Vitality Blast review

There are those who will say that we over-achieved this season in the T20. Especially when one considers that we played without two of the regular stand outs in the format, Wayne Madsen and Alex Hughes, as well as fielding our fourth choice overseas (behind Stanlake, McDermott and Melton) and only one of them to boot.

I can accept that rationale, but history will show that, depending on the last games for a frankly awful Northamptonshire side, we came either bottom or next to bottom. In fifty years time, when looking back on this summer, I don't expect historians to be looking at it through rose-tinted spectacles, following on from bottom place in the four-day group. 

The frustration is that we SHOULD have beaten table-topping Nottinghamshire twice. We had the games in our grasp and blew it. We likely would have won but for the missing personnel, but the fact remains that we didn't.

The bowling was fairly consistent, with George Scrimshaw the standout. Until the last couple of matches, few played his pace and bounce with comfort and he will hope for better luck with injury to build on that. Matt Critchley was also consistent, varying flight and pace to command respect from most sides. Early wickets often came from Logan Van Beek, who fielded brilliantly throughout, but was seldom the same force when he returned for a later spell. His tendency to bowl one or two awful deliveries and wides an over were detrimental to his figures and the bottom line is that he was too expensive for an overseas bowler.

Hudson-Prentice also took wickets and did well in the 'danger overs'. He will be missed next year and would have been even more effective with someone like Rampaul at the other end. Other flitted in and out of the side and in some cases simply lacked opportunity, or were under bowled when they made the eleven. Both McKiernan and Thomson were unlucky from that perspective and the knee injury of Luis Reece was keenly felt - and his overs missed - in the middle overs.

The batting cost us. Both Reece and du Plooy played memorable innings and strokes, but neither went on often to a match-winning or defining score. Critchley started well but latterly reigned in his attacking instincts when given the captaincy. Harry Came hinted of good things to come, but often got out in horrid fashion, while Brooke Guest suggested there is a player of talent in there, but was, often too low to change the course of a game. For a successful side there are too many 'buts' in there. 

The season and tournament was lost by management. The inexplicable sticking by Billy Godleman, when he was clearly low on form and confidence, aside from playing a format that has rarely suited him, was inexcusable.

Tom Wood, a player that most would have thought a shoo-in for the format, was belatedly given opportunity and finished top of the averages. Who would ever have thought that picking horses for courses might work? Clearly not the coaching team. McKiernan was another who could have been better utilised and selection must have been an equal frustration among the squad. 

There IS potential, but for another year we have to get the overseas recruitment right. Through bad luck and bad thought process we didn't this year. Had we done so, we might have upset the odds and qualified for the knockouts. A look at neighbouring Leicestershire, who used analyst data and ended up with two cricketers that few had heard of topping the batting and bowling lists, would prove beneficial another year.

It will be - it has to be - a winter of change. For the club to move forward, someone has to come in who can do the right recruitment, make the right team selections and steer the side through the choppy waters when things go wrong. I remain firmly of the conviction that better performances were down to personal pride and talent,  rather than any cunning plans or motivational speaking. 

If we don't, I have a feeling I can do a copy/paste job here next year, changing only the names to protect the innocent...