Derbyshire v Lancashire Vitality Blast Game Eight

Lancashire 243-7 (Wells 83, Hurst 59, Jennings 33, Livingstone 33, Chappell 2-44)

Derbyshire 163 (Jewell 65, Chappell 31, Ghazanfar 28, Green 3-16)

Lancashire won by 80 runs

After the excitement of two wins last weekend, Derbyshire were firmly put in their place tonight by Lancashire. 

It was, as I wrote last night, a considerable step up in the standard of opposition. Half of the visiting side had played international cricket and the gulf in class was visible to all. While capable of beating anyone on their night, Derbyshire  need eight or nine players at their best to do so and were not remotely close to that tonight. Mainly because the Lancashire big guns turned up and blew us away.

I don't think that Derbyshire bowled especially badly, although the figures of some of them don't bear close inspection. It was more that they were not allowed to bowl well. The game plan appears to be that Ghazanfar has to take early wickets and it seems that opponents are now playing him as an offspinner, who occasionally turns one the other way. He remains a handful, but without pitches supporting turn, there is a limit to what he can do.

Neither Aitchison nor Chappell did much wrong, but they still went for ten an over and with boundaries that were not overly expansive, the risk of being outhit was always there. Lancashire hit SEVENTEEN sixes, so it is fair to say they managed it. It was the second highest score conceded by Derbyshire at Derby, just behind Hampshire in 2017, when Shahid Afridi went berserk.

Wells, who must want to carry the Derbyshire bowling around in his kit bag, did the damage again, well supported by Jennings. Hurst made the equal fastest fifty for Lancashire in this competition  and Livingstone hit merrily until smartly stumped by Guest. The Derbyshire ground fielding wilted in the face of the onslaught, but it was hardly surprising.

Chasing 244 to win, my expectations at the break were zero and so it transpired. Donald and Jewell started well, but the departure of the former saw the fall of three quick wickets, Madsen first ball, well held by the diving Jennings at cover.

Patel hit it straight up in the air, as he is always likely to do given his approach, Guest edged to the keeper and only Jewell suggested permanence and gave a semblance of respectability to the score with a battling half century, a decent net for Sunday. Chappell struck some powerful blows, as did Ghazanfar, but there was far too much to do when twelve an over are needed from the outset.

It was a rude awakening for Derbyshire. They cannot afford to lose the first five games and the reality is that this will not be the last defeat in this tournament. There are obvious weaknesses in the side and that comes down to a range of factors. No one can be happy with 2-6, but it reflects a competition where they have played some good cricket, but nowhere near enough. 

One final comment on the stream. I have praised it over the past couple of summers, but the standard slipped tonight, in keeping with events on the field. The 'ghosting' of images as bowlers ran in, the wrong angle being shown and wickets being missed was not what we have become accustomed to from a very good team. There was too great a focus on events beyond the boundary edge and there's only so many times you  can watch Freddie the Falcon throwing T shirts to the crowd.

Derby has seen some memorable nights in this competition over the years. Tonight wasn't one of them.

Thank goodness the red ball is back, starting on Sunday.