Somerset 214-6 (Smeed 89, T Rew 39, Kohler-Cadmore 39 Andersson 3-33, Sufyan 2-33)
Derbyshire 187-7 (Donald 65, Madsen 44, Whiteley 28, Came 28, Sams 3-29, Ball 2-35)
Somerset won by 27 runs
Six fours, six sixes, six overs. It was magnificent while it lasted, as it always is when his hands, eyes and feet are synchronised. I've never seen anyone in Derbyshire colours who strikes the ball so cleanly, or who gives such entertainment and frustration in equal measure.
it was, as General Bosquet might once have said magnifique, mais ce n'est pas le T20 batting. I wish Nye could learn from even someone like Will Smeed, who knocked it around when the bowling deserved it and hit it into the middle distance when it didn't. Over the years I have thrilled at Sobers, Gayle, Azharuddin, Kuiper, de Villiers and Richards. Wonderful batters all, mainly because they went through the gears as the game situation warranted. Nye gave Derbyshire a wonderful base, but you rarely win a match in six overs of batting, however magnificent. It was perfect for T10 or the other competition, but with 14 overs to go, an opportunity missed, for me.
No one else was likely to match his power, with Derbyshire again chasing 200-plus. Both overseas players did a good job tonight and Martin Andersson put in a good shift with the ball, but Smeed and Kohler-Cadmore took a liking to Nick Potts, who had probably his only down day of the tournament. It happens, he will hopefully learn from it and come back stronger.
After Donald's dismissal, Derbyshire never threatened to keep up with the required run rate. Came and Madsen played some nice shots, but the Somerset bowling was an object lesson in closing down an innings and they ran out easy winners. Their fielding was also top drawer with some stunning catches taken, which always makes a difference.
With that, Derbyshire's interest in the knockout stages has finally gone, but that has been a pipe dream for a while now.
We move on and hope for better fortune and performance in the One Day Cup.
Do we have a Sports Psychologist? Because we need one. Donald out and that's all she wrote. You can't have a one man team
ReplyDeleteI switched off after he was out, because you knew the entertainment and game was over
DeleteDonald reminds more of Steve Goldsmith certainly not in the Kuiper Adam’s levels
ReplyDeleteWhen did Steve Goldsmith top our most t20 runs 2 years running and the whole competitions t20 strike rate for all counties 2 years running? 😀 John Life Member
DeleteThat's where we are with our batting, Donald goes off like a train plays a poor shot and gets out, cue bang average batting from there on in and fall well short of the target. We've scored heavily in most matches but somehow it's not been enough, the balance of the side just hasn't been right all tournament. More disappointment under MA'S leadership, and boy is he stealing a living at Derbyshire. Four seasons in and he still can't find a winning team, any other county would've parted ways long ago with him. And sadly it's not going to get any better anytime soon
ReplyDeleteYet another marvellous knock from Nye. He constantly gets us ahead of the rate. In other words he does his job. In any other team he would lay the foundations for a win and other batsmen would take it on. Not Derbyshire. We fold or cannot find the boundary. Can’t see us holding onto Nye much longer.
ReplyDeletePaul
Disappointing tonight, I think it is the first time we have been out classed & not looked really competitive in a game - ground fielding & keeping not great, Donald’s keeping below standard & as others have said a lack of intensity in our batting.
ReplyDeleteI was disappointed with the wicket, they have a stellar pace attack whilst we rely on spin. So why not produce a wicket that favoured spin? Eg like Old Trafford
MarkB
We were 45-00 after three overs, then 110-2 after ten. But, again, we didn’t manage the game, and blew it. It’s telling that only Donald hit sixes.
ReplyDeleteDownthewicket
Sadly, he’s just a one trick pony, devoid of any cricketing nous. Cruelly exposed during his many opportunities in The Hundred and vulnerable when outside of a power play. He’s no captain, certainly not a wicket keeper and doesn't bat for his team. Buxton Lad
ReplyDeleteAgree Guest should be wicket keeper, Madsen capt but my god he's entertaining while it lasts! We should be critical of the rest of the batting having squandered a wonderful start albeit against a v.good seam attack. Poor fielding didn't help.
DeleteWe have plenty of battery who cant score fast enough already without bringing another one in imo John life member
DeleteDerbyshire have reached the dizzy heights of 2nd bottom. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteMichael
You mean there's a county worse than us in this format Michael. Lol
DeleteYes, Micky Arthur deserves a contract extension for achieving that.
DeleteMichael
If NYE reminds me of anyone it’s possibly Loots Bosman another one of the million plus overseas players Derbyshire have employed over the last twenty years in its quest to win the T20
ReplyDeleteNot sure I'd criticise Donald for not easing off. Last night if he'd done so we would not appear to have other means to keep with the run rate. The only chance was for him to keep attacking and go big. So the issue might be more a shortage of other fast scoring batsmen. However, when batting first and a score of around 90-0 he ought to then consolidate, and allow others to come in and take the aggressive role.
ReplyDeleteMore generally, we've often posted big scores this year, but failed to defend them. With a little better bowling collective the season could have been quite different.
Steve
The thing is Steve, with his power and timing, he could still clear the ropes from the inevitable bad balls when the field is back. He doesn't need to try and do the same to better ones.
