Further thoughts on last night

Contrary to some of the knee-jerk comments on social media, Derbyshire didn't get knocked out of the Vitality Blast last night. Nor did they relinquish any chance of progression, as this is a long haul competition. 

But they did throw away a very good chance to win the game, that had been earned by a tigerish fielding display, backing up some very good bowling. 

With the games coming thick and fast from here, we really need to have a strong idea of our best team, best batting order and best attack. It didn't seem that had been sorted last night, which is a shame, as well as disappointing. 

The sides that do best at T20 generally blast it from the outset. With the field largely in by necessity, there is the opportunity for powerful players to take the game away from opponents. Look at the England game last night, with Salt and Buttler against Pakistan's Rizwan and Babar. Or Nottinghamshire with Hales and either Duckett or Clarke in recent years, Lancashire with Jennings and Wells. I could go on..

You have 36 balls to inflict serious damage, score 70-80 runs and build a platform. The right players will do that. Last night there were THIRTEEN dot balls in our Powerplay, more than two maiden overs. You can't do that and expect to win many matches.

Were I selecting the Derbyshire side, I would go with Donald and Lloyd to open. Quick scorers both, from the outset, with the added bonus that it would allow Wayne Madsen to bat three. Since the format started, the understanding has always been that you want your better players facing as many balls as possible. Luis Reece is a very good cricketer, but he does take a few balls to get going and to not make full use of those first 36 deliveries is to give yourself a mountain to climb. 

Likewise, the position of Ross Whiteley needs to be fluid. The most powerful player in the side surely needs time to inflict maximum damage?  I do understand his role as a finisher, but you can finish from ten overs out just as easily - in fact, more so - than from five overs out. 

I understand that the left and right hand combination is preferred at the top of the order, but does that really bother bowlers at this level as much as those below? Again, my comment would be why not sign someone who batted left-handed who could play that role, if required? 

I was really frustrated by our only playing one overseas player last night. Not that I am saying Daryn Dupavillon is better than those who played, because on evidence so far he isn't, certainly at this format. But to put ourselves, through choice, in a situation where we play either a second spinner or the second overseas player is crazy. 

We all know that Zak Chappell is a very good bowler in T20. Last night we saw him mix up the pace and give a master class. So too did Pat Brown, whose variations are really quite something to behold. You are surely not going to omit either of those two from your first choice side, which then means you leave out Tickner or Dupavillon, if two spinners are required. 

There is not another side in the country who will voluntarily omit one of their overseas players from this competition...

If Dupavillon was injured or ill, it was a mistake in communications, because this was not announced. Otherwise a major error in recruitment has been made, because the balance of the side is wrong.

I thought Samit Patel handled things well in the field and he certainly had the support of his teammates. But he made a mistake in leaving the final over to Luis Reece. 

Luis hasn't even been a regular bowler for Derbyshire in this competition, so to entrust him with the final over was unnecessary pressure. He only has around 120 CAREER overs in the format. I could have understood it more had Northamptonshire been nine wickets down and we were hoping to bowl them out before the last over. But in the modern game, going into it with only 14 runs to defend is a tough gig. Luis did well to take it to the last ball after his first was a long hop that went for six, but he should never have been put in that position.

I read someone on social media say that 'all he needed to do was bowl six yorkers.' ALL... Obviously written by someone who has never had to do such a thing at any point, let alone in a pressure situation, because it ain't easy, especially when someone is trying to hit you a very long way.

Perhaps last night he was the best bowling option, but not for the last over. If Alex Thomson wasn't right for four overs, maybe he was the wrong selection, because as well as he did at the end of our innings, batting with Zak Chappell I don't see this as his format. Someone like Matt Carter could have done it, but they are very different bowlers.

So my team for Saturday, assuming everyone is fit, would be:

Donald

Lloyd

Madsen

Reece

Guest

Whiteley (fluid role)

Patel

Chappell

Tickner

Brown

Dupavillon

I would retain Reece, but better utilise the early overs. He could then rebuild, if things didn't go to plan.

But you see my point. After that we go to Old Trafford, where two spinners are usually required and we once again have to leave out an overseas player. 

Either that, or shoot ourselves in the foot by omitting one of our two best T20 bowlers. 

If we had signed an overseas batter who bowled a bit of spin, or a spinner who could handle a bat, the balance of the side would have been considerably better.

I will die on this particular hill.