Fair play to both Matt Lamb and Luis Reece, whose skill and willingness to battle in the first session was an object lesson to their team mates. Lamb looks a very good player, especially stylish through the offside, even if there is a perceived weakness as a compulsive, and not always controlled hooker of the ball.
Reece merely showed again what a good player he is and it is hard to see how he could be omitted from a first choice eleven, given the all-round option that he offers.
But only two of eleven players come out of the game with their reputations intact and enhanced. Brooke Guest also battled last night, but we were totally outclassed in this game, more than I thought was possible.
Very much back to the drawing board for next week's game against a resurgent Leicestershire. Both Mickey Arthur and the club's loyal support will be looking for a reaction in that game.
Lose again and hopes of a promotion challenge will be pretty much out of the window before the season is a month old.
A sobering thought.
From afar and without any real insight, I agree with some of the comments from yesterday that there does appear to be something not right behind the scenes. The next outing will confirm or confound this theory. Its all the more disappointing for me as it was so unexpected after all the optimism of a fortnight ago.
ReplyDeleteReece scored two unbeaten half centuries. In our shambolic batting - Lamb the notable exception - he stands out and it remains a mystery why Reece was omitted from the first two games and why he is batting at number 7.
ReplyDeleteTwo defeats and a draw. Not the kind of start we expected to the season. Last season in our first three games we won one and drew two. We seem to have backwards instead of forwards.
ReplyDeleteAgainst Worcestershire and Leicestershire, our bowling attack, Chappell aside, looked poor, but our batting was decent. Against Durham, in general, both bowling and batting looked second rate. While Lamb found some runs, so many batsmen looked out of touch. Yet Connors (who has an average of 8) hit 29 in the first innings, and make things look relatively straightforward, as did Reece.
The truth is Durham played with far more aggression, intent, and skill. We were outclassed.
With two unbeaten half centuries, Reece has made a case to be included in the starting eleven against Leicestershire. I’d drop Billy, who batted against Durham in the same manner as he did for most of last season, and he only scored 10 against Leicestershire. He made a promising start to the season, with two half centuries against Worcestershire, but his form ha since deserted him. Based on performances last season, Guest has earned the number three spot and Dal the number seven spot. Of course, things can change in the course of a season.
Regarding the bowling, I’d bring in Scrimshaw for Aitchison and replace Watt with McKiernan or Thomson.
Mickey and the coaches need to quickly sort out the problems, whatever they are. Is there something wrong in the dressing room, as some speculate? I’ve no idea. What is clear, though, is something has gone badly wrong.
Two heavy defeats and a weather affected draw that we would probably have lost have been a massive reality check.
ReplyDeleteWhere are we now? In all probability the potential promotion fight has already flown. We are likely to be in a scrap to avoid the wooden spoon, particularly as we can no longer rely on Leicester being worse than us.
Looking through the team, I don't think anyone has performed particularly strongly to date, but some players have done ok, and some have been poor.
In the OK column I would put:
Billy Godleman, though he always looks one stroke away from being out;
Haider Ali, though he will need a big score soon
Wayne Madsen (of course), 205 runs to date at an average of 41
Leus Du Plooy, solid enough with the bat, but yet to prove himself with the captaincy
Matthew Lamb, Wouldn't have been in the Ok column before todays innings
Zak Chappell, great in the first match, but possibly falling away a bit?
Luis Reece, very good in this match
This leaves in the poor column:
Brooke Guest - ok behind the stumps but nothing yet with the bat,
Anuj Dal - Its like last season was a dream
Ben Aitchison - lost all his consistency
Sam Connors - Not yet had his day, but am I alone in thinking it will come?
Mark Watt - Is he really a front line red ball spinner?
Suranga Lakmal - will surely go down as one of our most disappointing ever overseas players
So roughly 50:50 between ok and poor. If only we can get a couple to move from ok to good and another couple from poor to ok, then we may yet become competitive, but its hard to see us being anything other than competitive at best.
There are several questions about the make up of the team for the next few matches:
Luis Reece must surely have the all rounder spot for the next few matches, at Anuj Dal's cost.
Harry Came is waiting for his chance, before today I would have suggested he take Matthew Lambs place, but not now.
What is Alex Thompsons position if Mark Watt is the preferred option in the Championship? I cant see him getting in a one day team ahead of Watt and McKiernan.
We may begin to find that having no alternative keeper is not a good position to be in.
How long before Scrimshaw or Potts are given a run in place of Aitchison or Connors?
All is not yet lost, but we urgently need to identify a settled team that fires on all cylinders, not just a couple of them.
A really disappointing start and I can’t help but think that all this Pakistan role “stuff” is not a healthy mix
DeleteWe are a small club with limited resources and we need to extract 120% from the squad to be competitive . I’m not sure we have the right focus at the moment ,plus we have a poor return on our overseas budget atm ( sense check to 2022 ) Hope I’m proved wrong but my glass is somewhat half empty
Sadly I have to agree to almost all of your comments 'David exiled in Lancs'. The only things I feel are debateable are Brooke Guest form with the bat maybe due to his position in the batting order. As to the spinners, do you think any of them are front line red ball bowlers?
