Derbyshire 526 (Lamb 207, Guest 95, Donald 67, Dal 62 Webster 6-100)
Gloucestershire 243-4 (Bracey 87*, van Buuren 61*, Chappell 2-23
Gloucestershire trail by 283 runs
There just isn't enough in this county attack to bowl opponents out twice.
After racking up 526 runs in being bowled out before lunch, Derbyshire had Gloucestershire in trouble with four wickets down for only 136 runs. Thereafter Bracey, with an unbeaten 87 and van Buuren with an unbeaten 61 saw Gloucestershire to 243-4 by the close.
In the sixth four-day game of the season, only one player, Alex Thomson, has reached double figures in wickets. Twelve of the thirteen he has taken came in one game and of the other bowlers no one currently averages under fifty per wicket, with Tickner having the most with eight. But they have cost him 61 runs each, while Daryn Dupavillon has five at 52 each. When your overseas imports aren't taking wickets, the challenge is clear and I stand by my assertion on radio yesterday, that sadly we won't win a county championship match this summer.
It might be that the attack we have will be perfectly fine and effective in one day cricket. Yet I cannot see how we will bowl sides out in the longer form of the game. Zak Chappell had better rhythm today, but I never felt we were going to run through the home side.
The forecast for tomorrow is fairly grim, with overnight rain and then more expected between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. That may well make any play tomorrow impossible, which either sets up a final day declaration and run chase, or merely renders the day academic.
It is a shame, because we batted much better in this game. Matt Lamb went on to an excellent double century this morning, with Anuj Dal showing signs of his best form in making his highest score of the summer.
Again though, we find it hard to put together both aspects of the game into a complete performance.
At this stage it is hard to see anything other than a draw in this one.
Going into a County game with as weak an attack as this is an absolute disgrace. They simply do not have the capability to complete a job. It is not the fault of the players themselves, who imo are trying manfully to achieve the necessary breakthroughs. No, it it entirely the fault and responsibilty of the Management and personally I have seem more than enough to know I want a new Head of Cricket. Arthur should resign gracefully...but he wont because his ego wont allow it.
ReplyDeleteWas at the game today. Conners looked good.
ReplyDeleteNathan, Bristol
The one player we are missing is Matt Critchley. A leg spinner makes things happen and with his batting if it wasn't his day with the ball he would always contribute with the bat. I always think something happens when a leggie comes on. They can go for runs but are a more likely wicket taker and partnership breaker. 2/60 from 10 advances a game more than 0/30.
ReplyDeleteWith respect to everyone quoting former names both today and throughtout the season, from Shan Massood, Billy Godleman, Matt Critchley De plooy and a dozen others who have left the FACT remains we didn't win 4 day games of cricket.Even when we had aii of the above it just didn't happen. Just 4 wins at the acora ground since 2015 says it all, 10 out of the last 12 years
ReplyDeleteInc this year have produced not a single win at home. So giving name checks as if these players produced 4 day wins just doesn't cut it with me. The club playing wise is in decline at least when it comes to first class cricket. We await what the t20 and 50 over cup brings.
Fair points Anon but please add a name next time!
DeleteIsn't it more than a coincidence that since the square was turned round Derbyshire have struggled to bowl sides out?
DeleteI don't think there is much in the pitch , Both teams have only looked like taking wickets with the new ball. Taking advantage of that is the key along with hoping for better than predicted weather tomorrow , Martin
ReplyDeleteThe difficult aspect for the Derbyshire team is no matter what they say publicly, I strongly suspect privately they know full well they won't take 20 wickets something they haven't done at home for10 years.Be it Mickey or Dave Houghton.The only way a Championship win is coming this season is through a Catastrophic performance from the opposition, even if we get a pitch that might enable that the chances are our opponents will do exactly the same to our batsmen.So that's checkmate.
ReplyDeleteSteve jr.
Steve jr late again it's a good job my head is glued.
ReplyDeleteSteve, you nailed it. I would also add that it's rare that we bat well and then bowl well. For some reason, we struggle to connect the two together.
ReplyDeleteWe let Gloucestershire off the hook today, and as their innings went on our bowling looked pretty ordinary, not for the first time this season.
It has been evident for some time, not only this season, that the bowling attack is not capable of taking twenty wickets and thus winning a game is unlikely. While the batting has been misfiring until this match it’s the stronger unit by some margin. Until the bowling deficiences are addressed we will continue to struggle.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the point of bringing in Morley and hardly playing him and then Thomson, are most successful bowler, is also overlooked. The bowling stats, as reported by PF, do make depressing reading and yet again the overseas recruitment has been underwhelming. On top of all that the attack lacks variety.
Just hope that the emphasis on white ball is the right call and gives us something to shout about this season because we are unlikely to have too many good days in the longer format despite a very good first day against Gloucestershire.
Nudger
I agree with all you say, Steve. I have thought since the beginning of the season that our batting would come good because of the talent in the team. At the same time it was sadly obvious to me that our bowling attack just couldn't cut the mustard. The bowling stats you quote are nothing short of terrible. We are hoping that one day cricket will allow us to win matches. Of course I hope so but if our bowlers are so below par in 4 day cricket will they be able to take wickets in the shorter form of the game?
