His bowling figures and those of Mohammad Ghazanfar were outstanding, but I have two questions about the game.
Before it started, a friend contacted me and said that the pitch looked 'worn'. This was confirmed by Derbyshire opening the bowling with both Ghazanfar and Samit Patel, when they won the toss and opted to bowl.
Why would you do that? Even in a hi 20-over game, a worn pitch will always be harder from which to score runs in the second innings. We seem to continually shoot ourselves in the foot by strange decisions and I don't get that one.
Secondly, why, at the end of the game, did we send out a loan player for interview? After five straight defeats, surely either the Head of Cricket or captain should be out there? With the greatest of respect to Fynn, he shouldn't have been put in that position.
I would have had plenty of questions for Mickey or Samit. Why did we bowl first? What has gone wrong in a squad clearly built for this format? Why do we approach chases like the Keystone Cops? Why does Samit insist on batting high in the order? Why does your best bat (Madsen) not go in until five, your second best till six, your form player until seven? Are you now going to give opportunity to others, with a view to experience and doing better another year?
You cannot ask these questions and get the answers that supporters want to hear from a bloke who is only with you for four matches.
I do feel sorry for Ghazanfar, who has let no one down and bowled very well. We won't see him again after this year, as someone will throw a lot of money in his direction for his services. As a signing, hats off to Mickey Arthur, but why has the rest of the side gone so horribly wrong?
Northamptonshire have won six straight games, playing good cricket, yet there was little between the two sides in our second match at Derby. Is it leadership, game plan, mental toughness or attitude that is the difference?
I can't really add anything else to that, so I will leave it to you to fill in any blanks. It is just very strange that a squad that has done so well in red ball cricket has been very poor, in the one format where expectation was high before the season started.
I am guessing no one fancies our chances of eight wins from nine...?
A reasonable performance with the ball & in the field. But another poor batting performance. We just give wickets away. That has been the recurring theme this year. The opposition will always take wickets but when we gift them 2 or 3 each innings, normally fairly early, then we take away any ability to accelerate.
ReplyDeleteI would like the batting coach to come out & explain what has been going wrong & what they are trying to do about it
MarkB
Had to go to Waitrose for most of the Durham innings but thought 169 was reasonably attainable. But of course, the usual bad shot selection, wickets falling in clusters (Patel at No 4?) etc resulted in us falling short again. Great straight 6 by Ghazanfar with terrific batspeed, shot of the night. Time for the youngsters I think.
ReplyDeleteI agree Mike. If we find one or a couple of players out of the rest of this tournament, it is a small consolation, at least
DeleteWell we'd be great on that BBC 1 show that is on at 17.15 daily, what's it called again, oh yes Pointless. I fear we're going to end up that way as well because if we can't chase down one of the more modest totals we'll face then we are in big trouble.
ReplyDeleteGhazanfar and Hudson-Prentice the two standout bowlers, the rest bang average but even 169 was a gettable target, but oh no this is a fragile Derbyshire team we're on about, and that batting display was another shambles. We've nobody who is capable of playing a big innings absolutely nobody, we collapse like a pack of cards game after game, so poor.
Don't think I'll be sitting through any more of this rubbish, I'll wait for the real stuff to resume again
We need to focus on the rotation players that will be involved in the red ball. It might work in out favour Lloyd, Came, Dal, Reece, Aitchinson, Tickner and Morley not involved. I would rest anyone who would benefit from the rest.
ReplyDeleteWe need T20 blast now chance to give couple Players exposure in pressure situation. This could help going into next white ball. Who
Would benefit from this?
we must keep positive as a fan base we can be critical of performances but still support the players. As this still could be a special season ahead.
Let's see what Wagstaff has to offer. Or bin Naeem for that matter. If one of them had an innings or two, it would be a step forward
DeleteWe aren't very good at this are we? Unfortunately I'm going to Edgbaston on Saturday and it'll be 0/6 by then.
