So Rikki has been dropped.
As I said earlier, it's not unexpected on form, but like a few others I didn't think Morris would do it. Full credit to him for doing so. No captain's place should be sacrosanct and while people like Mike Brearley and Stuart Surridge weren't world beaters, they led by example and often produced when it was most needed.
Sadly, Rikki has not yet done so.
I'm re-reading a really good biography of the pre-war Surrey skipper Percy Fender at present and was impressed by his views on captaincy. Essentially, if nothing is happening, try something unexpected, try different things and keep trying. His attitude was that no game should drift and sometimes you could cause problems as opponents struggled to work out why he had done something strange.
I know its a different game now, but the same values work. Even at club level, I've found that opening with spinners pays dividends as the guys generally don't play it too well. Bringing on a youngster causes problems as people are wary of getting out to a kid. Much different game to the county stuff, but trying things keeps everyone on their toes.
Tomorrow's skipper is unknown at present. Waggy had a shot in the 20/20 so could be a candidate again, Rogers did it against Glamorgan and Wavell has captained Jamaica. The brave call would be Waggy, who has had a fine season, the more logical one probably Rogers.
There's no news of the Northants side, but think of South Africa B and you're not far away. With Nick Boje in fine form, Andrew Hall and Lance Klusener in the side and Louw bowling well they're a decent side. Add in Van der Wath and maybe Rikki Wessels and you can almost smell the braii and taste the biltong...
On paper and current form they should beat us. I'd take our South African over all of theirs though, and if our genial Jamaican and amiable Aussie hit form it could be a good contest. I'd go as far as to say it is a season-defining game. Win or draw and we're still in the frame for promotion. Lose and its another year in division two.
I'm playing tomorrow night (local derby!) so may not be posting till late, or at all. Depends how the post-match celebrations go. How's that for confidence - hopefully not misplaced.
Come on lads - lets crank it up again!!
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Well, well
Derbyshire have announced the 12 for the Northants game tomorrow and there's no Rikki Clarke...
Strangely, there's no mention of this omission on the club website tonight, which states that Paul Borrington and Wayne White were in line to play their first games of the season, but there is no mention of Clarke not playing.
I know he played for the 2nds today and made 64 (thanks for the updates Chris!) while Messrs Telo and Sadler made 0 and 5 respectively....
The following 12 have been named for tomorrow:
Chris Rogers
Dan Birch
Paul Borrington
Wavell Hinds
Greg Smith
James Pipe
Jonathan Clare
Graham Wagg
Jake Needham
Wayne White
Charl Langeveldt
Nayan Doshi.
The press this morning reported that Morris had blown a gasket at Clarke for the shot he played late on the third day. That the club site says nothing lends only to the theory that all is not well in the Kingdom of Denmark... sorry, Derbyshire.
I can't say I'm surprised and as I said in the post last night, patience was running out with the skipper after a series of poor shot selections and average bowling displays. I hope it is a voluntary step down too, but it also ponders the question as to who will be skipper?
Chris Rogers? Wavell? Waggy? Who knows, all have things going for them.
The final place would appear to be between Wayne White, who bowled well but without luck when I saw him play for the 2nds recently and Nayan Doshi who bowled even better. On a traditional Northants track the thinking money would be on Doshi, but that's a decision for Morris tomorrow when he sees it.
A lot relies on Buck and Wavell in this one, with the batting wearing its fragile look. It is good to see Paul Borrington in there as he sells his wicket dearly, something all fans will be grateful for after some recent displays. Dan Redfern must have been close too, after making 75 for the 2nds today. It is only a matter of time until both are given an extended run. Perhaps then Mr Grumpy, (ex- Lancashire and England), making a late run for the "All Time Misery of the World" award from an ex-Warwickshire and England quick bowler might shut up with his nonsense.
John Morris has gone on record as saying that he would like a Derbyshire team that has grown up through the Academy. With these two, Akhil Patel and Ross Whitely, we have a quartet of great potential. White, Clare and Needham also emerged from the 2nds and Wagg has thrived when no one else would touch him.
In three years time I'd see these lads as the nucleus of a team. In a plea to fans, whatever your misgivings about some performances this season, keep the faith with John Morris. With his staff he WILL turn this around. Bear in mind that we're one win away from promotion in the Championship, so keep smiling!
Mind you, like the rest of you, I'm intrigued tonight...
Strangely, there's no mention of this omission on the club website tonight, which states that Paul Borrington and Wayne White were in line to play their first games of the season, but there is no mention of Clarke not playing.
I know he played for the 2nds today and made 64 (thanks for the updates Chris!) while Messrs Telo and Sadler made 0 and 5 respectively....
The following 12 have been named for tomorrow:
Chris Rogers
Dan Birch
Paul Borrington
Wavell Hinds
Greg Smith
James Pipe
Jonathan Clare
Graham Wagg
Jake Needham
Wayne White
Charl Langeveldt
Nayan Doshi.
The press this morning reported that Morris had blown a gasket at Clarke for the shot he played late on the third day. That the club site says nothing lends only to the theory that all is not well in the Kingdom of Denmark... sorry, Derbyshire.
I can't say I'm surprised and as I said in the post last night, patience was running out with the skipper after a series of poor shot selections and average bowling displays. I hope it is a voluntary step down too, but it also ponders the question as to who will be skipper?
Chris Rogers? Wavell? Waggy? Who knows, all have things going for them.
The final place would appear to be between Wayne White, who bowled well but without luck when I saw him play for the 2nds recently and Nayan Doshi who bowled even better. On a traditional Northants track the thinking money would be on Doshi, but that's a decision for Morris tomorrow when he sees it.
A lot relies on Buck and Wavell in this one, with the batting wearing its fragile look. It is good to see Paul Borrington in there as he sells his wicket dearly, something all fans will be grateful for after some recent displays. Dan Redfern must have been close too, after making 75 for the 2nds today. It is only a matter of time until both are given an extended run. Perhaps then Mr Grumpy, (ex- Lancashire and England), making a late run for the "All Time Misery of the World" award from an ex-Warwickshire and England quick bowler might shut up with his nonsense.
John Morris has gone on record as saying that he would like a Derbyshire team that has grown up through the Academy. With these two, Akhil Patel and Ross Whitely, we have a quartet of great potential. White, Clare and Needham also emerged from the 2nds and Wagg has thrived when no one else would touch him.
In three years time I'd see these lads as the nucleus of a team. In a plea to fans, whatever your misgivings about some performances this season, keep the faith with John Morris. With his staff he WILL turn this around. Bear in mind that we're one win away from promotion in the Championship, so keep smiling!
Mind you, like the rest of you, I'm intrigued tonight...
Monday, 14 July 2008
Its Wavell
So Wavell Hinds is to be our top scorer in the second half of the season, follwed by James Pipe and Dominic Telo.
He did little to disprove that theory in the game against Leicestershire, playing two steady innings.
So now, as promised, for the thorny question of the week - vote in this week's poll and let's see what everyone is thinking about a lovely regional franchise team.
Loved Mike Atherton's comment in the Times re Derbyshire and Leicestershire. We're both "satellite towns" of Nottingham. Hmm... I'm sure they're both cities Michael, for one thing.
Oh, and they don't produce any young players through their scouting and coaching. Ah yes, so Ian Blackwell, Chris Adams, Dan Redfern, Stuart Broad and many more just appeared on a space ship one day? Guff, utter guff. For a man of supposed intelligence, his comments are crass and not worthy of a major newspaper like the Times. If the so-called bigger counties stopped signing them, the smaller counties might be OK. The ECB might even give us a tour game against someone we wanted to watch if they were keen to help. After all, we have probably the best results against touring sides in the past 15 years. Look back over results yourself and see who we've beaten...
He did little to disprove that theory in the game against Leicestershire, playing two steady innings.
So now, as promised, for the thorny question of the week - vote in this week's poll and let's see what everyone is thinking about a lovely regional franchise team.
Loved Mike Atherton's comment in the Times re Derbyshire and Leicestershire. We're both "satellite towns" of Nottingham. Hmm... I'm sure they're both cities Michael, for one thing.
Oh, and they don't produce any young players through their scouting and coaching. Ah yes, so Ian Blackwell, Chris Adams, Dan Redfern, Stuart Broad and many more just appeared on a space ship one day? Guff, utter guff. For a man of supposed intelligence, his comments are crass and not worthy of a major newspaper like the Times. If the so-called bigger counties stopped signing them, the smaller counties might be OK. The ECB might even give us a tour game against someone we wanted to watch if they were keen to help. After all, we have probably the best results against touring sides in the past 15 years. Look back over results yourself and see who we've beaten...
Northants v Derbyshire
Well, where do we go from here?
Consecutive games against South Africa is a rare bonus at this stage, but its what we have with Leicestershire then Northamptonshire.
The latter are a funny side who can bat brilliantly on their day, but it can all go horribly wrong.
