The visitors battled well and scored 10 an over themselves, but twelve was needed and they ended up, after a brave run chase, falling short by 27 runs.
The damage was done by England men Buttler and Livingstone, who added 101 in seven overs for the second wicket. The only bowler who managed to keep them in check was again Zaman Khan, but the rest took punishment as the runs mounted in front of a vocal local support.
With the game restricted to 15 overs a side by evening rain, 177 was a mountain to climb and Derbyshire needed a fast start. Only five came from the opening over of another England man, Wood, and although Came again batted well, his innings this time was not fast enough for the match situation.
With Ali, Madsen and du Plooy failing to get going, it was left to Brooke Guest, with an unbeaten 31 from just 13 deliveries to restore a little respectability to the Derbyshire total. They were well beaten tonight and can have no complaints.
While statistically it is still possible for Derbyshire to qualify, they will need results to go in their favour and I'm not sure whether such a combination of results is realistic, without having checked into it at this stage.
The truth is that every year in a strong northern section Birmingham, Nottinghamshire and Lancashire should always qualify, leaving one place for the others to fight over. Worcestershire have been this year's dark horse and look like taking the fourth spot.
When the dust has settled, we can look back on two wins over Birmingham to show what might have been, but the damage was done by losing to Northamptonshire at home and dropping a point at Durham. Those three points would have kept us firmly in the mix at this stage.
But over the competition there has not been sufficient consistency in the level of performance, nor indeed in the team selection. Ali was wasted as an opener, Guest was missed in the early games. Perhaps the latter should be opening, as Luis Reece is only scoring at 118 this year, with Came at 139. Guest is scoring at 150...
We must learn from such mistakes and move on another year. There are still 4 points to win and until it is statistically impossible we must continue to fight.
But for me, the possibility of progression ended tonight, unless something special happens in a number of remaining group games
Postscript - it looks like we need Durham to beat Worcestershire and us to beat Leicestershire
Then it is all set up for a winner takes all game between Derbyshire and Worcestershire.
I am not convinced Durham will fulfil their part of that bargain, but time will tell.
Although we don't deserve to qualify the route is simple. Worcestershire have to lose at home to Durham and we have to win both of our games. No other specific results are required in our group.
ReplyDelete....and we need the current weather forecast for next Friday to change for the better.
DeleteTo keep up with the 12 an over run rate win this, we needed someone to smash the ball around, like the imperious Buttler did. However, Reece, Ali, Madsen, and du Plooy all failed to get going. Came produced another decent knock, but was unable to accelerate. Guest hit 31 off 13 (following his 16 off 10 against Northants and 39 off 18 against Yorkshire), but it was too late by then. Lancashire hit 12 sixes. We hit just two, and both in the latter part of the game when it was all over bar the shouting. That was the game in a nutshell.
ReplyDeleteAs you say, Steve, there's a slim chance that we might qualify, so we live in hope.
No disgrace in a defeat to such a strong side, especially on their own patch where they just don't lose.
ReplyDeleteAs I said right at the start of the competition, we were one of several teams effectively fighting for one slot. I thought it might be Durham, but turns out to be Worcestershire.
Going forward, and still with a slim chance of progressing, (any washouts due to rain scuppers that) we might consider replacing Reece for the 2 remaining games. He doesn't seem to offer an option with his bowling right now (and if he did, last night would have been an opportunity) and he looks really out of touch with the bat. He will come again, I'm sure, but I'd consider replacing him with Wood.
I forecast we might end up with 10 points, we're a point ahead with 2 games remaining so no complaints from me. Also, I think Guest has looked sensational at times. Serious player. Not entirely sure about him opening personally, but it's a decent shout....