DeleteI agree with some of the comments above, but disagree in the "poor" column about Guest (92 v Leicestershire and he worked hard for his 35 in the second innings against Durham) and Dal (stil finding his feet, and didn't play against Durham. In the "okay" column, I think Billy in the last two games has exhibited the kind of form he was in for most of last season.
ReplyDeleteYes, I have no issues with Guest's efforts so far. And Dal has proven his importance to the side.
DeleteReece has to come in and Billy appears the most vulnerable, unless we go one less seamer (with two all rounders) and play an extra bat or a different spinner. Thomson my pick if so, seemingly in decent fettle
I rate Guest very highly indeed. But good that we have Vikai Kelley formerly of Warks and Leics where he had good second XI records playing for the second XI today. He's a decent keeper and it's not good for anyone to have no competition to push them and no backup in case of injury.
DeleteI saw Kelley in the side too. Good record and looks a very impressive keeper from the clips today
DeleteIt wasn’t the loss to Durham itself that surprised me, as I think they are one of the strongest sides in the division, but the manner of the defeat that concerns me. Before the season began I thought the first two matches looked winnable but that the Durham game would be by far the toughest. This has proven to be far from the case and something just seems very wrong. The bowling has been wayward and the batting looks frenetic at times. At least Matt Lamb and Luis Reece showed some grit and determination in this game, but largely it has been hard to see where a big innings and a bit of time at the crease is coming from. Of course, there is still plenty of time to turn things around, but unless there’s a much improved showing against Leicestershire and a win then I fear it may be a long and disappointing season ahead.
ReplyDeleteSarah
I agree, Sarah. The difference was Durham made us play most of the time. We didn't do that, and bowled far too much poor stuff. The figures don't lie..
DeleteHopefully Leicestershire sees a change in fortunes. Fingers crossed!
I think the MA appt to Pakistan must have had some effect. After last season/pre season optimism, this is as bad as the last season under Dave Houghton. Can it be turned around? Well, the Leicester game is already the 'six pointer'
ReplyDeleteso we shall see.
I know it's tempting, Wirral Dave, to see a connection between Mickey's appointment to coach Pakistan in the World Cup next winter, but this shouldn't really affect his performance with Derbyshire.He's a highly experienced coach. Having said that, I do wonder if our poor performances, so far, have something to do with his mind possibly being elsewhere at times.
ReplyDeleteThe Leicestershire match will be a real test, especially for our bowlers, as Ackerman, Hanscomb, Hill, and Patel have all racked up over 300 runs in their first three games.
Indeed downthewicket. Just a personal experience of being reasonably successful at one thing, expanding out into another branch of the same industry smugly thinking how good I was, and finding myself the master of neither. A lesson learned the hard way.
DeleteNot saying MA is to blame for this, we are not privvy to what gormes on behind closed doors, but to me, it's a bit too coincidental
i take your point re WIRRAL DAVE S comment, but he too has a point , I have been in a similar position myself and involved in 2 companies. If you are Conscientious like MA, It isa tall order to split your time accordingly, especially as both are high profile appointtments. MAL
DeleteDo we have to get funky with everything? Give Conners back the new ball, get your keeper batting at 7 and get a quality batsman in Reece,batting at 3. It doesn't seem that hard to me. Kris
ReplyDeleteIn a nod to Peakfan, and his generally optimistic self, beat Leicestershire and we'll be mid table. They have recruited well, but so have we. Fingers crossed we'll get it right.
ReplyDeleteFinally, we are really missing Shen. That stability at the top of the order is hurting the team badly methinks.
My side for the next game (fitness allowing):
ReplyDeleteReece, Ali, Guest, Madsen, du Plooy, Lamb, Dal, Chappel, Thomson, Aitchison, Conners.
I remain confident enough the attack will come good but our batters will need to fire.
Looking at the 3 games to date , I think we have only been on top in 2 sessions ….the opening partnership 2nd innings vs Worcestershire and the 6 th wicket partnership 2 nd innings at Durham between Lamb and Reece ,unfortunately in both games the opposition were already in the ascendancy. The bowling is a worry both in terms of control but strike options . A decision on Lakmal needs to happen very quickly in my view . The body language in the field isn’t great but that can change on the back of better collective performances . I’m not sure Mickey having 2 hats will work but hope I’m proved wrong .A lot to fix and it’s May Day !!!
ReplyDeleteMy team for next game; Reece, Ali, Came, Madsen, Du Plooy, Lamb, Guest, Dal, Chappell, Thomson, Potts. Kris
ReplyDeleteBit short of seam bowling, Kris? My understanding is that both Dal and Lakmal may not be fit in the immediate future, so there is an opening for someone. Nor do I think that Guest should be moved from three, where he has hardly been a failure. But Came is making a case for his inclusion in the second 11...
Deletejasper
DeleteYou previously said, give Conners the new ball, and then you've not selected him!....
DeletePotts has since done well in the seconds. If Dal isn't fit, I'll select Conners. Kris
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