More on the teams tomorrow, but what I'd like to see is a change or two.
For one, I'd play Stubbo instead of Dan Birch. I'm not sold on the latter and think that Stubbings offers more at the top of the order, even if he's not gone on to a big score this season. Maybe this is the game, against one of his former counties, where Chris Rogers goes on to a big score. Wavell is a shoo-in at four and I'd have thought Dom Telo would have to play at three. There really is no other option, with John Sadler out of nick. Clarke will go five and we'll keep our fingers crossed for his form of Surrey (earlier) days.
From there it gets tricky. Pipe, Wagg and Langeveldt are certainties but the rest is up in the air.
Consecutive games against South Africa is a rare bonus at this stage, but its what we have with Leicestershire then Northamptonshire.
The latter are a funny side who can bat brilliantly on their day, but it can all go horribly wrong.
More on the teams tomorrow, but what I'd like to see is a change or two.
For one, I'd play Stubbo instead of Dan Birch. I'm not sold on the latter and think that Stubbings offers more at the top of the order, even if he's not gone on to a big score this season. Maybe this is the game, against one of his former counties, where Chris Rogers goes on to a big score. Wavell is a shoo-in at four and I'd have thought Dom Telo would have to play at three. There really is no other option, with John Sadler out of nick. Clarke will go five and we'll keep our fingers crossed for his form of Surrey (earlier) days.
From there it gets tricky. Pipe, Wagg and Langeveldt are certainties but the rest is up in the air.
- Is Smith fit to bowl? If so, he could play as all rounder, if not, do we bring in Doshi as second spinner and shorten the batting? Or do we rest Jon Clare and go with three seamers (plus Wavell) and two spinners and stay with Smith?
- Do we bring back Kevin Dean for Clare? Again, it would shorten the batting, but the youngster isn't bowling as well as he did early season (nor batting well) and would benefit from a break
The main problem is that no one in the middle order is in prime form. Wavell is doing well enough, but we can easily go from 70-0 to 100-5. I don't think we can do much about that this year, but hopefully we might see an improvement on the harder, drier tracks of late summer.
Mind you, that wicket at Derby isn't going to attract players from other counties. Seamers yes, but no self-respecting batsman with international ambitions will move somewhere that has both lateral movement and variable bounce. I am in favour, as I said earlier, of this wort of wicket over the feather beds, but there should be a middle ground.
For what its worth, my team for Northampton would be:
Rogers
Stubbings
Telo
Hinds
Clarke
Smith
Pipe
Wagg
Needham
Dean
Doshi
Win the toss, bat first, score 500 then bowl 'em out with spinners. Easy. Of course, as that eminent "cricket " critic Buddy Holly once said, in reference to our batting - that'll be the day!
Derbyshire v Leicestershire day 4
I think that I am more disappointed tonight than at any time this season.
I can handle being beaten by Durham, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire. I don't like it, but I accept that they're bigger counties, at least at the moment, than we are.
We came close to losing to Leicestershire, however and that is pretty poor stuff. Especially when, in doing so, we concede the second highest score of a low scoring game, allowing a decent tail-ender (Smith) to get two forties. This on top of confirming what we knew from the 20/20, that Jimmy Allenby is the best all-rounder in the world. Well, at least against our attack and bowling at our batsmen...
I don't like singling out individuals, but the time has come to ask what Rikki is doing to justify a place in the team? As a captain, he is OK, but no Brearley. If in doubt, give it to Langeveldt appears to be the policy. Not a bad one, but sooner or later even this willing work horse will buckle under the strain and where are we then?
At one point today, Leicester needed 80 to win from 23 overs and we apparently had one close fielder when Jake Needham bowled. I might be wrong, but only in poor club cricket would you not fancy getting less than four an over, leaving the fielding side needing wickets. Am I being harsh? We got a draw after all, but surely could have done better than that against a team like today's opponents?
I'll grant you that Clarke is a superb slip fielder, one of the very best in the game, but the fact is that he averages 22 in the Championship with the bat and 37 with the ball, this after a poor one day campaign. Part of our batting problem (a major part?) has been that we have often lost his wicket quickly and in a way that suggests carelessness.
Now Rikki Clarke is a fair player. I've seen him bat for Surrey in brilliant fashion with power and a glorious array of shots, especially in his driving. Apart from a good knock against Warwickshire and a promising one against Essex, cut short by a good delivery, we have seen precious little evidence of it this season. He said that he'd had problems adjusting to the wickets "oop north", but surely should have managed it by now? I have more patience for a young player like Dom Telo, who is another world from what he knows, but Rikki really needs to produce the goods.
Is the captaincy affecting his form, as it did Botham and England ? There comparisons with Botham end. I'm sure the captaincy was a major factor in his coming to Derbyshire, but perhaps a break, maybe temporary might be an idea? With his life turned upside down - hey, new babies do that to you - a sabbatical could be worthwhile and no disgrace.
Finally to the game. To very loosely paraphrase Maurice Chevalier, thank heavens for Mr Charl.
Once more our batting dissolved like a rich tea in a very hot brew and we'd to kill some time in a late morning session that must have been torture to watch. After Waggy and Charl ripped out the top four for 43, we looked to be winning it, then Allenby and Smith nearly turned the game around. There you have it, two sessions in a sentence.
At the end of it all, a good if attritional game. For there to be only 18 runs and 2 wickets between teams is better than a 500 a-side runfest. Mind you, Neil Hallam reported this morning that we were close to being docked points for the wicket on Saturday. I'm staggered that they let us off, but given that we only got four from the game, maybe there was pity involved. I far prefer "result" pitches to boring draws where batsman artificially inflate their averages on a featherbed while bowlers age ten years.
Conclusion? I hope Rikki proves me wrong at Northampton and scores 150, but the jury is still out and has booked in for another week's B and B at the hotel...
I can handle being beaten by Durham, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire. I don't like it, but I accept that they're bigger counties, at least at the moment, than we are.
We came close to losing to Leicestershire, however and that is pretty poor stuff. Especially when, in doing so, we concede the second highest score of a low scoring game, allowing a decent tail-ender (Smith) to get two forties. This on top of confirming what we knew from the 20/20, that Jimmy Allenby is the best all-rounder in the world. Well, at least against our attack and bowling at our batsmen...
I don't like singling out individuals, but the time has come to ask what Rikki is doing to justify a place in the team? As a captain, he is OK, but no Brearley. If in doubt, give it to Langeveldt appears to be the policy. Not a bad one, but sooner or later even this willing work horse will buckle under the strain and where are we then?
At one point today, Leicester needed 80 to win from 23 overs and we apparently had one close fielder when Jake Needham bowled. I might be wrong, but only in poor club cricket would you not fancy getting less than four an over, leaving the fielding side needing wickets. Am I being harsh? We got a draw after all, but surely could have done better than that against a team like today's opponents?
I'll grant you that Clarke is a superb slip fielder, one of the very best in the game, but the fact is that he averages 22 in the Championship with the bat and 37 with the ball, this after a poor one day campaign. Part of our batting problem (a major part?) has been that we have often lost his wicket quickly and in a way that suggests carelessness.
Now Rikki Clarke is a fair player. I've seen him bat for Surrey in brilliant fashion with power and a glorious array of shots, especially in his driving. Apart from a good knock against Warwickshire and a promising one against Essex, cut short by a good delivery, we have seen precious little evidence of it this season. He said that he'd had problems adjusting to the wickets "oop north", but surely should have managed it by now? I have more patience for a young player like Dom Telo, who is another world from what he knows, but Rikki really needs to produce the goods.
Is the captaincy affecting his form, as it did Botham and England ? There comparisons with Botham end. I'm sure the captaincy was a major factor in his coming to Derbyshire, but perhaps a break, maybe temporary might be an idea? With his life turned upside down - hey, new babies do that to you - a sabbatical could be worthwhile and no disgrace.
Finally to the game. To very loosely paraphrase Maurice Chevalier, thank heavens for Mr Charl.
Once more our batting dissolved like a rich tea in a very hot brew and we'd to kill some time in a late morning session that must have been torture to watch. After Waggy and Charl ripped out the top four for 43, we looked to be winning it, then Allenby and Smith nearly turned the game around. There you have it, two sessions in a sentence.
At the end of it all, a good if attritional game. For there to be only 18 runs and 2 wickets between teams is better than a 500 a-side runfest. Mind you, Neil Hallam reported this morning that we were close to being docked points for the wicket on Saturday. I'm staggered that they let us off, but given that we only got four from the game, maybe there was pity involved. I far prefer "result" pitches to boring draws where batsman artificially inflate their averages on a featherbed while bowlers age ten years.
Conclusion? I hope Rikki proves me wrong at Northampton and scores 150, but the jury is still out and has booked in for another week's B and B at the hotel...
Sunday, 13 July 2008
Derbyshire v Leicestershire day 3
We fought back well today and managed to earn a small first innings lead, but my bet would be on the draw tomorrow.