Went last night and was pretty disappointed by it. Had shades of the Somerset game about it. Bowling totally lost it for about a 7 over period in the middle along with a couple of dropped catches. There was one massive boundary ( think only one six went that side all evening) and one shorter one and it didn’t take rocket science to bowl to that side but we seemed intent on feeding Buttler and Livingstone half volleys to hit to the shorter side. The only one who seemed to be trying to organise things was Wayne Madsen who seemed to be pulling his hair out - appreciate Du Plooy is often on the boundary but still looks odd. Zaman looked a different class and saved the score being nearer 200 with his closing overs. Batting wise we desperately need a power hitter at the top in the power play. My own opinion is Reece and Came don’t score quickly enough (Came did OK but 4 dot balls in the first over puts you behind the 8 ball straight away chasing 12 an over). By the time Du Plooy and Guest were in the game had long gone. Anyway hope to finish well and you never know…
ReplyDeleteSpot on Gary, Came scores runs but not at the required rate, definitely not an opening pair option, maybe five or six in the line up
DeleteThe issue for another year is to find a blaster at the top. Came and Reece are good players but not devastating. You can open with one, but not both. But all hitters carry risk. Remember Loots Bosman? Brilliant while it lasted but it didn't too often. And that was Buttler's highest knock for Lancs. An England player. So when it works it is great, but frustrates when it doesn't!
DeleteAli was worthwhile as an experiment but looks way happier in the middle order. Of the current staff, Guest is still likely the best option, Wood likely the next.
DeleteWood for Reece in the last two games for me, especially when Luis isn't bowling this format
I don't think there is too much point overanalysing this loss. I don't think we're short of a power hitter up top or anything like that as the reality for me is that the difference was Jos Buttler. One of the format's best players and indeed maybe the best of all currently. In a shortened game his destructive batting was something we couldn't equal. We'd have probably needed two out of Madsen, du Plooy and Ali to play a couple of the best knocks of their careers to chase it and in this format that just won't happen often.
ReplyDeleteAlso went last night. Derbyshire were a 5/2 shot in a two horse race, and it felt like that at times. We huffed and puffed and in fairness, did pull it back score wise. I thought they were on for 200 at one stage.
ReplyDeleteReply wise I recall Wayne hitting two or three consecutive fours. Mitchell then bowled 4 dots to him, he hit a two and out. Game was up then. No question of effort then, but a 1,2,3 of Salt, Buttler and Livingstone for them kind of highlights the gulf the smaller counties face.
As a PS Steve, would you have, or can you make a case for, any Derbyshire player being in a composite XI with that Lancashire team? Got asked that by my son at the match last night and erm, found it a tough ask.
ReplyDeleteGood question Dave! I like Jones and Bailey, but you would want Madsen or du Plooy in place of the former, Zaman for the latter.
DeleteBut you look at players like Vilas and Croft not getting a bat, Jennings, Gleeson, de Grandhomme, Bohannon, Balderson, Saqib, Bell, Blatherwick, Williams not in the side! Ridiculous disparity in finance and resources
Not forgetting Lamb, soon to be at Sussex and some bloke named Anderson...
DeletePoor bowling besides Khan contributed to a huge Lancashire total that we were never going to chase down. We need a Jos Butler in this Derbyshire team, easier said than done I know, but we're crying out for a blaster we really haven't got one. Leus and Brooke can smack it but only in fits and starts, it has to be consistent.
ReplyDeleteWood replaces Reece in these final two games for me, Luis is in no form at all and for an opener in this format just isn't good enough
Poor bowling, or just two world class T20 players at the top of their game? Sometimes you have to accept that the other team is just too good, even for your best.
DeleteI think that was the case last night. The fielding could have been sharper at times and a couple of chances went down, but you have to admit that bowling at Buttler and Livingstone with a short boundary on one side isn't easy.
And procuring the services of that talent is way beyond our budget. And most of the counties too.
Loose change for Surrey it seems! Dan Lawrence next year too. Craig.
DeleteI do worry if 20/20 is a blessing, or curse. If you go back 20 years you'd never find crowds of 3,000+ at the County Ground, or Grace Road etc. Or, if you like 8,000 or so at Old Trafford last night for a visit of Derbyshire. So for county coffers it has been good, but I can’t help but see the parallels with premiership football, as the big get bigger. Not even mentioned the 100, all pretty much played at the test venues.
ReplyDeleteBut, one of the lads who came with us last night had not been to a cricket match before, and loved it. I was getting questioned all along the M56/M53 on the way home, and guess that in general is what it's about, the game itself, regardless of team, format or wealth, has a new fan.