Worcestershire 237 all out (Libby 78, Roderick 40, Dal 5-45, McKerr 2-39)
Derbyshire 32-2 (Guest 13*)
Derbyshire trail by 205 runs
Derbyshire bowled well and with great discipline at Worcester today to put the home side out for just 237, after passing the hundred mark with only one wicket down.
Yet the top order frailties that have dogged us all season returned, with both openers back in the pavilion before the close of play.
The team was pretty much as I had predicted, neither Scrimshaw nor Khan being risked ahead of next weekend. Conor McKerr opened the bowling in his third stint with the club and did well. I have seen him bowl quicker, but he was accurate and used the new ball well.
I also thought Ben Aitchison looked more himself today and a couple of technical issues that had crept into his action seem to have been addressed. Luis Reece also seemed to be more of his usual bowling self and there was a wicket for the return of Matt Potts.
Yet again, however, the star turn at Worcester was Anuj Dal. He must wish he could play on this track every week and he took five wickets again today. It has not been an easy season for him, hampered by injury and an early season loss of form with the bat.
He did well in the second team T20 competition and looked to be returning to form, confirming that today with a splendid 5-45 from 19 overs. We have missed that this year, someone to keep it tight at one end and force batters to take risk at the other. The others looked better bowlers as a consequence and McKerr returned later to finish with 2-39 in 16 overs.
Libby, an opening bat I rate, did well for the home side, but there was little real resistance bar for Roderick.
Yet those top border frailities let us down. Came made an awful miscalculation and shouldered arms to the first ball bowled by Saini, losing his off stump as a consequence. He probably hadn’t seen him bowl before, but an open-chested action suggested the in swinger that it was.
Guest and Reece looked to have restored the equilibrium, not without alarms, but the latter edged to slip off the final ball of the day to give Pennington a wicket.
Whoever and whatever is on Mickey Arthur’s shopping list this winter, a dependable opening bat must be high upon it. Reece’s scores this year have been made down the order, Wood doesn’t get selected for this format and Godleman has gone. Ali isn’t an opener and we can’t ask Guest to open after keeping wicket all day.
One to keep an eye on.
As a footnote, my wife and I are going to Berwick upon Tweed tomorrow with the dogs until Friday afternoon. I will blog briefly when I’m able to, but won’t see too much of the play, so will defer to those of you who do, over the remainder of this game.
Stay well!