Irrespective of what the weather may be, I think that the wicket is too slow for either side to force a result. The scoring rate has been very slow throughout and while both sides will really want the win neither will risk losing. It appears to be easier to at least stay in today and my guess is a draw tomorrow.
Once again we are indebted to superb spells by Charl Langeveldt and Graham Wagg for our lead. Langeveldt does this all the time, while Wagg is one of those who have improved this season, bowling with both greater control and penetration. At one point it looked like the visitors would have a first innings lead, but the opening bowlers broke through and quickly ended the innings.
In reply Chris Rogers opened with, surprisingly, Jake Needham - Dan Birch having a bout of food poisoning for the second time this season. They gave us a steady start until the Australian was caught behind. Dom Telo battled well until he was lbw and it was gratifying to see young Needham battle for nearly 50 overs for a stubborn and potentially vital 36. Although he fell, as did Rikki Clarke before the end, crucially Wavell Hinds remains tomorrow, with Derbyshire 153 ahead and six wickets still to fall.
Another 80 runs tomorrow would leave the visitors chasing the highet score of the match to win. Unless the hitters in the tail come into their own, that will take us until around lunchtime at the rate of scoring so far, leaving us two sessions to bowl out Leicestershire.
Possible, yes. Likely? I'm not so sure. The time lost on the first two days is likely to be the deciding factor here, but if I'm wrong and we force a win I'll not be in the least disappointed!
Irrespective of what the weather may be, I think that the wicket is too slow for either side to force a result. The scoring rate has been very slow throughout and while both sides will really want the win neither will risk losing. It appears to be easier to at least stay in today and my guess is a draw tomorrow.
Once again we are indebted to superb spells by Charl Langeveldt and Graham Wagg for our lead. Langeveldt does this all the time, while Wagg is one of those who have improved this season, bowling with both greater control and penetration. At one point it looked like the visitors would have a first innings lead, but the opening bowlers broke through and quickly ended the innings.
In reply Chris Rogers opened with, surprisingly, Jake Needham - Dan Birch having a bout of food poisoning for the second time this season. They gave us a steady start until the Australian was caught behind. Dom Telo battled well until he was lbw and it was gratifying to see young Needham battle for nearly 50 overs for a stubborn and potentially vital 36. Although he fell, as did Rikki Clarke before the end, crucially Wavell Hinds remains tomorrow, with Derbyshire 153 ahead and six wickets still to fall.
Another 80 runs tomorrow would leave the visitors chasing the highet score of the match to win. Unless the hitters in the tail come into their own, that will take us until around lunchtime at the rate of scoring so far, leaving us two sessions to bowl out Leicestershire.
Possible, yes. Likely? I'm not so sure. The time lost on the first two days is likely to be the deciding factor here, but if I'm wrong and we force a win I'll not be in the least disappointed!
Derbyshire Legends 7 - Arnold Warren (1875-1951)
For devotees of Derbyshire cricket, the late 1940's through to the later 1950's was the era of Gladwin and Jackson. For fans pre-World War One, the county's fortunes were pretty much dependent on Warren and Bestwick.
Bill Bestwick has been dealt wih earlier in this blog, but Arnold Warren was arguably the more highly rated of the pair, even going so far as to be recognised by England selectors. Like many others over the years, it was fleeting recognition.
Fast bowlers then were less molly-coddled than their modern day equivalents. It was like winding up a watch, for those who remember such things. The star bowlers were effectively wound up at the start of the game and then continued for much of the innings. Some bowlers have recalled in their memoirs that they would often bowl until lunch, then start again afterwards. One well-known bowler was pleased when his captain took him off after a handful of post-lunch overs to add to the morning stint, only to realise he was merely changing ends! Most were uncomplaining as the alternative was down the pit and however much hard work was involved, a life in cricket was far more appealing. The bonus of an occasional collection for a good performance augmented their appearance money (and if they didn't play, they didn't get paid).
Arnold Warren took 939 wickets in his career at an average of 24 and the long-time Derbyshire secretary Will Taylor reckoned him to be the fastest bowler he has seen play for the county over a fifty-year period. In his opinion, Bill Copson for a few overs was quick, and Harold Rhodes was faster than most, but Warren, until the advent of Alan Ward, was the quickest of them all. Remember, most Derbyshire bowlers - the Popes, Gladwin, Jackson, Hendrick - have been too fast to be trundlers and cannon-fodder but not quick enough to be erratic. With a batting side that has historically been unreliable, our sides have never been able to afford to "buy" wickets.
Warren had a long, bounding run and was a right arm fast bowler. A tall man, he managed to find bounce that wasn't sometimes there for others. His annus mirabilis was 1904, when he became the first Derbyshire bowler to take 100 wickets in a season, taking 124 in 22 matches. Had there been Test matches that year he may well have earned recognition.
That was to come in 1905, when the Australians were the visitors. He had earlier impressed the England captain, Yorkshire's Hon F.S. Jackson, with match figures of 12-126 against his county and he was brought in for the third Test at Headingley.
In 19.2 overs he took 5-57, including the prize wicket of Victor Trumper, as well as Monty Noble, Joe Darling (the Australian captain) and Warwick Armstrong. Good wickets all and when he followed this with the wicket of Trumper again in the second innings he would have been excused for thinking he had done well.
Not so, as he was never selected for his country again.
His second innings bowling was noticeably less menacing and the story ran that Warren, like Bill Bestwick partial to a beer, had "over-celebrated" with friends after his first innings heroics. Together with the presence of many fastish bowlers around the country, this counted against him. It was essentially the story of his career and like the little girl in the rhyme, when he was good, he was very, very good but when he was bad...
He played on for Derbyshire until 1913 (aside from a fleeting appearance in 1920) and his later life was beset by problems. A brawl got him into trouble with the police, there was a period of destitution and personal tragedy after the premature death of his wife.
He will be remembered, however, as one of the earliest members of the fine Derbyshire fast-medium bowling lineage. Ironically, his most memorable performance was to come with a bat in his hand - but that's a story for next week...
Saturday, 12 July 2008
Derbyshire v Leicestershire day 2
After another poor batting display, our bowlers have pulled us back into this game.
Once again, the wonderful Charl Langeveldt has changed our fortunes with an exemplary spell - how often have I written that this summer? The burly South African took three more wickets and now has 28 at just 19 runs each in the Championship this summer. Kolpak or not, he is without doubt one of the best bowlers to represent the county in many a year. On the rare occasions that he doesn't take wickets he commands respect. It crossed my mind, watching the scattergun Proteas attack at Lords yesterday, that they could have done with him to just keep an end quiet. Ntini and Steyn were especially erratic and I wouldn't swap Langeveldt for either of them.
Graeme Wagg also bowled with great discipline and while Jon Clare was more expensive he retains the ability to take wickets. If they can come out tomorrow and keep them down to around 170 (ideally less) we have a good hold on the game.
Of course, much depends on the batting next time around. A lead of 30-40 is important in a low-scoring game, but only if we reinforce it with a total or around 250. I can't imagine the visitors would fancy chasing over 250 in the last innings and it may be that a smaller total could be enough.
We could do without run outs, thanks Wavell, but Leicestershire have been soporific in their batting approach and I'd have to think that a more aggressive, but not reckless approach might bring dividends. On a track like this, wicket balls come regularly so let's make hay - if the sun shines...
Intrigue in the corridors of power
So the old franchises are back on the agenda for the 20/20 eh?
Despite Giles Clarke reckoning that it is something "not up for discussion", there are counties out there trying to feather their own nests and get some options together.
If it happens you can bet your bottom dollar that the Derby Destroyers or Chesterfield Champions won't be featuring in the equation. Given that we have a Test ground down the road at the place we dare not name, it doesn't need any involvement of expensive research company to work out where this particular regional franchise might find a home.
I've now got the subject of my next poll on the site. Would you support a regional side, the East Midlands Explorers or somesuch? Frankly, and here I lay my cards on the table, that side could recruit Ponting, Tendulkar and Symonds and I wouldn't be interested. Given my known antipathy for 20/20, why should I support a team that featured the "best" of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and ourselves? Having spent 40 years hoping we hammer those sides because of that crazy little thing called local rivalry, I'd hardly be cheering them on at this stage.
The same elsewhere. I'm sure that northern fans would be thrilled to support the Rose Rumblers, a crazy amalgam of Yorkshire and Lancashire. Maybe Durham could link with Scotland and just play as... well, Durham!
It would be interesting to think who might play in such a side, but that is all. Would James Pipe, Paul Nixon or Chris Read be the best bet for keeper? Who would partner Langeveldt with the new ball? But that's it, and in the words of Rhett Butler, frankly my dear I don't give a damn.
