The best four-day game of the summer so far was that between these two sides at Chesterfield, a few short weeks ago. Though it seems an eternity, with all the razzmatazz of the T20 in between times.
Derbyshire travel up to the Riverside for this game with a side that is heavily focused on youth and opportunity. A thirteen-man squad has been announced, which reads:
Godleman
Reece
Slater
Madsen
Hughes
Critchley
Hosein
Palladino
Milnes
Viljoen
Podmore
Davis
Tahir
There's no Gary Wilson, who is ill, so Godleman and Madsen are the experienced, guiding hands in an otherwise youthful batting line-up.
There is opportunity for both Ben Slater and Harvey Hosein, two players of unquestionable talent, to make a case for a regular place in the side for another year. Luis Reece and Matt Critchley have fought their way into the side and done well, so the challenge for Ben and Harvey is to produce the figures required to do the same.
It is good to see Hardus Viljoen and Imran Tahir in the same four-day attack for the first time, and surely we will take a belated opportunity to unleash Hardus and Will Davis together? Logic suggests that Harry Podmore will play too, as there seems little point in taking a lad on loan, simply to carry drinks. Let's get him out there in support of the two quicks, with Tahir ready to be unleashed at the other end and see how it goes.
For me, it is as exciting a side as we have fielded this summer, but the challenge is now for those involved to make it exciting when the action starts.
Our hosts have named a strong squad that has won two and drawn three of its last five games in the county championship. Skippered by county legend Paul Collingwood, they will be a stern test and enter the match with this squad:
Paul Collingwood (c), Keaton Jennings, Tom Latham, Cameron Steel, Jack
Burnham, Graham Clark, Michael Richardson (wk), Ryan Pringle, Paul
Coughlin, James Weighell, Matthew Potts, Chris Rushworth, Graham Onions.
With the first three days set to be cloudy, the seam bowlers may well fancy their chances and I wouldn't expect a game of high scores.
We'll see soon enough.
Give it a good go, lads.
No idea how Milnes gets in these squads. For me I would leave out Milnes and Palladino. Like you say Peakfan unleash the two quicks.
ReplyDeleteIs anyone remotely bothered about the rest of the season now?, for me it ended last Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteI am Mark. For me it is about standards and both the setting and maintaining of them. Finding players who will handle the pressures of the first class game and do well.
ReplyDeleteIf we are playing, I am always bothered...
I hope to be proven wrong, but I'm not expecting too much from Harvey Hosein. i get the impression that the environment has changed for him at the club. It's sad to see and I wish him all the very best.
ReplyDeleteAnna, Sheffield
Do we presume Smit has been dropped?
ReplyDeleteI don't think so Anna. I think he is seen as not yet ready. Smit is a better keeper and any player will be better in early 30s than at 20.
ReplyDeleteHe has had to wait for a chance and part of the challenge for any pro sportsman is to prove people wrong. Prove you are the right man for the job and should have been in the side all along.
Smit didnt average what he has over his career so Harvey has a chance to do better.
Up to him to take it...
Assume so Jasper. 3 keepers always going to be tough. Hosein's turn to make the runs we need from the role AND maintain the glove standard of Smit.
ReplyDeleteI agree Podmore has to play, if only to see if he has what it takes, especially if, as Peakfan thinks, the 'initial' may turn into a permanent signing. Nice to see Ben and Harvey given a chance, I only hope they get a run for much if not all the remaining season as I think it is difficult for any player to dip in and out of a higher grade of cricket and expect them to show their true quality. As they have been selected one has to assume the Club think Davis and Viljoen are capable of lasting 4 days, so on that basis Milnes and Palladino miss out.
ReplyDeleteAfter the success of the 20/20, this is quite and exciting team, two quick bowlers, world class spinner with his apprentice, I hope the top for can bring their 20/20 form into 4day game.
I was told that Smit was on the Radio Derby commentary during the Notts match and, without actually saying he'd been dropped, said that he hadn't been doing the main job he'd been brought in for of scoring runs. Whether keeping or not, Hosein was the obvious next cab off the ranks in terms of his second team form. He's been a little unlucky so far, getting more than his share of good balls (what I think of now as the Gary Wilson share) but now has the opportunity to show what he can do in both jobs.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Peakfan, that the last month of the season is important. Although the clear priority was improvement in T20, 4 day improvement was very much part of Barnett's plans for development, and I'm not convinced that we've seen such clear evidence of it. To be sure, our expectations would have been adjusted downwards if we'd known that we'd been missing Viljoen, Davis and Thakor for most of the season, but it's still been a huge disappointment to see Derbyshire still being outclassed so often. We have a major fight to avoid the moral if not the actual wooden-spoon again, taking into account the points deductions for Durham and Leics, but a strong finish is also important to show that the culture and structure changes are working.
I'm surprised that Sandhu hasn't been given another chance after his earlier performance against Durham, bearing in mind that he offers variety and would have strengthened what is inevitably going to be a very long tail. It'll be great to see Viljoen and Davis together, although we shouldn't expect too much immediately. Viljoen seems to have recovered his pace but not his radar, and Davis is bound to be match rusty and feeling his way, as we've seen with Woakes in the test match after a similar injury. Together, they could give Hosein a very stern test. If Podmore also plays, that gives us a tail of Viljoen at 8, Tahir at 9, Podmore at 10, and Davis at 11. So lots of pressure on the batsmen to deliver. I'm not sure I see the "youthful" part of the batting line-up. Apart from Critchley and Hosein, the rest are 26 or above (bar a month in Hughes' case). Some may be inexperienced for their age, certainly, but Reece, Slater and Hughes all have to be seen as players who should be coming into their prime.
My youngest son is a professional rugby player but we're a family of cricket lovers firstly. Unfortunately I've witnessed at first hand the effects of mis-placed comments and poor man-management by club coaches/directors. It can have a very damaging effect on a young player. There's enough pressure when they're out playing; the off-field structure and support needs to be in place in order to nurture players with potential.
ReplyDeleteIf Harvey Hosein is able to put in some real performances after being dropped at the end of last season he will have demonstrated some real knuckle and strength of character. I sincerely hope he pulls through but the point I'm making is: all too often it sadly doesn't happen.
Anna.
Great stuff. Back to 'proper' cricket.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Palladino and Milnes will most probably miss out, and let's hope that all of our youngsters that play, have a good game.
When one looks at their line up, it really is pretty awesome.
No time for faint hearts, Good luck lads.