Northamptonshire 155-6 (Levi 42, Cobb 48, Hughes 2-23, White 2-25)
Derbyshire 140-5 in 18 chasing 144 to win (Durston 60)
Northamptonshire won by 3 runs on D/L
To be fair to Graeme Welch at the end of this one, he called it as it was. As we did the Durham game at Derby, we blew a game that was there for the taking. At 103-4 in 13 overs, we needed 41 from five overs, which most sides would deem a breeze in this format.
I won't take anything away from Northamptonshire, who bowled with common sense and skill in those last few overs, but we should have done better than that. With clean strikers like Thakor, Hughes, Knight and White unused, it seemed like such a waste. We either seem to panic in these situations and slog at everything, or fail to realise the gradual runs/balls equation is slipping away from us.
Azharullah is a canny, experienced bowler and we should have gone for it in the penultimate over, at the very least. We didn't - and a three-win season, that could quite easily have been a much-improved five-win one, looks like staying that way.
Alex Hughes and Wayne White again bowled well and both have made positive contributions to the side in this competition. Wes Durston has too and again led from the front with a captain's innings. Hamish Rutherford has made good starts in the matches he played, but will need to learn to go on from there and play the match-defining innings.
Disappointing then, sad to relate.
And much work to do to become genuine contenders in the format.
I'm not normaly one to moan but that was poor. A division 5 south side would have been disappointed to have lost front that position. Tom Poynton ahead of of Alex Hughes or Tom Knight, please someone explain.
ReplyDeleteWe are really poor thinkers in this format of the game. To lose like that is as disappointing as it gets really as we seem utterly incapable of learning.
ReplyDeleteI think today we saw why Derbyshire are bottom. All teams lose matches in T20 because someone on the opposition may have had an excellent game, or things go array in the power play. Friday was a good example of that. However, when you also throw games away like we did today and against Durham, you haven't got any chance of qualifying. Early on in the competition I suggested we needed a more experienced player down the order, and this was vindicated again today, because the players from 5 down all have question marks over their ability to score at anything over a run a ball for an extended period of time. As it was, we found ourselves needing 45 off 6 overs, a target most counties would reach easily 95% of the time, still with wickets in hand, and we couldn't do it. After a winter of work in the nets, with a lot of focus on t20 techniques, it must be very disappointing for the coaching staff that we don't have 7 or 8 batsmen that could have achieved that kind of target, even against decent bowling. In the last over, Azharullah bowled the first two balls just outside off, which Tom Poynton attempted to heave through the leg side, and he missed both. He's often scored a few runs with this shot over the years, though with mid wicket on the fence it was a risk even if he hit it well. The fact that he didn't feel he had any other scoring options is a major concern. Elstone also had his struggles, regrettably time is running out for him I fear.
ReplyDeleteThe bowling and the rest of the batting was good, though they're finding it hard to find a role for Shiv Thakor. He's been up and down the batting order, taken the new ball, bowled in the middle and had a go at the death too! With Durston and Alex Hughes bowling well in the middle, and taking a specialist overseas death bowler on, I think they should give him the responsibility of the new ball. Tom Knight needs to go up the order, at the minute he's playing as a specialist fielder. If not, we should play Tony Palladino to give an additional bowling option.
Looking ahead to tomorrow, I'm dismayed to see Ben Slater dropped from the side, after Graeme Welch blamed defeat in the last match squarely at the feet of the senior players. Godleman and Slater are one of the best opening partnerships in division 2 and should have been backed to hit their straps again as they did earlier this season. After all, they did put on 150 in the second team 50 over match last Thursday? I'd have left Chesney out, though time will tell whether the change has worked. That said, it's good to see Alex Hughes and Harvey Hosein back in the side. I'd like to see all the youngsters in the 12 play so I'd leave (harshly) Wayne White out.
Good points well made, Sam. Thank you
ReplyDeleteI don't get to see many games of cricket, and I always feel guilty about saying too much about the scores I read on CricInfo. After all actually being there and seeing how the team played is very different from reading a scorecard and a report.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed watching today's game. We were in with a chance to win it, until the last ball, although a slim chance it has to be said. It would have been nice to have won but we certainly competed and it has to be said both teams were well matched.
We could have bowled better I thought. The Northants batsmen seemed to take a liking to Shiv Thakor's bowling but it was Shiv that took the first wicket and broke a very promising stand. Without him taking that wicket Northants were on for a very high total. After that one wicket we pegged them back and I thought we did well to keep them to 155.
Then the rain came, and I think that undid things for us a bit. It was a delay and it worked to Northant's advantage. They had chance to re-group and plan. Even then when Madsen and Durston were at the crease I thought we were going well. If Madsen or Durston had stayed in, or stayed longer, then we would have won. The last two Elstone and Poynton played well, but just had too much to do.
I have said it before but I feel we ought not to get to down about what's happening this season. We need just need a run of luck and everything will change. Yes, we lost this match, but it was close, damn close. We competed and fought Northants every step of the way. We fielded well, and our running between the wickets was good. No mix-ups, no silly mistakes. Just needed a bit of luck that's all. I know we're not getting the results but based on what I saw today we're a good side. We'll come good, I know it. I'm prepared to be patient.
Again a well made point or two Daniel..I am prepared to be patient too..there's no real alternative to be honest and the young players need to learn from their mistakes..
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