to retain focus to finish it off. The side is a work in progress - but that last word is the key one.
There is genuine progress at the County Ground. Long may it continue.
One look at the championship table tells its own story. In a summer that has been severely truncated and affected by rain, Derbyshire have still managed to win five of their eleven games. Only Hampshire, with three wins, have managed more than two.
There will be some counties will say that they have been more affected by the weather than Derbyshire. Not having seen the the respective figures I cannot comment, but what we have done is to produce results - good, solid cricket results - when the weather has allowed it.
The win at Essex was, until yesterday, the standout, but by any standards that was an extraordinary win against Kent. Even I couldn't see a win back at the end of day two. How could there be, when our opponents were over 200 ahead with seven wickets in hand? The wicket had already shown itself as offering something for seam bowlers and there seemed no way that a Derbyshire side that had shown a few batting frailties of late could score nearly 300 - the highest score of the match - to win.
Yet they did. They did so because everyone battled when they got out there and was prepared to do so in pursuit of the target they have chased since the end of March - promotion to division one. Time and again the team spirit at Derbyshire has shown itself as a twelfth man of some substance. The positive vibe around the club emanates from recent players such as Martin Guptill and Steffan Jones, both following the game's conclusion from the different locales of Jamaica and Somerset respectively. It also comes from the chairman, whose passion for the club is obvious in everything he says and does..
The strength of this side is in its seam bowling and in that respect it is a typically Derbyshire side. Tim Groenewald (32 wickets at 17 each) Jonathan Clare (29 at 20) and Tony Palladino (41at 22) have proved a handful for batsmen in this division and I will back them even now to enjoy success in the top flight. All have proved resourceful, accurate and penetrative, but their contribution to the side doesn't end there.
All average between 20 and 22 with the bat, priceless contributions to a batting line-up with talent, yet guilty of misfiring at times this summer. All contributed valuable runs to the cause yesterday, as they have done through the season, as has the other key member of the attack, David Wainwright. When numbers seven to ten in the order can add around 80 to an innings, over and above their stronger suit, it is indicative of a side, not just of some talent, but also considerable commitment.
Nor should the efforts of Mark Foottitt and Mark Turner be discounted. The former bowled with real pace early season before being stymied once again by injury. The latter bowls with greater rhythm this summer and when he gets it right is seriously quick. They have played their part in ending the old Derbyshire issue of concluding the opposition innings.
It is also appropriate to mention the captaincy of Wayne Madsen at this stage. While he had captained a side before in his native South Africa, Madsen's first summer as Derbyshire skipper has been solid. There have been mistakes, but name me a captain (especially an inexperienced one) who hasn't done that. Madsen's greatest achievement has been in welding together a team that at one point last summer seemed in danger of fragmenting into a single, cohesive whole, a team that works and celebrates success together.
I said at the start of the summer that I expected a promotion challenge in the championship, but the efforts of this side, which has only lost one game in the format this season, has been exceptional. While it should not be forgotten that several of the players were brought to the club by John Morris, Karl Krikken has worked with a new captain to create a young squad that Derbyshire fans can be genuinely proud of, one without any of the divisive elements that were so much a feature of too many of our sides of relatively recent vintage.
They can be proud of their efforts so far and just need to retain focus to finish it off. The side is a work in progress - but that last word is the key one.
There is genuine progress at the County Ground. Long may it continue.
Sunday, 5 August 2012
Derbyshire v Kent day 4
There were various heroes in Derbyshire's epic win over Kent today. After the poor first innings batting display, the top five in the order produced innings of grit and substance to ensure that our side moved 26 points clear in the title race, with a game in hand.
I'm inclined to agree with Keith Loring. One more win would, if not making it impossible for other sides to catch us, make it very difficult for them. Kent are now our nearest rivals having played the same number of matches and are 31 points back. We need to show the grit and determination that turned this game on its head in the remaining matches and the champagne can be put on ice.
Let's not count chickens, of course, as we do need to bat better as a unit, although by the sound of today's wickets the surface had deteriorated a little. The morning session at Derby has become one to whet the appetite of bowlers and Charlie Shreck followed in the footsteps of Tony Palladino in making life very difficult for batsmen.
Once the crucial third wicket stand had been broken the wickets fell with alarming regularity and, like most of you, at 257-8 I feared the worst. Yet then came a stand that changed the match and to a great extent defined the championship season. We battled.
No player has made greater strides this summer than Dan Redfern and his phlegmatic and pragmatic approach saw us inch towards the target. At one point it seemed we were looking to emulate the famous Wilfred Rhodes/George Hirst ""We'll get 'em in singles" scenario, as sharp runs gradually eroded the target.
There could be few better tail enders to have in such a situation than Tim Groenewald. I can only imagine what it was like on the ground, but as I drove down from Scotland and the tweets came in I was on tenterhooks that I last recall in Lords finals. To win from the position that we were in at the end of day two highlighted a team spirit that money cannot buy. It was also highlighted by Martin Guptill's tweet from the Caribbean, a Derbyshire man following the game from afar and rejoicing as his team mates celebrated success.
Full credit to the side for turning it around. It all started with Palladino's superb spell yesterday, but the top five all grafted on a track that was far from easy and the eventual win will serve as a catalyst to our promotion ambitions, while putting a serious dent in Kent's. A team with their experience should have won from that position and in most cases they would do. But then they're not playing Derbyshire every time, are they?
While acknowledging the sterling efforts on the pitch today, I would also, in closing, do the same for the outstanding Twitter feed from Tom Holdcroft. Many of us would have loved to be there but couldn't manage it and the updates enabled us all to feel a part of the win.
Great effort by all concerned lads. I look forward to seeing the boys in action on Wednesday night. CB40 may not be our forte, but Derbyshire can only throw away promotion in the real game at this stage.
Top of the table, 26 points clear. Isn't that a fantastic thought?
I'm inclined to agree with Keith Loring. One more win would, if not making it impossible for other sides to catch us, make it very difficult for them. Kent are now our nearest rivals having played the same number of matches and are 31 points back. We need to show the grit and determination that turned this game on its head in the remaining matches and the champagne can be put on ice.
Let's not count chickens, of course, as we do need to bat better as a unit, although by the sound of today's wickets the surface had deteriorated a little. The morning session at Derby has become one to whet the appetite of bowlers and Charlie Shreck followed in the footsteps of Tony Palladino in making life very difficult for batsmen.
Once the crucial third wicket stand had been broken the wickets fell with alarming regularity and, like most of you, at 257-8 I feared the worst. Yet then came a stand that changed the match and to a great extent defined the championship season. We battled.
No player has made greater strides this summer than Dan Redfern and his phlegmatic and pragmatic approach saw us inch towards the target. At one point it seemed we were looking to emulate the famous Wilfred Rhodes/George Hirst ""We'll get 'em in singles" scenario, as sharp runs gradually eroded the target.
There could be few better tail enders to have in such a situation than Tim Groenewald. I can only imagine what it was like on the ground, but as I drove down from Scotland and the tweets came in I was on tenterhooks that I last recall in Lords finals. To win from the position that we were in at the end of day two highlighted a team spirit that money cannot buy. It was also highlighted by Martin Guptill's tweet from the Caribbean, a Derbyshire man following the game from afar and rejoicing as his team mates celebrated success.
Full credit to the side for turning it around. It all started with Palladino's superb spell yesterday, but the top five all grafted on a track that was far from easy and the eventual win will serve as a catalyst to our promotion ambitions, while putting a serious dent in Kent's. A team with their experience should have won from that position and in most cases they would do. But then they're not playing Derbyshire every time, are they?
While acknowledging the sterling efforts on the pitch today, I would also, in closing, do the same for the outstanding Twitter feed from Tom Holdcroft. Many of us would have loved to be there but couldn't manage it and the updates enabled us all to feel a part of the win.
Great effort by all concerned lads. I look forward to seeing the boys in action on Wednesday night. CB40 may not be our forte, but Derbyshire can only throw away promotion in the real game at this stage.
Top of the table, 26 points clear. Isn't that a fantastic thought?
Derbyshire v Kent day 3
If today was a pivotal one in the 2012 county season, then from a Derbyshire perspective tomorrow is the Champions League, World Cup and FA Cup final in one.
If we can clinch a win tomorrow they will move to a 26 point lead with four games to play. While those commenting on yesterday were unimpressed by the day's events, today the team buckled down and showed just why they are top of the table.
Of course, we still need 127 runs tomorrow and the loss of a couple of early wickets might set nerves jangling. Yet today the side turned around a game that seemed beyond them at the close on Friday and they may yet achieve one of the more remarkable wins in our history. It reminded me of a similar win over Lancashire in the Barlow era and the way that the batsmen knuckled down in our second innings suggested that some harsh words had been spoken and a greater application of common sense was being applied.
