Birmingham Bears 197-4 (De Grandhomme 65 not, Pollock 66)
Derbyshire 177-9 (Reece 33, Elliott 4-37)
Bears won by 20 runs
After seventeen overs of the home side's innings today, a betting man might have fancied a few bob on Derbyshire coming out on top in this game.
At 137-3, with Ian Bell dismissed, the thinking would have been a total of around 170, comfortably within the compass of a side that has been batting well.
Then the wheels came off, faster than a pit stop at a grand prix.
SIXTY runs conceded in the last three overs.Six, zero.
The target had gone from challenging, but possible, to unlikely in eighteen balls. A friend texted me to say that, according to the radio, we would fancy anything under 200. Sadly, not for me.
When the momentum swings against you, it is very difficult to stop it and swing it back. The home side will have been buzzing after the late assault by Colin De Grandhomme and Will Porterfield, something we appear to have been powerless to stop.
I am less concerned about Wayne Madsen conceding runs, though the question of bowling him at that stage, as a non-regular bowler, is a valid one. Both batsmen have reputations as hitters, though I guess he has been our best bowler and just had one of those overs. What is disappointing, however, is that we continue to hemorrhage runs from our overseas quicks, from who one would really expect better.
It is not fair to judge players at this stage, but is safe to say that both need to up their game if this is to be anything other than the latest in a long list of promising, but ultimately disappointing campaigns. We have gone from 3-1 to 3-3 in the blink of an eye and although the batting worked hard to the end, we cannot expect them to be chasing 200 every time and no one really got going today.
With the role of overseas professional and Kolpak come rewards, but also considerable expectation. If Ben Cotton and Tom Taylor had gone for those runs we would write it off to inexperience, but players who are well rewarded and experienced should be doing better. Just as De Grandhomme did, as Grant Elliott did and, indeed, as Imran Tahir did, after taking some stick in his opening over.
At the end of a disappointing weekend, we sit third in the table on run rate, one of four teams on six points with the reigning champions and Leicestershire, a side we have still to play twice, above us.
There is a lot to play for and we can get back on track.
But by crikey, those closing overs need to be a heck of lot better, even if I acknowledge a terrific effort by the two home batsmen.
Don't let us down now lads, after all the hard work you have put in so far.
You have pretty echoed my thoughts on this one peak fan. I have to say I am very very dissapointed in Radio Derby's coverage. I too was pulling my hair out when they kept saying how pleased we would be chasing anything below 200. This ground has a par score about 160. To top it off they lark about and are not Derbyshire supporters. Did they do any research before the game? It was like they assumed 190 was easily in our range because we got 222 at tent bridge. Different ground and circumstances gentleman. Putting money invested aside, we must look to improve and if it means an overseas is taken out the side then so be it. We did so with Dilshan! We have Ben Cotton and Tony Palladino who can bowl overs for 12 and 15s instead. It was a decent chase and total again by our batting all being said, however a fruitless one. So, what's the thinking now? Well with 3 home games in a week it's 2 wins from 3 to maintain our target of qualifying. Time to reflect, look at our options, and make changes if necessary.
ReplyDeleteSuffice to say the bowling, Madsen, and to a lesser degree Tahir apart, isn't working at all.
ReplyDeleteThese, I think, are Matt Henry's bowling figures in the competition;
22-0-253-3.
Mindbogglingly awful. If he gets a game on Tuesday then quite frankly he's very fortunate.
Nearly every Kiwi currently over here for the T20 series are having decent seasons PF. Unfortunately not ours !!!!!
ReplyDeleteWill we leave Henry out?? Who knows. If it were on merit, then yes definitely, but with a New Zealander as head coach I don't see it happening. Also, the guy is a good player, but he needs to turn things around ASAP
I can definitely see a couple of changes for the next game. One of Taylor or Cotton coming in to the team, or possibly both.
I can also see Tom Wood getting a game, possibly coming in at first wicket down.
As you say 'don't let us down now lads'.
Was my comment okay peakfan?
ReplyDeleteNo problem Nic. I would bring in Dino or Ben too as we are a bowler light.
ReplyDeleteI stopped listening to the radio after Cardiff and I am 'off' most cricket commentaries, which too often degenerate into a boys club.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, our bowling has been woeful after those first two matches. Madsen a part time bowler has put the supposed experts to shame, namely Henry and Viljoen. Why does our recruitment never seem to pay dividends?, we're continually let down by the overseas mob. Expect to see us near the bottom of the table very soon, just where we're always destined to be.
ReplyDeleteWow Tim, those are staggering figures. Viljoen's probably don't read much better.
ReplyDeleteI can't cope with Radio Derby anymore. Dave Fletcher sounds like a nice fella and the sort you'd want to go for a beer with but harsh as it may sound he doesn't understand the game. He makes far too many scoring mistakes. I just find it awfully frustrating listening. At one point he said we will hope to keep them under 150. Then when they were 193 he said they brought the 200 up. I couldn't listen to the chase. Follows on cricinfo which is awful since the updates. Sorry to moan.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Ian hall. Gave a great insight, was from the area and a fomer Derbyshire player
DeleteIan knew his stuff, Nic. Could be a little dour, replicating the way he played, but gave good insights and understood the game in a way that successors didn't.
DeleteIf you look at last year Henry was Worcestershire's worst economical bowler in the T20 (9.5) and only took 7 wickets all tournament. Even in the IPL he played 2 matches going at over 11 an over so hardly a surprise. He clearly has a good agent
ReplyDeleteViljoen clearly isn't fit but I suspect we want to play to justify the money we are spending on him.
Batting is a positive like in the 50 over game but the bowling is worrying
The commentators aren't to blame for Derbyshire's welcoming bowling. Perhaps you could do an article on why our overseas players can't get it right here Peakfan. Most seem to succeed to some degree at every other county, ours seem to flop spectacularly. After a good start Imran Tahir seems to be following the trend, his last three games have been very disappointing for a man of his pedigree. Don't get me started on Henry and Viljoen.
ReplyDeleteAt least Viljeon has taken wickets. Henry has been pure fodder would have rather kept Neesham as he would have been cheaper
ReplyDeleteWithout turning this into thread about our BBC correspondent, I was astonished to hear him say something like 'Don't ask me whether it's a leg spinner, a googly or a top spinner as I don't know the difference' (about Tahir).
ReplyDelete3 games in a week, we MUST at the very least win 2 if we have any real hopes in this comp, I'd take a win a 2 games abandoned due to the weather!
ReplyDeleteDave Fletcher is new to Derbyshire cricket and in commentary tends to 'tell it how it is' with no local bias or dressing up a poor performance to appease those who do not like to hear the truth.
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with that approach in my humble opinion.
I'd make an honourable mention for Iain O'Brien's time - knowledgeable, hugely insightful, and non-partisan. I understand why he didn't go down well with the former Derbyshire hierarchy, who I suspect were much happier with someone like Dave Fletcher who doesn't understand enough about cricket to make informed criticisms. It would also be interesting to have heard his views on the succession of New Zealand failures we've imported over the last two years. since he was a big advocate of Broom, Rutherford and Neesham at least.
ReplyDelete