Any change to the eleven will depend on the pitch. There might be temptation to re-use one, in which case the more spinners the merrier and Alex Thomson might replace Nick Potts. Or Ben Aitchison could do the same, if an extra seamer is deemed essential. Alternatively, there might be enough bowling in the side already and they could opt to lengthen the batting and choose Brooke Guest as the wicket keeper. Then again, Potts could keep his place, which after just one over in the last match seems odd.
With the visitors' strength in seam bowling, with Ben Sanderson and David Willey opening, not playing to that might be advantageous. Anyway, I would play the following eleven and I am interested to hear your thoughts:
Jewell, Donald, Andersson, Madsen, Lloyd, Whiteley, Guest, Patel, Chappell, Ghazanfar, Brown
I don't see Northamptonshire making many changes to the side that won against Leicestershire, so they should line up roughly as follows:
Vasconcelos, Breetzke, Willey, Bopara, Zaib, Bartlett, McManus, Procter, Scrimshaw, Sanderson, Pope.
George Scrimshaw will hope to make an impression on his return to Derby, while Lloyd Pope and Matt Breetzke will provide the overseas input. Procter and Bartlett were late replacements for injuries against Leicestershire, so they may step down again.
I think Derbyshire has the talent to win, though much will depend on the pitch and the team selection. There might be a little rain around, so the toss could also be important. They could have done with another run out today at Belper, too, but the rain put paid to that.
Where's your money?
I agree, DCCC has talent to win but it will come down to pitch and team selection. I am hoping they will provide more of a turning wicket with a relatively unknown mystery spinner, Patel who basically always bowl 4 solid overs, Lloyd and potentially Thompson, they'd be favourites.
ReplyDeleteif it's a seamers wicket with the form of willey and Sanderson and we know how devastating scrimshaw can be, it'd be less confident to be honest.
Facet
I agree generally with your thoughts and team selection. I was originally in favour of Donald keeping wicket. However, in view of his lack of form with the bat since he got picked for the awful 100, I think his place in the team must be in question. I would bat Lloyd 3, Andersson 5.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree with your position of Patel: I think he sees' himself as a better batter than I do (but he probably knows best).
Then, for me, its would depend on conditions to choice from Brown and Aitchison. Brown's first over simply poor.
I'm looking forward to see Ghazanfar bowl, what a joy he is.
Rob
I agree generally with your thoughts and team selection. I was originally in favour of Donald keeping wicket. However, in view of his lack of form with the bat since he got picked for the awful 100, I think his place in the team must be in question. I would bat Lloyd 3, Andersson 5.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree with your position of Patel: I think he sees' himself as a better batter than I do (but he probably knows best).
Then, for me, its would depend on conditions to choice between Brown and Aitchison. Brown's first over simply poor.
I'm looking forward to see Ghazanfar bowl, what a joy he is.
Rob
Must win game already, as we don't want to be playing catch up with only 2 games played. I would go: Jewell, Guest, Andersson, Lloyd, Madsen, Patel, Whiteley, Chappell, Thomson, Brown, Ghazanfar
ReplyDeleteI can't see MA changing the Donald as keeper 'experiment'. Not just yet anyway. So I expect Potts to be replaced by either Aitchison or Thomson, depending on conditions.
ReplyDeleteAs you have said, we may have concluded from the Leicestershire defeat that we can get more overs from Andersson and Lloyd (and maybe Whiteley) than thought. In which case, we might think of playing an extra batter, which could be Guest, so he could keep wicket, and we end up with the eleven you have named!!🤦♂️
I have feeling this year we going to be a slower starter this season. The main decision is playing Brooke As any good cricket team whatever the format needs a good keeper. Brooke perhaps does need to adapt his batting style for where he is in the order. The end of a day strike rate of 127 is still good enough indication he can be useful with bat add depth . I think this will cost us as a team if he not selected. I would go with 4 bowlers till Moore fit to play.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about the pitch, but what I do know is that Guest - forget about his keeping, which is excellent - is one of our best batsmen in any format. His T20 strike rate is 127.
ReplyDeleteI'd bring in Guest for Potts and put him behind the stumps. Donald's job is to clear the boundary, which, as we saw in some games last season, he can do effectively.
ReplyDeleteI think we'll perform well tonight.
Agree with what you have said. I see a lot of comments talking as if its either Guest or Donald. It is not, and like last year, you play both. Give the best keeper the gloves and put Donald in the top 3 for batting.
ReplyDeleteNick
I'd pick the same team as you Steve, but I don't think they are going to abandon the Donald as WK plan just yet. Aitchison or Thomson instead of Potts depending on the pitch…both can also give it a whack if needed.
ReplyDeleteBopara, always a thorn in our side. Tremendous player!
ReplyDelete