A win and the right combination of results could see us secure a home tie, but our league placing will determine who we play from the other group.
And there's a conundrum too. All three overseas players are picked. Assuming full fitness and availability, which two would you go with? My gut feeling, given that Masood is in the squad and captain, is that he plays, while it makes a lot of sense for Hilton Cartwright to get another knock on English soil ahead of the quarter-finals to maintain, eligibility.
So Hayden Kerr will be given time to recover from his niggle and I hope that Ben Aitchison is given another opportunity to stake a claim. I wouldn't drop George Scrimshaw, as one or two have suggested, but George seems to have been worked out by some opponents who now see the upwards slash at his short stuff as the more sensible way to runs to a pull. The last two games have suggested so and he needs to be very much on his line and cramp the body or he will haemorrhage runs.
So my feeling is this team, with the other squad members the last five named:
Masood, Reece, Madsen, du Plooy, Guest, Cartwright, Hughes, McKiernan, Watt, Aitchison, Scrimshaw (Dal, Came, Kerr, Thomson, Conners)
I don't think there's much between Conners and Aitchison, to be honest, but Ben needs overs in case he has to play down the line. Luis Reece bowling and dropping down the order might give him a breather too, as he is finding soft ways to get out at present. Harry Came is a decent option up top, though the Head of Cricket has shown himself loathe to make too many changes.
Durham named the following eleven for their game at Trent Bridge last night and it shouldn't be far from tomorrow's side:
Clarke, Jones, Robinson, Turner, Coughlin, Eckersley, Carse, Trevaskis, Raine, Tye, Sowter.
They have struggled for runs in the competition and no one has yet broken the 300 run barrier, with the highest individual score, of 65, one of only four half centuries (Derbyshire have twelve)
It SHOULD be a home win, but we have all been here before and things don't always go to plan. Yet this is Mickey Arthur's Derbyshire, an altogether different beast to teams of recent vintage.
I will go for a home win, to round things off in style.
What do you think?
Hypothetical question here! Should Derbyshire get a home draw, do they get much say on which day the quarter final is played (Weds, Fri x 2 and Sat)? Just wondering because The Bubble is at the ground on Saturday night!
ReplyDeleteCraig
I don't know, Craig. Logically they would either hope to play on the Wednesday or they ask for Saturday afternoon at Chesterfield. But Wednesday may not leave enough set up time for a stage etc. I am sure the club are working on the options right now!
DeleteI'd go with that team, Steve. Aitchison gets the nod over Connors because he can bat, and we need to be able to bat deep. And Cartwright needs to be in the side to give him experience.
ReplyDeleteCartwright has to play or can't play at all.
ReplyDeleteI thought Cartwright has to play tomorrow in order to be eligible to play in the quarter final, so Kerr would have to sit this one out if Masood is playing
ReplyDeleteHi Peakfan,
ReplyDeleteIt is always good to read your blogs. I, like yourself, would sooner see Conners given a day off and Aitchison playing. But I would also like to se Dal in the team: electric in the field, solid with the bat and usually tidy with the ball. He would probably have been automatic choice before his injury and as since shown how much he has developed in the 4 day game.
That team should certainly do the job.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that I wouldn't be too sorry with Surrey away in the quarters. A massive crowd and a big scalp. Home tie would be great of course but pressure of expectation would be on. I have a feeling we would rise to the occasion at the Oval.
Last anon from rom Phil C - sorry
ReplyDelete