Leicestershire 249
Derbyshire 356-2 (Godleman 158*, Reece 116, Guest 40)
Derbyshire lead by 107 runs
He went past 10,000 first class runs today too. It highlighted what a fine player he has been, while today he showed he still has it. Of course, you have to factor in that it wasn't a game with a great deal of pressure, nor was it the best attack on the circuit, but history will only record that he ended the day still batting with the prospect of more to come.
He has played his side into a very strong position, one from which they should go on to win the game.
It's funny, because there have been times this season when I have watched Billy and thought he looked in quite good nick, yet he managed to find a way to get out. Other times he looked like there was no middle to his bat. The runs just haven't come for him this year, but whatever else today's score will send him into the winter knowing that he has still got it.
He got excellent support today from Luis Reece, who played with greater freedom and played the more memorable shots. Both players will go into the winter knowing that they can and must do better than this year, but it was heartening to see them celebrate together in the middle as the milestones were passed.
When Luis eventually played one back to the bowler and was caught and bowled, Brooke Guest played well for a while, before edging behind. Madsen looked in imperious touch before the close, while our opponents looked a dispirited bunch through the last session.
Who can blame them? Already 100 behind and with 2 days to play, Derbyshire can aim for a hundred in each of the first two sessions and then put them in once more.
Two things struck me today. How different the season might have been had the skipper been in this form throughout, and how much of a difference Ben Aitchison has made since his return from injury.
If you add Lakmal and Chappell to the existing seam attack next year, it carries serious firepower
Surly Lakmal has to be a serious doubt as to whether he returns next year? at the age of 36 having missed almost all of this season because of injury
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is that his rehabilitation is going well and that he will be back in Derby in the early New year.
DeleteI think they will be confident he will get through the summer, tho an option might be to let him sit out the T20.
My only carp was the slowness of scoring. Not to reach even 4 batting bonus points with only 2 wickets down is a tad slow. But when did bonus points matter?? (Sussex match)
ReplyDeleteYes, but the forecast for the next 2 days appears to be good. I suspect the rate will increase substantially today and we will look to be declaring perhaps even before tea, ideally 300 on as a minimum.
DeleteGreat to see our openers both at last finding form, albeit against a dejected and dispirited looking team. This match is reminding me of last season's final 4 day game when we beat Sussex and had the satisfaction then as now that our team perhaps wasn't as poor as we sometimes looked. A great turnaround from last week's hammering by Glamorgan.
ReplyDeleteOur problem for years has been that we don't just have an off day, we are awful when those days come around. Yet we have seen much more, consistent, positive cricket this year than for many in recent memory. For the first time in a long time I go into the winter with positive thoughts of next season.
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