Derbyshire 170-6 (Andersson 70*, Whiteley 37)
Leicestershire 171-5 (Budinger 51, Masood 45*, Ghazanfar 2-29)
Leicestershire won by 5 wickets
You can't lose that many wickets in the Powerplay and realistically post more than we did. Equally, you can't always expect the lower order to dig you out. With Donald, Madsen and Jewell gone in the first four overs, we were immediately in trouble.
Mohammad Ghazanfar did well on debut and could have had three wickets, bar for inexplicably dropping a return catch and being told another didn't carry. But it was clear that after his first nervous over he is going to be a handful, especially if we get some runs on the board.
I don't know why Guest was omitted and I have no idea why Potts was preferred AND given the new ball. It all seemed a bit of a mess and at 86-1 after six overs, with Budinger making a powerful 15 ball fifty, the game had already gone. Pat Brown had a game to forget but again, is good enough to come back from this. Why Nye Donald, who didn't look in the same league behind the timbers as Guest, was preferred I don't know, and his early dismissal was not one to remember with pride.
The reason for our red ball success this summer has been a fine collective effort. Tonight, only half of the side get a pass mark for theirs, which will not be enough to progress.
Early days, of course, but the performance needs to be much better than this.
Postscript: I was supposed to be on North Derbyshire Radio today, but have had the most appalling gastric bug so had to cry off.
Apologies to anyone planning to listen in.
In T20 format Guest is a very good/excellent keeper and a good batsman. If he can’t get a place in the team the problem is not with him, but the makeup of the rest of the team. Craig.
ReplyDeleteIt's not the reason we lost (we would have anyway) but not playing Guest is absurd. Steadying things as we were forced to was exactly his role and there's no question he's a fat superior. You can't have too many bowling options but you can have too few batting ones.
ReplyDelete*far superior stumper. Using this on a mobile browser means you can't see what you type half the time!
DeleteI spotted that afterwards too, but we knew what you meant, Tim!
DeleteHmmmmm, more questions than answers with that performance. I know it's only game 1 but that side just didn't look right to me. Why Guest was dropped in place of Donald heaven only knows, Donald hasn't played a minute of first team cricket so far but gets thrown straight into it and fails with the bat. Infact the top order worries me, where are the big hitters yet again, I really feel we should've targeted an overseas batsman for this format. Andersson has been a revelation so far and he bailed us out massively, what a signing.
ReplyDeleteBowling not much better, Ghazanfar recovered brilliantly and looks a prospect, Brown disastrous. We need a rejig for Northants because that didn't work tonight
I am not going to be to reactive to this 1st performance. I think the 1st spell by LVB was perfect start Leicestershire.
ReplyDeleteI expect Donald will need some time maybe bit luck to get some time in the middle to get some form. We need Guest behind the stumps and give batting more depth. I would bowl Anderson and Lloyd for the other 4. It was hard situation for Potts to bowl in tonight. I personally think 2nd over power play after 16 runs off 1st over is a tough gig on debut. This where question logic bowling 2 players that debut in such high pressure situation at start power play with field up. I don’t think good man management personally.
I just hope Patel goes down order. He is a number 6 and 7. I have feeling we see him 4/5 quite often this season and won’t be in team best interest as better batsman who can do that job.
On a more postive note 170 from 50/5 I don’t think seen Derbyshire team recover that well in blast match in recent time. Full credit to Anderson and Whiteley for batting so well and with intelligent. 13 games plenty time to get things right. They need find formula quick.
Not the start we wanted. Two strange selection decisions ( Potts & Guest omission ) as you have said. The guts and sagacity of Andersson and Whiteley’s excellent partnership augurs well to round off some better starts going forwards.
ReplyDeleteOverall , some important lessons learned I hope
Defending a small total and giving Potts one of the opening overs was a woeful decision. As was leaving Guest out. But we knew that even before the match commenced didn't we ?
ReplyDeleteDreadful, disorganised start to this Competition. Donald is not a wicket-keeper and Brown , along with several others should be embarassed. Some very clear thinking required before the next one because that performance in no way reflects the ability of the side.
ReplyDeleteWe would have been in a real mess without Andersson. An excellent signing he has been. As for most of the rest......the least critical description is disappointing. We can only get better.
ReplyDelete2 very poor power plays. Andersson not being higher in the order seems strange, after his heroics at Middlesex last year and we seemed to miss Guest's calmness and class in the middle order. Giving 2 lads on debut the first 2 overs, seemed a risk too. T20 is of course fine margins and we live to fight another day. Budinger was also lbw in the first over, for me. Kris
ReplyDeleteA very poor powerplay effectively killed the game for us .Andersson again played very well with support from Whiteley .The spinners 10 0 67 4 is a good effort but the others had a day to forget . The selection of Potts came as a surprise ,I would have played Reece tbh ..
ReplyDeleteA disappointing start. Like you, Steve, I can't understand the thinking in leaving Guest out.
ReplyDeleteOn the positive side, Andersson batted superbly, and he received good support from Whiteley. Ghazanfar looks like he's going to cause problems for batsmen.
Perhaps it's not a bad thing to lose the first game, as Mickey and Samit can go back to the drawing board and try and solve the problems that were evident last night, particularly in our top order batting, which crumbled away, in stark contrast to the Foxes when they batted.
A disappointing start indeed. Not picking Guest was a bizarre decision and replacing him with Potts when he only bowled one over seems strange. After the poor start we were unlikely to recover but Martin Andersson showed he can be a real star for us in all formats. Let’s hope for a better all-round show next time.
