Worcestershire 174-6 (Roderick 71, Brookes 43, Dwarshuis 33*, Chappell 3-26)
Derbyshire 162-6 (Madsen 77*)
Worcestershire won by 12 runs
It isn't easy to lose a game when you had the opposition 10-4 in the third over, but Worcestershire recovered well through the excellent Gareth Roderick and Ethan Brookes, while late impetus from Ben Dwarshuis took the visitors to what earlier had appeared an unlikely 174-6.
They were aided by some average bowling, with Pat Brown off colour tonight, especially in his final spell. Ghazanfar again bowled tidily, while Zak Chappell was back to his best, but much as Ravi Bopara did at the start of the tournament here, Roderick assessed the situation, worked out the pitch, utilised the short, straight boundaries and steered his team to a total that was always going to be challenging. Especially when Derbyshire are so brittle with the bat.
It was always likely that Nye Donald would follow his 13-ball fifty at Chesterfield with a low score here, but strangled down the leg side first ball was an extreme script. When Harry Came chopped on after an extra cover six and Caleb Jewell got into a tangle after two sixes, things were not looking good.
Neither Patel nor Whiteley suggested permanence and I could have copied and pasted 'Patel was caught pulling' a few times this summer.
A partnership of 38 between Andersson and Madsen kept Derbyshire in the game, but I never felt we were in the box seat against excellent bowling, especially at the death by Ben Dwarshuis and Khurram Shahzad.
Madsen was yet again - more copy and paste material - excellent, but he had little in the way of support tonight, no one else reaching 20.
A night that promised much ended like a damp squib.
Rather like our mathematical interest in the competition.
Although that had long gone for yours truly.
Wayne carries us yet again, even in defeat.
ReplyDeleteHis loyalty has come at a price of not winning trophies elsewhere, that he really does deserve
Not much more to say really
Onto the CC
Andy
The commentary team kept saying it was a must win if we wanted to finish top four. Ridiculous
ReplyDeleteIf Donald doesn't go big we don't win.
Steve, you've said everything I was going to say. It's this inconsistency which has been the problem. Not just this season, but other seasons. And in all competitions.
ReplyDeleteWatching the game unfold tonight (Sky for the live visual coverage, BBC Radio Derby for commentary) was so frustrating.
Can't help but feel that game was crying out for Brooke Guest, to bat sensibly through the middle, tick it over and support Wayne. Hindsight eh?
ReplyDeleteAlso death bowling has been a concern all season, almost cost us at QP and did tonight with another 40+ from the final 2 overs. I know it's a bit of a left field move and too late now the horse has bolted, but could Blair Tickner have possibly been rotated in and out of the overseas spots to bowl at the death, seemingly did so in NZ on occasion.
Scott
Think you are right, Scott. Maybe the greater need is for two good overseas bowlers, one of who can handle a bat. Jewell hasn't had a great tournament and maybe a good domestic batting signing for next year might enable that tweak
DeleteI thought this was a particularly dismal performance. Madsen was awesome as always but he must feel so let down. We could have really capitalised on their bad start but we didnt. Can we get a food coach to make the talented Pat Brown into a really great bowler? He’s so, so close, but we need more from him.
ReplyDeleteAndy T Cleckheaton
I read that as 'good coach' Andy, assuming we aren't going to build him up!
DeleteBrown has been below par for most of the campaign tbh .A lack of squad depth plus a ‘white ball reputation’ means he keeps the shirt !! He’s going for 11.2 an over across 11 games which is poor . Time to reset and revisit his skill set ,I saw him bowl brilliantly for Worcestershire to win the competition with a mixture of disguised slower balls and Yorkers …We should have won tonight tbh but credit to Roderick
ReplyDeleteAamateurish rubbish again from Derbyshire in a game they should never have lost after Worcester were 20-4 at one point. The inconsistency is staggering and sadly will never change. Try to dress it up as much as you want but this has been a dreadful T20 campaign
ReplyDeleteYou’re generally spot on with your analysis Peakfan.