ReplyDeleteWe play Nottingham Friday Tim, 0 out of 7 possibly
DeleteNot before the game it won't be 😉
DeleteAfter five defeats, one thing is clear: our batting as a whole isn't good enough. We needed a good partnership last night and someone to play a big innings. Neither happened. On paper, we have powerful batting. In reality, it keeps coming up short.
ReplyDeleteA previous correspondent was looking forward to our T20 game v Yorkshire at Chesterfield and our traditional victory. I can't see that happening this year. My annual visit to Queen's Park will be to the Championship fixture v Lancs instead. Our T20 form has been so dismal this year that it's difficult to see us beating anyone in this format.
ReplyDeleteRest assured CG, It will happen! 😉
DeleteWe bat like we need to win the game in 16 overs, and it start with the example being lead by the captain. Needs a re-think for next season.
ReplyDeleteGhazanfar was fun to watch bowl and could develop into a decent bat as well.
What a disappointment after a decent bowling display. Poor shot selection again and a complete contrast to the Seconds’ successful chase earlier in the week (though of course the quality of the opposition was different).
ReplyDeleteGiven that qualification now looks extremely unlikely, I agree with others that it’s time to look after the 4 day players to prioritise the competition where we are doing well. Aside from the one day specialists, we should give a chance to other players (Potts deserves more than 1 over, Wagstaff should get some games......) and let Samit bat wherever he wants.
Roll on the next round of the CC!
Adrian
Absolutely Steve, bowling first seemed very odd, and I thought so at the time. Samit's reasoning was that the pitch wouldn't likely get any worse...
ReplyDeleteI'm actually finding that watching the games is quite relaxing. Knowing that we're just passing time until the championship starts again.
I also find it weirdly fascinating to see how long it takes for Donald to slap it straight to a fielder, how many times Samit backs away to square leg, if Ghazanfar can catch one off his own bowling, how many times Brown gets his yorker wrong, and is our best player on the day going to be someone who plays for Sussex... I've probably missed a few!
It's a good job these things aren't the basis of a drinking game, Jasper.
DeleteIt has been a very odd T20. It gives the impression of little forethought, practice or interest. Wrongly, I am sure, but you can win in this format without trying to slog everything into the next county. We have got teams and batting orders wrong on a regular basis and that is surely the bedrock of any plan to do well in the tournament?
Absolutely, and that's why there is always room for a Brooke Guest type player in a T20 team. Working the gaps, running quick singles, pushing the two's and punishing the bad balls.
DeleteYou are right, it's been a shambles, and the spotlight on MA starts to get a bit brighter again.
Going back to Northants, look at Bopara and the role he plays. Procter and McManus are similar, they leave the hitting to a select few and knock it around. Then an experienced attack does the job, fair play to them
DeleteHow I wish we had signed Ravi, always been a quality player, with lots of 'cricket nouse'
DeleteI remember suggesting we go for Bopara at the time. “Too old” was the response. I mean he may well not have been interested and/or other factors. But sometimes it feels like he’s scored more runs against us since then than Patel / Whiteley have scored for us.
DeleteIt shows the value of a player of experience who has kept himself fit. For Bopara read Madsen, Murtagh, Stevens, Wright, Anderson, in recent years.
DeleteDetractors will say they block a place for younger players. But if the younger players aren't as good, there is no problem
As expected and will be the same on Friday and Saturday. Donald reminds me of my ex Brother-in-Law when we used to play golf. Wherever we were on the course, however long the hole was, he would try and hit the ball as hard and far as he could. Like Donald it worked perhaps one in 6 shots. Give the youngsters a chance, drop Donald and say thanks Samit, good luck in the future. Grant from Telford
ReplyDeleteSurprised we decided to chase on a used wicket . 169 was probably par and Robinson batted well . Our batting just seems frantic and impatient probably compounded by the loss of early wickets .
ReplyDeleteSamit batting at 4 , no thank you!!!
Time to play a few youngsters and fringe players and ensure the red ball squad stays fit and well ahead of Bristol .