I'll count no chickens till we get to that target tomorrow, but despite resolute batting in the second innings it was a day for Tony Palladino, who pulled us back into the game with a performance worthy of an Olympic gold medal. As someone commented below yesterday's piece, there's little wrong with our seam bowling and we just need greater consistency from the batsmen to take us across the finishing line of the season. Palladino is a gem and the merits of saving his legs in the T20 was evident today. Career-best figures and a fine display has to be seen as an Eddie Barlow moment...
It's funny, yesterday we were all hoping for rain to save us in this one. Now we're all hoping for three hours or so of dry weather to perhaps force a win. All eyes will be on Derby tomorrow and let's just hope for more of the same. Durston and Khawaja have done well so far and need to take us closer to the target as the senior batsman and overseas player. With a longer tail than usual, there is still a lot to do.
Just as long as Tom Holdcroft says nothing about us going fine in his excellent Twitter feed...he's been responsible for more wickets this summer than Tony Palladino...
If we can clinch a win tomorrow they will move to a 26 point lead with four games to play. While those commenting on yesterday were unimpressed by the day's events, today the team buckled down and showed just why they are top of the table.
Of course, we still need 127 runs tomorrow and the loss of a couple of early wickets might set nerves jangling. Yet today the side turned around a game that seemed beyond them at the close on Friday and they may yet achieve one of the more remarkable wins in our history. It reminded me of a similar win over Lancashire in the Barlow era and the way that the batsmen knuckled down in our second innings suggested that some harsh words had been spoken and a greater application of common sense was being applied.
I'll count no chickens till we get to that target tomorrow, but despite resolute batting in the second innings it was a day for Tony Palladino, who pulled us back into the game with a performance worthy of an Olympic gold medal. As someone commented below yesterday's piece, there's little wrong with our seam bowling and we just need greater consistency from the batsmen to take us across the finishing line of the season. Palladino is a gem and the merits of saving his legs in the T20 was evident today. Career-best figures and a fine display has to be seen as an Eddie Barlow moment...
It's funny, yesterday we were all hoping for rain to save us in this one. Now we're all hoping for three hours or so of dry weather to perhaps force a win. All eyes will be on Derby tomorrow and let's just hope for more of the same. Durston and Khawaja have done well so far and need to take us closer to the target as the senior batsman and overseas player. With a longer tail than usual, there is still a lot to do.
Just as long as Tom Holdcroft says nothing about us going fine in his excellent Twitter feed...he's been responsible for more wickets this summer than Tony Palladino...
Saturday, 4 August 2012
Derbyshire v Kent day 2
As you might expect, there is a fair amount of vitriol flying around tonight after Derbyshire's batting display today against Kent.
I'd have to say that I cannot argue on this occasion. From what I've heard we let ourselves down badly with the bat today. While some credit has to be given to the Kent bowlers for putting the ball in the right areas, too many Derbyshire batsmen made it easy and gave their wickets away. I've had several e mails from people today who told me that they were disappointed with another poor display.
No one could complain about the work of our bowlers and we finished Kent off fairly quickly this morning. As I wrote last night, Wes Durston should have been used earlier, when the ninth wicket stand got going, and he quickly disposed of the danger man this morning, but Kent had been let off the hook and a score in excess of 250 was psychologically, as well as statistically better.
Derbyshire's batting was sadly what it has largely been since the departure of Martin Guptill - timid, rash and careless. Throughout the season we have espoused as a club the merits of aggressive and fearless cricket, but you don't have to play shots all the time to be aggressive. Sometimes, digging in and letting the opposition know that you won't be bullied, that they'll have to dig you out is of equal merit.
I remain optimistic about Derbyshire's future, more so than at any point in recent memory, but in one day we have jeopardised a lot of good work with a poor display. Assistance from the weather could yet save this game for us, but I cannot see any other way that we can escape from this one. Even perennially optimistic Peakfan finds it hard to see how we can bat our way out of this one.
Yet the bottom line is that we have to improve our batting - and fast. There are no real options for changing the line-up, given that a lot of people were on Paul Borrington's back before he went out of the side. Meanwhile Chesney Hughes has few worthwhile scores from the season, while Garry Park has left the club.
What you see is what we have. They are not, by a long chalk, poor players, Indeed, they have shown individually and collectively that they can bat attractively and well.
But they really let themselves down today. The next two will perhaps reveal more about the true mettle of this side than any others this summer.
I'd have to say that I cannot argue on this occasion. From what I've heard we let ourselves down badly with the bat today. While some credit has to be given to the Kent bowlers for putting the ball in the right areas, too many Derbyshire batsmen made it easy and gave their wickets away. I've had several e mails from people today who told me that they were disappointed with another poor display.
No one could complain about the work of our bowlers and we finished Kent off fairly quickly this morning. As I wrote last night, Wes Durston should have been used earlier, when the ninth wicket stand got going, and he quickly disposed of the danger man this morning, but Kent had been let off the hook and a score in excess of 250 was psychologically, as well as statistically better.
Derbyshire's batting was sadly what it has largely been since the departure of Martin Guptill - timid, rash and careless. Throughout the season we have espoused as a club the merits of aggressive and fearless cricket, but you don't have to play shots all the time to be aggressive. Sometimes, digging in and letting the opposition know that you won't be bullied, that they'll have to dig you out is of equal merit.
I remain optimistic about Derbyshire's future, more so than at any point in recent memory, but in one day we have jeopardised a lot of good work with a poor display. Assistance from the weather could yet save this game for us, but I cannot see any other way that we can escape from this one. Even perennially optimistic Peakfan finds it hard to see how we can bat our way out of this one.
Yet the bottom line is that we have to improve our batting - and fast. There are no real options for changing the line-up, given that a lot of people were on Paul Borrington's back before he went out of the side. Meanwhile Chesney Hughes has few worthwhile scores from the season, while Garry Park has left the club.
What you see is what we have. They are not, by a long chalk, poor players, Indeed, they have shown individually and collectively that they can bat attractively and well.
But they really let themselves down today. The next two will perhaps reveal more about the true mettle of this side than any others this summer.
Thursday, 2 August 2012
Derbyshire v Kent day 1
All things considered, today was a good day for Derbyshire at the start of their key championship match against Kent.
If they had been offered the opposition being 238-8 at the close before today's start I am sure that they would have taken it willingly. There will be tinges of disappointment, with Kent recovering from 174-8, but that could perhaps be seen as a positive. Is the wicket easing?
Winning the toss is important and Wayne Madsen called correctly at the start of play. From there you have a chance to dictate the play and any under-performance has to be taken on the chin as your own fault. The four seamers, nicely led by Tim Groenewald, all did a job with varying levels of parsimony and if we can finish off Kent in the first half hour tomorrow there will be few complaints.
Only two concerns for me, looking on from afar. One was that we gave away more extras than of late (30), something that I hope won't come back to bite us. I was also surprised that it took as long to give David Wainwright a bowl and that Wes Durston, quite often a man with a golden arm, didn't turn his over. When wickets were falling regularly there was no need, of course, but when a couple of batsmen get into the groove a change of pace can often bring dividends.
Coles is a good cricketer and already has a first-class ton to his name. Let's just hope that he doesn't go on to a second tomorrow.
What we need to do is to stop Kent getting too many more batting points (250 is likely, but we need to keep them under 300) while it will then be down to our guys to bat for as long as possible. These are the sort of games where you hope your overseas star turns up in peak form and that the players all dig in. Hopefully that will be the case tomorrow.
In closing, one observation about the two sides that took the field today. Both clubs have taken a contrasting route to success. Derbyshire had only one player (Wes Durston) over 30. Kent only had two under it, with six of their side in their mid-thirties. The average age of Kent's side is 31, while that of Derbyshire is 26.
The point? None at this stage, but curiously the best two batsmen for Kent were their two youngest players.
Curiouser and curiouser...
If they had been offered the opposition being 238-8 at the close before today's start I am sure that they would have taken it willingly. There will be tinges of disappointment, with Kent recovering from 174-8, but that could perhaps be seen as a positive. Is the wicket easing?
Winning the toss is important and Wayne Madsen called correctly at the start of play. From there you have a chance to dictate the play and any under-performance has to be taken on the chin as your own fault. The four seamers, nicely led by Tim Groenewald, all did a job with varying levels of parsimony and if we can finish off Kent in the first half hour tomorrow there will be few complaints.
Only two concerns for me, looking on from afar. One was that we gave away more extras than of late (30), something that I hope won't come back to bite us. I was also surprised that it took as long to give David Wainwright a bowl and that Wes Durston, quite often a man with a golden arm, didn't turn his over. When wickets were falling regularly there was no need, of course, but when a couple of batsmen get into the groove a change of pace can often bring dividends.Coles is a good cricketer and already has a first-class ton to his name. Let's just hope that he doesn't go on to a second tomorrow.
