Saturday 4 August 2012

Derbyshire v Kent day 2

As you might expect, there is a fair amount of vitriol flying around tonight after Derbyshire's batting display today against Kent.

I'd have to say that I cannot argue on this occasion.  From what I've heard we let ourselves down badly with the bat today. While some credit has to be given to the Kent bowlers for putting the ball in the right areas, too many Derbyshire batsmen made it easy and gave their wickets away. I've had several e mails from people today who told me that they were disappointed with another poor display.

No one could complain about the work of our bowlers and we finished Kent off fairly quickly this morning. As I wrote last night, Wes Durston should have been used earlier, when the ninth wicket stand got going, and he quickly disposed of the danger man this morning, but Kent had been let off the hook and a score in excess of 250 was psychologically, as well as statistically better.

Derbyshire's batting was sadly what it has largely been since the departure of Martin Guptill - timid, rash and careless. Throughout the season we have espoused as a club the merits of aggressive and fearless cricket, but you don't have to play shots all the time to be aggressive. Sometimes, digging in and letting the opposition know that you won't be bullied, that they'll have to dig you out is of equal merit.

I remain optimistic about Derbyshire's future, more so than at any point in recent memory, but in one day we have jeopardised a lot of good work with a poor display. Assistance from the weather could yet save this game for us, but I cannot see any other way that we can escape from this one. Even perennially optimistic Peakfan finds it hard to see how we can bat our way out of this one.

Yet the bottom line is that we have to improve our batting - and fast. There are no real options for changing the line-up, given that a lot of people were on Paul Borrington's back before he went out of the side. Meanwhile Chesney Hughes has few worthwhile scores from the season, while Garry Park has left the club.

What you see is what we have. They are not, by a long chalk, poor players, Indeed, they have shown individually and collectively that they can bat attractively and well.

But they really let themselves down today. The next two will perhaps reveal more about the true mettle of this side than any others this summer.


7 comments:

  1. Dave houghton appointment has batting coach seems to be a complete waste of money. the footwork from some of the batsmen is park level cricket.

    dave.

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  2. Don't think its fair to blame Houghton Dave. He can work on their skills and hone their techniques, but when they get into the middle he cannot choose the shots and the time to play them. The bottom line is that batsmen, as Wes Durston points out today, have to take responsibility. The bowlers have done so all summer. Now its their turn

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  3. I don't want to 'jump on the bandwagon' as it were, but yesterdays batting is just adding further evidence to my thoughts that promotion this year is perhaps going to prove beyond us.

    I don't wish to be too negative and knock the club. This year has seen a wonderful resurgence in 4 day cricket, but that nagging feeling that the batting was too reliant on Guppy is nagging ever more. There has been several individual contributions, but as a unit the batting is struggling, in comparison to the bowling.

    The basis of a good line up is there in Wayne, Wes and Dan. I'm sure Ross will be back firing next season after 'second season syndrome' this year too, but we need another quality player to add to the line up. With no Guppy next year the overseas role is vital - a class bat in that spot would be just the ticket.

    I'd love us to go up this year, but perhaps it would be a step too soon - time will tell I guess.

    Still... COME ON YOU FALCONS!

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  4. I think you,ve said it all Peakfan. I was so disgusted I left early yesterday and I wont be returning today. They were shocking and should be ashamed of themselves. Im too angry to make any further comments at this stage.

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  5. Our batting always goes down-hill in the 2nd part of the season, dont know why we all shocked that things have gone wrong since that essex game.

    i really feel sorry for the bowlers, they are real class act.

    Dave.

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  6. cant see derbyshire batters chasing a smallish target like 270.

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  7. Dare I say it that they haven't started too badly?

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