Derbyshire 460
Gloucestershire 224-2
Another day where play was truncated by the weather. Probably as well, truth be told, as the game is going nowhere on the sort of track that no one loves who has to bowl for a living.
With another rain-shortened day forecast tomorrow, the game seems set to end in a draw.
Perhaps it is a shame it didn't all end at Hove, as since then it has all been anti-climactic.
In other news today, which I will look at with more time on Friday, Callum Brodrick has signed his first professional contract. It is a two-year deal that gives a player of genuine talent an opportunity to develop his game under the eye of some excellent senior players and coaches. I will watch his career with great interest, as I think he will be a good 'un.
At the other end of the scale, again looked at in a couple of days, the club has announced that both Greg Cork and Tom Wood have been released.
I suspect that there may be others to be announced, but again, I will look at those leaving the club at the weekend, as well as summing up the season over the coming days.
As always, I will look forward to your thoughts on the news stories as they are announced.
Finally tonight, I am delighted - nay, thrilled - to announce that my wife, Sylvia, has been given the all-clear to carry on with her life and discharged from the hospital and return visits.
Her recovery is testimony to her own fitness and attitude, together with the wonderful care she has received from a vast array of medical personnel.
Our gratitude to all of them knows no bounds and our sincere thanks goes to all of them, as well as to all of you who have kept her in your thoughts over the past months and enquired after her well-being.
Thank you!
Never mind the cricket. Your personal news is excellent.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tim. Appreciate that mate!
ReplyDeleteGood news regarding you wife, best wishes to you both.
ReplyDeleteNot really a surprise re Greg cork, and as you say no doubt more to follow. Not really seen much of Wood, but all the chat seemed to be that he had some talent to make it, so a bit of a surprise he has been released. May be getting a few peripheral players out to finance a signing? Not sure Podmore has stood out as anything much better than the bowlers we have, although he has scored a few with the bat.
Agree with Tim Peakfan, nothing matters more than family. Great news for you and all of your loved ones.
ReplyDeleteLike you, i'll comment more over the weekend.
I have to say I share your feeling that the season should have ended after Sussex. Two days in Bristol has been a slightly deflating experience, watching dull cricket in just about the only match in this round that doesn't mean anything. They might manufacture a result today, but we'd have to bowl an awful lot better than we have so far to have any chance of defending a target.
ReplyDeleteIt was good to see Madsen scoring some meaningful runs, but even more so to see him batting with a restraint and concentration that has been missing from his 4 day cricket this year. Truth be told, this was an innings that he owed us, and his output has to be much greater next year. It's perhaps a comment on the lack of other candidates (as well as his outstanding one day form) that he was player of the year in such a poor year for him.
I'm not sure I agree with your comment about this being a breakthrough year for Alex Hughes either. I remember having a disagreement with you here last year about whether 2016 was a breakthrough year for another Hughes, Chesney. he scored the same number of runs at a much higher average than Alex, with 3 centuries and 4 50's against Alex' 2 and 3. It's odd for you to say that 2017 was a breakthrough year for Alex when 2016 wasn't for Chesney. He's certainly made progress, but he had a very poor start, averaging barely 20 for more than half the season, and said himself that he felt his place was under pressure before his century at Chesterfield. Luck played its part here, as he was dropped before he'd scored, and struggled for most of the second morning, but unlike most Derbyshire batsmen this year, who have regularly been getting out just after reaching centuries, he makes his centuries big ones. Perhaps not the "daddy" hundreds that Gooch loves, but the kind of substantial innings that help to define matches. I still think he's a number 5 though, and we still need a number 3 and the real Wayne Madsen back to have better hopes for 2018.
Another thought on the wicket-keeping situation. Gary Wilson has kept wicket very poorly in this match, as he did against Notts last month, dropping what might have been a crucial catch at the start of Gloucs innings, and fumbling and missing a lot more. Given how little practice he's had since early this year, it's hardly surprising, and it seems like sheer stubbornness to persist with it, with Hosein so clearly the better wicket-keeper of the two, whatever the argument about Hosein v Smit. I'd pick also mention the issue about the pace of Hosein's batting that you comment on. I'd agree to the extent that he needs to be more assertive in marshalling the tail, which he spends most of his time batting with. He's not good at farming the strike and repeatedly takes singles off the first ball of overs, exposing his partners, but his strike rate generally compares well with other batsmen at the same stage of their innings. For example, here he was faster than either Hughes or Madsen at the same score (Hosein 69.8, Madsen 65.5, and Hughes 48.1) and similarly at Hove where he was quicker than Madsen or Godleman and Madsen, and almost as quick as Hughes and Slater in the first innings, and faster than everyone but Critchley in the second. He may not have the sheer power of others, but his "stickability" is a quality that I'd hate to see lost in pursuit of faster scoring as it has been with Slater, and to an extent Godleman and Madsen.
I think you are overlooking Hughes' efforts in RLODC and Madsen's in T20 in your criticism, notoveryet.
DeleteAs for Chesney, I never felt the technique supported a long term career. Too much by eye, thus my being unsure it was more than a one off.
Harvey? Covered elsewhere and I dont expect him to turn into Adam Gilchrist. But in time, as you say, to martial the tail and add runs in doing so.
He is young and will doubtless do so...
Good news Peakfan.
ReplyDeleteRe wood disappointed but if we sign a new top order bat then needs to someone moved on. Wonder if that kettlebrough whose been playing for the seconds will get a contract?
I notice Azzurullah has left Northants? Wondering if we might be interested in him for white ball experience predominantly?