Derbyshire Challenge

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All-rounders

Shenanigans Jayauriya, 29

FC: 156 runs at an average of 39 and 1 100
T20: 65 @ 65 and a strike rate of 141.3 and 1 50

FC: 4 wickets at 38.00 and an economy of 3.82
T20: 0 @ 0 & 13.50

Signed as a reserve because an aggressive spinning all-rounder who can open is exactly the sort of player we need. Played very little so it is hard to gauge if he is the player for us but is certainly an option for our international signing having experience and a proven track record.


Luis Reece, 30
Defensive Opener, RM bowler

FC: 860 @ 34.40, 2 100s & 3 50s
OD: 8 @ 8 & 47.00
T20: 338 @ 28.17 & 126.1, 1 50

FC bowling: 44 @ 28.93 & 3.01
OD: 1 @ 31.00 & 3.10
T20: 23 @ 19.22 & 8.04


A good season overall, batting average up a bit in FC and T20s but bowling down in FC. Plenty of wickets in the T20s. Clearly a player to build around and our first-choice all-rounder even if he has to move down the batting order.


Fynn Hudson-Prentice, 24
Very Aggressive Batsman, RFM bowler

FC: 362 @ 27.65, 2 50s
OD: 104 @ 26 & 90.04
T20: 35 @ 8.75 & 89.7

FC: 22 @ 30.59 & 3.22
OD: 22 @ 18.84 & 4.72
T20: 5 @ 32.50 & 9.53

A great OD tournament but only really kept in the FC andT20 sides because of lack of competition. May improve with some work on his bowling but even if he does not could be a good OD regular if the 100 stays away..


Anuj Dal, 24
Aggressive Batsman, RM bowler
In appalling form all season, will have to show some form to be given a chance.


Alex Hughes, 28
Defensive batsman, RM bowler

FC: 25 @ 25
OD: 2 @ 2 & 40.00

Only made it into the side to make up numbers.


Mathew Critchley, 24
Aggressive batsman, T20 opener, LS bowler


FC: 25 @ 25.00
OD: 186 @ 31.00 @ 74.50
T20: 46 @ 9.20 & 97.9

FC: 2 @ 34 & 4.25, 1 5 in an innings
OD: 22 @ 18.32 & 5.80
T20: 29 @ 13.93 & 8.19

A lethal bowler in the final overs of the T20s, bowing four on the trot from the twelfth. Equally good in the last 10 of the OD matches. Will be keeping as a LO specialist and working on that in training with him.


Micheal McKiernan
Average Aggression batsman, LS bowler

Unused.

[cde]

Bowers

Micheal Cohen, 21
LF bower

FC: 44 @ 31.79 & 3.46, 1 5i
OD: 18 @ 17.39 & 3.94
T20: 2 @ 14.50 & 7.25

Did well in patches through the FC season, though having to bowl of flat pitches did not help. Otherwise far too expensive to be a first choice or bowl on anything other than the bounciest pitches. Absolutely smashed the OD matches and it was a shame he missed the T20s through injury.


Sean Abbot, 28
RMF bowler

OD: 13 @ 23.46 & 3.53
T20: 21 @ 15.24 @ 6.96, 1 5i

Didn’t even bother trying him in FC cricket since I would rather give some of the youngsters a chance. Great in the OD and T20 matches, his economy rate in OD was a cornerstone of our successes. The if question is what to do with him next year. I can not afford to pay 66.000 for a player who is only playing in with formats but he is central to our LO sides.


Dustin Melton, 25
RMF bowler

FC: 13 @ 36.08 & 2.84, 1 5i

An ok start but at the start of the season every other pitch was entirely unsuited and his form tanked. Will be worth another try next year.


Ben Aitchison, 21
RMF bowler

FC: 17 @ 357.35 & 3.10
T20: 13 @ 17.00 & 7.37

A great T20 campaign, making him a must start for next year. Poor start in FC cricket but the rest of the team was in free-fall by then.

