After his five wickets yesterday Ahmed looks a fine talent and is set for a glittering career. Our bowlers ran out of steam, understandable after a long season in which injuries played a part.
Special mention today goes to Sam Conners, who reached 50 wickets for the first time. He has rocked up to play pretty much every match this year and the fitness and commitment that he has shown has been especially noteworthy.
A mention also to Wayne Madsen, who finished the season as top scorer. It has been a real Indian summer for the modern legend and we must all hope that he has a few more of those in his locker before the time comes to hang up his boots, bat and pads.
This weekend I will be preparing my end of season review but for the first time in a long while I go into the winter with far greater confidence. We're still short in a couple of areas and I suspect that next year will be the last for some players, but we have improved beyond doubt.
At the start of the season. Mickey Arthur said that before you can become a winning team you have to become one that is hard to beat.
He managed that this year. There are very obvious signs of improvement and although we need additional bowlers to finish teams off, there were far more days when we gained the ascendancy with positive, aggressive cricket.
More from me over the weekend. But hey, the Yorkies are down and we don't have to play Nottinghamshire in four day cricket next year.
Double bonus for me!
Steve, I'm puzzled. I went to the Sainsbury's around the corner at 4.15 pm or thereabouts, after Sam Connors had picked up two wickets in quick succession, leaving Leicestershire with seven wickets down, and there were around 15 - 20 overs left in the day, with Leicestershire leading by sixty odd. When I returned at just after 4.30 pm, they had shaken hands. We had the upper hand and should have pressed for a win. If we ended up needing 80 or 90 off 10 overs, we could have done that. I don't understand Billy's thinking. Can you enlighten me?
ReplyDeleteI guess they didn't think they could take the last 3 in jig time. The bowlers were tired and while a new ball might have made a difference we didn't have one.
ReplyDeleteFair play to Leicestershire.Batted well and Ahmed looks a talent
Also the issue regarding going off for bad light when the flood lights are on has never been addressed .I know that the problem is the batsman seeing the red ball under the lights and there has been some trials with a Pink ball bur the current situation to use the words of Basil Fawlty "what's the b****y point"
ReplyDeleteA much better season Steve. Lovely to see Billy G score big too.
ReplyDeleteA work in progress still, but MA has given us some Ray's of light already, and clearly supports the County championship as it is.
Andy
Rehan Ahmed - what a player! 5 wickets when we batted and then a blistering century, clouting out bowlers to all parts. Leics must be banking on him to repeat such heroics next season. And he's only 18! Having said that, I have to wonder how we managed to let this match slip away after gaining a first innings lead of well over 300. Yet again, our bowlers let us down. Conners and Dal were impressive but as for the rest - disappointing is the most charitable description I can think of.
ReplyDeleteYet again the pitch at Derby is the winner. If Rehan Ahmed is not playing for England within 5 years, I'll eat my hat. I would probably pick him now if I was a selector. Sam Connors bowled a tremendous spell, he seemed to beat the bat every other ball and his figures didn't do him justice.
ReplyDelete"But hey, the Yorkies are down and we don't have to play Nottinghamshire in four day cricket next year."
ReplyDeleteDo have to play Masood though!