Grrrrr....
Just when you think we are starting to get somewhere, a reversion to the 'old days' threatens to de-rail the hopes of qualification from the RLODC group stages.
I saw none of the Lancashire innings, due to that pesky little thing called work, but after dinner settled down to watch a Derbyshire reply that was progressing smoothly, after the loss of Ben Slater. Billy Godleman looked good, Hamish Rutherford was composed and we passed the hundred with few alarms and at five an over.
In these days of twenty-over obsession...sorry...dominance of world schedules, I find it useful to break down an innings in the longer format into bite-sized chunks. A hundred off twenty left 180 off thirty at a run-a-ball. Sixty off the next ten leaves you 120 from twenty overs. We were at that stage last night and should we be chasing such a total on Friday at Durham, might you not fancy the chances, with most of the batting in hand?
Of course you would. All it needs is a cool head. Knock it into space, take the twos where you can, put the bad ball away, job's a good 'un. Except it wasn't.
As he has done too many times this summer, Hamish Rutherford gave it away when set with a poor shot that hinted at a loss of concentration. Disappointing, but it brought in Wayne Madsen and when we passed 170 and needed seven an over to win, I was mentally composing a victory blog that referred to a 'professional run chase'.
Then those wheels came off. Wayne had struggled for timing but it was unusual to see him give it away so carelessly, then the dismissal of Billy Godleman, after a splendid innings, left the new men to rebuild.
It was still very possible, but Wes Durston didn't look fit to me last night and was out of sorts at the crease. Whether going in at five 'threw' him I don't know, but nine off seventeen balls was not part of the script and was pretty much diametrically opposed to the Wes we have grown to love. Shiv Thakor, who scores quickly most of the time, played a horrid shot that can only be part of the village green coaching manual.
It spiralled from there and we all know the result. The injury to Harvey Hosein highlighted the importance of a quality wicket-keeper batsman for next summer, in that we can't assume a young lad of talent will get through a summer unscathed. We were a bowler short too, making the decision of Wes not to turn his arm over puzzling. For Lancashire, Kyle Jarvis looked the 'go to' bowler of quality that I have previously suggested we need for another year and rendered our final power play effort as effective as a fly swatter for a swarm of bees.
Time to regroup, clear heads, focus. I accept it is easy from the boundary edge or armchair to criticise, but the players work on scenarios and situations all winter and in training. They should be prepared for and be better able to handle, those like last night, which too often happen in front of TV cameras.
It leaves a big job in restoring confidence for John Sadler over the next two days. Finding a wicket-keeper is number one, because I find it hard to believe, despite last night's piece in the Derby Telegraph, that a lad who can only hold a bat with one hand on Wednesday night will be fit for three big games on Friday, Sunday and Monday.
I don't suppose Quinton de Kock is visiting his granny in Crich, by any chance?
What on earth is going on?
ReplyDeleteApart from Slater who got a peach of a delivery the other batsmen buckled
Rutherford .. Hitting against the spin .. Almost out 2 balls prior to the same shot .. Repeated it OUT , which incidentally was the very same dismissal as t20 and same bowler... POOR
Madden almost caught at wide mid wicket .. Hitting against the spin.. Next ball repeat...OUT
Godleman big swing ... Bowled
Duration big swing ... Bowled
Thakor big swing ... Bowled
We only needed a run a ball on a big ground
Now here's the real frustration!!!!!!!!!!
Our new white ball Coaching Consultant was commenting on it on Sky!!!
What on Earth is going on? Either do one thing or the other and be accountable for the outcome
"When I was at Welbeck the other day.. Blah blah"
Too much tinkering, behind the scenes !
Why on earth was Ches not playing ? Durston NOT FIT & NOT IN FORM
No momentum going into Durham t20 game
Will our Consultant be there to support? Best check Sky live for the answer
Best Wishes to Harvey on a quick recovery
Season will be defined by next Monday
then we will need a new 5 year plan😂
Didn't look good on the coaches or the players. As mentioned above the manner of the dismissals was horrific - I can accept that one player has a go and tries to take the game away from the opposition and gets out but I would have been appalled if this was my club team playing those shots.
ReplyDeleteEight an over is nothing nowadays and even a one handed batsmen and number 11 were getting 6 an over at least at the end!
The side didn't look balanced to me - Shiv Thakor has batted well in the championship but looked too high at 6 in the fifty over game and the lower order lacked power to finish a game off.
Big job to pick the side up for the next 3 games
I do not think that Wes was fit, hence the fact that he did not bowl a single over. I think qualification will be hard now as Northampton is not an easy place to go and we will almost certainly need to set or chase 300+.