What we need to do is to stop Kent getting too many more batting points (250 is likely, but we need to keep them under 300) while it will then be down to our guys to bat for as long as possible. These are the sort of games where you hope your overseas star turns up in peak form and that the players all dig in. Hopefully that will be the case tomorrow.
In closing, one observation about the two sides that took the field today. Both clubs have taken a contrasting route to success. Derbyshire had only one player (Wes Durston) over 30. Kent only had two under it, with six of their side in their mid-thirties. The average age of Kent's side is 31, while that of Derbyshire is 26.
The point? None at this stage, but curiously the best two batsmen for Kent were their two youngest players.
Curiouser and curiouser...
Wednesday, 1 August 2012
Derbyshire v Kent preview
After the farce that was last night's game (whoever said Duckworth Lewis helped to make for a fair game of cricket?) the real thing starts tomorrow at Derby, weather-willing.
Both pre-season and since it began I have been extolling the virtues of a Derbyshire championship side that has played aggressive, fearless cricket from the end of March. There have been trials and tribulations over the shorter forms of the game, but in four-day cricket Derbyshire have bowled with penetration and batted with the sort of team ethic to success that other clubs could only dream of.
Tomorrow is effectively the start of six cup finals that we face before the end of the season and we will learn a lot about the mental qualities of our young team over the course of those matches. That they have considerable talent is beyond question. What we now need to know is whether they yet have the mental toughness to win each over, each session, each day of cricket.
We are in an enviable position, ahead with a game in hand on our nearest rivals. Few would have expected us to be doing so well pre-season, but I fancied our chances in this form of the game and the side has produced the goods on a regular basis.
Tomorrow will be a tough match against a Kent side moulded well by ex-West Indies star Jimmy Adams. Last winter they were in disarray, having lost senior players and a coach, yet Adams, well known locally for his time at Dunstall, has pulled together a good squad that mixes youth and experience to good effect.
There's no news as yet on their side, but Derbyshire's Karl Krikken has announced the following squad:
Madsen (c), Lineker, Khawaja, Durston, Redfern, Johnson (wk), Wainwright, Clare, Palladino, Groenewald, Turner, A. Hughes.
The final place in that side will be interesting. Does youngster Alex Hughes slot into the middle order on the back of encouraging all-round performances, or do we play four seamers, including the extra pace of Mark Turner? Had you asked me that question yesterday I might have said yes to Hughes, but today's re-signing of Richard Johnson from Warwickshire gives us a little extra batting that makes the inclusion of Turner less of a threat to the batting strength. I mean no disrespect to Tom Poynton, a cricketer I have a lot of time for, in saying that, but Johnson at this stage of his career offers greater potential for runs and that could be crucial to our chance of success this summer.
My gut feeling is that a positive result in this game is likely to fall victim to the weather, but Derbyshire need to rack up bonus points to further increase their strong position. Your guess is as good as mine as to the type of wicket we will have. One like we enjoyed against Australia A could see us rack up the batting points, but a more typical County Ground track could see a positive result - if the weather isn't too intrusive into the playing time.
Can top of the table Derbyshire (I love saying that) come out on top? You know, I think we can give it a really good go - and with our share of luck, could still be in that position on Sunday evening.
Both pre-season and since it began I have been extolling the virtues of a Derbyshire championship side that has played aggressive, fearless cricket from the end of March. There have been trials and tribulations over the shorter forms of the game, but in four-day cricket Derbyshire have bowled with penetration and batted with the sort of team ethic to success that other clubs could only dream of.
Tomorrow is effectively the start of six cup finals that we face before the end of the season and we will learn a lot about the mental qualities of our young team over the course of those matches. That they have considerable talent is beyond question. What we now need to know is whether they yet have the mental toughness to win each over, each session, each day of cricket.
We are in an enviable position, ahead with a game in hand on our nearest rivals. Few would have expected us to be doing so well pre-season, but I fancied our chances in this form of the game and the side has produced the goods on a regular basis.
Tomorrow will be a tough match against a Kent side moulded well by ex-West Indies star Jimmy Adams. Last winter they were in disarray, having lost senior players and a coach, yet Adams, well known locally for his time at Dunstall, has pulled together a good squad that mixes youth and experience to good effect.
There's no news as yet on their side, but Derbyshire's Karl Krikken has announced the following squad:
Madsen (c), Lineker, Khawaja, Durston, Redfern, Johnson (wk), Wainwright, Clare, Palladino, Groenewald, Turner, A. Hughes.
The final place in that side will be interesting. Does youngster Alex Hughes slot into the middle order on the back of encouraging all-round performances, or do we play four seamers, including the extra pace of Mark Turner? Had you asked me that question yesterday I might have said yes to Hughes, but today's re-signing of Richard Johnson from Warwickshire gives us a little extra batting that makes the inclusion of Turner less of a threat to the batting strength. I mean no disrespect to Tom Poynton, a cricketer I have a lot of time for, in saying that, but Johnson at this stage of his career offers greater potential for runs and that could be crucial to our chance of success this summer.
My gut feeling is that a positive result in this game is likely to fall victim to the weather, but Derbyshire need to rack up bonus points to further increase their strong position. Your guess is as good as mine as to the type of wicket we will have. One like we enjoyed against Australia A could see us rack up the batting points, but a more typical County Ground track could see a positive result - if the weather isn't too intrusive into the playing time.
Can top of the table Derbyshire (I love saying that) come out on top? You know, I think we can give it a really good go - and with our share of luck, could still be in that position on Sunday evening.
Tuesday, 31 July 2012
Interesting comments
There are some good comments below my piece last night and thanks to those of you who took the time to make them. Good, constructive debate is no bad thing and the comments are all valid.
I find it hard to believe that there are many Derbyshire fans who do not fully back the chairman's blueprint, but along with that comes an understanding that progress will be gradual. As we saw in the T20, Derbyshire lack experience, just as much as they lacked a couple of batsmen with the ability to pierce and clear the field, expecially in the Powerplay.
By the same token, adhering to a youth policy does not and should not preclude Derbyshire from looking to augment the side with players of good quality from elsewhere. Such an approach will be particularly important in this early period, while we wait for the full flowering of the Academy product. We could not, for example, say that Tom Knight will be a top spinner in four years time (which he will) and miss out on an opportunity to sign David Wainwright. Other examples may well surface and while the club will bring through a steady stream of young players, there needs to be an acceptance that there will be some who don't quite make it.
They will be good players - you don't get to that level by not being - but they will fall short of the standard that Derbyshire must aspire to if we are to be seen as a top side.For what it is worth, I think that Tom Poynton has every chance of becoming an outstanding wicket-keeper over the next ten to fifteen years, but it would do him no harm at all to be pushed for the senior role, especially in this formative period of his career. If he came out on top in a battle with another wicket-keeper, he will emerge a better and stronger player for it. If he doesn't, then we will have moved forward as there will be an even better player in the role.
I don't know if Richard Johnson will leave Warwickshire. They may offer him an improved deal, or see in him a better long-term bet than Tim Ambrose. I'm reminded of when Leicester City had the great Gordon Banks and Peter Shilton on their books and a tough decision had to be made on who to retain. In the case of the two keepers (which sounds like an Agatha Christie novel...) 23 plays 30 age-wise, which has to be a consideration. Equally, Johnson may be heading elsewhere and just because he played well for us doesn't necessarily mean anything. We'll see, in the coming months.
As I close, Kent look well set to beat us in tonight's game, but matches in such conditions mean little and count for even less. The toss is all important and if a first-class county cannot chase that sort of tally they should hang their heads in shame. It was another patchy batting display, but as I wrote last night, it counts for little in the grand scheme of things.
More tomorrow, with a preview of the Championship match.
I find it hard to believe that there are many Derbyshire fans who do not fully back the chairman's blueprint, but along with that comes an understanding that progress will be gradual. As we saw in the T20, Derbyshire lack experience, just as much as they lacked a couple of batsmen with the ability to pierce and clear the field, expecially in the Powerplay.
By the same token, adhering to a youth policy does not and should not preclude Derbyshire from looking to augment the side with players of good quality from elsewhere. Such an approach will be particularly important in this early period, while we wait for the full flowering of the Academy product. We could not, for example, say that Tom Knight will be a top spinner in four years time (which he will) and miss out on an opportunity to sign David Wainwright. Other examples may well surface and while the club will bring through a steady stream of young players, there needs to be an acceptance that there will be some who don't quite make it.
