Derbyshire warmed up with a win over Leicestershire at the County Ground today. It was easier than the final scores suggested, despite a rollicking century from Foxes all rounder Ben Mike, whose hundred came off just 45 balls. He was batting too low and I suspect they will better utilise that hitting power when the serious stuff starts.
Earlier David Lloyd batted well for Derbyshire and Ross Whiteley targeted the middle distance with 74 from 36 balls. Ross can win games for Derbyshire in this competition , as his timing is excellent and he is a powerfully built lad.
The squad of 15 - and I suspect the first eleven will be the team:
Donald
Reece
Madsen
Lloyd
Guest
Whiteley
Patel
Chappell
Thomson/Brown
Tickner
Dupavillon
Plus Came, Wagstaff, Dal
The pitch will dictate whether Pat Brown or Alex Thomson plays but I would be surprised if there was much change to that team
Northamptonshire has recruited well for this competition. Aggressive South African bat Matthew Breetzke joins Zimbabwe all rounder Sikander Raza in a side that features former England men David Willey and Ravi Bopara. John Sadler also has former Derbyshire quick George Scrimshaw in his 14-man squad:
Willey, Vasconcelos, Keogh, Breetzke, Raza, Bopara, Bartlett, Broad, McManus, Heldreich, Miller, Weatherall, Scrimshaw, Zaib
That looks a strong batting side, perhaps a little weaker on the bowling front, but there are some canny operators in that squad. It will be a good test for Derbyshire and a very interesting game to watch.
I am curious to see how our overseas bowlers go in this format. We know what the batters are capable of and the expectation will be that Patel and Chappell will do their usual thing. If they can be backed up by Tickner and Dupavillon, the fifth bowler's overs will be the crucial factor.
I am wary of calling anything with Derbyshire this season, but I am prepared to err on the side of optimism and potentially a win in this first game.
If we set our stall out early and build momentum, it promises to be very interesting campaign.
Do us proud, lads!
I'm with you on this one Peakfan, I've no idea why but I fancy us to get off to a flier. Just please be competitive though Derbyshire that's all we ask and I honestly think we will. On paper it looks our strongest T20 line up for many a year, batting down to number 9 and two quick on show if Tickner and Dupavillon both start. Come on Derbyshire let's get that first win of the season!
ReplyDeleteI think the 11 you identify is fine if it includes Thomson, but I'm not sure we can afford a 9, 10, 11 of Tickner, Du Pavillon and Brown.
ReplyDeleteI think you need at least partial all rounders as deep as number 9. That would be achieved with Thomson and Chappell at 8 and 9.
If we go in with Patel as the only spinner, we may need to use Dal as 4th seamer and perm any 2 of Tickner, Du Pavillon and Brown.
Tickner can give the ball a smack in the last couple of overs, if your asking your number 9 to do more than that you're not going to be winning many games anyway. Get the best bowling options in at 9, 10, 11.
DeleteHopefully they avoid the rain , the squad needs a win to lift the dressing room , Northants and Leicestershire games both winnable . Would be good to have more wins than losses when Amir joins the squad but it’s a tough ask
ReplyDeleteIf you look at the last T20 side that played against Worcestershire last July, 6 of the 11 are no longer at the club, and at least 2 of the other 5 are likely to be omitted this time round. Luis Reece failed to make the side at the end of the competition, and we went in with two spinners.
ReplyDeleteFor me, I think going in with a single spinner is folly in T20, particularly when going in with 4 right arm seamers who are much of a muchness. I would omit Reece, Dal, Wagstaff and Tickner, the latter doesn't really strike me as a T20 bowler. Came to open, Thomson and Patel to deal with left and right handers (several LHBs in the Northants side), and Whiteley should float up or down depending on overs left.
Came, Donald, Madsen, Lloyd, Guest, Whiteley, Patel, Thomson, Chappell, Brown and Dupavillon gives options with the ball, power and depth to the batting and agility in the field
I personally don’t think we recruited right for T20. We have got bowlers that quite similar and they all right hand medium/ fast bowlers. I think good T20 team you have to mix up lot. I would go Wagstaff and use Reece as backup. It gives bit more depth to batting if we played him at 8. I still think this team could collapse quite easy. I don’t think playing Brown, Tickner and Du pivillon in same team would be good move. Looking at performances and current form I would drop Du Pivillon for the first match. I am sure play part in Saturday or Sunday as he talented player.
ReplyDeleteI think what Arthur will do is rotate his bowlers in early matches to see what the best combination is for the team.
The batting unfortunately don’t think Came done enough yet to get his place. He great backup to have if anyone under preforms.