Tony Palladino, 37
RFM bowler

FC: 55 @ 25.13 & 2.40, 1 5i
OD: 4 @ 26.75 & 5.63
T20: 13 @ 19.23 & 7.58
Just what was needed, though faded in and out of form a little, and player we could build around if he was a decade younger. Hoping that if he or Rampaul seek to retire it will be Rampaul as we could do with Palladino for another season at least.


Ravi Rampul, 35
RFM bowler

FC: 30 @ 21.00 & 2.66, 1 5i
T20: 10 @ 32.70 @ 7.68

Would come into the team in great form, take a hat full of wickets and then fade quickly. Poor in the T20s. The question will be if we can afford to carry an experienced player whose form comes and goes instead of a younger player with potential. His future with us may be decided by who is on the market.


Samuel Conners, 21
RFM bowler

OD: 4 @ 71.00 & 4.40
T20: 3 @ 35.00 & 8.75

Had a solid run in the OD matches and was economical even if he failed to take wickets. Has hardly impressed and with his contract up this year could be leaving.

[cde]

Finances & Contracts

We have, somehow, exceeded our budget for this last season and overspent by 29,000. Quit how I am unsure.

This year we have finished higher in the league and OD tournament bringing in an additional 22,000 and making up for the 20,000 we lost by not reaching the T20 semis.

This means that we have to cut 27,000 of contracts before we start and are not even in a position to simply re-sign existing players even if we wanted to.

Nobody retires so we don’t have to plug those gaps just yet.

Of the players we re-sign Reece takes a very slight 1,000 pay cut but Hosein 5,000 less. Guest, Dal and Conners walk away from slightly reduced deals but we release Priestley, McDermott and Rampaul. Rampaul is hard because he has performed well but with budget constraints and the likelihood that’s I will lose both him and Palladino to retirement in the next season or two I need to look at replacing him with a cheaper young player who could be a first choice as early as next season.

We sign Lingham and Winters but for a few thousand less than they wanted.

Abbot turns down a T20 contract so we sign Pakistani RMF bowler Usman Shiwari for 500 less than we offered Abbot.

In our search for a spinner I was delighted to see LS Parkinson up for 44,000. I go for him but his price rises steeply so we walk away and sign Jayasuriya instead, giving us an attacking opener to boot. We sign Bangladeshi OS all-rounder Mehedi Hasan as reserve.

We then sign three youth players, wicket keeper Neil Hall to replace Guest, RMF bowler Andrew Sutherland in place of Rampaul and aggressive batman Gerald Savage.

We have to trim 10,00 off the physio budget and jettison McKiernan to squeeze under budget.

In other squad news Gow and Hudson-Prentice have been signed up by 100 franchises which puts their continued presence in the squad under threat. Unless they are first-choice for the FC and T20 teams it will be difficult to justify a FC specialist and all-rounder back up who are both absent for the OD competition in such a small squad.

[cde]

The New Boys

Gerald Savage, 22
Aggressive RH batsman, Opener in OD and T20

FC: 32.30
OD: 20.50 @ 92.50
T20: 59.90 @ 152.60

2nd XI: 50.72
OD: 69.00 @ 96.80
T20: 29.26 @ 155.50

A good find. Pushes Lingham out of the no. 6 slot and maybe with some training could become an opener in FC cricket too. Was otherwise signed to replace Madsen at 5. Immediately signed into the 100 and could be an England prospect.


Neil Hall, 21
Average Aggression RH batsman, Wicketkeeper

OD: 30.86 @ 83.70
T20: 2.00 @ 33.00

2nd XI: 49.15
OD: 49.65 @ 86.20
T20: 19.56 @ 121.60

Signed as a back up for Hosein but could push him out. Shame about his T20 average. With Jayasuriya and Reece playing we will have a lower order space free and he will be jostling with Lingham, Winters and Hudson-Prentice for the spot.