They will be good players - you don't get to that level by not being - but they will fall short of the standard that Derbyshire must aspire to if we are to be seen as a top side.For what it is worth, I think that Tom Poynton has every chance of becoming an outstanding wicket-keeper over the next ten to fifteen years, but it would do him no harm at all to be pushed for the senior role, especially in this formative period of his career. If he came out on top in a battle with another wicket-keeper, he will emerge a better and stronger player for it. If he doesn't, then we will have moved forward as there will be an even better player in the role.
I don't know if Richard Johnson will leave Warwickshire. They may offer him an improved deal, or see in him a better long-term bet than Tim Ambrose. I'm reminded of when Leicester City had the great Gordon Banks and Peter Shilton on their books and a tough decision had to be made on who to retain. In the case of the two keepers (which sounds like an Agatha Christie novel...) 23 plays 30 age-wise, which has to be a consideration. Equally, Johnson may be heading elsewhere and just because he played well for us doesn't necessarily mean anything. We'll see, in the coming months.
As I close, Kent look well set to beat us in tonight's game, but matches in such conditions mean little and count for even less. The toss is all important and if a first-class county cannot chase that sort of tally they should hang their heads in shame. It was another patchy batting display, but as I wrote last night, it counts for little in the grand scheme of things.
More tomorrow, with a preview of the Championship match.
Monday, 30 July 2012
Monday musings
On a day on which we never set foot on the field, Derbyshire moved ever so slightly forward in their promotion ambitions today.
Thanks to heroic defiance from the last Hampshire batsmen, Jimmy Adams and Danny Briggs, Kent were thwarted in their victory attempt at Southampton. Meanwhile at Leicester, a combination of heavy showers, Wayne White (thanks, to an old boy...) and Ned Eckersley kept our northern neighbours from much-coveted win points. All of which leaves us fourteen points clear of Yorkshire, 15 clear of Hampshire (both with a game in hand) and 17 clear of Kent, who we play in a massive match at Derby, starting on Thursday.
Sadly, the weather forecast for this week is pretty dire, so the likelihood of a positive result at Derby would appear to depend on one team playing a blinder and the other having a shocker.
Before all of that there's a CB40 game tomorrow, of course. While there is still a slim possibility of our progressing in the CB40, for me it is marginally more likely than Derby County sealing The Championship title by Christmas. There are too many requisite permutations for it to happen, though a morale-boosting win ahead of the big one wouldn't do us any harm. Avoiding trench foot might be handy too...
It will be good to welcome back Tom Poynton, though the preview on the club site suggests there may yet be a question mark over his fitness. If that is the case, I'd expect Karl Krikken to be checking on the availability of the likes of Tom New or Steve Adshead before the four-day game. Chris Durham has done a steady job with the gloves and produced a gritty knock to save the game against Australia A. Yet at 20 he is three years of development behind Poynton and has yet to play a full season in the Seconds.
County cricket on a regular basis is a tough, unforgiving finishing school and Poynton has kept wicket well this summer. There have been occasional dropped catches, but all keepers do that and it is part of the learning curve. Poynton has been chirpy, upbeat and busy, though his batting has not yet contributed heavily at the end of the order, apart from an important innings at Chelmsford.
I wrote earlier in the season that batting form was less important than his wicket-keeping for Poynton this summer, but it will become an area in which he is expected to contribute. No matter how good their glovework, the men behind the sticks need to be all-rounders these days and the next long-term Derbyshire stumper needs to replicate the efforts of James Pipe, a player badly missed in recent seasons.
There has been considerable comment about the announcement by Richard Johnson that he wants to leave Warwickshire at season-end for first team opportunities. Johnson is further on again in his development to Poynton and from a competitive angle the move would make sense. Likewise, looking around the county circuit there are few counties where Johnson could feasibly move for a crack at the senior role, unless Gloucestershire were seen as an option (which I doubt).
By the same token, Derbyshire have acknowledged gaps to fill in their batting strength as things stand and how much that costs would dictate whether a move for Johnson is realistic. Ask most fans whether we need a batsman and keeper or two batsmen for next year and I would suggest most would go for the latter. Mind you, if we could afford all of them I doubt there would be few dissenters...
It will all be seen in time and I have every confidence that Messrs Krikken and Grant in their respective roles will throw our hat in the ring for players they think can improve the side. We should not forget that the current squad has done remarkably well this summer, but there are obvious areas for improvement and how well we fill them will dictate how we continue to move forward as a club.
Another player set to leave Warwickshire for greater opportunites is Boyd Rankin, another who got his county start at Derbyshire. An e mail today asked whether I could see us move to re-sign a player who can be a handful on his day and is, without doubt, an improved bowler.
However, Rankin still has too many injuries for comfort and misses his share of matches. Throw in the ones that he misses on Ireland duty and you are effectively paying full-time wages to a part-time player. I don't see Derbyshire having that sort of money to throw around, quite frankly, so for me the bowler's future is not going to be at the County Ground
Thanks to heroic defiance from the last Hampshire batsmen, Jimmy Adams and Danny Briggs, Kent were thwarted in their victory attempt at Southampton. Meanwhile at Leicester, a combination of heavy showers, Wayne White (thanks, to an old boy...) and Ned Eckersley kept our northern neighbours from much-coveted win points. All of which leaves us fourteen points clear of Yorkshire, 15 clear of Hampshire (both with a game in hand) and 17 clear of Kent, who we play in a massive match at Derby, starting on Thursday.
Sadly, the weather forecast for this week is pretty dire, so the likelihood of a positive result at Derby would appear to depend on one team playing a blinder and the other having a shocker.
Before all of that there's a CB40 game tomorrow, of course. While there is still a slim possibility of our progressing in the CB40, for me it is marginally more likely than Derby County sealing The Championship title by Christmas. There are too many requisite permutations for it to happen, though a morale-boosting win ahead of the big one wouldn't do us any harm. Avoiding trench foot might be handy too...
It will be good to welcome back Tom Poynton, though the preview on the club site suggests there may yet be a question mark over his fitness. If that is the case, I'd expect Karl Krikken to be checking on the availability of the likes of Tom New or Steve Adshead before the four-day game. Chris Durham has done a steady job with the gloves and produced a gritty knock to save the game against Australia A. Yet at 20 he is three years of development behind Poynton and has yet to play a full season in the Seconds.
County cricket on a regular basis is a tough, unforgiving finishing school and Poynton has kept wicket well this summer. There have been occasional dropped catches, but all keepers do that and it is part of the learning curve. Poynton has been chirpy, upbeat and busy, though his batting has not yet contributed heavily at the end of the order, apart from an important innings at Chelmsford.
I wrote earlier in the season that batting form was less important than his wicket-keeping for Poynton this summer, but it will become an area in which he is expected to contribute. No matter how good their glovework, the men behind the sticks need to be all-rounders these days and the next long-term Derbyshire stumper needs to replicate the efforts of James Pipe, a player badly missed in recent seasons.
There has been considerable comment about the announcement by Richard Johnson that he wants to leave Warwickshire at season-end for first team opportunities. Johnson is further on again in his development to Poynton and from a competitive angle the move would make sense. Likewise, looking around the county circuit there are few counties where Johnson could feasibly move for a crack at the senior role, unless Gloucestershire were seen as an option (which I doubt).
By the same token, Derbyshire have acknowledged gaps to fill in their batting strength as things stand and how much that costs would dictate whether a move for Johnson is realistic. Ask most fans whether we need a batsman and keeper or two batsmen for next year and I would suggest most would go for the latter. Mind you, if we could afford all of them I doubt there would be few dissenters...
It will all be seen in time and I have every confidence that Messrs Krikken and Grant in their respective roles will throw our hat in the ring for players they think can improve the side. We should not forget that the current squad has done remarkably well this summer, but there are obvious areas for improvement and how well we fill them will dictate how we continue to move forward as a club.
Another player set to leave Warwickshire for greater opportunites is Boyd Rankin, another who got his county start at Derbyshire. An e mail today asked whether I could see us move to re-sign a player who can be a handful on his day and is, without doubt, an improved bowler.
However, Rankin still has too many injuries for comfort and misses his share of matches. Throw in the ones that he misses on Ireland duty and you are effectively paying full-time wages to a part-time player. I don't see Derbyshire having that sort of money to throw around, quite frankly, so for me the bowler's future is not going to be at the County Ground
Sunday, 29 July 2012
Derbyshire v Australia A day 3
All things considered, this game ended in an exciting draw but that was probably a fair result. Both sides had a good workout and while the Australians will be disappointed not to finish us off, Derbyshire can be pleased with the resolve that saw us hold out thanks to resolute defence from youngster Chris Durham and Mark Footitt over the last seven overs.
Ed Cowan's fair declaration gave every opportunity for a home win, but to do so we needed a century from one of the top order. Khawaja, Redfern and Durston all enjoyed good knocks, but none went on to the big score that is really essential when chasing over 300 to win.
