At Durham yesterday, I watched as Derbyshire leaked far too many early runs against the home side. Tom Milnes was the culprit and his lack of line and length saw the openers make hay and get off to a flying start.
We simply cannot afford that and need to make changes for Sunday and Northamptonshire. I would think Hardus Viljoen will still be missing, and neither Tom Taylor nor Greg Cork have staked a claim for a place in the side.
I like Milnes and, at his best, he offers wicket-taking potential and late order runs. Yet his bowling this summer has been most profligate and this, for me, is the time for him to drop from the firing line and get his rhythm back away from the public eye.
At the same time that Milnes was going for seven an over at Chester-le-Street, Matt Critchley was bowling an excellent spell for the seconds against what was a very strong Yorkshire side with four international players. He finished with 4-24 and, together with his powerful late order hitting, may just have played himself back into the side.
Two leggies in the eleven? Make it three, if Daryn Smit is needed, but batsmen don't generally play it well and Critchley did well in the competition last year. I'd be inclined to go for this team:
Godleman
Slater
Thakor
Madsen
Smit
Wilson
Mendis
Reece/Hughes
Critchley
Cotton
Davis
There would be four seamers and four spinners available to Billy Godleman, with Reece's different angle a bonus for the skipper. Having said that, Hughes is more likely to bowl tight in this format and both could offer useful runs and agility in the field.
What do you think?
Matt Critchley bowled well but didn't claim the wicket of any of the international players apart from Plunkett who's a bowler. Daniel Gibbs, on the other hand, picked up Jonny Bairstow and Alex Lees and must now be in the frame for a 1st XI spot.
ReplyDeleteI think that sometimes its not just the wickets, good as it looks on scoresheet, but how they were taken.
ReplyDeleteTo elevate a young lad of obvious talent, but who is not on the full time staff, would be a very bold move.
But also speak volumes for the ones who are, but not selected.
I'm sorry Peakfan; there is nothing bold about some of the selection decisions made so far. Quite the opposite!
ReplyDeleteI don't think putting an academy lad in against a very strong batting side like Northants a bold move, Ash.
ReplyDeleteCould work but he would need to be rolling sides over, not taking two wickets, to justify it. And if it goes wrong, it could be detrimental to his confidence.
Not for me. Yet...
Sorry, Azz, not Ash!
DeleteI would go with that side peak, hughes ahead of reece in this format for me.
ReplyDeleteWith Thakor not bowling well either at the moment, I don't think we can afford to go with him as one of just 4 seamers. I don't see why he's batting at 3 either in this form of the game, he'd be better coming in at 5 or 6 when quick runs are needed later on.
ReplyDeleteOn current form Wilson needs to bat higher up the order. He's also the only one in the team who I see being able to hit boundaries against seamers in the middle overs with 4 men out. Teams in powerplay 2 bowl back of a length with 4 men out behind square, a backward point, and 4 in front of the bat in the ring. I don't see anyone but him being able to hit over the top.
A better balanced side would be
Godleman
Slater
Madsen
Wilson
Thakor
Smit
Reece/Hughes
Mendis
Palladino
Cotton
Davis.
I still don't think that's a team capable of finishing in the top 3 - you'll have a tough task convincing me Ches and Wes wouldn't improve this side. But if the top order can stick around there's quick runs down the order, and there's enough bowling to give Godleman options and control, with Davis as the wicket taker coming on in the middle if we need to make something happen. I can scarcely believe he wasn't picked for the last game, unless he was injured of course.
Davis had a side strain Sam. Vintage Ches n Wes would be fine. But that wasnt happening last year...
DeleteA sound defeat, that's what I predict Peakfan. That side is nowhere near strong enough still.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Davis will miss out tomorrow Peakfan. I would go with..
ReplyDeleteGodleman
Slater
Thakor
Madsen
Wilson
Smit
Mendis
Hughes
Wood/Critchley
Reece
Cotton
Cotton and Reece to open up. Hughes and Thakor, Mendis and Critchley or Smit as spin options. Most importantly, plenty of batting.
I want to see Billy thinking 'outside the box' in these games, like Alex Hughes did during his captaincy last year.
Who knows, we could see Mendis open the bowling !!!!