Mehedi Hassan, 26
Aggressive RHB, OS

FC: 41.81
OD: 21.41 @ 84.30
T20: 18.67 @ 129.50

FC: 29.46 @ 3.05
OD: 35.09 @ 3.86
T20: 26.34 @ 7.23

Back-up for Jayasuriya. Not a like-for-like but the best spinner we could get as a back up. There were others on the market but either had low availability or much higher wage demands.


Usman Shinwari, 26
RMF bowler

T20: 19.95 @ 7.78

Our T20 signing. Replaces Abbot who walked away from a similar contract. Will be opening the attack with Cohen or Palladino.


Andrew Sutherland, 21
RMF bowler

OD: 50.00 @ 4.90
T20: 57.00 @ 8.14

2nd XI: 21.33 @ 2.52
OD: 21.56 @ 4.22
T20: 21.03 @ 6.43

What I needed was a FM bowler to replace Rampaul but what I found was a MF bowler who has just pushed the other contnders out of the team. Great 3 day and OD numbers that threaten Melton’s place. Great T20 figures but is behind the impressive Aitchison in that format.

[cde]

2021

The squad is still an early work in progress.


Looking to FC cricket and the batting my hope is that Gow will show some consistency while Savage will do well enough to replace Madsen when he retires.

I will have Winters looking on improving his aggression. The squad is so small that I can not carry too many plodders, and none in the middle order. I like to have one opening so that I can let the aggressive players go for it safe in the knowledge one end is being held and so I am willing to carry one, maybe two defensive openers but the rest have to be multi-format players.

If Jayasuriya and Reece both play it will open up a space at six or seven and this will be filled with either Lingham, Hall or Hudson-Prentice. While H-P and Lingham have the aggressive traits needed for the position I would like to see if Hall is able to push out the underwhelming Hosein.

The bowling attack last year had three experienced bowlers and two inexperienced bowlers and it is the same this year even if the personnel are slightly different. Last year Reece, Palladino and Rampaul brought experience with Cohen and H-P starting off. This year it is Reece, Palladino and Jayasuriya with Cohen looking to kick on and Sutherland just starting out. Melton, Aitchison and H-P will be waiting in the wings.


In T20 cricket we will have a similar mix. Jayasuriya and Reece will open again but with Savage at three. Madsen and du Plooy will come in at four and five with Lingham at six and Hosein at seven. The bowling attack will be lead by Cohen and Shinwari with Aitchison first change and Critchley bowling at the death. This will give us the option of six bowlers and a more aggressive, if unproven batting line up.


The OD trophy is, of course, where it all gets difficult. We will again lose Reece, du Plooy and Madsen who will now be joined by Gow and H-P, both fixtures of last year’s team. They will also be joined by new signing Lingham. We will open with Jayasuriya and Godleman but this time with a hopefully more aggressive Winters at three. From there the middle order will be Lingham and Hall. It is best to next look at the bowling attack which will be opened by Cohen and Palladino with Sutherland and Critchley. This leaves two more places which will be filled by two of the few remaining players left to pick, probably Wood and Hughes though another bowling option in Aitchinson or Melton could be useful. Hopefully I will get two very aggressive all-rounders with averages of 75 and 15-a-wicket from the youth team.

So where do I want to get to?

Finances dictate that we need to get to the knock-out stages of the LO competitions and make it to at least one semi-final. I am still torn as to what will happen if we get promoted to D1 but the squad can only grow and become competitive if we start moving up. Coming in at three because we just fell short will be one step ahead of where we finished 2020.

[Jamesy1984]

High hopes for Savage not as convinced by the rest but they could well prove me wrong

[cde]

Glamorgan v Derbyshire, Sofia Gardens

Glamorgan
N. Selman, C. Hemphrey, C. Franks, M. Mahmudullah, B. Root, D. Douthwaite, T. Cullen, B. Cotton, R. Smith, T. van der Gugten, M. Parkinson

Derbyshire
S. Jayasuriya, L. Reece, J. Gow, L. du Plooy, W. Madsen, G. Savage, N. Hill, H. Hosein, M. Cohen, T. Palladino, A. Sunderland


Derbyshire 278 & 220

Glamorgan. 215 & 236

Derbyshire win by 47 runs


We pick up where we left off last season – batsmen struggling and bowlers having trouble containing batsmen of the start strongly.