It was a worthwhile workout, but the real test comes later in the week. If things go as I expect, Kent and Hampshire should draw tomorrow, while Yorkshire will in all likelihood take the win points from a fairly average Leicestershire side.
More on that tomorrow in Monday musings.
Ed Cowan's fair declaration gave every opportunity for a home win, but to do so we needed a century from one of the top order. Khawaja, Redfern and Durston all enjoyed good knocks, but none went on to the big score that is really essential when chasing over 300 to win.
It was a worthwhile workout, but the real test comes later in the week. If things go as I expect, Kent and Hampshire should draw tomorrow, while Yorkshire will in all likelihood take the win points from a fairly average Leicestershire side.
More on that tomorrow in Monday musings.
Saturday, 28 July 2012
Derbyshire v Australia A
I have seen the future of Derbyshire batting and his name is Palladino...
Whatever way you look at it, that was a special innings today by Tony Palladino. While the wicket appears to have been on the benign side of moribund, you cannot take anything away from a man who scored a maiden first class century against a side featuring three bowlers with international experience. Number elevens aren't supposed to do that sort of thing - or rather, if they do it is supposed to be through bucolic heaves and with considerable good fortune.
By all accounts Palladino played shots more readily associated with batsmen of greater reputation, though I have no intention to speak disparagingly of his batting. It has been patently obvious over the current season that he has worked hard on his batting and there can be few sides who boast a player with a first-class century at number eleven. There was a century for the Seconds last summer that hinted at a batsman of some ability - or at least a good eye - but Tony Palladino has now managed something that many decent batsmen haven't managed in the club colours.
I wouldn't bet against it being his last, either...
The game is intriguingly poised ahead of the final day, with the Australian XI 233 runs ahead with four wickets in hand. As one of those wickets is the dangerous and very able Ed Cowan, we could still end up chasing 300-plus on the last afternoon in what promises, with help from the weather, to be a very good finish.
Irrespective of the result tomorrow, this has been an encouraging work out for Derbyshire ahead of the resumption of championship action against Kent this week. Bowlers and batsmen alike have had good time in the middle and at this stage Karl Krikken will only have two concerns.
One is whether Tom Poynton is going to be fit after Richard Johnson's return to Warwickshire. Chris Durham has let no one down in his senior appearances, but I don't think we can expect a lad of such tender years to be our first choice keeper if there is any doubt over Poynton. There will be wicket-keeping options out there, but no one is better placed to assess their respective merits than Krikk.
My other concern is the wicket itself. This has been a good game of cricket between two captains who have been willing to ensure a competitive fixture. Whether a similar rapport would be there for the Kent fixture, given its importance, is debatable. We could live without a 550 plays 500-type match, which would do us few favours with the chasing pack closing in.
I think we need a little more help for the bowlers, either by leaving grass on or taking more off. We now have an attack that could cope with anything sent their way and I would be confident they could outbowl any side in this division, whether the ball is seaming or spinning.
Importantly, we can now say with a degree of confidence that we bat all the way down to number eleven.
Take a bow, Tony Palladino. Tonight you thoroughly deserve it.
Whatever way you look at it, that was a special innings today by Tony Palladino. While the wicket appears to have been on the benign side of moribund, you cannot take anything away from a man who scored a maiden first class century against a side featuring three bowlers with international experience. Number elevens aren't supposed to do that sort of thing - or rather, if they do it is supposed to be through bucolic heaves and with considerable good fortune.By all accounts Palladino played shots more readily associated with batsmen of greater reputation, though I have no intention to speak disparagingly of his batting. It has been patently obvious over the current season that he has worked hard on his batting and there can be few sides who boast a player with a first-class century at number eleven. There was a century for the Seconds last summer that hinted at a batsman of some ability - or at least a good eye - but Tony Palladino has now managed something that many decent batsmen haven't managed in the club colours.
I wouldn't bet against it being his last, either...
The game is intriguingly poised ahead of the final day, with the Australian XI 233 runs ahead with four wickets in hand. As one of those wickets is the dangerous and very able Ed Cowan, we could still end up chasing 300-plus on the last afternoon in what promises, with help from the weather, to be a very good finish.
Irrespective of the result tomorrow, this has been an encouraging work out for Derbyshire ahead of the resumption of championship action against Kent this week. Bowlers and batsmen alike have had good time in the middle and at this stage Karl Krikken will only have two concerns.
One is whether Tom Poynton is going to be fit after Richard Johnson's return to Warwickshire. Chris Durham has let no one down in his senior appearances, but I don't think we can expect a lad of such tender years to be our first choice keeper if there is any doubt over Poynton. There will be wicket-keeping options out there, but no one is better placed to assess their respective merits than Krikk.
My other concern is the wicket itself. This has been a good game of cricket between two captains who have been willing to ensure a competitive fixture. Whether a similar rapport would be there for the Kent fixture, given its importance, is debatable. We could live without a 550 plays 500-type match, which would do us few favours with the chasing pack closing in.
I think we need a little more help for the bowlers, either by leaving grass on or taking more off. We now have an attack that could cope with anything sent their way and I would be confident they could outbowl any side in this division, whether the ball is seaming or spinning.
Importantly, we can now say with a degree of confidence that we bat all the way down to number eleven.
Take a bow, Tony Palladino. Tonight you thoroughly deserve it.
Friday, 27 July 2012
Derbyshire v Australia A day one
I guess I didn't go too far in my assessment of the strength of the Australian A side the other night.
A composed century by Ed Cowan and 81 from George Bailey amply illustrated the talents of the two men I picked out as their star turns. It was hardly rocket science to be fair, with Bailey the national side's one-day captain, while Cowan is one of the pretenders to the various batting thrones within the side.
I could see merit in the investigation of his availability next summer to be honest, as a batsman in the Chris Rogers mould who has a sound technique and a good range of strokes. For all his talents, I don't see him breaking into the Australian one-day side for the ICC Trophy and he could more than adequately fill one of our problematic opening berths. Having said that, I have no doubt that several counties would be interested in such a player, especially after his debut century (and cap) for Gloucestershire a couple of weeks back.
Derbyshire didn't do too badly on what appears a good batting track, though there was predictable punishment of anything erratic from good batsmen. It was nice to see Mark Footitt back, although he was understandably rusty after several weeks out and was used sparingly.
When it was our turn to bat it was good to see Wayne Madsen back at the top of the order. I know he has his centuries at three this summer, but Madsen is, for me, our best chance of a stabilising influence at the top of the order, where he has previously scored heavily. I hope that he goes on to a big innings tomorrow and would be delighted to see more of the top order do the same.
More from me tomorrow.
A composed century by Ed Cowan and 81 from George Bailey amply illustrated the talents of the two men I picked out as their star turns. It was hardly rocket science to be fair, with Bailey the national side's one-day captain, while Cowan is one of the pretenders to the various batting thrones within the side.
I could see merit in the investigation of his availability next summer to be honest, as a batsman in the Chris Rogers mould who has a sound technique and a good range of strokes. For all his talents, I don't see him breaking into the Australian one-day side for the ICC Trophy and he could more than adequately fill one of our problematic opening berths. Having said that, I have no doubt that several counties would be interested in such a player, especially after his debut century (and cap) for Gloucestershire a couple of weeks back.
Derbyshire didn't do too badly on what appears a good batting track, though there was predictable punishment of anything erratic from good batsmen. It was nice to see Mark Footitt back, although he was understandably rusty after several weeks out and was used sparingly.
When it was our turn to bat it was good to see Wayne Madsen back at the top of the order. I know he has his centuries at three this summer, but Madsen is, for me, our best chance of a stabilising influence at the top of the order, where he has previously scored heavily. I hope that he goes on to a big innings tomorrow and would be delighted to see more of the top order do the same.
More from me tomorrow.
Thursday, 26 July 2012
G'day to the Aussies
I'd like to start tonight's blog with a moment of contemplation, in the spirit of true East Midlands camaraderie, for Nottinghamshire, after losing to Hampshire at the death last night.
Right, that's long enough...
Joking apart - and I am sure you were all as devastated as I was at their defeat - it once again showed the benefit of experience in that competition. After Scott Styris put Worcestershire to the sword the night before it was once again the veterans, in the shape of Neil McKenzie and Dimi Mascarenhas, who won them the game in a tight finish.
I have written before about the benefit of old heads in T20 and it is proved time and again. Older players know their game, where they want to bowl the ball, where they want to hit it. They also read match situations better. The fact that I am close to that status myself (ahem...) has little to do with it...
I am pleased to see that I called Derbyshire's side for tomorrow's match against Australia A correctly last night, with Marks Footitt and Turner forming what will be a lively pace attack alongside Tony Palladino. The latter should benefit from a lengthy bowl ahead of next week's table-topper against Kent, while the batsmen will enjoy time in the middle. I think it will be a tight game and, while the result to some extent is irrelevant, a return to the standards set early in the season will serve Derbyshire well.