They may frustrate me more than they thrill me, they may make me question why I bother on the really bad days, but Derbyshire are still MY county. When people ask me where I'm from I say "I'm a Derbyshire man" and I'm proud of that. In forty years of support there's probably been five seasons where I've thought "yeah, job well done", but it doesn't change anything. I'll be a Derbyshire fan to the last breath, but an East Midlands fan? Nah, the 12th of never for that one, I'm afraid.
Despite Giles Clarke reckoning that it is something "not up for discussion", there are counties out there trying to feather their own nests and get some options together.
If it happens you can bet your bottom dollar that the Derby Destroyers or Chesterfield Champions won't be featuring in the equation. Given that we have a Test ground down the road at the place we dare not name, it doesn't need any involvement of expensive research company to work out where this particular regional franchise might find a home.
I've now got the subject of my next poll on the site. Would you support a regional side, the East Midlands Explorers or somesuch? Frankly, and here I lay my cards on the table, that side could recruit Ponting, Tendulkar and Symonds and I wouldn't be interested. Given my known antipathy for 20/20, why should I support a team that featured the "best" of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and ourselves? Having spent 40 years hoping we hammer those sides because of that crazy little thing called local rivalry, I'd hardly be cheering them on at this stage.
The same elsewhere. I'm sure that northern fans would be thrilled to support the Rose Rumblers, a crazy amalgam of Yorkshire and Lancashire. Maybe Durham could link with Scotland and just play as... well, Durham!
It would be interesting to think who might play in such a side, but that is all. Would James Pipe, Paul Nixon or Chris Read be the best bet for keeper? Who would partner Langeveldt with the new ball? But that's it, and in the words of Rhett Butler, frankly my dear I don't give a damn.
They may frustrate me more than they thrill me, they may make me question why I bother on the really bad days, but Derbyshire are still MY county. When people ask me where I'm from I say "I'm a Derbyshire man" and I'm proud of that. In forty years of support there's probably been five seasons where I've thought "yeah, job well done", but it doesn't change anything. I'll be a Derbyshire fan to the last breath, but an East Midlands fan? Nah, the 12th of never for that one, I'm afraid.
Friday, 11 July 2008
Derbyshire v Leicestershire
The more things change, the more they stay the same...
Such were the words of '80s rock gods Cinderella in one of their bigger hits and it was pretty much a summary of the season in today's brief spell of play.
We lost an early wicket, then another one. A good recovery came via the flowing bats of Chris Rogers and Wavell Hinds before Rogers, after another fine fifty, gave it away with a loose shot just before the rain drove them off for the last time.
At 111-2, with both of them able to resume tomorrow, it was our day. The morning (weather permitting) will see Rikki Clarke join Hinds. Another wicket early and we are back in that familiar territory of unfulfilled promise.
It may well be that 250 will be a good total on a seaming wicket. With our attack I would back us from there, unless it rolls out easier as the game progresses. Full marks to Wavell Hinds in conditions a world away from Sabina Park. Having said that, the Sabina Park of Lawrence Rowe's era and that today are chalk and cheese...
At least we have a foundation, but we will hope that Clarke, Smith, Pipe, Wagg and Clare can support Wavell and get us up to a challenging total. We'll see what Mr Langeveldt makes of conditions at that point.
Such were the words of '80s rock gods Cinderella in one of their bigger hits and it was pretty much a summary of the season in today's brief spell of play.
We lost an early wicket, then another one. A good recovery came via the flowing bats of Chris Rogers and Wavell Hinds before Rogers, after another fine fifty, gave it away with a loose shot just before the rain drove them off for the last time.
At 111-2, with both of them able to resume tomorrow, it was our day. The morning (weather permitting) will see Rikki Clarke join Hinds. Another wicket early and we are back in that familiar territory of unfulfilled promise.
It may well be that 250 will be a good total on a seaming wicket. With our attack I would back us from there, unless it rolls out easier as the game progresses. Full marks to Wavell Hinds in conditions a world away from Sabina Park. Having said that, the Sabina Park of Lawrence Rowe's era and that today are chalk and cheese...
At least we have a foundation, but we will hope that Clarke, Smith, Pipe, Wagg and Clare can support Wavell and get us up to a challenging total. We'll see what Mr Langeveldt makes of conditions at that point.
Who do they think they are?
I'm totally in agreement with Charles Collins in his BBC 606 column today.
Who do Yorkshire think they are?
They broke the rules. End of argument. In playing an unregistered player, one not qualified to play as anything other than an overseas player, they did something they should not have done. Stewart Regan first of all tried to blame it on a temp in the office (a cowardly thing to do) then backtracked and said that the buck stopped with him. That is the only thing he has got right in this sorry saga.
He is paid a hefty salary to ensure that people Yorkshire wish to sign are eligible to do so and complete the necessary paperwork. At work I am paid a lot less than Mr Regan but double check the paperwork of everyone who is joining the organisation, even when it has been completed by an experienced colleague. Mistakes happen, it is human nature. No one does it on purpose, but it happens. You put steps in place to minimise the likelihood and can at least hold your head high if it did.
Well, it appears Mr Regan didn't do any of this, but then has the temerity to claim his county have been unfairly treated. Well, boo-hoo.
Durham have been unfairly treated. They will have to play the rearranged match without the considerable talents of Shaun Pollock and Albie Morkel, so have had their hopes penalised.
Nottinghamshire were unfairly treated by playing a side who fielded an unqualified player and may or may not have Chris Cairns and Andre Adams in the next stage.
Why have Yorkshire been unfairly treated? If Mr Regan can explain that one to people and convince them he should be the next Prime Minister. They issued a statement to say that "the punishment is disproportionate to the crime". What exactly did they expect? Whether his name is Rafiq or Ramprakash, if he's not registered, he should not play. Take the punishment and retain your dignity guys...
The arrogance and temerity to claim they have been hard done by should see Regan's post in jeopardy if there is any justice. This is not an anti-Yorkshire rant, simply a statement of accountability and fairness. Hang your head in shame Mr Regan and your Board, you have dragged your county down and made them a laughing stock.
Who do Yorkshire think they are?
They broke the rules. End of argument. In playing an unregistered player, one not qualified to play as anything other than an overseas player, they did something they should not have done. Stewart Regan first of all tried to blame it on a temp in the office (a cowardly thing to do) then backtracked and said that the buck stopped with him. That is the only thing he has got right in this sorry saga.
He is paid a hefty salary to ensure that people Yorkshire wish to sign are eligible to do so and complete the necessary paperwork. At work I am paid a lot less than Mr Regan but double check the paperwork of everyone who is joining the organisation, even when it has been completed by an experienced colleague. Mistakes happen, it is human nature. No one does it on purpose, but it happens. You put steps in place to minimise the likelihood and can at least hold your head high if it did.
Well, it appears Mr Regan didn't do any of this, but then has the temerity to claim his county have been unfairly treated. Well, boo-hoo.
Durham have been unfairly treated. They will have to play the rearranged match without the considerable talents of Shaun Pollock and Albie Morkel, so have had their hopes penalised.
Nottinghamshire were unfairly treated by playing a side who fielded an unqualified player and may or may not have Chris Cairns and Andre Adams in the next stage.
Why have Yorkshire been unfairly treated? If Mr Regan can explain that one to people and convince them he should be the next Prime Minister. They issued a statement to say that "the punishment is disproportionate to the crime". What exactly did they expect? Whether his name is Rafiq or Ramprakash, if he's not registered, he should not play. Take the punishment and retain your dignity guys...
The arrogance and temerity to claim they have been hard done by should see Regan's post in jeopardy if there is any justice. This is not an anti-Yorkshire rant, simply a statement of accountability and fairness. Hang your head in shame Mr Regan and your Board, you have dragged your county down and made them a laughing stock.
Thursday, 10 July 2008
Justice done
So the Yorkies have been kicked out of the 20/20. Hallelujah, they got one right!
I thought they may cop out and get them to replay the game against Nottinghamshire, but thankfully our rivals have now replaced them in the next stage.
A shame for Darren Gough in his last season, but rules are rules and they broke them. End of story.
I thought they may cop out and get them to replay the game against Nottinghamshire, but thankfully our rivals have now replaced them in the next stage.
A shame for Darren Gough in his last season, but rules are rules and they broke them. End of story.
Derbyshire v Leicestershire
Can we beat Leicestershire and get back on track? Yes. Will the weather let us? Er...no
The Foxes have had a good start to the season but latterly have made us look like Bradman's Invincibles. Yes, they beat us in the 20/20 at Grace Road, but the game had zero value and we were missing several players.
