Three wickets for Charl Langeveldt tonight as he opened the bowling for South Africa against the West Indies in Dominica. As I type the Saffers seem well in control and should complete a win in the next hour. Langers removed their two big guns, Gayle and Pollard, in pretty much the sort of job we've signed him to do at Derby. With a second wicket in his comeback over, the old magic would appear to still be there.
The presence of three top South African cricketers in our T20 ranks should help to swell the crowds at the games, certainly until people see how we are going to do. If it all goes pear-shaped it might be a struggle for people to find the money for all the games, but success on the pitch will breed success off it. The more money we get in, the more and better players we can sign. Langeveldt, Peterson and Bosman are all good players and we should benefit from their expertise in this format.
John Morris said in the interview on the BBC site that Derbyshire is a work in progress. He has brought in a lot of players and there may well be a few more. He can only sign those who are available and while they may not be the finished player he wants, as long as they are better than we have there can be few complaints.
I had a look at the players in our side back in 2007 when Morris came to Derby and there can be few people who would say we've not got better personnel now. Stubbings, Birch, Adnan, Botha - they did a job, but with respect I wouldn't swap them for the current incumbents.
The club site tells us that Freddie the Falcon, our new mascot, can dance. Whoopy doop. I'd do the tango with him if he could bowl lively fast medium on a line and length, but I suspect that might beyond him. You'd think he'd be able to bowl a decent outswinger, resulting in the batsman feathering one through to the keeper.... sorry, should've kept that one to myself.
I dare say tomorrow will reveal the squad for Sunday's game against Netherlands, which should see Michael Dighton return to the County Ground. I'm not thinking about them beating us, but I'm hoping they've no more budding Ryan ten Doeschate's waiting to take us apart. I will find Sunday a very difficult blog if we don't win that one.
Anyway, that's it for tonight. My daughter's birthday tomorrow and she hits 13. Yes, I'll wish her happy birthday from you all and I'm sure she'll love the Derbyshire club history I got her.
Just kidding. Honestly...
regarding your comments on stubbings, birch and botha, they are all have half decent avarages in the 30,s, much better than borrington redfern, sadler,have for derbyshire.
ReplyDeletealso you keep saying all these young players will come good, nothing for certain in cricket.