ReplyDeleteAt 7.15 I was sat in beautiful sunshine quickly checking whether there was any realistic hope of qualifying as Worcestershire collapsed to 10-4. No team ever lets an opponent recover from that ! Unless they are Derbyshire! Worcestershire gradually wrestled back control eventually winning comfortably. I realise decision making can go wrong under pressure but good players and captains are defined by making more correct ones than wrong ones. Think Eoin Morgan as a class 1 and Samit Patel as a class ….. ( insert number )
When you said Pat Brown had “ an off night “ you should have added the word “ again “. I’ve always been a PB fan loving his variations and his ability to bowl at the death under pressure but this campaign has been a disaster for him as evidenced by his extremely expensive figures. He may have taken wickets but the cost …. !!
No way should Patel have given him the 19th over which effectively cost us the game. Decisions again !!
As for the batting - Came hits a 6 next ball bowled ! Jewell hits a six next ball bowled, Madsen takes 12 off the first five balls of an over, last ball Whiteley takes a horrible heave across the line and is bowled!
Decisions decisions aaaagggghhh it’s so frustrating that we make so many bad decisions.
MA has made many dodgy decisions with team selection but there’s not a lot he can do about the players once they’re out there as far too many players are showing a lack of ability to choose the right options.
Paul
One of the most disappointing performances I've seen all season. No desire or ruthlessness. Just going through the motions. Really brassed off!
ReplyDeleteNick
Chesterfield
Edited your comment, Nick. No swearing on here, thank you
DeleteTo be fair to Nick, last night was the type of performance that made you want to swear. We certainly did most of the way back to the car. The bowling at the death has been generally poor all season, but last night cost us the game. No yorkers, hardly any pace variation, just straight pace on length that can be hit with impunity. Contrast that to Rapids death bowling. Where is the captaincy and coaching? From a very frustrated Ian from Heanor.
DeleteDid we really need an overseas spinner this year? Thomson and Wagstaff seemed good enough for the role. Nobody could have predicted Brown's form, as he was good last year. But, we really do need a death bowler next year. I would have also sent Chappell in earlier tonight. Also, why has Came suddenly overtaken Guest? It all seems a bit scattergun. Kris
ReplyDeleteThat game was this years T20 campaign in a nutshell.
ReplyDeleteWith the bat if Donald doesn't go big (and its not realistic to expect him to do it every game) we are left with Madsen futilely trying to hold things together.
When we've been on top we've not pressed home the advantage, never more evident than last night. Chappell should have had a third over at the start last night, we get carted for 40+ in the last 3 overs every time anyway, so I wouldn't worry about saving certain bowlers for them….
Finally, the investment in T20 specialists hasn't worked at all. Time to scrap that idea and see if we can use those resources for a quality all-formats player.
To have your opponents 10-4 and still lose well that takes some doing even for us!Wayne has carried us for too long and yet again he did his bes to get us over the line with no support.Dreadful.Topspinner
ReplyDeleteI'm as annoyed as anyone, but not in the least bit surprised by that performance. A few people carried away by beating a very average Yorkshire T20 side. As pointed out, we went for plenty in the last few overs of their innings, and it has been a recurring theme.
ReplyDeleteBefore the T20 campaign started I felt that we had 4 mostly dependable bowlers, Chappell, Brown, Ghazanfar and Patel, with Moore as a likely 5th option. As we know, Moore has sadly been injured, but it has become glaringly obvious that those 4 are not what we hoped. One in particular, has been hugely disappointing. All have done OK, or even well, at times, but I don't recall even one game where all four have performed as a collective.
Ghazanfar has done enough to attract attention from other counties, and I expect we will not see him here next season. Has some potential with bat too, but his fielding needs work.
Lots of decisions for MA, I can see several players not being involved in next year's T20 campaign...
That was frustrating....the thing that stands out for me is once again in those middle overs the need to turn one's into two's is crucial....I'm afraid with the skipper it is a problem. Gary
ReplyDeleteHad Derbyshire been 10 for 4 batting first would they have turned it round like Worcestershire did. I think not.
ReplyDeleteThat's a problem.
Donald, hero to zero yet again. Brown dreadful. Madsen our hero for the second game running , just after you suggested that his powers were on the wane Steve, at least in the Blast. God only knows what we will do when he finally retires.
ReplyDeleteYeah I think I said that he hadn't been as productive, which was true. But less productive Wayne is still better than anyone else..and he needs support from others
DeleteMake no mistake, losing a game when the opposition are 10/4 in such insipid fashion is embarrassing. Other than a couple of the bowlers and Madsen, the rest made zero impact on the game.
ReplyDelete