Tomorrow, John Morris' tricky task has been sorted for him, as Tom Lungley still has a side strain that rules him out. The final decision appears to be between Steve Stubbings and Dan Birch for the opening berth alongside the happily returning Chris Rogers. The team is set to be (pretty much as intimated here the other night)
Rogers
Stubbings/Birch
Telo
Hinds
Clarke
Smith
Pipe
Wagg
Clare
Needham
Langeveldt
Leicester may welcome back South African seamer Dillon du Preez and also look set to introduce on loan Lancashire seamer Tom Smith. Their line-up is set to read:
New
Boyce
Ackerman
Dippenaar
Allenby
Nixon
du Toit
du Preez
Henderson
T.Smith
Malik
Kruger
So Derbyshire v South Africa B... sorry, Leicestershire. Who to win? If the weather stays out of it, for me its a battle between two fragile batting sides, each bolstered by one top class batsman - Rogers for us, Ackerman for them. I am reassured by the length of our batting with Clare at nine, but would love to see him bat, if required at 460-7, rather than 175-7. Boyce and New are talented young players, but the key to this one is likely to be getting Ackerman early as the rest tend to panic when that happens. Nixon is not in the form of previous years, and I hope it stays that way at least until after this game!
The Foxes have had a good start to the season but latterly have made us look like Bradman's Invincibles. Yes, they beat us in the 20/20 at Grace Road, but the game had zero value and we were missing several players.
Tomorrow, John Morris' tricky task has been sorted for him, as Tom Lungley still has a side strain that rules him out. The final decision appears to be between Steve Stubbings and Dan Birch for the opening berth alongside the happily returning Chris Rogers. The team is set to be (pretty much as intimated here the other night)
Rogers
Stubbings/Birch
Telo
Hinds
Clarke
Smith
Pipe
Wagg
Clare
Needham
Langeveldt
Leicester may welcome back South African seamer Dillon du Preez and also look set to introduce on loan Lancashire seamer Tom Smith. Their line-up is set to read:
New
Boyce
Ackerman
Dippenaar
Allenby
Nixon
du Toit
du Preez
Henderson
T.Smith
Malik
Kruger
So Derbyshire v South Africa B... sorry, Leicestershire. Who to win? If the weather stays out of it, for me its a battle between two fragile batting sides, each bolstered by one top class batsman - Rogers for us, Ackerman for them. I am reassured by the length of our batting with Clare at nine, but would love to see him bat, if required at 460-7, rather than 175-7. Boyce and New are talented young players, but the key to this one is likely to be getting Ackerman early as the rest tend to panic when that happens. Nixon is not in the form of previous years, and I hope it stays that way at least until after this game!
Wednesday, 9 July 2008
Visual heaven
Over 40 years of cricket watching has enabled me to watch thousands of cricketers. These have ranged from the aggressive to the defensive, from the graceful to the downright ungainly. Watching Colin Dredge bowl to Jim Yardley wasn't the greatest experience, valuable players though they were for their counties.
There have been a number of players who, although not all from Derbyshire, have given me untold hours of enjoyment with their silky skills. This is my aesthetic eleven, players who were close to perfection in what they did.
1 Barry Richards
Has a batsman ever looked less hurried than him? His technique was extraordinary, his timing perfection and his only fault was his motivation. When offered dollar a run sponsorship for a winter in Australia he broke all the records. His cover driving was sublime, even his hoiks looked textbook. Incapable of an ugly stroke.
2 Sunil Gavaskar
The little master was another of infinite class. Probably the only man who scored heavily against the West Indian pace battery, a tribute to his extraordinary talent and ability to see the ball early. An immensely powerful cutter and puller, like most small men, but Gavaskar could play aggressively or defensively depending on the needs of the side. Wonderful player
3 Lawrence Rowe
I could get more enjoyment from watching him play out a maiden than see most players hit 22 off an over. A disappointing run tally from his season with Derbyshire, but Yagga oozed class. So cool he even whistled while he batted and never looked rushed even against Lillee and Thomson at their peak.
4 Greg Chappell
Tall, elegant and admirably correct, he looked only an ordinary player when he had a season with Somerset, yet used it to good effect and became an outstanding player for Australia. Where his brother Ian was a musketeer, Greg was D'Artagnan, with a bat like a rapier. I never saw Peter May, but still recall Chappell's elegant on drives with pleasure
5 Martin Crowe
Gavaskar, Chappell, Crowe - all three played for Somerset, though not at the same time. Crowe came in when Richards and Garner left and was a sublime player who was always perfectly balanced. Caressed the ball for four and had it not been for a series of knee injuries that shortened his career would have been an all-time great
6 Mohammad Azharuddin
On a dry wicket, with a warm day and a good crowd, Azharuddin was on another planet. Not the straightest of batsmen, so always gave a chance, but when he was in the mood the ball went from his bat with astonishing speed. His double century at Chesterfield off Durham was the best knock I have ever seen in person and he looked like Ranjitsinjhi and Bradman combined.
7 Ian Bishop
A beautiful run up and smooth action for the genial Trinidadian who played for all too short a time in Derbyshire colours. If he had bowled medium pace after that he would have been a player, but Bishop was blindingly fast for 3 years, until back injuries took their toll and the action was modified. Not only fast, but he swung the ball at pace - quite extraordinary.
8 Michael Holding
My eyes mist over at the thought of him in Derbyshire colours. He ran in like an Olympic athlete and bowled from a smooth rhythmic action that unleashed a thunderbolt. Batsmen were relieved to see him come off a short run, until they found he was only slightly slower from that than the full glory. I would pay to watch him run up and just bowl at unoccupied stumps if the wicket keeper was
9 Bob Taylor
My Dad and I used to go home after games and tell people that the highlight was Bob Taylor taking throw-ins. You never heard a sound. Rarely had injuries, he took the ball so cleanly, and at times made it look so easy. Other keepers dived to catch what Bob made routine, and would never have got near the ones he did dive for. Sublime.
10 Dennis Lillee
Shirt unbuttoned to the waist, moustache glinting, flicking sweat from his eyebrows with an index finger and full of brooding menace. Lillee was set for a season with us before a back injury ruled him out of the game for a while, but his action was as textbook as humanly possible. Could bowl pretty much any delivery, and the batsmen rarely knew which was which
11 Bishan Bedi
The greatest spinner I have seen with the exception of Shane Warne and undoubtedly the possessor of the smoothest action. A handful of steps, a gentle whirl of arms and another bag of mystery was on its way. Loved to beat batsmen in the flight and frequently did. Many hit him for six, enjoyed his applause, then walked back to the pavilion a few balls later having tried to do it again, finding the ball not quite there. Rubbish bat and fielder, but who cared?
12 David Gower
Made it look too easy at times and people thought he wasn't trying when he didn't come off, but Gower was elegant with a capital E. His fielding was equally lithe and unhurried and Gower was the classiest player of my time of watching England. On the bad days the slips could expect a catch at any time: on the good ones, the fans had a treat that can only have been matched by those that saw Frank Woolley.
There we have it. Would they win matches? I don't know, but I'd be happy to watch this side even in defeat!
There have been a number of players who, although not all from Derbyshire, have given me untold hours of enjoyment with their silky skills. This is my aesthetic eleven, players who were close to perfection in what they did.
1 Barry Richards
Has a batsman ever looked less hurried than him? His technique was extraordinary, his timing perfection and his only fault was his motivation. When offered dollar a run sponsorship for a winter in Australia he broke all the records. His cover driving was sublime, even his hoiks looked textbook. Incapable of an ugly stroke.
2 Sunil Gavaskar
The little master was another of infinite class. Probably the only man who scored heavily against the West Indian pace battery, a tribute to his extraordinary talent and ability to see the ball early. An immensely powerful cutter and puller, like most small men, but Gavaskar could play aggressively or defensively depending on the needs of the side. Wonderful player
3 Lawrence Rowe
I could get more enjoyment from watching him play out a maiden than see most players hit 22 off an over. A disappointing run tally from his season with Derbyshire, but Yagga oozed class. So cool he even whistled while he batted and never looked rushed even against Lillee and Thomson at their peak.
4 Greg Chappell
Tall, elegant and admirably correct, he looked only an ordinary player when he had a season with Somerset, yet used it to good effect and became an outstanding player for Australia. Where his brother Ian was a musketeer, Greg was D'Artagnan, with a bat like a rapier. I never saw Peter May, but still recall Chappell's elegant on drives with pleasure
5 Martin Crowe
Gavaskar, Chappell, Crowe - all three played for Somerset, though not at the same time. Crowe came in when Richards and Garner left and was a sublime player who was always perfectly balanced. Caressed the ball for four and had it not been for a series of knee injuries that shortened his career would have been an all-time great
6 Mohammad Azharuddin
On a dry wicket, with a warm day and a good crowd, Azharuddin was on another planet. Not the straightest of batsmen, so always gave a chance, but when he was in the mood the ball went from his bat with astonishing speed. His double century at Chesterfield off Durham was the best knock I have ever seen in person and he looked like Ranjitsinjhi and Bradman combined.
7 Ian Bishop
A beautiful run up and smooth action for the genial Trinidadian who played for all too short a time in Derbyshire colours. If he had bowled medium pace after that he would have been a player, but Bishop was blindingly fast for 3 years, until back injuries took their toll and the action was modified. Not only fast, but he swung the ball at pace - quite extraordinary.
