He replaces Mattie McKiernan, while Nick Potts and Alex Hughes are also in the thirteen-man squad.
That notwithstanding, I would expect us to line up as follows:
Godleman, Masood, Guest, Madsen, du Plooy, Reece, Dal, Thomson, Conners, Lakmal, Sidebottom.
Durham welcome back pace duo Dillon Pennington and Charlie Morris from injury and they will likely take their places in the final eleven, from thirteen named:
Libby, Pollock, Ali, Haynes, d'Oliveira, Barnard, Cox, Leach, Baker, Finch, Gibbon, Morris, Pennington
The first three days look set fair, with a few showers forecast for Sunday. I think Derbyshire have a solid look to the side just now, which will improve further when Luis Reece returns to the bowling crease.
It is always handy to have a different angle in the attack and Michael Cohen's continued absence with injury and form is a blow.
Yet there are four seamers, a front line spinner and a couple of part-time options, while the batting has fired for the first time in a few years.
Worcestershire are a decent side and I think Pennington a fine bowler. But I don't fear them and nor will this Derbyshire side. If we can hold our catches, which will come from this attack
I am going for a win here.
What do you think?
If Reece is still not able to bowl, would it not make sense for him to open with Masood thereby allowing Billy to drop down the order and hopefully regain some form from number six?
ReplyDeletePersonally feel Billy opens and needs to. More likely to recover form against seamers as he has always done, than against an old ball and spin. Though others may disagree..
DeleteSort of a big call dropping McKiernan - he scored a hundred and contributed with the ball - what more could he have done? You'd have to drop Billy, or maybe Du Plooy or even Thomson/Dal/third seamer - none of which are really warranted. Billy would be most warranted, but then Reece is not really a long-term opening option and we'd be dropping the captain. Though you could say worry about the long-term later (as England should do!). I think that's a long way of me saying selection dilemmas are good ones to have! Curious though that McKiernan was not even in the 13-man squad, I guess it frees him up for second team cricket and more bowling in particular? Otherwise surely he is ahead of Hughes.
ReplyDeleteMy main worry with the side and I hope I am proved wrong is how are we consistently going to take 20 wickets especially at home.
ReplyDeleteEspecially when we win the toss and decide to bowl! Not sure what we have based that decision on. You would expect us to know how much our own pitches are likely to help the bowlers on day one...
DeleteIs McKiernan injured? Or if not, why was he left out of the squad completely?
ReplyDeleteNo, he is in the second team against Nottinghamshire
DeleteWhy oh why did we decide to field first on a batsman's paradise?. Game lost or drawn over that ridiculous decision on day one
ReplyDeleteI quite agree Chesterfield Blue. I might be old fashioned but I believe that if you win the toss you should bat unless there are exceptional circumstances. We will now have to bat last so can only hope the pitch lasts and doesn't give help to the Worcs spinners.
ReplyDelete