We will also be keeping a wary eye on events at the Rose Bowl, where Hampshire play Kent, and Grace Road, where Leicestershire entertain Yorkshire. The latter must fancy their chances against a side that depends far too heavily on Ramnaresh Sarwan for comfort and even with a somewhat limited attack it is hard to see the Yorkies not gaining ground after this game. Mind you, that won't stop me hoping for a draw down on the south coast, at the same time that the Foxes reveal a thus far well-concealed aptitude for a battle.
More from me tomorrow, when I hope to comment on a good first day for Derbyshire. Australia and South Africa in the one summer...things are looking up!
See you soon.
PS I've just had confirmation of my holidays, that will see me at the County Ground for the floodlit game against Sussex in around a fortnight's time. I just have the vibes at this stage that it is going to be raining...
Right, that's long enough...
Joking apart - and I am sure you were all as devastated as I was at their defeat - it once again showed the benefit of experience in that competition. After Scott Styris put Worcestershire to the sword the night before it was once again the veterans, in the shape of Neil McKenzie and Dimi Mascarenhas, who won them the game in a tight finish.
I have written before about the benefit of old heads in T20 and it is proved time and again. Older players know their game, where they want to bowl the ball, where they want to hit it. They also read match situations better. The fact that I am close to that status myself (ahem...) has little to do with it...
I am pleased to see that I called Derbyshire's side for tomorrow's match against Australia A correctly last night, with Marks Footitt and Turner forming what will be a lively pace attack alongside Tony Palladino. The latter should benefit from a lengthy bowl ahead of next week's table-topper against Kent, while the batsmen will enjoy time in the middle. I think it will be a tight game and, while the result to some extent is irrelevant, a return to the standards set early in the season will serve Derbyshire well.
We will also be keeping a wary eye on events at the Rose Bowl, where Hampshire play Kent, and Grace Road, where Leicestershire entertain Yorkshire. The latter must fancy their chances against a side that depends far too heavily on Ramnaresh Sarwan for comfort and even with a somewhat limited attack it is hard to see the Yorkies not gaining ground after this game. Mind you, that won't stop me hoping for a draw down on the south coast, at the same time that the Foxes reveal a thus far well-concealed aptitude for a battle.
More from me tomorrow, when I hope to comment on a good first day for Derbyshire. Australia and South Africa in the one summer...things are looking up!
See you soon.
PS I've just had confirmation of my holidays, that will see me at the County Ground for the floodlit game against Sussex in around a fortnight's time. I just have the vibes at this stage that it is going to be raining...
Wednesday, 25 July 2012
Aussie match holds much promise
While you wouldn't say that the Australian A side that visits Derby for a three-day game this weekend is the most star-laden outfit to leave those shores, there are some fine players among them. Indeed, part of the enjoyment will be seeing players who may be in the next generation of international stars, as well as perhaps even seeing some of next year's overseas players on the county circuit. Few of these players would be seen as likely selections for the Australian ICC Trophy squad at this stage, so might be worth a look by a few county coaches.
Given the congested international calendar, the likeliest sources of overseas players in 2013 are likely to be Australia and South Africa, primarily because those countries usually have more than their fair share of top quality players. Of course, to qualify to play over here in such a role, players will need to have played the requisite number of international games, but with countries increasingly selecting different squads for Test and one day games, that is leading to a larger pool being available to choose from.
So who might be in that category?
Of the batsmen, the two I have seen most of have been Ed Cowan and George Bailey, both of who I have seen a fair bit of as they played in Scotland for some time. Cowan is more a dogged player, a grafter, while Bailey is a dasher, albeit one with a reputation of making fancy forties too often for some tastes. I could see the former as a good Championship player, the latter more a good one day bat, although I wouldn't sit either in the very top drawer of Australian batting.
Steve Smith is another good cricketer, a handy, powerful hitter and useful leggie, but for me he hasn't yet got either of the disciplines to a standard where he would be an automatic pick for a county side. Michael Klinger has been a talent for some time and did OK in his short stay at Worcestershire without pulling up any trees. He would benefit from the experience, of course and might come under consideration, as would Mitchell Johnson. The latter is a highly talented yet enigmatic player, capable of spells of genius with the ball either side of wildly erratic bowling that can make Steve Harmison's spell at Chesterfield look like Les Jackson in his pomp. He is also a dangerous hitter and would be a brave, though potentially inspired selection if he wasn't back in the Aussie fold by that stage.
Perhaps the most interesting is a player well known in England, though for his exploits for the Netherlands. Tom Cooper is a fine batsman whose ever-increasing averages and decent experience of these shores might make him the batsman to watch. Tall and powerful, Cooper also bowls handy off spin, but his aggressive batting may well bring him to the attention of counties, not just because he could theoretically play under a Dutch passport, thereby leaving a space at a county for another overseas player.
Of course, a good tour here may see Cooper or any of these players rapidly elevated to an Australian side that is evolving slowly. Older heads like the Hussey brothers will surely be eased out in coming months, leaving vacancies for others to take up. Of course, our own Usman Khawaja will be especially keen to make an impression, both in this match and the remainder of the season. Just as Phil Hughes took up a Worcestershire contract to bring him to the attention of selectors, Khawaja needs a good stint in our colours to do the same.
His century at Chesterfield against the Unicorns apart, Khawaja has had his struggles, although coming from close-season did him few favours. He has potentially twelve important Championship innings to come and from every standpoint probably needs 500 runs from them as a minimum. If he does that, Derbyshire will remain in the promotion shakeup till the very end. That would be richly deserved as only the really churlish would argue that we've not played some very good four-day cricket this summer.
Maybe it needs to get cold again...
Karl Krikken has gone on record as saying he intends to field a strong team and we may see a return for Mark Footitt. For what its worth, this would be my team against the Antipodean visitors:
Khawaja
Lineker
Madsen
Durston
Redfern
Whiteley
Wainwright/Hughes (A)
Johnson/Poynton
Palladino/Evans
Turner
Footitt
In the customary manner, I would welcome your thoughts.
Have a good one - see you soon!
Given the congested international calendar, the likeliest sources of overseas players in 2013 are likely to be Australia and South Africa, primarily because those countries usually have more than their fair share of top quality players. Of course, to qualify to play over here in such a role, players will need to have played the requisite number of international games, but with countries increasingly selecting different squads for Test and one day games, that is leading to a larger pool being available to choose from.
So who might be in that category?
Of the batsmen, the two I have seen most of have been Ed Cowan and George Bailey, both of who I have seen a fair bit of as they played in Scotland for some time. Cowan is more a dogged player, a grafter, while Bailey is a dasher, albeit one with a reputation of making fancy forties too often for some tastes. I could see the former as a good Championship player, the latter more a good one day bat, although I wouldn't sit either in the very top drawer of Australian batting.
Steve Smith is another good cricketer, a handy, powerful hitter and useful leggie, but for me he hasn't yet got either of the disciplines to a standard where he would be an automatic pick for a county side. Michael Klinger has been a talent for some time and did OK in his short stay at Worcestershire without pulling up any trees. He would benefit from the experience, of course and might come under consideration, as would Mitchell Johnson. The latter is a highly talented yet enigmatic player, capable of spells of genius with the ball either side of wildly erratic bowling that can make Steve Harmison's spell at Chesterfield look like Les Jackson in his pomp. He is also a dangerous hitter and would be a brave, though potentially inspired selection if he wasn't back in the Aussie fold by that stage.
Perhaps the most interesting is a player well known in England, though for his exploits for the Netherlands. Tom Cooper is a fine batsman whose ever-increasing averages and decent experience of these shores might make him the batsman to watch. Tall and powerful, Cooper also bowls handy off spin, but his aggressive batting may well bring him to the attention of counties, not just because he could theoretically play under a Dutch passport, thereby leaving a space at a county for another overseas player.
Of course, a good tour here may see Cooper or any of these players rapidly elevated to an Australian side that is evolving slowly. Older heads like the Hussey brothers will surely be eased out in coming months, leaving vacancies for others to take up. Of course, our own Usman Khawaja will be especially keen to make an impression, both in this match and the remainder of the season. Just as Phil Hughes took up a Worcestershire contract to bring him to the attention of selectors, Khawaja needs a good stint in our colours to do the same.
His century at Chesterfield against the Unicorns apart, Khawaja has had his struggles, although coming from close-season did him few favours. He has potentially twelve important Championship innings to come and from every standpoint probably needs 500 runs from them as a minimum. If he does that, Derbyshire will remain in the promotion shakeup till the very end. That would be richly deserved as only the really churlish would argue that we've not played some very good four-day cricket this summer.
Maybe it needs to get cold again...