8 Michael Holding
My eyes mist over at the thought of him in Derbyshire colours. He ran in like an Olympic athlete and bowled from a smooth rhythmic action that unleashed a thunderbolt. Batsmen were relieved to see him come off a short run, until they found he was only slightly slower from that than the full glory. I would pay to watch him run up and just bowl at unoccupied stumps if the wicket keeper was
9 Bob Taylor
My Dad and I used to go home after games and tell people that the highlight was Bob Taylor taking throw-ins. You never heard a sound. Rarely had injuries, he took the ball so cleanly, and at times made it look so easy. Other keepers dived to catch what Bob made routine, and would never have got near the ones he did dive for. Sublime.
10 Dennis Lillee
Shirt unbuttoned to the waist, moustache glinting, flicking sweat from his eyebrows with an index finger and full of brooding menace. Lillee was set for a season with us before a back injury ruled him out of the game for a while, but his action was as textbook as humanly possible. Could bowl pretty much any delivery, and the batsmen rarely knew which was which
11 Bishan Bedi
The greatest spinner I have seen with the exception of Shane Warne and undoubtedly the possessor of the smoothest action. A handful of steps, a gentle whirl of arms and another bag of mystery was on its way. Loved to beat batsmen in the flight and frequently did. Many hit him for six, enjoyed his applause, then walked back to the pavilion a few balls later having tried to do it again, finding the ball not quite there. Rubbish bat and fielder, but who cared?
12 David Gower
Made it look too easy at times and people thought he wasn't trying when he didn't come off, but Gower was elegant with a capital E. His fielding was equally lithe and unhurried and Gower was the classiest player of my time of watching England. On the bad days the slips could expect a catch at any time: on the good ones, the fans had a treat that can only have been matched by those that saw Frank Woolley.
There we have it. Would they win matches? I don't know, but I'd be happy to watch this side even in defeat!
What's going on?
What is going on at Yorkshire?
We all know the saga of the unregistered player, who I feel very sorry for. The lad just wants to play cricket and is hardly likely to point out that there's a bit of paperwork that he's not been asked to fill in.
Apparently Stewart Regan, their Chief Executive was talking to Rob Bonnett on the radio yesterday and laid the blame at the door of a temp covering for the normal secretary. If that is so, Mr Regan should be sharpening his sword ready to fall on it. He later changed the story and accepted responsibility which, let's be honest he should have done straight away. Would you allow a temp to do important paperwork without checking it yourself, or getting a senior colleague to do so? Poor show Mr Regan...
Hot on the heels of this saga, which I still have a sneaking feeling will see them come out better than they have a right to, is news of the game between their seconds and ours being abandoned after a handful of overs as the pitch was unfit. They're really playing a stormer those White Rose lads aren't they?
Incidentally, this came after Derbyshire had beaten Lancashire by 14 runs in a match, then lost to them by 41 runs in another. This effectively ends their interest in the Trophy competition this season, but should be balanced by the fact that they have often fielded very young teams. Such experience should stand the boys in good stead for next summer.
We all know the saga of the unregistered player, who I feel very sorry for. The lad just wants to play cricket and is hardly likely to point out that there's a bit of paperwork that he's not been asked to fill in.
Apparently Stewart Regan, their Chief Executive was talking to Rob Bonnett on the radio yesterday and laid the blame at the door of a temp covering for the normal secretary. If that is so, Mr Regan should be sharpening his sword ready to fall on it. He later changed the story and accepted responsibility which, let's be honest he should have done straight away. Would you allow a temp to do important paperwork without checking it yourself, or getting a senior colleague to do so? Poor show Mr Regan...
Hot on the heels of this saga, which I still have a sneaking feeling will see them come out better than they have a right to, is news of the game between their seconds and ours being abandoned after a handful of overs as the pitch was unfit. They're really playing a stormer those White Rose lads aren't they?
Incidentally, this came after Derbyshire had beaten Lancashire by 14 runs in a match, then lost to them by 41 runs in another. This effectively ends their interest in the Trophy competition this season, but should be balanced by the fact that they have often fielded very young teams. Such experience should stand the boys in good stead for next summer.
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
Coaching
is great fun with the right kids.
I was reminded of that last week at Denby, when the end of the game between Derbyshire and Yorkshire 2nds saw car after car drop off youngsters for nets at the ground.
It was very impressive and the club looked to be very well run. The facilities were excellent and it was a real joy to see so many youngsters participating in the game.
It made me think back to when I first moved to Scotland, and my first post at a secondary school near Glasgow. It was a state school, one with a good academic record, but no facilities whatsoever for cricket. With Martin, an English teacher who has become a long time friend and team-mate, we started cricket, played in the assembly hall, with what we called "air balls". You might know them, little plastic balls with holes in them for playing indoor hockey and the like. By taping up one side, these balls would swing prodigiously, and off two paces against kids holding a bat for the first time I was lethal. If I could have translated that to the real game I'd have had a Test call up...
Eventually we dispensed with the tape and just used the air ball prior to the season starting indoors, before using the orange "wind balls" which give a realistic bounce without the pain. You see, state schools in western Scotland rarely have grass as its too hard to maintain. Blaes, a red cinder ash pitch covering is everywhere and that had to do for cricket. For football it was murder. I remember in my first Staff v School game putting in a sliding tackle that got the ball but left me looking like I'd been hit by a bottle of tomato sauce with a nasty burn down my leg. For cricket the bounce was OK but, depending on how you set the wickets, you either had very short square or straight boundaries - it was a football pitch after all.
Wanting to encourage the boys to play straight, I aligned the wickets along the halfway line and it worked well. Practice was good, and we worked on a few fixtures. There were a couple of natural bowlers, two or three with a good eye and the rest were makeweights. We played our first match on grass at a local school where the head of PE was a good local cricketer.
The thing was, his school didn't have cricket on the curriculum, and while they had grass, there wasn't much of it. Our opening bowler was singularly unimpressed when he found that four strides from the crease he had to stradde a sandpit. Try that one Dale Steyn and keep your rhythm. Our boys had only done catching practice with a hard ball, and when the star batsman got hit in the stomach in the first over the team were unimpressed by the prospect of batting and we were out for less than 20.
At the start it was a mess. One kid turned up with a mohican hairdo and wearing eye-liner. Another forgot his trousers and played in boxer shorts. A third only played because you got a good cricket tea rather than the pie that followed a football match.
We improved though and were impeccably turned out, both in school uniform and whites. We improved so much so that four years later a Glasgow schools representative side had seven of our boys in it. We played, and beat, most of the private schools in a story that people said would have made a good film. We won six a side tournaments, eleven a side cups. It was rewarding and incredibly good fun. One night we were bowled out in the final of a six-a-side for 23 and the opposition coach was confident and said so.
They made four all out. We had some players.
Youngsters like John, who bowled very quickly but who was scared to dive as his mam told him she wasn't washing his whites twice in a week. Gary, who found the greatest fun of all was holding a protective box to his ear so he could "hear the sea". David, who batted with charm and threw a ball unbelievable distances, usually running out two or three per game. Ashley, who sometimes seemed more intent on playing the perfect looking shot than actually remembering to run. Darren, a little kid who bowled huge off spinners and Pete, who only had one shot but usually hit the ball for four or six with a huge grin. Neil, the quickest young bowler I've seen, who frightened most teams, even the good ones, but lost it when he went to a club who told him to bowl line and length. Alan, a lithe young keeper who had brilliant hands and was a very exciting bat. Best of all Garry - another one - the funniest kid I ever met with a fantastic sense of timing with the bat and with a one-liner. He it was who broke the silence after I had stopped a fierce pull, umpiring at square leg, with my nether regions, collapsing in a heap and wondering if everything was still there.
"He did that on purpose" said one of the batsmen
"C'mon guys" said Garry, as my boys gathered round, a couple concerned, the rest in hysterics "Even he's not that committed to cricket"
Great days. I still see some of them from time to time and three now coach themselves. I was reminded of it last week at Denby, and the future of the game seemed secure in that idyllic part of Derbyshire. Wheels turn full circle and the next generation appeared to be in very good hands.
I was reminded of that last week at Denby, when the end of the game between Derbyshire and Yorkshire 2nds saw car after car drop off youngsters for nets at the ground.
It was very impressive and the club looked to be very well run. The facilities were excellent and it was a real joy to see so many youngsters participating in the game.
It made me think back to when I first moved to Scotland, and my first post at a secondary school near Glasgow. It was a state school, one with a good academic record, but no facilities whatsoever for cricket. With Martin, an English teacher who has become a long time friend and team-mate, we started cricket, played in the assembly hall, with what we called "air balls". You might know them, little plastic balls with holes in them for playing indoor hockey and the like. By taping up one side, these balls would swing prodigiously, and off two paces against kids holding a bat for the first time I was lethal. If I could have translated that to the real game I'd have had a Test call up...
