So well is the batting unit functioning that I don't see a change to the top seven. There can be no complaints about a line up that has registered 190+ in every game so far.
Which in turn has contributed to the second best net run rate in the section. So often in recent seasons we have played catch up on this after some heavy defeats, but this year has been better by a considerable margin.
The only possible change I see for tomorrow might be Rory Haydon coming in for Nick Potts. These games are high intensity and after starting well, Nick has taken some stick in the last two games. A breather would do him no harm and hopefully allow him to come back refreshed. He could have had a wicket last night and broken the dangerous stand, had Ben Aitchison held on to a tough chance, but his time will come again.
I don't Akif Javed being dropped. He has landed in a foreign country at short notice and gone straight into matches on pitches that he is unfamiliar with. I suspect Chris Wright has chatted with him about the 'English length' and also a need for mixing up his pace a little. Martin Andersson showed last night, having watched the highlights, how dangerous the 'pace off' man can be in this form of the game. The various outfield catches came as a result of the ball not quite being 'there' and there are other counties with similar exponents of that skill set.
Nottinghamshire thrived for years on the economical middle overs squeeze applied by the likes of Dan Christian and Steve Mullaney and a bowler who has disguised 'paces' will succeed in short form cricket, where everyone is trying to hit them into a neighbouring county.
The current Nottinghamshire side in this format doesn't compare to the vintage elevens of the past, but there are dangerous individuals within it. They have lost two from two and losing a third tomorrow will make their chances of qualification difficult, especially with a poor Net Run Rate at this stage.
Their squad of 14:
Clarke, Ahmed, Ali, Hayes, Haynes, Howell, Linde, Martindale, McCann, Moores, Munsey, Pennington, Pocklington, Stone
They have recruited George Munsey from Scotland and, to be honest, I am surprised that at a time when overseas recruitment is proving a challenge, neither Richie Berrington nor Brandon McMullen have been picked up. At the very least, counties would save on airfares and it would promote the game north of the border.
There are some average–looking overseas around at present and perhaps using glasses rather than binoculars might be beneficial...
Anyway, here's to tomorrow, hot weather, a good crowd and of course a Derbyshire win.
After the victory last night, albeit against an ordinary-looking Leicestershire side, I am going for home advantage counting and a Derbyshire win. Then again, perhaps Derbyshire just made them look ordinary, in a very polished team effort.
What do you think?
I think we should give a rest to both Potts and Madsen. Haydon is the obvious replacement for Potts and I Wayne is due a break. We could move Basra up the order and bring in Came.
ReplyDeleteThat was Chapel Guy again
ReplyDeleteThanks CG. I would love to see Basra higher up, but I don't know how that happens at present. We know what Wayne can do and with the batting unit doing so well it is hard to leave out any of the top seven.
DeleteMore bowling alternatives would be nice, mind!
I thought it was poor captaincy to not give Potts another over in the previous game. When someone takes stick sometimes you need to back them to bounce back.
ReplyDeleteAlso hope to see Donald cut out the dot balls and go on for a serious score.
Agree on the Scots, they wouldn't count as overseas and have long thought McMullen would go well for Derbyshire.
Nick is the same as Javed. Maybe needs to mix up his pace more, as Brown at his best can do. 83 to 81 is barely noticed, but a disguised ball in the low 60s would keep batters guessing.
DeleteThat's Nye's weakness. He makes finematch shaping scores but doesn't go on to match winning ones. If he did, there would be little to stop us.
Unless the opposition had Sooryavanshi...😂
Harry Came scored 100 and hasn’t been picked? What more can he do?
ReplyDeleteIt's tough, James. But who do you drop in the top seven? When they haven't scored less than 190 in 3 matches, there's no obvious way in.
DeleteAnd as I wrote the other day, you have to qualify that century against the attack he faced. He is clearly in form and just needs to keep plugging away
Players like Bin Nadeem and Wagstaff have been around for quite a while now and have been performing well in the second eleven, but are finding it difficult to break through.
DeleteUnlike football, where players can be gradually introduced into the first team by appearing from the bench, no such outlet exists in cricket, and I wonder if playing an inexperienced player might be considered by the manager to be too much of a risk.