Donald
Reece
Lloyd
Madsen
Guest
Whiteley
Patel
Wagstaff/Thompson
Chappell
Tickner
Brown
I think out all 3 games this could be hardest looking at Northamptonshire squad. They will definitely do lot better this year. They got great batting line up. We all know scrimshaw on his day fantastic T20 bowler.
PJS
ReplyDeleteI wish the lads well for this quick turnover of T20 matches and it will make sense to rotate the bowlers in particular [given their much of a muchness] .
I have now been convinved by others that Donald will open and the order of 3 - 6 could be tinkered with but I think few others will get a look in [Lamb at some point maybe?].
I watched the second x1 on youtube and think Wagstaff could prove to be a good option rotating with Thompson. Perhaps we will see Dal rotate with Chappell.
As others have said this team could bat all the way down to 9 and the 'fifth' bowling divided among 'all rounders' with Patel hopefully making clever/ timely use of them.
Donald
Reece/Came
Masden
Lloyd
Whiteley
Guest
Patel
Thompson/Wagstaff
Chappell
Tickner/Dupavillon
Brown
PJS - I didn't add my one last thought ...sorry. I would like to see one of the top order batsmen given a very expilict 'anchor' role... his main task is to carry his bat through to the last couple of overs. Only one needed at anyone time, Reece or Lloyd for example, playing at a decent tempo but not reckless, employing classic strokes, not using the 'modern' ramps and sweeps, but ensuring they are at the back end of the innings when they can cut loose... perhaps such a thing exists ...
ReplyDeleteIf our powerful batting line-up can rack up the runs, then we should be able to beat anyone. In the second XI T20 game yesterday, Donald, Lloyd and Whiteley gave us a hint of what we might see. Whiteley was particular impressive, smashing seven sixes in his 74 off 36 balls.
ReplyDeleteT20 is a batsman’s game, so I’m not that concerned about our bowling. We have a decent attack and plenty of options. However, I wouldn’t play three number 11s. I’d include Thomson for Dupavillon or Tickner. Thomson would also provide more variety.
So, let’s see what happens at Northampton this evening. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
I like PJS point this was a tactic regularly been employed at one time. I think the reason it's not is the nature of t20. Some highly inventory highly skilled shot making along with pure slogging means no total in general terms is unbeatable. Hence both batsmen sometimes have to at least try to score at near equal rate. The other problem is if your being bowled utter rubbish you might get caught in two minds what you roll is by attempting to hit evevything on to Pentagon island. Now in the biggest contradiction you've ever read I too would like to see an anchor role or at least attempted for let's say the first 3 games and then assessed as to whether it's been effective. My thinking is based on Derbyshires historical inconsistencies at getting challenging Totals.Of course,the match situation might dictate that the tortoise becomes the hare at some point
ReplyDeleteSteve jr.
Weather looking like it will put paid to any play today, this bloody country, grrrr
ReplyDeleteIf the catching or lack of it remains at the same level as we have seen so far we will not win any match. Of course, we have to be optimistic at this point and hope that the side can build a .little momentum. I think they deserve to.
ReplyDeleteNo Donald, seems strange
ReplyDeleteThey have said he is ill. So not really. More so why only one overseas is playing. Is he injured? If rotated, it makes no sense when everyone else plays two. Or is he deemed not good enough? In which case...
DeleteFor all the Derbysgire players on show tonight I'm wishing Pat Brown the genuine best of luck. Given how his career has progressed these first half dozen games could be career defining.He struggled manfully with the 4 day game both here and at Warwickshire. As an 18 year old he burst onto the England t20 scene so this is his strength.Im not saying he won't develop in the 4 day game but his problem is I don't believe he'll be given the opportunity if he doesn't prove his value at t20.Hence why it's relevant to his long term career. He is through a very talented bowler.
ReplyDeleteSteve jr
ReplyDeleteIf we can get him to his best form, we have a special player, Steve. Hopefully this will be the real start of his Derbyshire career
DeleteSorry about my last post, I was referring to our middle order batsmen and the snail pace hitting of a couple of others. Thomson and Chappell have made it a bit more respectable score, but some of our shots where we got out were amateurish
ReplyDeleteI didn't post it, because it did you no favours and we don't know how this will pan out. Slow outfield, slow pitch, might be an interesting finish if we bowl well
DeleteWell a disappointing start that in the end could have gone either way. Annoying that a 39 year old batsman in the twilight of his career took it away from us but Ravi has done this kind of thing dozens of times before. At one time we were heading for 175 and then struggling to get 150 so 160 wasn't a disaster. We didn't take enough wickets in the middle overs of their innings. Also either one of Wayne or David needed to make 70. Pleased for Pat Brown who produced a solid effort. Need to win 2 out of next 3 to stay in control.
ReplyDeleteSteve jr