We win the toss and bat first. The top three fold before du Plooy (49) and Madsen (65) fight back. Savage puts in another 48 but it is Cohen and Palladino who take us to a more respectable total. Parkinson, who we failed to sign over winter takes 5-69. Glamorgan’s openers fold cheaply too but Mahmudullah smashes a quick 34 and gets them on the front foot. Root and Cullen prove difficult to get out once they are going but we hold them to a low score.

We set off to try to build a big total but batsmen struggle to get going but Fining himself with the last man in Hosein smashes a quick 40 to help us set what could be a difficult total for a low scoring match as long as we don’t let them build momentum. Root and Cotton score some quick runs but Cohen takes 5-69 to wrap them up.

A win to start with but hardly convincing. Du Plooy picking up a broken finger doesn’t help the mood, he will be out for five weeks.

[cde]

Derbyshire v Warwickshire, CC Ground

Derbyshire v Warwickshire, CC Ground

Derbyshire
B. Godleman, L. Reece, S. Jayasuriya, W. Madsen, G. Strange, T. Lingham, N. Hall, H. Hosein, M. Cohen, T. Palladino, A. Sunderland

Warwickshire
D. Sibley, W. Rhodes, R. Yates, S. Hain, R. Chase, M. Burgess, R. Higgins, C. Woakes, B. Hutton, O. Stone, C. Miles


Derbyshire 234 & 306-5 dec

Warwickshire 271 & 266m

Derbyshire win by 3 runs.


Gow is looking in horrible form so is replaced by Godleman who comes in to open in the hope that batting at three will improve Jayasuriya’s form. Savage moves up one and Lingham comes in for the injured du Plooy.

We win the toss and bat first in a wet first session. Godleman and Reece see off the difficult conditions and then get out after lunch. Jayasuriya and Madsen manage 40s but we are bowled for a very weak 234. We in turn make quick inroads and have them 103-6 before Burgess and Woakes grind out a century partnership and the tail combine to take them into the lead.

The top three flop but 136no from Madsen with 78 from Savage and 50no from Hall sees us set them 270 to win in the last two sessions. I wonder if it’s too much for them to chase but they set off with gusto, Hain leading with 88 off 120 but Yates and Burgess adding quick 40s too. It is not until Hain smacks one to silly leg off Jayasuriya that if feels like we should win but we can’t shift the tail. Then 3 overs and ten runs to go Cohen gets Higgins caught behind, next over they get two singles but we run out Stone. They pinch some more singles in the final over but with two balls left and a boundary needed for the win Miles edges a drive off Cohen behind.

A very close match against newly relegated and quite strong opposition. Our batting is a huge concern and Palladino has now gone three innings without taking a wicket.

After the match I am advised that Cohen has improved his bowling technique. Which is nice.

[cde]

Derbyshire v Sussex, CC ground

Derbyshire
B. Godleman, J. Gow, M. Hassan, W. Madsen, G. Savage, N. Hall, H. Hosein, F. Hudson-Prentice, M. Cohen, B. Aitchison, A. Sutherland

Sussex
T. Haines, P. Salt, S. van Zyl, T. Lace, R. Bopara, A. Robinson, D. Worse, I. Sochi, G. Garton, D. Briggs, T. Denny


Sussex 272 & 219

Derbyshire 264 & 231-5

Derbyshire win by 5 wickets


We unsurprisingly lose Jayasuriya to the England-Sri Lanka OD series so Hassan joins us. More surprisingly Reece is called up to the England squad. Allied to Palladino’s awful form we have a little crisis on our hands. Gow’s form has bounced back with a 2nd XI match so opens, Sunderland will open the bowling with Cohen with Aitchison and H-P joining them and Hassan.