Karl Krikken has gone on record as saying he intends to field a strong team and we may see a return for Mark Footitt. For what its worth, this would be my team against the Antipodean visitors:
Khawaja
Lineker
Madsen
Durston
Redfern
Whiteley
Wainwright/Hughes (A)
Johnson/Poynton
Palladino/Evans
Turner
Footitt
In the customary manner, I would welcome your thoughts.
Have a good one - see you soon!
Monday, 23 July 2012
Monday musings
Back in the day when he was the doyen of cricket writers, Sir Neville Cardus missed the last afternoon of a match featuring his beloved Lancashire, as he was having a painful tooth extracted. Some of the more critical - and less able - members of the press box mused on how he would be able to file his customary match report to the Manchester Guardian, when he had seen none of the action.
They need not have worried. "I know how Lancashire's bowlers take wickets on the last day of a match" said the great man, quizzed on how he had submitted such an accurate piece in the next day's editions, illustrating amply what he had acquired through long years of watching county cricket.
Not for a minute would I dare to compare myself with a man I still consider the greatest of all cricket writers, but I was minded of Cardus' comment when I had my first look for some time at the Falcons Forum today. One correspondent, presumably referring to me, pondered on how "a certain individual" got "match reports" when I don't attend the games.
Ah, yes, that old chestnut! You can only be a fan if you go to games. Never mind that your professional and personal circumstances dictate that you must live some distance from the club that you love, as many followers of this blog do. You have to live close and go to every day possible to pass comment. Wait till I stop laughing, then I will continue...
It is simple. I don't write match reports. I write comment pieces. For anyone who doesn't know the difference, presumably including the correpondent concerned, cast your eye over yesterday's report on a separate tab as I explain...
One only needs to know cricket and follow a ball by ball scorecard to see how batsmen are handling a situation. Johnson and Hughes rotated the strike well, with plenty of singles, while there were several twos. On a small ground like Queens Park, you have to run hard to manage that a few times, unlike on larger grounds like the Oval or Trent Bridge, where you can coast a little more between the wickets.
Similarly, Derbyshire's greater discipline with the ball that I referred to is evident from the scorebook - five extras versus 22 is a clue that wouldn't need Sherlock Holmes to work out. Likewise the innings of Hughes, who batted 14.2 overs for his supporting, unbeaten 37, was hardly the work of a greyhound out of the traps, but nor did it need to be with Johnson hitting well at the other end. It was an innings of some maturity, as young players can often try to join in, to their cost, when a senior player is going well.
As for the rest? Comment, pure and simple. I've seen Johnson bat a time or two and been impressed by what I've seen. Match reports are out there through news agencies for specific shots played, but I don't go down that route unless I've seen them myself. It's all rather simple, but as anyone who has ever sat at a cricket match will testify, there are some who are there regularly don't really understand what they are seeing, or at least give that impression with some of the stuff they come out with...
Derbyshire now have a break until Australia A over the weekend, a game that I hope is blessed with good weather. It will be interesting to see what sort of side is selected for the game, as there will be a need to field a competitive side, but also to ensure we don't have players injured and out of the run in.Of course, there's a better chance of a good crowd with a strong team, so I suspect we will field a decent eleven with a sprinkling of youngsters.
More on that later in the week. For now, we're fourth in the CB40 and top of the County Championship.
There'll be a few nerves in that Australian camp...
They need not have worried. "I know how Lancashire's bowlers take wickets on the last day of a match" said the great man, quizzed on how he had submitted such an accurate piece in the next day's editions, illustrating amply what he had acquired through long years of watching county cricket.
Not for a minute would I dare to compare myself with a man I still consider the greatest of all cricket writers, but I was minded of Cardus' comment when I had my first look for some time at the Falcons Forum today. One correspondent, presumably referring to me, pondered on how "a certain individual" got "match reports" when I don't attend the games.
Ah, yes, that old chestnut! You can only be a fan if you go to games. Never mind that your professional and personal circumstances dictate that you must live some distance from the club that you love, as many followers of this blog do. You have to live close and go to every day possible to pass comment. Wait till I stop laughing, then I will continue...
It is simple. I don't write match reports. I write comment pieces. For anyone who doesn't know the difference, presumably including the correpondent concerned, cast your eye over yesterday's report on a separate tab as I explain...
One only needs to know cricket and follow a ball by ball scorecard to see how batsmen are handling a situation. Johnson and Hughes rotated the strike well, with plenty of singles, while there were several twos. On a small ground like Queens Park, you have to run hard to manage that a few times, unlike on larger grounds like the Oval or Trent Bridge, where you can coast a little more between the wickets.
Similarly, Derbyshire's greater discipline with the ball that I referred to is evident from the scorebook - five extras versus 22 is a clue that wouldn't need Sherlock Holmes to work out. Likewise the innings of Hughes, who batted 14.2 overs for his supporting, unbeaten 37, was hardly the work of a greyhound out of the traps, but nor did it need to be with Johnson hitting well at the other end. It was an innings of some maturity, as young players can often try to join in, to their cost, when a senior player is going well.
As for the rest? Comment, pure and simple. I've seen Johnson bat a time or two and been impressed by what I've seen. Match reports are out there through news agencies for specific shots played, but I don't go down that route unless I've seen them myself. It's all rather simple, but as anyone who has ever sat at a cricket match will testify, there are some who are there regularly don't really understand what they are seeing, or at least give that impression with some of the stuff they come out with...
Derbyshire now have a break until Australia A over the weekend, a game that I hope is blessed with good weather. It will be interesting to see what sort of side is selected for the game, as there will be a need to field a competitive side, but also to ensure we don't have players injured and out of the run in.Of course, there's a better chance of a good crowd with a strong team, so I suspect we will field a decent eleven with a sprinkling of youngsters.
More on that later in the week. For now, we're fourth in the CB40 and top of the County Championship.
There'll be a few nerves in that Australian camp...
Sunday, 22 July 2012
Derbyshire v Yorkshire CB40
When the groundsman at Queens Park wakes up tomorrow morning, I would reckon there's a fair chance of crop circles on the outfield. There has to be aliens in the vicinity, disrupting telecommunications today on what was a somewhat weird afternoon, albeit one after which Derbyshire fans can celebrate a fine victory against our northern rivals.
The teletext score, like Cricinfo, didn't move for a long. long time. Then, when it did, it started adding runs that didn't tally, Richard Johnson at one point being 95 not out before being dismissed for 79. Even our normally excellent Twitter feed was affected, with various inaccuracies. At one point we had batted 23 overs when we'd actually faced 17, then were 238-6 with eight overs left. When Johnson was dismissed we were 221-7, still needing 28 to overhaul Yorkshire's 239... it took a little deciphering, but all turned out well in the end.
Technical glitches apart, it was a better performance by Derbyshire, though the result shouldn't mask another batting display of some frailty, set off by Usman Khawaja's first-baller. At 56-4 another heavy one day defeat beckoned, but Wayne Madsen and Richard Johnson started a recovery. When Jon Clare was out quickly, I doubt that many thought a win was still possible, but the partnership between loanee Johnson and Alex Hughes was a revelation - an excellent illustration of how to chase a total by two young players. Don't panic, work the ball around, run hard and hit the bad ball to the boundary.
There is little doubt that Johnson is a very good cricketer, a busy and organised player. His glovework is of a high standard and good judges said that he is a far better batsman than his average suggests. To be fair, given that he rarely gets in before number nine at Warwickshire, he has suffered from lack of opportunity as much as anything. At 24 he looks set for a fine career, but with Tim Ambrose ahead of him at Edgbaston he may well have to move for the opportunity he patently needs. Following this display there will be a few fans suggesting that we move for him, but that would depend on his contractual situation. I also feel we have other areas in greater need of strengthening than wicket-keeper and it should be remembered that Tom Poynton is two or three years behind Johnson in age and development. We are, however, fortunate to have him at a key time in the season and his performances suggest he should be first choice during the month that he is on the staff.
There were two factors, aside from the innings of Johnson, in today's win. One was the greater discipline of the bowlers - compare our five extras conceded with Yorkshire's more profligate 22. Then there was an innings of some maturity by Swarkestone's Alex Hughes, who, at 20, has shown enough in flashes this summer to suggest a bright future. He has bowled some good tight overs, fielded well and today played a supporting role of some maturity before stepping forward after the dismissal of Johnson to finish the job.
It augurs well. One innings doesn't make a career, but Hughes can be proud of his role in a high pressure game in front of a large crowd and can take great encouragement from his display.
It was a game that I would have loved to have seen. A close game, ending the right way, on a ground that is as pretty as you will find anywhere in the world, with the sun shining and two young cricketers taking a game away from old rivals.
Be still, my beating heart...
