Durham v Derbyshire day 4

 As I write this blog, with the rain battering off the patio doors and the wind blowing the plants to and fro with gusto, there appears little likelihood of further play at Chester-le-Street, with the scene replicated there in tweets from the ground.

It is a pity, because that extra batting bonus point that would otherwise have been a formality may prove crucial by the end of the final round of matches. The pitch was way too benign for a positive result to have been forced and credit must go to the Derbyshire bowlers for managing to get through their opponents on such a track. 

Indeed, the ability of a largely inexperienced attack to dismiss the opposition has been a feature of the Bob Willis Trophy campaign. Regardless of what happens elsewhere in the final round of matches, we have done extremely well with novices. Conners, Melton, Cohen and Aitchison have all done well, taking wickets at regular enough intervals for the team to get into the ascendancy, while the batting has looked every bit the force that it appeared pre-season. 

We all knew about the strength of the 'fab four' at the top of the order, of course. Yet, speaking as a non-statistician, I'd be willing to bet my house on our never having two batsmen, normally at seven and eight in the order, who average over a hundred, as Fynn Hudson-Prentice and Anuj Dal currently do. Both have looked very impressive and with Matt Critchley looking a far straighter, more correct and downright impressive batsman than in the past, I struggle to think of a batting order that has had such depth.

I do feel for Alex Hughes and Tom Wood, who have done little wrong, but it is hard to see how either can force a way in right now, with Harvey Hosein or Brooke Guest behind the stumps at six. Alex will doubtless be in the T20 side and few will fancy coming up against a side where there are genuine batsmen down to number nine in the order.

The professional performance at Durham has been overshadowed by the injury to Ben Aitchison yesterday, who injured ankle ligaments in a training drill. He seems unlikely to play again this season, but has surely done enough to earn a contract for at least two years. His well-grooved action and impressive accuracy would have made him a shoo-in for the Vitality Blast, but that will need to wait.

Our only problem seems to be running out of players. Ravi Rampaul may now not be able to get over from Trinidad and Michael Cohen's wavering lines don't suggest him as an obvious pick for the short form at present. Perhaps Tony Palladino could be our 'wild card' after several years of hardly playing the format? Or do we utilise the all-rounders and pack the side with batsmen?

With our next fixture the T20 against Leicestershire on Thursday, I'll hazard a guess at this team from the resources available:

Godleman, Reece, Madsen, du Plooy, Critchley, Wood, Hudson-Prentice, Hughes, Dal, Hosein, McKiernan

You could omit Wood and McKiernan for two seamers, but the eleven above has seven bowling options  anyway..

Thoughts?

Postscript: a player who has really impressed me in this shortened season has been Matt Critchley. He signed a two-year deal before the action started and looks a serious all-round talent now.

He has always looked a cricketer, but his batting looks much more straight, his defence better organised than in previous years. He gave his wicket away twice, but still averages over fifty, Meanwhile his bowling has developed a lovely loop and greater accuracy, twelve wickets at 24 runs each telling no lie as to his ability.

He has that number five spot nailed, by the look of it. We are very lucky to have such depth in all round talent in the squad, but credit to Dave Houghton and the coaching staff for identifying and improving them so well, 

As well as providing an environment in which they can thrive.