Lighten up guys

I had a quick look at In Morris We Trust today, where the discerning Derbyshire fans go to comment on games. If you've not already done so, I'd urge you to visit and contribute whenever you can as it is a great forum.

Anyway, a contributor suggested that our losing on Sunday, away to Northamptonshire, will end our interest in the T20. I disagree, though we really should be beating sides like Northamptonshire and Worcestershire, who we play on Monday in front of the TV cameras. After last night we have ten games to play in the T20 and, as Greg Smith suggests in the Derby Telegraph today, if we win half a dozen matches in total we will be in the mix for the quarter-finals. That would require four wins from those ten games, not at all unrealistic with most teams taking it in turn to beat someone else.

I was hopeful that we could win last night, especially when I saw that Nottinghamshire were without Chris Read as well as their England bowlers. Yet a start of three wickets down for just two runs was a nightmare, especially when the three wickets were all those of our blasters in the top order. Bosman and Durston were due a failure, while there was an ironic inevitability over the fact that Chesney Hughes might get a blob shortly after signing a new contract. The impressive thing was that we still made a potentially challenging 150 from 2-3, something we'd never have done a year or two back. Yes, we lost, but it was far from a disaster - or as far from a disaster as losing to your East Midlands rivals can be...

I have written before that I don't yet expect us to beat teams of that strength. If we played out of our skins and they had a bad night it is possible, but the Nottinghamshire squad is large, talented and experienced. I think the gap between the two sides is narrowing, but we've still got a way to go before we play them on equal terms.

We have yet to play Worcestershire, Northamptonshire and Lancashire, sides with talented players but who have lost their fair share of games already. We have returns to play against Leicestershire and Yorkshire, who we have already beaten. Warwickshire only just edged us out and we've no more games against Nottinghamshire. We gave a good display against Durham and would probably have beaten them at Derby had the weather not intervened. If the players reckon that four or five wins will do it, there are enough winnable matches among that lot to do so. For what it's worth, I think we'll need five as a minimum to progress, so need to return to winning ways sooner, rather than later. If we won the next two, suddenly winning three from eight is a much more realistic concept.

What impressed me in looking at the post-match scorecard was the runs down the order. Lee Goddard and Steffan Jones haven't batted in this competition yet scored quick and valuable runs last night. Such contributions will be crucial if we are to continue in the positive manner displayed so far.

To get through to the quarter-finals would be a major achievement, considering our track record in this form of the game is akin to that of Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards in his sport. At that stage it is a straight knock out that would require one of our big names to play a blinder, something they are eminently capable of doing. It was good to see Langers back in the wickets quickly last night and he will benefit from a bowl on English soil again, working out the lengths required. Bosman and Durston will be back in the runs over the weekend and I'm a long way from downhearted at this stage.