It’s looking like the 50-over games later in the season will not provide much of an opportunity for the less experienced players, as not many of Derbyshire’s first-team players are expected to be involved in the 100-ball franchise.
Dre.
Maybe switching Potts for Haydon. I don't know. But I would certainly move Basra up the order (even if it meant Wayne stepping aside). Basra needs to show what he can do, which means batting earlier. From the little we've seen of him, he can be destructive, and also exciting to watch.
ReplyDeleteDownthewicket
I used to dread Steven Mullaney coming into bowl, no Derbyshire batter could ever hit him off the square.
ReplyDeleteA big game, not just for bragging rights but to drag ourselves back into the mix.
I've not commented very much recently. Sorry. The honest truth is, I'm not that bothered by the bish-bash-bosh stuff. But I did enjoy the Foxes game on Sky. I won't measure our season based on T20 rubbish, but I still want the team to do well.
ReplyDeleteUnbelievable that Andersson hadn't bowled before yesterday. Very good player, we're fortunate to have him.
Confident of winning tonight which probably means we'll lose and lose badly. Definitely wouldn't be leaving out Wayne Madsen unless he says he needs a rest (which is highly unlikely). I've give Potts another game, if no upcurve Haydon in on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more about McMullen/Berrington Peakfan. What are we waiting for? Either of those two would be a terrific addition to the T20 squad. Both superb, intelligent cricketers.
ReplyDeleteI didn't necessarily mean for us, Shaun, but both are fine players. Breaking into our current top seven will be hard work as they are all playing a part. But both are impact players and better than some of the bigger names brought in from distant lands
DeleteStop wafting outside off stump and be more authoritative in the early overs
ReplyDeleteHow long has Andersson had his knuckle ball in T20 cricket? I don't recall him bowling it before. Maybe it took Leics by surprise? You certainly need some tricks in T20. Potts seems to bowl it as fast as he can, which can be a bit predictable. Kris
ReplyDeleteMaybe it has been/is a work in progress. Like any new delivery it can go right or wrong. I recall Edwin telling me he worked on his arm ball for five years before he bowled it in a match. Then got a lot of wickets with it..
DeleteAnother excellent performance from Derbyshire against Leicestershire. The team seem so close to doing well, which makes their near misses so frustrating.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see if Anderson continues to have success with his so-called ‘knuckleball,’ or whether teams will now become wiser to it. In this game, he looked like a very accomplished T20 bowler, but it will be interesting to see whether he can demonstrate this consistently.
Dre.
I know they've lost their last two games but that Notts side still has some fine players in it, and there is a possibility that we could get thrashed. If we're now confident about our batting do we now bat first every time we win the toss and hope for a big enough score and pray our bowlers can do just enough?
ReplyDeleteOnly change for me would be Haydon for Potts or Javed. Come on Derbyshire!
We clearly have an issue with our fourth and fifth bowlers conceding runs. Given the options, Haydon for Potts or Akif seems logical. Let’s hope for a strong performance tonight!
ReplyDeleteAdrian
Like you say, Potts was unlucky not to dismiss Turner, Aitchison should have caught that. It would have nipped that partnership in the bud, and boosted Nick's confidence. Can't see Javed being dropped yet, but if Ghazanfar is arriving soon, then him and Jewell are the 2 overseas on current form.
ReplyDeleteHilarious to hear Robert Croft confusing Ashton Turner with Ashton Agar on commentary, completely oblivious until someone must have quietly mentioned it in his ear....Great pre match prep Crofty 🙄......don't think he's interested unless it's Glamorgan!
Yeah, one of the reasons I rarely listen is the poor prep of some commentators. In a previous match a commentator called Basra 'Dal' in my brief period listening.
DeleteIncidentally, Basra is a huge asset in this team as a fielder alone. Doesn't suffer in comparison to Nuj. Fast, good hands, more dynamic with the bat
I see 3 of our 15 man squad are currently playing in the T20 2nd xi game at Repton presumably ruling them out for tonight. So its the winning xi from Leicester plus Haydon in an actual 12 man squad
ReplyDeleteJohn Life Member
Do you know about Zak Chappell's fitness? Ethan
ReplyDeleteNot heard, Ethan but they don't need to rush him back. If he is fit for the red ball, that's fine!
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