Surrey 239 (White 3-43, Footitt 3-74)
Derbyshire 64-1
Derbyshire trail by 175 runs
Were it not for a few missed opportunities to dismiss the visitors for under 200, this was a good effort from Derbyshire.
They have faced less imposing Surrey sides in the recent past and gradually worked their way through the batting order, finishing with a flourish in taking the last four wickets for just four runs.
Mark Footitt and Wayne White led the way with three wickets each. Mark's will send him off to the England training camp in good fettle, while Wayne maintained his current record of taking his wickets at just fourteen runs each. There will be those at Old Trafford who wonder why he never produced such form for them, but Derbyshire can be pleased with the pace man's form since his return from early season injury, as can the bowler himself.
White will be a key factor in our attack when Mark Footitt goes off. He is quick enough to be awkward and if he can rediscover his batting talents could become a key all rounder too. Support came from Tom Taylor, who went off injured at one point, while Wes Durston nipped in with a couple of handy wickets, especially on a first-day wicket. That one of them was the dangerous Dean Elgar was especially handy and we looked to have a chance of the ascendancy once the South African had been dismissed.
Billy Godleman didn't last long when we went in after tea, but Ben Slater got welcome runs on the board, if less flamboyantly than usual, while Hamish Rutherford showed the technique and concentration that is so important from a number three in English conditions.
There's a big first session in store tomorrow, assuming the weather allows a prompt start. Showers are forecast, which may truncate the play, make the batsmen restart their innings and keep the bowlers fresh. We need to work hard and build partnerships, but after the first day we have a good chance of taking the initiative here.
Time to go. Tomorrow I rise at 5 and hope to be at the ground in time for the start, traffic and weather permitting.
Might need a coffee when I get there...
Encouraging first day without a doubt, and hopefully weather permitting we build a first innings lead tomorrow. Enjoy your Cricket Peakfan!.
ReplyDeleteSafe trip down.
ReplyDeleteI hope Tom Taylor's injury isn't anything serious and he's going to be a serious bowler for us for a very long time.
Glad to see Ben Slater bat some overs - I saw him dismissed on Queens Park by a very gentle delivery from a club player.
I know it,s unwise to tempt fate but today gives us an excellent chance to take a firm grip on the match. It would appear Surrey may have compiled a few more runs than they should have done but even so,we must be reasonably happy with the overall outcome. The wickets were shared around and the only real concern surrounds the fitness of Taylor. We have made a satisfactory start to our own innings and the target now is to come away with a lead of a 100 plus. I hope Slater can get some runs under his belt and bring an end to his lean spell. If two or three batsmen can record fifty plus we will be well on course and by this evening we might be thinking in terms of winning.
ReplyDeleteI think some of the reports are a bit unfair to Durston. I only saw one that might have counted as a drop, although I'm pretty sure it didn't carry. Thakor's was definitely a drop, but in fairness, it came at him very fast and high above his left shoulder, and he might have been better trying to take it one handed rather than getting both hands across. I was a bit surprised that he was left out, as he's averaging over thirty from his last couple of matches, and Slater's recent run (even allowing for a couple of poor decisions) seems to have affected his confidence.
ReplyDeleteWeather permitting, though, this is one that we should expect to win comfortably, with Surrey missing all but 4 of their first choice team. Taylor's possible absence is a concern, and I think that we might have to follow Surrey's lead and look at the loan market for bowling cover. With Cotton and Taylor both injury prone, no immediate sign of Clare's return, and Footitt potentially in the Test squad, we could be down to Palladino and White, with only Davis, Cork and the young White as cover. Might be a shame that we burned our boats with Groenewald?
Another poor day with the bat again, becoming a real concern for me now. But as long as we're not chasing more than 250, I still fancy us for the victory.
ReplyDelete