ReplyDeleteAny chance of Gary Wilson on loan from Surrey? He is a good player who is not featuring at present due to Ben Foakes having the gloves and he has not been in good form so far this year but a loan may do both parties good.
Billy batted well last night and his omission from the team at Welbeck was bizarre as his 50 over form has been good over the last year and once he gets in he does play his shots and last night was suited to him as the ball was coming on with a bit of pace from their two opening bowlers, just as he likes it. What a good find Kyle Jarvis has been for Lancashire, young, talented and with ambitions to play for England, a pity that we never picked him up!
One thing from last night and I am not using this as an excuse but I really do not think that the floodlights are up to standard. They appear dimmer than usual and this may have been down to the prolonged twilight period but they are certainly behind the standard of the more recent variety seen at other grounds.
Shame re Harvey, but gives Derbyshire a chance to assess a longer term strategy of casting the net as to what might be available beyond this season. Agree Gary Wilson should be first choice option....good keeper, batsman and leader and amongst a plethora of wicketkeepers at Surrey the odd one out (Davies a better long term bet if he is really serious about picking up the gloves again, but out of our league, both ability wise and financially currently). Second choice for me is Ned Eckerskey at Leics; attacking batsman and competent if not spectacular, probably surplus to requirements again now O'Brien is back...ditto Lewis Hill otherwise...then down to lesser options that don't fit the jigsaw; Murphy at Northants (wouldn't strengthen the batting) and Alex Barrow at Somerset (fails to convince)
ReplyDeleteSome good options here Steve and worthy of consideration
DeleteOnly a few weeks ago it was said on this blog that it makes a change not to hear call for wholesale changes in the winter. What a difference a few weeks make? It is still feasible for us to qualify for one or more of the limited over competitions QFs but by the skin of our teeth and we will likely get humiliated if we do, quite possibly live on TV.
ReplyDeleteThere can be no disguising the mess we are in. The winter recruitment has been a total disaster and players we kept around for too long have finally thrown the towel in. I can see futher departures in the coming weeks.
Well PF, at least you can probaly see why many of us have been critical of the club's shenanigans for yourself
I seem to recall us beating Lancashire live on tv in the t20 recently. We were not humiliated then. Yes we should have won yesterday but I don't think it's time for the sort of mass hysteria I am reading on here.
ReplyDeleteI agree Jasper. We should have won but to say 'we are in a mess' and suggest mass clear outs are needed is silly. We arent and they arent. I do think a change of ethos is necessary but we are capable of impressing and frustrating in equal measure. Its what you get with a young side where almost all the experience is in the batting and hardly any in the bowling.
ReplyDeleteThat needs looked at
Yes PF its almost like we need a change of mindset during games 'how are we going to win this' rather than 'how are we going to lose this...again!'
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately yesterday it was the experienced batsmen who disappointed yesterday. Unlike John I would not blame billy ok poor shot at a bad time but there should have been enough left in the hutch to see us over the line after he had got us in to a winning position.
I did think crofts captaincy was excellent and sometimes we lose sight of the fact that there are two teams trying to win and I thought lancs bowled really well. Jarvis was exvellent and mahmood, on first viewing for me, looks a fine prospect.
re The lights; Sky cameras showed six bulbs out on one pylon so little wonder it wasn't as bright as it should have been.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree on every point Jasper!
ReplyDeleteCarter signs for Hampshire! Hilarious.
ReplyDeleteIs it just me, or does anyone else feel our bowling is very tame?. We haven't anybody who looks dangerous, who opposition batsmen have to think what's coming next. It all looks way to easy to put away as the Lancs side found last night. We look a mess all over the field tbqh, and need to get a grip very quickly. Also, has Sadler been confirmed as the new coach or is it just for the end of this season?.
ReplyDeleteYoung attack and I am sure that will be addressed close season.
DeleteSads has the job till season end when it will be reviewed
I tried to help Peakfan - honestly I did. I went into a pub in Crich and asked if anyone had seen De Kock. I am typing from A and E - the nurse will see me soon apparently.
ReplyDeleteI thought the mood needed lifting a little.
Lol! Very good mate..raised a chuckle that...
DeleteLeaving a sinking ship Tim, although Carter didn't do himself any favours whilst he was here.
ReplyDeleteSinking ship Mark? ..come on mate you need some happy pills. It was a defeat, not the end of the world
ReplyDeleteOh dear.calm down lads.
ReplyDeletePeakfan/ jasper are correct, Some are going right over the top
With there criticism of the team,a
Sinking ship..no way imho