I think it has been part of the problem, Paul. Samit doesn't seem the decline that others do. The eyes and reactions have slowed. He might get away with it once or twice, but he should realise or be told he needs to be the guy for a late slog. Not building an innings now.
DeleteHe has been a very fine player, but time waits for no one
Samit higher in the batting order than Wayne ? Farcical. Totally farcical !
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't expose the young players to this, it couldn't possibly end well, and it reinforces that there are reasons why other clubs were happy to let certain players go. They just need to slog through it I'm afraid, then bring in Wagstaff Naeem etc for the 50-over stuff. Dave.
ReplyDeleteI get that, Dave. They might fail. But then if they do well in the 50 over, the argument will be 'but they are only playing against second team players'. I would just hate a decision to be made on Wagstaff, Naeem, Potts without them having had a proper chance.
DeleteAnd realistically, they won't get in the 4-day side, without a major injury crisis
Has to go down as a missed opportunity to break the T20 duck. Just under 170 is a modest target by today's standards, even on a used pitch. It was one of those occasions when I was hoping our overseas opener might bat through for 80 or 90 which would have been enough. Unfortunately, he dragged one on when looking set.
ReplyDeleteMark D, Buxton.
The commentators for Durham said Durham would've chose to bat if they had won the toss. We can't even get that bit right
ReplyDeleteI don't agree with all the let's rest players for the red ball. That's very defeatist and also ignores the fact theres nine games left. Plus who do we bring in? The coach has signed white ball players and we're winless. It's unacceptable
ReplyDeleteThe last post was from Rob. Derby
ReplyDeleteAnother pointless cameo from Donald - just a one trick pony. It’s not as if he hasn’t been given ample opportunities over the years.
ReplyDeleteMaybe he could be used more wisely just to give our lads some catching practice pre-game ?
Buxton Lad
I think it is fair to say that the references to Northamptonshire's T20 campaign compared to Derbyshire's are very fair and justifiable in view of the fact that the 2 Counties have similar financial resources etc etc. At the present time Darren Lehman is leading a well-coached, highly motivated squad with each member performing to their highest level (including of course George Scrimshaw) and fantastic results being achieved through the creation of a cohesive unit, well lead by the superb David Willey. Mickey Arthur on the other hand.........
ReplyDeleteWe restricted Durham to what should have been a total we could overhaul, but generally speaking our bowling has been very poor. Contrast that with the bowling of Hassan Ali of Warwickshire, who had the remarkable analysis of 6-25 against us, including the hat trick.Having checked his career details, I see that he signed for Warwickshire in 2022. Two things occur to me. 2022 was MA'S first season in charge and Hassan Ali is from Pakistan. Now I don't pretend to know the circumstances of Hassan Ali signing for Warwickshire, but with MA'S extensive knowledge of Pakistan cricket and his contacts there, I just wonder how different our T20 campaigns would have been for the last 4 seasons if we had signed him? Food for thought perhaps?
ReplyDeleteCould this team do much worse, and apart from Jewell who should always play, would give some youngsters a chance, finally.
ReplyDeleteJewell
Donald
Wagstaff
Whiteley
Bin Naeem
Patel
Basra (who has scored rapidly with the 2nds)
Hudson-Prentice (while with us)
Potts
Ghazanfar
Brown
Mickey Arthur finally puts his head above the parapet with a 15 minute in jouse interview. Says "guys that weren't due to feature will get more chances" puts much of current failings down to lack of confidence due to a string of defeats. Those that are the future will get a go if we cant turn it round quickly.
ReplyDeleteI thought last night was our worst batting performance of the campaign by a distance FHP & Ghazanfar only 2 players to perform last night
Prior to the Blast starting I was beginning to think that I may have been wrong about Mickey. I now believe that Derbyshire's success in the Championship is more down to the leadership of Wayne Madsen supported by senior players.
ReplyDeleteThe t20 has been chaotic, frantic and lacking direction.
I am concerned that all this might have a negative affect on the red ball game.
Let's hope that a winning formula emerges soon.