ReplyDeleteTheir is one major difference CG you don't have to take 20 wickets in t20 or 50 over cricket.Bloomin good job just a combined 10 wickets could in theory win the 2 games. Surely we can do that can't we. ? But then again given the way this season is going we'll need a week to get 10 wickets. Joking apart the Club on the playing side is just totally inferior and nowhere near good enough. Despite the discussions on here and elsewhere I think everyone in truth knows this.
DeleteFor the die hard fans like us this is tough to take, the exclusively t20 watchers having heard many of them over the years don't really care. No doubt a particular section will be out in force for the Notts game. I mention this not be because they don't contribute in their own way, but with better support for the whole summer we might generate more revenue which would mean better overseas players.
Steve jr
Perhaps I should have also said that our present group of bowlers could be unable to restrict the opposition's ability to score runs too.
DeleteWe needed our overseas players to hit the ground running, unfortunately it hasn't happened. I feel sorry for Blair Tickner he has a lot more important things on his mind, so that will have affected his form somewhat. Dupavillon meanwhile has been a disappointment, he looks no better than what we already have in the seam/pace department, this will go down as another poor overseas signing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shambolic campaign this has been up to yet, and if we do fail to win a championship game again this has to be Mickey Arthur's final season in charge. Simply not good enough!
Derbyshires pathetic 4 home acora ground wins since 2015 is well documented. So I throught I'd make the effort to look at their full first class record during the same period so here it is. HOME W 4 L 18 D 30 AWAY W 11 L 24 D 25. So by my maths that's PLAYED 112 W 15 L 42 D 55. So bizarrely all round our away record is better. Is this pressure ? Is the pitch consistently unsuitable for our recruited attack if so why ? or are we simply just not good enough. ? Either way I have the solution, we blow the pitch at Derby to hell and back and then to hell and back again. Or let George Davis out of prison to pour oil all over it. For those who don't know back in 1975 the supporters of Davis who was in jail at the time got a test match abandoned by tipping oil on the wicket at Headingly. I won a cricket quiz last year on that tie breaker question. I bet you knew that one Steve, I'd be surprised if you didn't.
ReplyDeleteSteve jr.
I think some of the comments are a bit unjust. We beat the bat frequently in the first 30 overs and on another day would have made much greater inroads.
ReplyDeleteThat said I’m sat here on the 3rd morning watching us go for nearly 10 an over both before and after the new ball and I think I’ve seen us beat the bat once all morning. So perhaps the commentators could copy and paste the comments over into day 3 where they’ll probably be more valid.
On the bright side Gloucester Road has a good selection of pubs post match.,
Pete- formally of the parish of Glossop
To be fair though Pete, beating the bat doesn't register in the scorebook. As I write, our second best bowler by average (Lloyd) averages 52 runs per wicket, the rest 60, 70 or 80.
DeleteI think pitches are too good now and the format is increasingly boring, but you don't win matches with such averages..
526 first dig. But If the weather holds we will have to bat to save this. Who'd have thought it!
DeleteDave
Wirral
Judging by our bowling this year Dave, me, at least! I just find 4 day cricket really dull, in a way that 3 days never was. There is one plan - bat for a day and a half, then bowl opponents out twice. If that doesn't work, which is often the case, accept the draw.
DeleteAnd repeat...
Pete oh Dear look at the full record sincboq whwrw e 2015 in first class cricket which I have produced 5 minutes ago. It doesn't lie Pete. It's only a game I tell myself as I'm either trapped in the freezer of my fridge or baracued at Derby. I've done every game home and away so far this season As I sit here in Bristol watching a sub standard first class attack YET AGAIN, the chances of me continuing to ride literally thousands of miles on a motorbike from Durham to Lords to the Rose bowl are now becoming remote. I was going to do every single fixture of the 2024 season I live in Chesterfield so home and away this would involve over 6,000 miles. Now I do this through choice I'm not young either coming up to 64 which makes it a huge effort on a motorbike even through I've been riding them 44 years it gets harder to ride them physically and mentally. I make these comments to put into context anything that I might say as regards praise or more likely criticism. With their batters currently on 137 and 156 the temptation to hop on and ride home is growing more attractive by the minute. Dear oh Dear my world is falling apart. Much more of this and the next stop is the funny farm, now where's that Sat Nav when you need it. You don't have to be mad but it sure helps.
DeleteIf I recall, the idea of four day cricket was to align the counties to the test team. That's where the money is generated from, said the TCCB as was.
DeleteWell, test cricket is diminishing in stature year on year, so maybe 3 day cricket is the answer again. Back to the future in a different context.
Steve jr.
ReplyDeleteOur bowling is just desperate
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Dinerbyshire have drawn 55 out of 112 games since 2015, and remember we're talking about in general very poor Derbyshire teams, tells you that the 4 day game is in indeed utterly boring.A terrible team like Derbyshire draw 50 % of their matches. Time for 2 divisions of 9 teams and 16 three day games. Maybe along the lines that the boss suggested at my bequest a few days ago. Because quite frankly I'm sick of what's masquerading as a first class game. Let's get some excitement back in the game even if it has to be incentivised and to a degree manufactured.
ReplyDeleteSteve jr