The teletext score, like Cricinfo, didn't move for a long. long time. Then, when it did, it started adding runs that didn't tally, Richard Johnson at one point being 95 not out before being dismissed for 79. Even our normally excellent Twitter feed was affected, with various inaccuracies. At one point we had batted 23 overs when we'd actually faced 17, then were 238-6 with eight overs left. When Johnson was dismissed we were 221-7, still needing 28 to overhaul Yorkshire's 239... it took a little deciphering, but all turned out well in the end.
Technical glitches apart, it was a better performance by Derbyshire, though the result shouldn't mask another batting display of some frailty, set off by Usman Khawaja's first-baller. At 56-4 another heavy one day defeat beckoned, but Wayne Madsen and Richard Johnson started a recovery. When Jon Clare was out quickly, I doubt that many thought a win was still possible, but the partnership between loanee Johnson and Alex Hughes was a revelation - an excellent illustration of how to chase a total by two young players. Don't panic, work the ball around, run hard and hit the bad ball to the boundary.
There is little doubt that Johnson is a very good cricketer, a busy and organised player. His glovework is of a high standard and good judges said that he is a far better batsman than his average suggests. To be fair, given that he rarely gets in before number nine at Warwickshire, he has suffered from lack of opportunity as much as anything. At 24 he looks set for a fine career, but with Tim Ambrose ahead of him at Edgbaston he may well have to move for the opportunity he patently needs. Following this display there will be a few fans suggesting that we move for him, but that would depend on his contractual situation. I also feel we have other areas in greater need of strengthening than wicket-keeper and it should be remembered that Tom Poynton is two or three years behind Johnson in age and development. We are, however, fortunate to have him at a key time in the season and his performances suggest he should be first choice during the month that he is on the staff.There were two factors, aside from the innings of Johnson, in today's win. One was the greater discipline of the bowlers - compare our five extras conceded with Yorkshire's more profligate 22. Then there was an innings of some maturity by Swarkestone's Alex Hughes, who, at 20, has shown enough in flashes this summer to suggest a bright future. He has bowled some good tight overs, fielded well and today played a supporting role of some maturity before stepping forward after the dismissal of Johnson to finish the job.
It augurs well. One innings doesn't make a career, but Hughes can be proud of his role in a high pressure game in front of a large crowd and can take great encouragement from his display.
It was a game that I would have loved to have seen. A close game, ending the right way, on a ground that is as pretty as you will find anywhere in the world, with the sun shining and two young cricketers taking a game away from old rivals.
Be still, my beating heart...
Saturday, 21 July 2012
Derbyshire v Yorkshire day 4
There has been a fair amount of comment around regarding why there was no play at Chesterfield over the past three days, especially when the weather hasn't been too bad for the last day and a half. There has also been unfair comment towards the groundstaff, very able and talented people who deserve much better.
What has happened, my friends, is simple. The ground could take no more water. So much had fallen that the water table was high and I assume that Queens Park is still a slow drying ground - it usually has been. I have good experience of such grounds, as our club plays on one that is heavy clay under the surface. Once the limit has been reached, the water simply pools on the surface and has nowhere to go.
You can get all the forks, "Whales", sponges and whatever you like on the surface, suck it all up or move it around. You could, if you had the money and inclination, get a helicopter in to help dry the surface. But it still going to do nothing for the state of the subsoil, which is going to take longer to dry as the water has to gradually go away in its own time.
I assume Queens Park is a world away from our club - it has to be as they are confident in play tomorrow. We were once unable to play for three weeks of lovely weather, as the water table at the nearby river was so high and the water just sat there, while we did the same, talking up the runs and wickets we were missing out on...
The groundstaff will have done all that was humanly possible, but you cannot expect professionals to risk serious injury by playing on an unfit surface, which this has been for the past three days. Neither side will have been especially happy, but what can you do?
I was amused to see that Yorkshire wanted to get out there for that extra bowling point "that could be all important at season end". They seem to have discounted the fact that it was perfectly feasible for Derbyshire to have scored the 60-odd runs we needed for a batting point. Facing bowlers running in gingerly for fear of their footing, I'd have thought that eminently do-able.
So we are still 25 points clear and six games left, two of them against Kent. They might still win tomorrow, but require Glamorgan to do - well, do a Glamorgan and collapse like a pack of cards. It could happen, but shouldn't, based on today's events.
Yesterday came news that Northamptonshire were releasing a player who I have always rated - Rob White - who would appear the latest victim of the regulations if he departs the county scene at the age of just 32. He has played some very good innings for them over recent years - usually quickly - and he is their highest scorer in T20. Yet a more detailed look at his career statistics show why the parting of ways has come.
In ten years on the staff he has only eight centuries to add to many delightful, but often inadequate cameos. That is two more centuries than Wes Durston, who has played around 70-80 innings less for an average that closes in on 40. As I wrote the other night, after they are 26 years old players have to average more than their age or the writing is on the wall. At nearly 33, White averages 32, while Surrey will expect more of Vikram Solanki, for all his talent, than an average of 28 from 16 innings. That's marginally more than Ross Whiteley has managed in a challenging second season, a telling comparator.
And so to tomorrow. I'm less convinced that we will acquit ourselves well in a game of limited overs and am not subscribing to the "we could still qualify" message coming from the club. I'd love to, but until we prove we can chase a total with greater composure than that shown so far, I am not convinced.
More tomorrow. Fingers crossed for sun and a good crowd!
What has happened, my friends, is simple. The ground could take no more water. So much had fallen that the water table was high and I assume that Queens Park is still a slow drying ground - it usually has been. I have good experience of such grounds, as our club plays on one that is heavy clay under the surface. Once the limit has been reached, the water simply pools on the surface and has nowhere to go.
You can get all the forks, "Whales", sponges and whatever you like on the surface, suck it all up or move it around. You could, if you had the money and inclination, get a helicopter in to help dry the surface. But it still going to do nothing for the state of the subsoil, which is going to take longer to dry as the water has to gradually go away in its own time.
I assume Queens Park is a world away from our club - it has to be as they are confident in play tomorrow. We were once unable to play for three weeks of lovely weather, as the water table at the nearby river was so high and the water just sat there, while we did the same, talking up the runs and wickets we were missing out on...
The groundstaff will have done all that was humanly possible, but you cannot expect professionals to risk serious injury by playing on an unfit surface, which this has been for the past three days. Neither side will have been especially happy, but what can you do?
I was amused to see that Yorkshire wanted to get out there for that extra bowling point "that could be all important at season end". They seem to have discounted the fact that it was perfectly feasible for Derbyshire to have scored the 60-odd runs we needed for a batting point. Facing bowlers running in gingerly for fear of their footing, I'd have thought that eminently do-able.
So we are still 25 points clear and six games left, two of them against Kent. They might still win tomorrow, but require Glamorgan to do - well, do a Glamorgan and collapse like a pack of cards. It could happen, but shouldn't, based on today's events.
Yesterday came news that Northamptonshire were releasing a player who I have always rated - Rob White - who would appear the latest victim of the regulations if he departs the county scene at the age of just 32. He has played some very good innings for them over recent years - usually quickly - and he is their highest scorer in T20. Yet a more detailed look at his career statistics show why the parting of ways has come.
In ten years on the staff he has only eight centuries to add to many delightful, but often inadequate cameos. That is two more centuries than Wes Durston, who has played around 70-80 innings less for an average that closes in on 40. As I wrote the other night, after they are 26 years old players have to average more than their age or the writing is on the wall. At nearly 33, White averages 32, while Surrey will expect more of Vikram Solanki, for all his talent, than an average of 28 from 16 innings. That's marginally more than Ross Whiteley has managed in a challenging second season, a telling comparator.
And so to tomorrow. I'm less convinced that we will acquit ourselves well in a game of limited overs and am not subscribing to the "we could still qualify" message coming from the club. I'd love to, but until we prove we can chase a total with greater composure than that shown so far, I am not convinced.
More tomorrow. Fingers crossed for sun and a good crowd!
Friday, 20 July 2012
Derbyshire v Yorkshire day 3
In the words of John Fogerty, I want to know, have you ever seen the rain...?
Well, yes and it should have guaranteed a draw in this game. If we give Yorkshire a sniff tomorrow then I will be surprised and disappointed. Twenty-seven points lead is massive with six games left and we'd be daft to risk losing it in any way, shape or form.
Mind you, if Yorkshire want to leave us 120 in 70 overs...
More tomorrow - busy day today and another one to follow
Well, yes and it should have guaranteed a draw in this game. If we give Yorkshire a sniff tomorrow then I will be surprised and disappointed. Twenty-seven points lead is massive with six games left and we'd be daft to risk losing it in any way, shape or form.
Mind you, if Yorkshire want to leave us 120 in 70 overs...
More tomorrow - busy day today and another one to follow
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