Eventually we dispensed with the tape and just used the air ball prior to the season starting indoors, before using the orange "wind balls" which give a realistic bounce without the pain. You see, state schools in western Scotland rarely have grass as its too hard to maintain. Blaes, a red cinder ash pitch covering is everywhere and that had to do for cricket. For football it was murder. I remember in my first Staff v School game putting in a sliding tackle that got the ball but left me looking like I'd been hit by a bottle of tomato sauce with a nasty burn down my leg. For cricket the bounce was OK but, depending on how you set the wickets, you either had very short square or straight boundaries - it was a football pitch after all.
Wanting to encourage the boys to play straight, I aligned the wickets along the halfway line and it worked well. Practice was good, and we worked on a few fixtures. There were a couple of natural bowlers, two or three with a good eye and the rest were makeweights. We played our first match on grass at a local school where the head of PE was a good local cricketer.
The thing was, his school didn't have cricket on the curriculum, and while they had grass, there wasn't much of it. Our opening bowler was singularly unimpressed when he found that four strides from the crease he had to stradde a sandpit. Try that one Dale Steyn and keep your rhythm. Our boys had only done catching practice with a hard ball, and when the star batsman got hit in the stomach in the first over the team were unimpressed by the prospect of batting and we were out for less than 20.
At the start it was a mess. One kid turned up with a mohican hairdo and wearing eye-liner. Another forgot his trousers and played in boxer shorts. A third only played because you got a good cricket tea rather than the pie that followed a football match.
We improved though and were impeccably turned out, both in school uniform and whites. We improved so much so that four years later a Glasgow schools representative side had seven of our boys in it. We played, and beat, most of the private schools in a story that people said would have made a good film. We won six a side tournaments, eleven a side cups. It was rewarding and incredibly good fun. One night we were bowled out in the final of a six-a-side for 23 and the opposition coach was confident and said so.
They made four all out. We had some players.
Youngsters like John, who bowled very quickly but who was scared to dive as his mam told him she wasn't washing his whites twice in a week. Gary, who found the greatest fun of all was holding a protective box to his ear so he could "hear the sea". David, who batted with charm and threw a ball unbelievable distances, usually running out two or three per game. Ashley, who sometimes seemed more intent on playing the perfect looking shot than actually remembering to run. Darren, a little kid who bowled huge off spinners and Pete, who only had one shot but usually hit the ball for four or six with a huge grin. Neil, the quickest young bowler I've seen, who frightened most teams, even the good ones, but lost it when he went to a club who told him to bowl line and length. Alan, a lithe young keeper who had brilliant hands and was a very exciting bat. Best of all Garry - another one - the funniest kid I ever met with a fantastic sense of timing with the bat and with a one-liner. He it was who broke the silence after I had stopped a fierce pull, umpiring at square leg, with my nether regions, collapsing in a heap and wondering if everything was still there.
"He did that on purpose" said one of the batsmen
"C'mon guys" said Garry, as my boys gathered round, a couple concerned, the rest in hysterics "Even he's not that committed to cricket"
Great days. I still see some of them from time to time and three now coach themselves. I was reminded of it last week at Denby, and the future of the game seemed secure in that idyllic part of Derbyshire. Wheels turn full circle and the next generation appeared to be in very good hands.
If it was us, do you reckon...
We'd have been kicked out of the 20/20 by now?
Yorkshire, unwittingly or not, fielded an ineligible player against Nottinghamshire. End of story. Whether he bowled only two overs and didn't bat is irrelevant. He played.
That it took until fans were either there or en route last night was a joke. Fair play that the Yorkshire Chief Executive has held up his hand and accepted responsibility, because it was.
The only acceptable decision is for Durham to progress in the tournament. If money is the object of the exercise, then they may play Nottinghamshire, but having been well beaten by the Yorkies our East Midlands rivals really don't deserve to go through.
Call me paranoid, but if we'd transgressed in this way, they'd not have bothered with a special meeting, but banned us immediately.
Probably for five years...
Yorkshire, unwittingly or not, fielded an ineligible player against Nottinghamshire. End of story. Whether he bowled only two overs and didn't bat is irrelevant. He played.
That it took until fans were either there or en route last night was a joke. Fair play that the Yorkshire Chief Executive has held up his hand and accepted responsibility, because it was.
The only acceptable decision is for Durham to progress in the tournament. If money is the object of the exercise, then they may play Nottinghamshire, but having been well beaten by the Yorkies our East Midlands rivals really don't deserve to go through.
Call me paranoid, but if we'd transgressed in this way, they'd not have bothered with a special meeting, but banned us immediately.
Probably for five years...
Buck Rogers and a quest for centuries
It was nice to see Chris "Buck" Rogers hold his hands up on the club website today and accept the responsibility for our making runs for the rest of the season.
Nothing more than you would expect from a good cricketer and a nice guy, but in total agreement to what I expressed on this blog the other night. Any side recruiting a batsman to the overseas role has a right to expect that player to do more than contribute. The player should lead by example and be the top run scorer. If a county is blessed with a borderline England batsman - a Sales, Shah, Key perhaps - it might be understandable if they were perhaps second, but not in a team like Derbyshire are now and pretty much always have been.
Quite frankly, we could fetch Matt Cassar, John Owen or Matt Lineker from the Premier League and get someone who would average 30-35 over a season. Players such as Michael Slater, Travis Birt and Jon Moss all did their best but averaged only slightly more - and at much higher salaries than the local guys would have commanded.
Rogers has a deserved reputation for big scores. A triple century while playing for Northants, a double century against his countrymen for Leicestershire and a piffling 279 for Western Australia in a Pura Cup match. Even allowing for lapses of concentration and the odd good ball, we should now look to him to replicate that for us through July, August and September.
I'll go on record now, and risk looking silly later, by saying that Rogers COULD be the man to break George Davidson's long-standing highest individual score for the county, currently standing at 274. I actually thought Simon Katich might have put it in danger last season, but he tailed off badly after the 20/20 and frequently looked disinterested. Rogers is perhaps not as big a name as Katich, but will want to do his best to stay in contention for the national team. Shaun Marsh and Shane Watson are good players and currently in the Aussie one day opening slots. Are either much better than Rogers? I'm not so sure, so expect the left-hander to up his game in the second half of the season.
Who else will be in the top 5? Steve Stubbings should be, but needs to do more than a solid 30-odd in a steady start. He and Rogers have batted well together and have not been the source of our problems. That has been the middle order, and I'd now give Dom Telo a run at number 3. With the wickets drying out, a little more pace and bounce will remind him of home and I would like to think he would reward a run in the side with at least one century before season-end.
Wavell Hinds is an obvious number four and one assumes Rikki is the number five. Were he not the captain his place might more deservedly go to Dan Birch, but there seemed to be signs at Chelmsford that the Emperor had found a new groove. Greg Smith gives a little more ballast at six and James Pipe can then come in when the bowlers are (hopefully) tiring and put them around the park.
Waggy is an obvious eight so then it's a tough call between the promise and all round ability of Jon Clare and the greater experience of Tom Lungley, if fit. I'd go for Tom and give the youngster a well deserved breather, but that's one to justify John Morris' salary!
Langeveldt is the best seamer we've had in years so a certainty, leaving a straight fight between Jake Needham and Nayan Doshi for the spinner's berth. The former bowled very well against Essex and would be hard to omit, though Doshi looked very good against Yorkshire 2nds. I had a chat with him at that game and he said how happy he is at Derbyshire and how keen he is to get back in the side. Ant Botha never had a serious rival at Derby, but the maturing Needham and older Doshi have good competition going and it should be to our benefit.
A win against Leicestershire, the Tom Petty county (they're free falling - d'ya gettit?!) would get the season back on track. Quick wickets, especially HD Ackerman, expose a vulnerable middle order and surely Jim Allenby isn't the world class seamer we made him look in the 20/20?
If the weather stays out of it, I predict a win in the game that starts on Friday.
Monday, 7 July 2008
Rare opportunity
Just in case anyone is interested, there's a copy on ebay at present of the 1954 Derbyshire Yearbook, the first one produced.
Going for 24.99 opening bid (which is a bit steep to be fair) but they usually go for £30-40 and its only the third one I've seen come up.
Good chance for the serious collector to complete a set. Thankfully got my copy (after years of hunting) about five years ago and it was like getting the Holy Grail!
Not that I've ever got that, you understand...
Going for 24.99 opening bid (which is a bit steep to be fair) but they usually go for £30-40 and its only the third one I've seen come up.
Good chance for the serious collector to complete a set. Thankfully got my copy (after years of hunting) about five years ago and it was like getting the Holy Grail!
Not that I've ever got that, you understand...
Underrated XI
Ho hum.... it's Monday evening and no game for Derbyshire until Friday when we hopefully get our season back on track against Leicestershire.