DeleteHe would be my first pick in any T20 side. If he could go on and we could get the rest of the team right, we might be close to a decent outfit in this format
Never mind. Another competition about to start soon. Maybe we can finish mid table in that and our world class coach can talk about the promise we’ve got as a club. So much promise he’s always reluctant to use second team players unless he really has too. I don’t suppose M.A will be around for much of the 50 over comp as he will be getting another big pay day being a world class coach in the bbc thing
ReplyDeleteAmazing how on here Donald is the one getting all the criticism. No mention of Andersson ( who hasn’t scored much since first few games ) , Came ( chewing up deliveries ) , Montgomery ( see Andersson ) and Whiteley ( couldn’t get ball off square ). Typical Derbyshire fans let’s blame the guy who actually scores above the rate and keeps us in the game. Might be a “ one trick pony “ but better to be that offer nothing to the cause like most of the team. Ask yourself this - would he get in most of the other T20 teams ? I think you know the answer is yes.
ReplyDeletePaul
Criticism goes with the territory, Paul. I gave him plenty of praise in my piece, but we either need him to kick on from there, or get the rest of the team right. I can't think of many players who I have enjoyed watching more, but think how happy we would all be if wins were a consequence of such displays.
DeleteTo answer your question, he would grace any side in this format. But it doesn't change my opinion that he needs to win matches, not only entertain. At the end of it all, it is a result-driven business..
Spot on, and and exactly what I commented here after last weeks game. It does seem that the kudos of hitting sixes and having a high strike rate is more important than winning to some. I love watching Donald play, but just wished he would choose his shots more according to the situation in the game, then be able to celebrate a win after all the hard work he’s done at the start. Ian, Heanor
DeleteI do think it's unfair to criticise Donald. He is a marvellous hitter of the ball and provides fabulous entertaiment. Our bowlers are the problem. The impetus Nye provides to the innings should be enough, even if the remaining batters can't match his performance. But our bowlers.....!
ReplyDeleteI agree that our batting has aspects that need improving & can be criticised. But to think that our main problem is, to my mind, some way off the mark.he is the best T20 batter I have seen at Derbyshire & I suspect the stats will bear that out. Yes he can improve & an overseas keeper/batter next year has to be a consideration, but where would this team be without his contributions
ReplyDeleteMarkB
I think your comments are a bit unfair on Nye Donald. He contributed 30% of the required runs in 22% of the balls available. The rest of the team contributed 54% of the runs required in 78% of the balls available. Nye did his job, the rest of the team either didn't get their share of the runs, or got them too slowly, or both.
ReplyDeleteWhat really cost us last night was Nick Potts 2 overs. No blame on him, or on the captain for bowling him. He is still learning his craft, and Somerset are canny enough to spot an opportunity and exploit it. It is a minor blot on what has been a good tournament for him.
Like I said David, he is an entertainer beyond compare, but he doesn't go on to win matches. With the rest of the team right perhaps he can be the catalyst for that. But with a little more patience he can wait for the inevitable bad balls when the field is back and be one of the best players in the world in this format
DeleteThe overseas bowlers bowled 8 overs for 66 runs..Potts/Montgomery 4 overs for 66 runs..How we miss chappel, brown & Moore.
ReplyDeleteBut...last year Chappo went for 11 an over, Brown for 12. Moore has never played T20 and has played no cricket for 2 years. And to be fair to Potts and Monty, they have both done pretty well this year. It isn't easy..
DeleteAgainst a side as good as Somerset everyone needs to be at their best.
ReplyDeleteSadly, after a good run Potts seems to be reverting to type. 46 off 2 overs went a long way to losing that game.
I maintain that Guest should be keeper and Madsen captain leaving Donald to do his thing. That was only the 2nd time that he has made a decent score out of 10 attempts.
Still, hard to criticise the top scorer last night.
I shall correct my error.
DeleteDonald has 4 good scores in 10 games. 390 runs off 170 balls.
Sorry last comment DH
ReplyDeleteFelt sorry for Nick Potts last night being asked to bowl when Smeed and Kohler Cadmore were in full flow. Surely it would have made more sense for Akif Javed to have bowled those overs, either to get a wicket or slow down to Somerset's momentum.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree. They needed to break that stand and while there were good players to come, none as destructive as that pair. There is no margin for error when such players get going and Nick found out the hard way, as Mattie McKiernan did a few years back...
DeleteHas former executive members my wife and I sadly stepped away from Derbyshire at the end of last season.
ReplyDeleteThe T20 campaign was mainly men against boys. And totally embarrassing.
All things considered it's clear that if the talked about 3rd division of cricket comes to be then it's where they need to be.
A mixture of small present county sides and good minor counties to be played over red ball T20 and 50 over.
Its where we are. I see no shame in it
I think Nye is probably trying to do too much - keeper, skipper, star batter - but wow what a talent he is. I get the point about how he could press on but in a sense he’s done his job as a batter if he gets us up around ten an over from the power play. We can’t expect him to be this amazing hitter and then suddenly become a Boycott/Bolus figure knocking singles around. It is then up to the other TEN (!) players to do THEIR job and make a few runs! It doesn’t help that 9, 10 and 11 last night are interchangeably bad at batting, but the rest ought to be able to do better. It can’t all come down to Donald. I just hope we can hang on to him because I think we’d miss him massively if he went. He also strikes me as a really nice guy - not always a given in the case of talented cricketers.
ReplyDeleteAndy T Cleckheaton