Essex 538-7
Derbyshire 280 and 150-1
Derbyshire trail by 108 runs
I don't know what Derbyshire have for their lunch, but the impression from the season so far as that it disagrees with them. Not for the first time, we collapsed in a post-lunch session, with only some lively hitting by nine, ten, jack avoiding a disaster.
As it was, one has to consider it a poor show by the county. None of the reports suggest anything untoward with the pitch, nor anything especially required by the bowlers than the somewhat basic merit of bowling straight and waiting for someone to make a mistake.
The second innings redeemed things to some extent, with Billy Godleman making an accomplished 76 and Hamish Rutherford digging in. Chesney had to retire, apparently ill, so Tom Taylor came in to see it through to the close.
Tomorrow's forecast suggests that there will be little play and so we should keep up our 100% draw record, but the collapse today was worrying. While Ravi Bopara is a useful bowler, nothing I have ever seen has suggested a bowler who should run through sides.
If things don't pick up, the calls for Messrs Slater and Hughes to earn selection will gather pace.
And rightly so.
More from me tomorrow, when I will have more time.
You've shown a mastery of under-statement here, Peakfan! Our performances have mostly been dire for a very long time, and one suspects that introducing Slater and Alex Hughes will have much the same effect as bringing Cotton, Taylor and Critchley into this game. We have some good players and some promising youngsters -but so does every county. Crucially, our rivals are better are getting match-winning performances out of their players. It's sad to say, but Graeme Welch has now had plenty of time, in sporting terms, to build his own team, and we can all see the outcome. By and large, the weakest team in the championship. One can only hope for much, much better in the one-day games...
ReplyDeleteWell said Martin, absolutely no signs of improvement under Welch season after season. The weather is bailing us out of the proverbial dog mess so far, and at least two defeats would have occurred if the full four days had been played. This is probably the worst Derbyshire side I can remember and boy we've had loads of them.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the forecast for Chelmsford we might get enough cricket in to lose this game yet. Unless the one day stuff brings a huge upturn in performances then Welch will rightly be under pressure.
ReplyDeleteCan't argue on recent performances gents. It would be a change to do more than play well to save a game. We simply have to do better in the one-day games.
ReplyDeletePerhaps that will be our strength this year, albeit for the first time in many years.
We will see...more later
From Roy of the Falcons - published this way as a workaround for a Blogger issue
ReplyDeleteA personal observation.
Sometimes in sporting coaching/management there appears to be a circle of life. A new manager is appointed on 3/4 year contract and when there is a dip in performance supporters call for the manager to be given his marching orders. The manager will be given the full support of the board but eventually if performance does not get better a parting of waves happens. A new manager is appointed and the circle of life starts again for this one. Meanwhile the old manager and the sporting club negotiate a deal which for personal confidentiality reasons is not made public but the money for that deal must come from somewhere. Are clubs which are not financially rich better off sticking with the original manager until the end of their contract because that will leave more money available.