Regular readers will know that I am a fairly positive sort of guy and will generally see the good side of most things. I still see signs of progress at Derbyshire, even though they still lose games that frustratingly should be there for the taking.
Yet the only thing I can say about tonight is that it was shocking.
There is no defence for an abject performance in which we barely turned up. I can handle losing, but while the fielding was only average and the bowling steady, the batting tonight was abysmal. Northamptonshire have an OK attack (Brooks is a good prospect) but we batted like novices. No concept of the partnership building by which John Morris puts great store, no rotation of the strike to keep the scoreboard moving. At five overs in our innings I told my family we'd lost the game. They were slightly more interested than the Derbyshire batsmen appeared to be.
So we now need to beat Yorkshire on Sunday and hope that Northamptonshire lose at Durham. If we're going to play like that again, I suggest we phone Yorkshire tomorrow, award them the points and save them the journey.
When I think back to earlier games, such as Yorkshire at Headingley, the away game at Northampton and the two wins over Lancashire, it only heightens the feeling of disappointment felt by fans tonight. We looked good in these games and played professional, thoughtful and committed cricket.
That run chase tonight was like my club side on an especially bad day.
With that, I head for bed.
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