Derbyshire 551-8d and 127-7 (Reece 42*, Masood 37, Brooks 5-46)
Sussex 337 (Rizwan 130, Kerr 3-63, Dal 2-40, Watt 2-56, Conners 2-94, Reece 1-56)
Derbyshire lead by 341 runs
When Derbyshire bowled Sussex out for 337 today, 214 runs behind on first innings, a lot of people seemed to think we would /should enforce the follow on.
I wasn't one of them.
It had taken us 94 overs to bowl them out and the attack all had around 20 overs in their legs. Putting them back in was an option, yes, but I said to my wife and daughter, who take increasing interest in our improved fortunes, that in my opinion we should bat again.
For one thing, tired bodies easily become injured bodies. With a small squad, the last thing we need is a couple of injuries with a big game this weekend. Furthermore, we wouldn't want to bat last on a wicket where I suspect the players see signs of deterioration and perhaps have to chase a hundred against the clock to win.
The evidence from the end of their innings, when they lost three wickets in four balls, then ours when we lost seven before the close, is that the wicket is now a challenge. That's as it should be on the fourth day of the game, with variable bounce, perhaps a little turn and help for bowlers who are good enough.
Yes, we would have hoped to bat better second time around, BUT we closed the day 341 runs ahead. I know which side's players will sleep easiest tonight.
We may declare overnight, or bat a few overs and set them 360 off 90, but I see this as much different to the wicket where Glamorgan so nearly beat us earlier in the summer. Crucially, so does Mickey Arthur, who knows his cricket, has seen this wicket close up and will have made the decision to bat again accordingly.
For what it is worth, if we bowl anything like first class players should, they won't get close tomorrow. If they do, they will have to bat brilliantly and will thoroughly deserve the win. But we will have to bowl badly to allow it
But I will maintain, either way, that the correct decision was made.
It is a shame that this 'overshadowed' another good day by Derbyshire. Dal and Watt bowled tight spells, while Hayden Kerr took his first three wickets in first-class cricket for us in those four balls to end the home innings.
In the second, Luis Reece ensured we didn't collapse completely and Sussex, although happy how they fought their way back into the match, will look at tomorrow as a mountain to climb.
We will see.
Agree Peakfan. Look at the two other sides that put sides back in today. Notts and Surrey didn’t take any wickets in the final session so it’s not always so easy, as we know from the reverse Sussex fixture. Also I suspect giving Sussex an outside sniff is no bad thing as it encourages them to play a few shots rather than shutting up shop from ball 1. Hopefully can finish it off tomorrow. I think Haines and Rizwan are the key wickets and as we saw today they have a reasonably longish tail.
ReplyDelete100% Gary. For them to get 340 minimum, those two need to score half. And yes, they have a chance, but Derbyshire are very much in the box seat here
DeleteI can see the arguments for and against both options, and perhaps it might have been more attacking to put them in again, but for similar reasons to you I wasn’t expecting the follow-on to be enforced either. Having said that I didn’t envisage the second innings going as it has, so far. At one stage it seemed as though I was getting consecutive notifications about the fall of wickets!
ReplyDeleteWith Sussex losing their last 7 wickets for 124 runs (I think) and then Derbyshire’s exploits I wondered if the pitch was deteriorating, although the commentary on the stream by the time I caught up suggested otherwise.
At this stage I will happily take a draw tomorrow but hope that they bat like us second time around and we can claim a win.
Sage comments, Sarah. Yes, the last 14 wickets have gone down in 70 overs. Whatever the commentators say, the players seem to be experiencing differently. I stick by my assertion that we will win, but also that Sussex really shouldn't.
Delete340 off 90 odd overs.
ReplyDelete4 an over on Day 4 on a pitch where 14 wickets fell on day 3.
Yes i know whose shoes I'd rather be in, and it isn't Sussex
For Sussex to win the top five of Orr, Haines, Alsop, Rizwan and Carter who are all capable of scoring hundreds (four have this season and Orr has a 99), have to probably score at least 265 of them as 6-11 won't get 75 between them. I think you should declare overnight. The biggest risk is batting too long in the morning and Sussex ending 8 wickets down. I don't think it was 14 wickets in 70 overs or a 5-38 Sussex collapse pitch.
DeleteCouldn't believe the vitriol being written on the other board. I'm with you on this one PF. I tend to think the easy choice would have been to ask them to bat again - but i don't think that would necessarily give us the best chance of winning the game. For sure i don't imagine the wicket to be easier tomorrow than today. Looks like there is also the chance of some rain around before the start tomorrow, before brightening up around 10-11:00 a.m.. A bit of moisture about or movement in the air, plus some balls staying low and irregular bounce, and signs that Watt in particular was finding some turn are all points to consider.As you say , if we had asked them to bat again with some tired bowlers on what looked a pleasant day ,and they just looked to bat time , we could be sitting here with them 100+ for not many, and querying whether we had taken the right option by enforcing the follow on. As it stands now, we are in the ascendancy , while they may consider that they have a chance of snatching an unlikely win if they bat really well - which may well keep them interested for longer tomorrow - as well as us having a 5/6 man attack that can throw everything at it all day, when we do bowl.
ReplyDeleteYou made some points I hadn't properly considered, Steve. Yet, at the same time with a lead of 214 and four sessions for Sussex to bat in, we couldn't have lost. And, most likely, we'd win. And if they'd scored big, we'd have an insurance policy with a second innings.
ReplyDeleteNow, if we're bowled out in the morning for 150 - 170, we're probably looking at a draw. If we're bowled out with 20 or so runs added in five or six overs. Sussex might go for a run chase. It only needs Rizwan, Rawlings and a couple of others to attack.
I disagree. If they scored 340 second innings, we would have been chasing maybe 120 in 15 overs.. I would have been more concerned at that point.
DeleteIf they score 340 on a 4th day pitch, I will applaud them and a job well done. I don't think they will and unless Haines or Rizwan go big they won't. And I would be disappointed by our bowling if it happened..
It seems to me that fewer wickets fall on last days nowadays, probably due to better pitches. Even Queens Park flattened out last day. I think it could be a delayed start tomorrow, so a draw for me now. Kris
ReplyDeleteComments elsewhere such as inexplicable and bizarre probably says more about the person making the comment. Today's bowlers just aren't equipped to being the field for two and a half days. Regardless of the result, Mickey will have weighed up the percentages and knows best.
ReplyDeleteWell Derbyshire look like heading for a shocking defeat, such a poor effort letting Sussex score 300 plus in a day. Lots of work still to do on this squad
ReplyDelete