So on the way home tonight, a twenty-five minute journey, my thoughts turned to a Derbyshire side of players that I quite liked but who, for various reasons, were never really accepted as quality cricketers. Some might jog the memory of a few of you out there maybe you might have your own ideas!
1 Tony Borrington
Now on the Derbyshire committee, Tony was a committed opening batsman who never aspired to greatness but who gave good service. A first class average of 23 and a one day average of 21 is nothing spectacular, but "Boris" always battled, a trait that seems to have transferred to his son, Paul. His best days came under Eddie Barlow.
2 Alan Hill
Bud was another transformed under Eddie Barlow, going from strokeless wonder (he made a boundary-free century in South Africa) to a solid opening batsman with a style of his own. What looked like a double backlift worked for him and a career average around 30 confirmed his progress. Eventually scored four one day centuries, astonishing for anyone who saw him early in his career
3 Bruce Roberts
A punishing right hand bat who could really hit the ball, Roberts eventually dropped from the team as he was a poor starter. If he could survive the opening half dozen overs he was a powerful driver, as well as being a steady and useful medium pace bowler. A Zimbabwean, he was also a fine fielder and had an average considerably less than his talent.
4 Rob Weston
Came to us from Durham and started to look like a really solid middle order batsman until he opted for a more lucrative offer from Middlesex where he flopped and left the first class scene. Another poor starter, but when he got going he sold his wicket dearly, as shown by 7 hundreds and 9 fifties in his career
5 Ashley Harvey-Walker
Averaged only 23 in his career and one of the worst starters of all, but he hit the ball with amazing power with a bat that was one of the heaviest on the circuit. In the pre-Barlow era, he and Chris Wilkins were just about the only two batsmen who were really good hitters of the ball.
Useful spinner who died tragically young.
6 Matt Cassar
Only 35 and should have been a fixture in the side for years. Still scores stacks of runs in the leagues and was a fine hitter and aggressive medium pacer. Another to leave for greener pastures elsewhere, only to find in a reverse Midas touch that everything he touched crocked him. Tragic waste of an exciting talent that should have done so much better, as he could turn games quickly with bat and ball.
7 Fred Swarbrook
6000 runs at 21 and 460 wickets at 30 suggest a player of ability, yet Fred was a talent unfulfilled who got the yips just as he was suggesting he could form a great spin pairing with Geoff Miller. A cross between a Toby Jug and Mr Pickwick, Fred gave hope to ungainly players everywhere that they could be a player. Later a good coach in South Africa, he was a real 100% player.
8 Ian Bishop
My overseas player. Bish could have been one of the greats, but a series of back injuries curtailed what would have been a great career. Alarmingly quick with a wonderful action, his entire first class career was only 159 matches in which he took nearly 550 wickets at 23. Good batsman who would have been an all rounder, given time. Lovely, unassuming bloke too.
9 Colin Tunnicliffe
300 wickets at 32 for the left arm seamer who was a fine and underrated foil for Mike Hendrick, a good safe fielder and a batsman who will be remembered as a good hitter and for his Lords heroics. Tunners was a solid pro who never hit the heights but who became a good county cricketer under Eddie Barlow
10 Paul Newman
Looked set for an England call-up when he first burst on the scene as a bowler who could be deceptively quick. Injuries forced him to curtail his pace, and 300 wickets at 30 left him similar to Tunnicliffe as a steady if not spectacular player. Useful batsman too, who just might have hit the heights had injury not hit.
11 Alan Ward
Seriously quick bowler, probably the fastest we ever had outwith imports. For 3-4 years he looked a world beater between injuries, but they eventually, real or imagined, destroyed his career. 460 wickets at 22 shows his talent, but he should have easily topped four figures given a decent back, groin, hamstrings, achilles tendons and more. When he got it right, batsmen didn't want to know, but it became all too rare an occurrence
12 Bob Swindell
Who? 50 wickets at 33 in 23 matches, including four 5-wicket hauls. Swindell was a prodigious off spinner who looked a great talent, so we signed Venkat to "mentor" him. Thing was Venkat got choice of ends when they both played and the one spinner place most of the time. Then Geoff Miller came along and he could bat, so...
Still rate him the best young spinner (after Miller) we have produced in my time watching the game and he was gone from cricket by the age of 27. Ridiculous really.
So there you have it, my squad. No world-beating side (the bowlers would never all be fit) but guys who could cut it on their day. If they all played, we'd scramble to 147 all out as an average, but on the games when Ward and Bishop played together would still win...
See you tomorrow!
So on the way home tonight, a twenty-five minute journey, my thoughts turned to a Derbyshire side of players that I quite liked but who, for various reasons, were never really accepted as quality cricketers. Some might jog the memory of a few of you out there maybe you might have your own ideas!
1 Tony Borrington
Now on the Derbyshire committee, Tony was a committed opening batsman who never aspired to greatness but who gave good service. A first class average of 23 and a one day average of 21 is nothing spectacular, but "Boris" always battled, a trait that seems to have transferred to his son, Paul. His best days came under Eddie Barlow.
2 Alan Hill
Bud was another transformed under Eddie Barlow, going from strokeless wonder (he made a boundary-free century in South Africa) to a solid opening batsman with a style of his own. What looked like a double backlift worked for him and a career average around 30 confirmed his progress. Eventually scored four one day centuries, astonishing for anyone who saw him early in his career
3 Bruce Roberts
A punishing right hand bat who could really hit the ball, Roberts eventually dropped from the team as he was a poor starter. If he could survive the opening half dozen overs he was a powerful driver, as well as being a steady and useful medium pace bowler. A Zimbabwean, he was also a fine fielder and had an average considerably less than his talent.
4 Rob Weston
Came to us from Durham and started to look like a really solid middle order batsman until he opted for a more lucrative offer from Middlesex where he flopped and left the first class scene. Another poor starter, but when he got going he sold his wicket dearly, as shown by 7 hundreds and 9 fifties in his career
5 Ashley Harvey-Walker
Averaged only 23 in his career and one of the worst starters of all, but he hit the ball with amazing power with a bat that was one of the heaviest on the circuit. In the pre-Barlow era, he and Chris Wilkins were just about the only two batsmen who were really good hitters of the ball.
Useful spinner who died tragically young.
6 Matt Cassar
Only 35 and should have been a fixture in the side for years. Still scores stacks of runs in the leagues and was a fine hitter and aggressive medium pacer. Another to leave for greener pastures elsewhere, only to find in a reverse Midas touch that everything he touched crocked him. Tragic waste of an exciting talent that should have done so much better, as he could turn games quickly with bat and ball.
7 Fred Swarbrook
6000 runs at 21 and 460 wickets at 30 suggest a player of ability, yet Fred was a talent unfulfilled who got the yips just as he was suggesting he could form a great spin pairing with Geoff Miller. A cross between a Toby Jug and Mr Pickwick, Fred gave hope to ungainly players everywhere that they could be a player. Later a good coach in South Africa, he was a real 100% player.
8 Ian Bishop
My overseas player. Bish could have been one of the greats, but a series of back injuries curtailed what would have been a great career. Alarmingly quick with a wonderful action, his entire first class career was only 159 matches in which he took nearly 550 wickets at 23. Good batsman who would have been an all rounder, given time. Lovely, unassuming bloke too.
9 Colin Tunnicliffe
300 wickets at 32 for the left arm seamer who was a fine and underrated foil for Mike Hendrick, a good safe fielder and a batsman who will be remembered as a good hitter and for his Lords heroics. Tunners was a solid pro who never hit the heights but who became a good county cricketer under Eddie Barlow
10 Paul Newman
Looked set for an England call-up when he first burst on the scene as a bowler who could be deceptively quick. Injuries forced him to curtail his pace, and 300 wickets at 30 left him similar to Tunnicliffe as a steady if not spectacular player. Useful batsman too, who just might have hit the heights had injury not hit.
11 Alan Ward
Seriously quick bowler, probably the fastest we ever had outwith imports. For 3-4 years he looked a world beater between injuries, but they eventually, real or imagined, destroyed his career. 460 wickets at 22 shows his talent, but he should have easily topped four figures given a decent back, groin, hamstrings, achilles tendons and more. When he got it right, batsmen didn't want to know, but it became all too rare an occurrence
12 Bob Swindell
Who? 50 wickets at 33 in 23 matches, including four 5-wicket hauls. Swindell was a prodigious off spinner who looked a great talent, so we signed Venkat to "mentor" him. Thing was Venkat got choice of ends when they both played and the one spinner place most of the time. Then Geoff Miller came along and he could bat, so...
Still rate him the best young spinner (after Miller) we have produced in my time watching the game and he was gone from cricket by the age of 27. Ridiculous really.
So there you have it, my squad. No world-beating side (the bowlers would never all be fit) but guys who could cut it on their day. If they all played, we'd scramble to 147 all out as an average, but on the games when Ward and Bishop played together would still win...
See you tomorrow!
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