Northamptonshire 193-7 (Breetzke 94, Raza 34 Dupavillon 3-43, Chappell 2-34)
Derbyshire 123-3 in 11 overs (Donald 68, Lloyd 34*)
Derbyshire won by 24 runs (DLS)
Truth be told, had Aneurin Donald been available for the first two games, we might even be doing better. Another pulsating innings tonight, 68 from 26 deliveries, put Derbyshire well ahead on the Duckworth Lewis equation and in the process he equalled his own club record fastest fifty in just 19 balls. Eight sixes flew from his bat, another club record. While watching him I was thinking back to other big hitters I have seen and he is up there with Kuiper, Wilkins, Guptill and De Freitas.
On his dismissal, there was a similar wobble to the one we experienced at Headingley, with Madsen well caught down the legside and Patel going to a stunner on the boundary from Vasconcelos. It was a shot he didn't really need to play, having previously hit the bowler for six, but we are playing 'pedal to the metal' when batting and, just as we enjoy the carnage when it works, we must accept when it goes wrong on occasion.
There was no repeat this time, however, with David Lloyd playing an excellent innings to anchor things and Cam Fletcher showing his own six-hitting credentials before rain ended things once and for all.
Earlier Matthew Breetzke scored an excellent 94 for the visitors from 54 balls, which appeared aggressive until Donald came in later. Raza threatened but was undone by Brown's variations and Chappell closed the innings out with a final over that included three wickets. Dupavillon started with a maiden and his first three overs were very good, although he did get hit in his last.
The rate at which Derbyshire scored their runs was sufficient to boost their net run rate considerably. If they can follow this excellent performance with another win against Birmingham on Sunday, they might just dare to dream, with Mohammad Amir coming in, that the knockouts are very much within reach.
If Donald can maintain this form, nothing is impossible.
100% home record maintained. If they can keep that going, they won't be far away.
That was a good effort tonight.
Another game of individual brilliance by Donald. I still feel our batting line could be better utilised and threatened another collapse. I don't know why Madsen, at the age of 40, is suddenly a number 3, not 4. That spot should be Fletcher. Guest should be 5, with Patel and Whiteley rotating number 6, depending on situation. Kris
ReplyDeleteI agree, Kris. Again there needs to be fluidity but the record of Fletcher and what I have seen of him suggests he should be three
DeleteIf the spinners are on then they like to have Wayne at the crease. As our best batter against spin, it's a tactic I agree with.
DeleteSensational stuff again from Donald with yet another excellent knock from Lloyd.
ReplyDeleteI must admit, though, that I thought we were going to collapse again.
Things are looking brighter now. We just need to beat Yorkshire tomorrow.
At 27 years of age have Derbyshire found an opener in t20 and 50 over cricket for the next 10 years.? The question is can Donald find that magical word of consistency. He's a enigma considering his career start you have to say bluntly he's failed miserably. The key with Donald is has he ever felt really wanted. Other than perhaps the first two years of his career when he was hot property. It appears to be a big thing amongst modern day sports people. My generation find this strange but times change.One can only imagine someone like Fred Trueman saying, loved ! Just bloody get on with it, if you want love go home to the wife.
ReplyDeleteDot Ball.
I disagree that he has 'failed'. Perhaps not lived up to early promise, yet, but 2 years out with an ACL would be an issue for anyone. Maybe he just needed somewhere to be appreciated and have a regular place and role. He seems a nice lad and to be enjoying his cricket. That can only be to our benefit
DeleteI meant to say beat Birmingham Bears tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteHaving Lloyd and Donald opening the innings is making a huge difference.When one of them gets out we seem to press the panic button when we only need around 8 an over. It could have been a nervy finish again so the rains came at the right time for us.Donalds big hitting won't always come off but it's exciting when it does!
ReplyDeleteGreat result.Pleased that Duckworth Lewis don't take into account Derbyshire's fragile middle order. Simon
ReplyDeleteFabulous stuff from Donald and supported well again by Lloyd.
ReplyDeleteMadsen tickled one down the leg side - it happens, but can the skipper please stop coming in ahead of Fletcher in the middle overs and try to hit everything out the park. Tom Wood rightly berated him on comms for a very un-captain-like innings. Cam Fletcher looks like the kind of player who can score quickly even playing sensibly, just what you want in those middle overs, if Samit wants to have a slog, save it for the last 5 overs.
Great batting from Donald. I think he is the best opening bat we have had in t20 since Wes Durston. His powerful striking also reminds me of Martin Guptill.
ReplyDeleteIf you analyse t20 so far it's fair to say we cou1ld be in an even better position. We lost off the last ball in the reverse fixture against Northampton, and Donald's 84 and the first of his record 19 ball fifties would 9/10 win the game. So I feel that 5 and 1 is a true reflection of this teams real ability I don't feel this is an unreasonable assumption. One other point although overall he has bowled really well Du Pavilion is prone to going for a lot of runs in his 4th over. It's happened 3 times where it's been his most expensive over when in fact you need the opposite at the death.Slight concern as the tournament progresses.As reguards Amir I have mixed feelings I detest contact breakers unless through illness or injury neither of which applies him.But it's the way of the world these days a footballer signs a 5 year contract for top Premiership club and 12 months later he's off to Real Madrid. I loathe it with a passion.I'm from the sadly gone era where you shook hands and that was it, end of story. If Amir wins us a couple of games then I'm still torn, if he doesn't then as far as I'm concerned I don't want him back in Derby again.I feel extremely strongly about this even if other people don't think it's an issue, well sorry I do.
ReplyDeleteDot Ball.
Donald hasn't "failed miserably". He lost 2 years of his career to an ACL injury, pretty much the worst injury a sportsman can get. He averages 31 in first class cricket, which is respectable. Kris
ReplyDeleteJust a further take on Donald, Mickey has rightly received a fair amount of criticism over recruitment and the balance of the side. How about looking at it this way, if out of the 14 games Donald wins us 3 which he's probably highly likely to do so, would this make his signing by Mickey justified.? Answer YES here's why if it takes,7or8 wins to qualify then surely it's not to much to ask the rest of the team between them to produce another 5. Just a different way of looking at it.On the face of it just 3 match winning performances out 14 doesn't seem great but in fact they could be crucial, and he would have potentially an opportunity in 3 more games to maybe win another game. So my point being just 4 match winning performances would indeed make Mickey a success for signing him. This scenario if not this year could well come true at least once hopefully more over the next 10 years were Donald to find what he's clearly been lacking belief and consistency. This is the best way to view Donald in my opinion. He's a pure ball striker with minimal movement of the feet. He going to get himself out a lot playing that way. But the flip side is he just might win you a t20 title Steve Jr.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Steve.He plays a bit like Chris Gayle and he didn't do too badly opening for West Indies!Topspinner.
ReplyDeleteCould do a lot worse than have a look at George Munsey or Brandon McMullen.
ReplyDeleteMcMullen especially is a class act and there will be teams chasing him. I guess it comes down to how much he could play around Scotland commitments, but he is a very talented young man
DeleteSuch a poor effort with the bat ( Lloyd excluded) as I post. These batting collapses are becoming a concern, and we'll be lucky to post 150 as I post this
ReplyDeleteSlow pitch on its 4th use I think. ..not easy to score on here. If we bowl decently they won't find it easy either
DeleteHope so Steve because 132 looks a really weak total. Is that why we chose to bat first do you think?
DeleteUndoubtedly. Need to bowl and field well but this could be a decent score with early wickets
ReplyDelete