I was under the impression that Samit Patel was going to be captain for all white ball cricket, but there has presumably been a change of heart and Whiteley, who has captained the second team for a good part of this season, will take on the role.
He is an intelligent man, knows his cricket and will likely bring calmness to proceedings which will be appreciated by his team. With a number of young players in the squad, he also knows them better than Patel and is better able to manage them on the field.
Alex Thomson is missing and will be for around a month with a side strain, while Anuj Dal is again missing again for personal reasons. Before anyone asks, I don't know what these are, but he is entitled to privacy and will get that from this blog.
Meanwhile Daryn Dupavillon is missing with an ankle injury, so we go into the game with no overseas player. Cam Fletcher was only signed for the T20 and I would assume is unlikely to play again.
With Madsen, Donald and Brown missing at the competition that I am not remotely interested in, there is an opportunity for Harry Moore in the squad, as well as for Yousaf Bin Naeem. With Mitch Wagstaff and Nick Potts also named, there is a youthful look that should earn a little breathing space should things not go to plan.
Mickey Arthur has named the following thirteen:
Came, Reece, Guest, Lloyd, Patel, Whiteley, Naeem, Wagstaff, Moore, Chappell, Conners,
Lamb, Potts also in the squad
The side above would be my choice, with good depth to the batting and eight or nine bowling options, if required. It may be that someone is carrying a niggle and realistically the side could be tweaked dependent on that and also the type of pitch.
Northamptonshire welcome back the wonderfully talented Indian opening bat Prithvi Shaw. In a similar manner to the young Neville Cardus, when going to watch England against Australia, I would like to see Derbyshire bowl out their opponents for around 150, but would be happy if Shaw got a hundred tomorrow. He is a serious talent and it is astonishing that he seems so far from the national side over there.
Interestingly, given rumours of his departure at the end of the season - with Derbyshire suggested as an option - there is no place in the home squad for Luke Procter. This perhaps lends credence to the story, given that he averages well over 50 this summer, but I tend not to worry about rumours, as often they are generated by agents in attempting to negotiate a better deal for their client.
Northamptonshire have batted well in T20 cricket and with some exciting players in their lineup will expect to do so tomorrow.
Their squad:
McManus, Bartlett, Finan, Gay, Keogh, Miller, Russell, Sales, Shaw, Sanderson, Vasconcelos, Weatherall, White, Zaib
I can't call this one. Realistically, the home side will probably start favourites as they have been playing good cricket and we - in all truthfulness - haven't, at least not consistently. Yet a change of personnel and a new skipper may prove beneficial and it should be a good game. The weather is set fair and I look forward to watching something akin to the style of cricket with which I grew up.
For me, the result is less important than the experience for young players who are the future of the club. As I have written before, I would be happier to see a young side winning and losing together and gaining experience in doing so.
What do you think?
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ReplyDeleteI can see why Matt Lamb isn't in your XI, but this is crazy to me. A serious player - I watched him score an excellent century vs Surrey in the CC a few years ago, admittedly on a flat pitch
ReplyDeleteLuke
I would just like to see other people play. Lamb might do so, but I hope not at the expense of Wagstaff and Naeem. We need to see what they can do. Perhaps Lloyd, who has been carrying injuries, gets a breather?
DeleteBut Lamb was signed by Arthur, so will likely play...
Depends on how big a say Whiteley has, I suspect...
ReplyDeleteFor me Lamb has to play as with his contract up this year and having been dropped from the last CC game the writing is on the wall otherwise. Originally I would have played him instead of Whiteley who doesn’t bowl and rarely gets runs but given that MA has bizarrely made him captain I guess we are looking at leaving out one of the young ones to accommodate yet another geriatric captain.
ReplyDeleteI also think we need to treat this competition very seriously given the shocking season so far and the fact that we only lose three players to the hundred which compared to other counties is not bad.
