Not too much to write about today, as Derbyshire limped to 306-6 on a severely shortened day where the Trent Bridge climatic microcosm behaved as it sometimes does and offered greater swing.
The stand developments at Trent Bridge cause the ball to move around when the temperature and breeze is right and Andre Adams and Harry Gurney took out the remainder of our top six to leave us on 306-6 at the close.
I can't see how a positive result can be achieved in this game, looking at the forecast and with only half an innings completed. Derbyshire might bat on tomorrow to get to 350 and another batting point, but it is hard to see how a result can come unless it effectively becomes a one innings match. That might be worth a gamble, especially if there was a chance of similar swing, but as with any gamble there's an element of risk - and loss.
Off the field the club are asking fans to vote for their favourite T20 eleven, which I find very difficult as, without being cruel, I find it hard to come up with eleven players who were actually good at the format. That is why we've been a very average side in the competition over the years.
I can come up with Martin Guptill, Steffan Jones and James Pipe, then I am struggling. You may stick in the qualified success that was Loots Bosman as second overseas, Wayne Madsen as someone who improvises well and Wes Durston who has produced some good displays, but then...Ant Botha maybe, Greg Smith on occasion (but not often) then I'm stuck.
Perhaps I am missing someone - feel free to let me know - but we have not covered ourselves in glory in this competition and I really hope that this year we do, for the first time in a long while.
More tomorrow.
I don't think swing or movement had much to do with this one, Peakfan. I managed to fit in a couple of hours at Trent Bridge this morning and I'm afraid that this was wholly self-inflicted. Chanderpaul and Durston played on to wide balls (apparently oblivious to the loss of wickets) and Slater chipped aimlessly to mid-on. I suppose if you're being very charitable, you might say that they were trying to hurry to get bonus points before the rain arrived but it just looked to me like sloppy and thoughtless cricket. You're probably right that the weather won't allow time for a result, but the best chance of it would have been to set sights on 400 plus and hope there was enough time to bowl Notts out twice. The rate Trent Bridge dries out is extraordinary - the rain at mid-afternoon was torrential but would have been fit to play after 5 if there hadn't been another shower - and there may yet be more time in this match than the weather forecast suggests. If this happens, this morning's ragged performance means that we almost certainly can't score enough runs for this to be an option. An hour like this morning's means that there is never going to be an opponent who is so far down against us that they won't think we'll let them back up again.
ReplyDeleteHappy to defer to one who was there mate but the reports generally suggest that the wicket had greened up ovenight and more movement than the previous day undid for batsmen who were untroubled the day before and played shots with no fear.
ReplyDeleteAs for drainage...yep, one thing that Test status brings is the money for top drains on the ground.
No chance of a positive result in this match and that might be the case in a few more if it's true the jet stream has sodded off back to Spain.
ReplyDeleteIt's ironic how things have a habit of paying you back. Last season there were several occasions when the rain helped us out, directly or indirectly, but from now on it can only harm us and benefit our rivals.
I think someone must have taken leave of their senses asking for the best 20/20 team. I'm not even going to bother thinking about that one. It's this years team we should be more concerned about.
I think id rather us put the money towards a player for the whole of next season than rather pay 40k for a overseas for a month or so.
ReplyDeletePaul.
Given Cork was still around when T20 began there'd be a case for him being in the side.
ReplyDeleteHi Peakfan,
ReplyDeleteMy All-time T20 XI for Derbyshire would be:
Di Venuto
Stubbings
Guptill
Durston
Smith
Cork
Pipe
Botha
Wagg
Welch
Dean
A bit bowler-heavy I know but they would probably concede few runs.
PS Can I recommend issue 3 of Backspin magazine as it has a lengthy interview with Alan Hill about the time he spent at the club. Indeed this is another quality issue with plenty to keep the reader interested.
Good comments guys and thanks for the magazine tip Jeff! Your team is about right too mate.
ReplyDeletePaul - we won't pay anything close to that for an overseas player. The guys who command that money will be elsewhere.