Forgive the use of the acronym, but do please get used to it, because the idea of typing 'Royal London One-Day Cup' on a regular basis in the next couple of weeks doesn't thrill me unduly...
Tomorrow, or rather today as I type this, Derbyshire play Somerset at Taunton in the first match of a competition that will test their resilience and their Sat-Navs in equal measure. Whatever criteria were used to draw up the schedule, logic doesn't appear to have been one of them. Between tomorrow and next Sunday, the route seems somewhat akin to the old American rock 'n' roll tours, where bookers picked up gigs anywhere and everywhere with scant disregard for the distance in between.
Sunday in Taunton, Monday in Derby, Wednesday in Bristol, Friday in Derby and Sunday at The Oval is like the bad old days of the John Player League, when championship games were interrupted by cross-country hikes with little regard for the welfare of players. After throwing yourself around all day, you ideally don't want to be sitting in a car for several hours, perhaps explaining why we have taken another bowler on loan, just in case.
At least the competition sees us play largely different opposition to the T20, which is something. Despite their being a first division side, this Somerset side is beatable, with no Gayle and no Trescothick from the T20. Their squad, captained by the dangerous Jimmy Allenby:
Jim Allenby (capt), Tom Abell, Michael Bates, Tom Cooper, Lewis
Gregory, Tim Groenewald, James Hildreth, Jack Leach, Johann Myburgh,
Craig Overton, Jamie Overton, Peter Trego and Max Waller.
As for Graeme Welch, he has matched a youthful-looking opposition with an equally young Derbyshire squad of rich potential:
Wes Durston
Billy Godleman
Hamish Rutherford
Chesney Hughes
Wayne Madsen
Alex Hughes
Shiv Thakor
Tom Poynton
Matt Critchley
Greg Cork
Ben Cotton
Mark Footitt
One would assume that Matt Critchley will be twelfth man, but there is good depth to the batting that at some point will bear fruit. The duration of the innings and the less frenetic manner of the cricket should suit us. If we can bowl with similar professionalism and skill as we did in the shortest form of the game, there is no reason why we should not do well in this competition.
The Surrey fixture is at Woodbridge Road, Guildford, Peakfan, not the Oval.
ReplyDeleteThanks mate..which teaches me to double check things, especially late night and after a party! Though the point on travel remains valid...
ReplyDeleteThat can happen unfortunately with a random draw, last year we got very lucky and played 4 close teams away from home. Pleased to see Cork in the squad, though Taylor and Palladino can consider themselves unfortunate. I think the lack of a spinner could hamper us at times in the competition, Cork himself will probably have to bowl through the middle and do the job of a spinner, with a burst from Footitt if we need to get a wicket and Durston in reserve. Hopefully over rate won't be an issue, the last thing we need is another points deduction...
ReplyDeleteAnonymous has left a new comment on your post "Somerset v Derbyshire RLODC":
ReplyDeleteNo Hosein? I thought he would have been the first choice for the RLODC competition. Instead Welch seems to be plugging on with Poynton, which surprises me and a lot of other people.
Alex
(Confused of Chesterfield)
Taylor picked up a minor injury in a car crash last week Sam, so that's why he is omitted. It shows we have a good squad coming together though, when we can afford to omit Tony.
ReplyDeleteLooks like the weather will have the final word, however..
I wouldn't have expected to see Taylor playing in this competition anyway, but I'm bemused by the absence of Palladino. He was ever-present last year and was possibly our most effective bowlers - the best strike rate, the second most wickets, and the third best economy rate at just over 5's. As he showed yesterday, he can also score quickly as he did last year in the game against Gloucestershire. He clearly is fit, so it's another puzzling selection decision in a season that has been littered with them. I've been impressed by Cork, but it's expecting a lot of him to get through 10 overs.
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