Sussex start well but once break past the top three we take some cheap wickets. Robson (43) and Garton (36) rally around but I am pleased with the total we hold them to. Gow hits a century but it is telling that the second highest partnership is 46 between Cohen and Sutherland, the batting collapsing yet again.

Sussex look to build a total but Hassan takes 6-53 to leave us with an awkward but low total. It is mostly awkward because or batting has been so poor. Godleman and Gow put on 152 for the first wicket and take us within reach, which is just as well since we fold with familiar ease before Savage and Hosein drag us over the line with time to spare.

A good win given how many inexperienced players we had. It feels like every match I am struggling to keep the batsmen in, let alone flourishing. Hopefully Gow will have now turned a corner. The other area of concern is the bowling, Cohen is going strong, our international spinners are good and Sunderland is having a steady start but we need Palladino, Melton or Aitchison to get into gear ASAP.

[cde]

Worcestershire v Derbyshire, New Road

Worcestershire
T. Latham, J. Libby, S . Eskinazi, T. Fell, J. Dell. R. Whiteley, B. Cox, E. Barnard, J. Leach, J. Tongue, P. Brown

Derbyshire
B. Godleman, J. Gow, M. Hassan, W. Madsen, G. Savage, N. Hall, H. Hosein, F. Hudson-Prentice, M. Cohen, B. Aitchison, A. Sutherland


Derbyshire 419 & 250-7

Worcestershire 437 & 68-8

Match drawn


An unchanged side, we choose to bat first and it feels like we may have turned a corner with half centuries for Godleman, Gow, Madsen and Savage despite some rain delays. We attack them with some confidence feeling we are in a good position but a century for Whiteley with 50s for Latham, Dell and Cox draws them slightly ahead.

We bet well enough in the second innings, going at them hard but I declare a little later than I should have – the close call against Sussex was in mind – and they just block out for a draw despite some sharp bowling from Cohen and Sutherland.

A frustrating draw since it was through being over-cautious that I allowed a good position to be wasted.

[cde]

Durham v Derbyshire, Riverside

Durham
A Lees, M. Jones, N. Eckersley, D. Bedingham, F. Behardien, S. Steel, S. Bell, B. Raine, S. Abbot, C. Rushworth, M. Salisbury

Derbyshire
B. Godleman, J. Gow, M. Hassan, W. Madsen, G. Savage, N. Hall, H. Hosein, F. Hudson-Prentice, M. Cohen, D. Melton, A. Sutherland


Derbyshire 371 & 163

Durham 125 & 178

Derbyshire win by 231 runs


Aitchison is out and Melton in. We put together a really good batting performance with half centuries for the top three to set the foundation for what feels like an above par score. Cohen and Sutherland take three in their opening spell with Melton and H-P backing them up with one each before a rear guard action from Bedingham and Steel. They then fold quickly.

Well in control we go out for a good thrash and then go at them hard. They fare better than last time but go from 86-2 to 103-7 as Cohen rips through them on his way to 6-37. They dig in deep but with the new ball we take the last two wickets in three balls for a comprehensive win.

The corner is turned. Which seems silly to say since we have won 4 and drawn 1 but it has felt like skin-of-our teeth stuff at times with keeping the batsmen in a real struggle.

[cde]

Derbyshire v Gloucestershire, CC Ground

Derbyshire
B. Godleman, J. Gow, S. Jayasuriya, W. Madsen, G. Savage, L. Reece, H. Hosein, F. Hudson-Prentice, M. Cohen, T. Palladino, A. Sutherland

Gloucestershire
C. Dent, M. Hammond, J. Bracey, S. al Hassan, G. Roderick, N. Priestley, J. Bannister, G. van Buuren, T. Smith, D. Payne, R. Gleeson


Gloucestershire 242 & 249

Derbyshire 526

Derbyshire win by an innings and 25 runs


A commanding win but it feels a slight hollow. Mostly because on a pitch offering some bounce and a little spin Gloucestershire fielded 2 fast bowlers and THREE SLA all-rounders. Also because Priestley, who I let go because of a lack of versatility and runs last year hit 66no, 65 and took 1-9! Jayasuriya and Reece return, Palladino is finding form so also returns.