Unlike many supporters I wish our guys well in the hundred. Don’t people realise that the hundred isn’t going away ( certainly in the short term ) and players won’t come to Derbyshire if they feel it impacts on their chances of getting the bigger money ?
Paul
I don't wish them ill, Paul, but I have no interest in the competition. Hopefully our players getting that opportunity is seen positively elsewhere, as you say. Hopefully it leads to others considering us an option. But I have no interest in manufactured franchise sides.
DeleteI suspect Lamb will play, probably at the expense of Naeem or Wagstaff, but it wouldn't be my choice. Each to their own
I’d leave out Potts and Wagstaffe , no overseas , paper thin squad .. hope they go well
DeleteThat other competition tonight has Butterkist against KP. Sums it up really.
ReplyDeleteI think Ross Whiteley is very lucky to be in the starting eleven let alone be captain. He's had one big innings in the t20 the rest bang average or poor scores. I'd have given the captaincy to Brooke Guest the shining light in this Derbyshire team. I fancy a win tomorrow but on what basis I haven't a clue
ReplyDeletePart of me likes Brooke Guest as the future all formats captain, but being captain, keeping wicket, and batting at 3 is a big ask.
DeleteA good decision re Ross I reckon. Got a bit to prove and this might be just the ticket. You mentioned in comments the other day something seemed not quite right on the field against Cheshire, hoping this may correct that.
ReplyDeletePrivi Shaw has had some issues with the Indian board down the line Steve. He had a decent domestic season in India, so be interesting to see him tomorrow too - wish we had him.
I've no interest in the Hundred, but in fairness the businesses behind it won't have any interest in our demographic either. They'll see over 23,000 at the Oval tonight, and the marketing opportunity this brings. That, unfortunately is what counts.
Where cricket as we know it will be in ten years doesn't bear thinking about. For sure there won't be a 50 over tournament, so enjoy it while you can.
Obviously, I want us to do well in the competition, but I doubt it will happen, given such poor performances in the CC and T20. So, I'd settle for our young guns scoring or taking wickets, seeing this as an investment for the future.
ReplyDeleteI've said it before the back end of the cricket season has become a joke there's also a test match starting this week, the ECB are apparently trying to get investment from the US in the 100 just about sum's up the ECB
ReplyDeleteCame, Reece, Guest, Lloyd, Patel, Lamb, Whiteley, Naeem, Chappell, Moore, Conners.
ReplyDeleteThe problem here looks to be the bowling, teams will be fancying 300 plus against this attack, but no options to change it
My daughter & I are en route to Northampton from Leighton Buzzard, more in hope than expectation! If one of the young 'uns is left out for a senior pro then the tolerance of failure ratio surely gets narrowed, I suspect.
ReplyDeleteGraham
Bin Naeem has been left out, and the knives are going to be out for any batter who fails to make runs 😂
DeleteSeriously though, very disappointed with that decision.
This is where Mickey Arthur is letting himself down massively. Straight after a fine 68 ok against Cheshire he finds himself not playing today. Shambles from top to bottom this club!
DeleteNo Bin Naeem, final straw this for me
ReplyDeleteDoing OK with the ball as of 13.09 pm, fingers crossed
ReplyDeleteBowled very well there (apart from too many extras) but let down a bit in the field. Still, id have snapped your hand off for 236 to win
ReplyDeleteNevermind 236, 136 looking too much for us to chase at the moment😕
DeleteWhen Mickey Arthur described our team as "entertainment machines" who knew the entertainment was the darkest comedy imaginable...? Graham
ReplyDeleteNever worried. (sits down, shaking, pours a large one and raises it to Zak Chappell)
ReplyDeleteZak Chappell take a bow son, what an innings!
ReplyDeleteI cannot tell you how happy I am to have to eat my words! Especially as I only discovered on the way home that today is the 30th anniversary of the first time I saw Derbyshire play - accompanied by late father - at Northampton in the Sunday league with Azhar tonking 111 not out. Zak came close to emulating him! Chapeau Chappo! 👏👏
ReplyDelete