ReplyDeleteAllez Derbyshire
I sort of understand the rationale (but don't agree with it) of playing Donald as the keeper, as it effecively justifies his place in the side. It's a high risk call though, as many of us have said.
ReplyDeleteReplacing Guest with Potts was quite bizarre. We haven't taken the opportunity to play him in red ball games this season, then suddenly thrust him in to T20. We give him the second over in the powerplay, after the first went for 16, and we don't see him again. Though, we kept going back to Brown, who, on the night, is having a shocker 🤷♂️
A few random observations;
Logan van Beek is an improved cricketer.
They cause problems in the opening overs with pace and movement, we start with spin.
Leicestershire were missing several players...
Andersson must be one of the best signings in recent times.
Encouraging start from Whiteley.
That LBW shout in the first over was very close, and certainly made a difference!
Ghazanfar will cause problems.
The Leicestershire stream still isn't very good.
No need to panic....yet!
All good points, Jasper. I could understand starting with Ghazanfar as they wanted to split the opening pair quickly. It didn't happen and his first over was a little loose.
DeleteBut why not have Chappell at the other end? That was a very close lbw and the caught and bowled seemed to be one that convinced all but the umpire and batter.
Andersson needs to be higher..
Having reflected my guess is that Potts was selected to perform the role of Moore. Personally I would have gone for Reece as he is the most likely of our bowlers to swing the new ball & is a better bat. On the keeper situation I support the change as I think it gives us better balance overall. Donald does not look as tidy but I don’t think he cost us anything. We were completely out played in the 2 power plays by a weakened Leicestershire. 2 massive home games this week!
ReplyDeleteMarkB
Probably unwilling to risk Reece's hamstring in the T20 as he is so important for red ball. Donald didn't cost anything last night, but his glove work was untidy and that sets a tone
DeleteGame lost in the opening power play.
ReplyDeleteGood recovery but at least 50 runs short of testing that Leicestershire batting line up.
In 6 games yesterday there were 7 scores over 200 and 3 of those were by losing sides.
Those first overs are crucial. Maybe Anderssen should be at the top the order. Got to be better than Donald.
I agree, Ian. Andersson is a fine player in great touch. Donald hasn't played this season. His shot, after losing his opening partner, was ill judged
DeleteI think Guest doesn't score fast enough. Donald broke the Derbyshire fastest 50 record twice last year and is a match winner. Behind the stumps he didn't cost us any runs or wickets last night and imo kept well. We have to give the experiment more than one game. Brown, Notts, Madsen and Jewll all failed last night and Brown's 29 was the main reason we lost
ReplyDeleteJohn life member
To be fair, John, Jewell and Madsen got good balls, Donald gave it away. My concern is that his gloves work isn't sufficiently good for it not to cost us down the line. Brown had a nightmare and losing the game on a wide summed it up, really...
DeleteI thought Jewell could have been out a couple of times before he perished. Wayne I thought was beaten by Van Beeks pace. My point is that Donald being picked ahead of Guest was not responsible for the defeat. The 3 fast bowlers figures and that fact we were 39-4 and them 87-1 at the same stage were the reasons for defeat. Not sure why everyone thinks Guest would have turned that round
DeleteJohn life member
I think Wayne is vulnerable to an early yorker (who isn't?!) Guest wouldn't have turned that around. My point is merely that you pick your best players for each position and build the rest around them. If Moore was available maybe it's a different discussion, but I always want my best keeper, John
DeleteI know they were only friendlies but isn’t that 3 ducks in a row for Donald? I know we have some players nursing injuries but that team selection was just bizarre. Guest must play, and if fit, Reece, Aitchison and Moore must come in to contention. I think we are currently 2 players short in this format….a strike bowler and big hitter coming in at 3 or 4. Grant from Telford
ReplyDeleteMaybe Donald bats 3 and Andersson opens with Jewell? I don't think they want to risk Reece's hamstring in this intensive competition but Moore will surely play when match fit. Aitchison too, despite a lack of T20 experience, is less prone to the four ball than Potts
DeleteI know this will be a controversial opinion, but I don't mind playing Donald as the Blast keeper. We have been spoilt to expect that Brooke Guest can keep and bat in every single game of the season. He will undoubtably play in every championship match and probably every one-day cup match. Give him a break for some/all of the Blast to keep him fresh.
ReplyDeleteHis omission was not the reason we lost last night. Donald kept competently. He may well have spent most to last week in the nets getting used to Ghazanfar.
We lost because we lost early wickets and leaked early runs. As simple as that. We recovered fairly well as a batting unit thanks to Andersson and Whitely, and at one stage nearly made breakthroughs bowling that got us back with a shout before Shan Masood settled their ship.
Jewell, Donald and Madsen will score big runs in other matches. Brown will never concede that many runs again. There is no need to panic just because we have lost one game.
As well as the unfathomable selection, it's worth noting that 2 players we let go -Masood and Van Beek - made crucial.contrubutions in this match.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, CG, there was a big difference between van Beek then and now. He has his game sorted now and is a good player. And we wanted to keep Masood, but Yorkshire offered crazy money for his services that we couldn't match
DeleteFolks shouldn’t be too harsh on Potts. He bowled the second over & presumably was told to pitch the ball up & look for early swing. He over pitched slightly to get driven to the boundary, but he stuck to the plan
ReplyDeleteMarkB