They opted to bat bat and made some swift runs but went from 40-1 to 58-3 at the drop of a hat. Al Hassan (50), Roderick (41) and especially Priestly (66 no) put up some resistance but we skittles the tail, Reece taking 5-40, and kept them to a satisfying 249. We lost Godleman cheaply and so brought in Reece but it was Gow (137 off 190) and Jayasuriya (94 off 110) who blazed away, treating SLA bowers like Competitive Dad playing a team of under 11s. Madsen came and went but Savage..er…savaged those SLAs again for 104 off 167. Hosein was c&b by Priestley. Nice one. Then just as I considered declaring I decide to let the tail swing their arms. Cohen hits a tidy 42 bit Alladini smashes 48no off 66 before getting stranded.

We go at them hard and for the most part they bat like they are chasing a of total until Priestley slams on the brakes. He drags it out but there is no doubt as Sunderland gets his maiden 5-for with 5-32.

A good performance but a shockingly useless selection for the Gloucestershire team.

It should be noted that Gow is in a purple patch of form. After scoring 8 and 29 in the warm-up match he followed with 6 and 24 in our first FC match. Moved to the 2nd team he put up 43no and 20, hardly impressive. He probably would have been left there to build form if it was not for Jayasuriya and Reece being called up, and so I had to use him to open for the first time. He scored a century. In his seven innings since his return he has scored that century, a 80, two 70s, a 50, 26 while batting full-on for runs against Durham and another century. Which tells you all I know about building form and experience before opening.

[cde]

We start into the T20s looking hot. I’d have happily played a few more FC games the way that was going but player’s form is generally on the up and I fancy a strong run in our first wad of games.

Derbyshire v Leicestershire, CC Ground

Derbyshire
L. Reece, J. Gow, G. Savage, W. Madsen, L. du Plooy, S. Jayasuriya, M. Critchley, H. Hosein, M. Cohen, U. Shinwari, A. Sutherland

Leicestershire
N. Welch, G. Delany, A. Supple, C. Ackermann, R. Wessels, H. Swindells, A. Travis, T. Taylor, C. Parkinson, O. Robinson, D. Klein


Derbyshire 181-4
J. Gow 86, W. Madsen 48
T. Taylor 2-25, O. Robinson 1-32

Leicestershire 125-7
C. Ackermann 50, A. Supple 32
L. Reece 4-19, U. Shinwari 2-20

Derbyshire win by 56 runs


This is Gow’s weakest format but at 100% form he has to start. I would like Jayasuriya at 3 but go for Savage to get him some experience up the order. Aitchison is injures so an in-form Sunderland gets his chance.

Gow delivers, smashing them from the outset while our bowlers constrict them so they hit out and lose wickets. Great start. I should note that I thought Shinwari was a RMF not a LMF and would prefer a right handed bowler to balance the attack. Not that it stops him taking wickets!

[cde]

Derbyshire v Lancashire, CC Ground

Match abandoned

[cde]

Derbyshire v Nottinghamshire, CC Ground

Derbyshire
L. Reece, J. Gow, G. Savage, W. Madsen, L. du Plooy, S. Jayasuriya, M. Critchley, H. Hosein, M. Cohen, U. Shinwari, A. Sutherland

Nottinghamshire
A Hales, B. Slater, T. Moores, B. Duckett, J. Clarke, H. Newlands, L. Pattinson-White, S. Broad, T. Fallon, L. Fletcher, M. Carter


Derbyshire 169-6
Jayasuriya 87, Savage 37
L. Pattinson-White 2-35, T. Fallon 2-36

Nottinghamshire 122 all out
A Hales 44, B. Duckett 24
L. Reece 3-17, M. Critchley 3-23

Derbyshire win by 47 runs


Asked to bat again Gow is run out early so I move Jayasuriya to three to avoid a collapse. He delivers and the bowlers do the job again, constricting and forcing them to chase harder and lose wickets.