After losing our last 7 wickets for 71 runs this morning,
we have capitulated to our second defeat of the season which leaves us in a
desperate battle to save our place in Division One.
Many will argue that we are only 5 games in and a lot can
change over the next few months, but the warning signs are there, and it doesn’t
look like a victory is that close around the corner.
Starting the morning requiring an unlikely 186 more to
win, Rory Burns moved to his first half century of the summer (2 hundreds), but
a couple of balls later he couldn’t resist a drive at Franks and was caught
behind for 53. Burns was the key man if we going to get close to the 259 target
and it looked as if the Surrey batsman knew the game was up after he went.
De Bruyn’s poor form continued, as he was caught behind
for a dogged 14, before Wilson was caught and bowled by Gurney without scoring
and Batty nicked off when on 4. Davies got to 28 but then played on to Gurney
to all but seal the win for Notts. Linley and Meaker then fell just after lunch,
as we were bowled out for 144, a loss by 114.
So, after yesterday’s play, most people would have
expected a defeat today, but the way it came about is so disappointing. The
batsman just don’t look up to it in the last couple of matches, after they
started well at the beginning of the season, and to win games of cricket in
this division, you have to bat AND bowl well, not one or the other.
Some will blame our poor batting on the absence of Graeme
Smith, and yes, we have batted poorly in the two games since he unfortunately
had to go back to South Africa. However, we can’t use that as an excuse for the
rest of the season. Individuals need to stand up and be counted. Apart from
Ansari and Sibley after educational commitments, there is no one else to come
in to replace the out of form batsman until Ponting turns up. De Bruyn
predictably has been poor yet again, Harinath has lacked consistency and has
yet got a big score and rather worryingly, Solanki now looks out of touch after
starting the season well, if not brilliantly.
I think the batting order needs tweaking, because we can’t
do any worse than we have in the last couple of games. Harinath should open
with Burns, because only having 2 opening partnerships of above 10 in the 9
innings this season is simply not good enough, and one of them was 11! When he
first came into the side, Harinath was an opener and should be given a go there
because he has been out in the middle early anyway this season, so it doesn’t
make much difference. I feel sorry for Roy because he is not a Championship
opener. I so want him to do well but the way he plays doesn’t suit that role
and he should instead be employed lower down the order.
Even though he has had a couple low scores of late, Gary
Wilson is in good form and should be pushed up to number 3 after he scored a
century and a fifty against Sussex in that position. De Bruyn, in my opinion,
should be moved down to number 7 if he is picked in the side. He has been in
poor form for about 16 months now, since playing for the Highveld Lions after
his debut season for us in late 2011, and cannot be relied on at number 5 to
get you big runs. He hasn’t bowled too badly, but he’s not exactly unplayable,
and Tom Jewell must be wondering what he has to do to get a game.
We now have a YB40 game at Old Trafford tomorrow before a
University game against Oxford next week. I would presume that, because there
is no one else, the batsmen will play in the Oxford game looking for form, with
Dunn, Edwards, Curran and Jewell likely to be involved in the squad in one way
or another.
Our next Championship game is not until the end of the
month against Derby, so we have time to change a few things and try and get a
win against our fellow relegation rivals.
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