Glamorgan 410-9
Derbyshire 122-2 (Godleman 49 not)
Glamorgan lead by 288 runs
With two days to go and a dodgy weather forecast for tomorrow at least, it is hard to see where a positive result can come in this game.
The one reality would appear to be that the visitors can be the only winners, after batting on deep into the second day and taking maximum batting points. The Derbyshire bowling was too profligate for my taste, even allowing for it being a small ground. Five an over, together with conceding 40 extras is too many, especially for someone brought up on the Derbyshire tradition. Back in the day, three an over was costly, but times - and specifically bats and the attitude to batting - have changed.
Glamorgan batted well down the order, without anyone making the big score that was promised. Graham Wagg returned to the scene of past glories with a breezy knock and Derbyshire could easily have folded in reply.
Yet Hamish Rutherford and Billy Godleman gave us the start we needed, until the Kiwi was carelessly run out. With Chesney going quickly, we were rocking, until Wayne Madsen and his vice-captain saw the team, not without alarms, through to the close.
It is such a shame that the best festival on the cricket calendar (biased, moi?) has been tarnished by rain, but that is one thing that cannot be controlled. The thinking money is on a draw here, but we need to bat well to avoid an undignified scramble and struggle on the last afternoon.
More from me tomorrow.
Perhaps if the match is hampered by rain we might wish to declare early to give our bowlers the chance to claw back our over rate!!
ReplyDeleteJust following the scorecard on CricInfo and once again found myself saying 'Oh, ***ing hell Derbyshire'.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, following Derbyshire is like being friends with an alcoholic. One who promises faithfully he'll never touch another drop, and then when your back is turned, there he is lying in the gutter clutching a bottle of meths.
Our batting is woeful, and our only hope is that the weather is equally so. This way we can get away with a draw.
Utter dross yet again from the batsmen, following on as I post. Changes will have to happen if we lose this one.
ReplyDeleteChanges how Mark? We're not overly blessed with alternatives and I'd like to think that we look at things sensibly at the end of the summer, not indulge in knee-jerk reactions in the middle of it.
ReplyDeleteThat we need a batsman or two is undeniable..getting them now is not happening, so we go with what we have.