11.00 start at Derby tomorrow for the 4 day 2nd's Championship game.

Lots of questionmarks after a humiliating defeat by Notts last week:-
Will they persevere with (Captain) Pollock opening - though he did get 62 in our 2nd innings (his first double figures this season !) ?
Will Mousley continue to open ?
Will Lincoln and Wells be given more chances - Wells did look a decent batsman in our 2nd innings (with an unbeaten 47) ?
Who will keep wicket ? Play Cricket did list the keeper as Lincoln, but as far as I can see, he has never kept wicket in his career before (though as a goalkeeper he has some useful skills in that department). Kelley is a decent keeper, but a poor bat. Wells was a regular keeper for Somerset Seconds (and I did think the Lincoln listing was a typo - and it actually was Wells, but the scorer got the newbies mixed up !)
What an earth are they going to do with a demoralised (from last week) bowling lineup ? NOBODY came out with any glory - and some were blown away. Garrett and Sidebottom are struggling to justify contract extensions. Henry Brookes is a shadow of the promising (red ball) opening bowler he once seemed to be - and nowhere near justifying 1st team selection. His brother now seems to be a batsman who bowls a bit, not the all rounder he once was. Johal and Ali are still only early on in their development. And Dan Mousley, who seemed to be a promising off spinner, was tanked by the Notts batsman at 7 an over off 18 overs.

All very interesting. Rain will probably stop much play tomorrow - though at least we might get a start and find out the team.

Not happy with the 2's then?...

I hope Ethan Brookes can continue getting runs.

I agree our bowling attack need to start putting their heads above the parapet. Hopefully Brookes can start taking wickets again, we could do with his pace in the first team.

See the full post below !

Andy wrote:

Not happy with the 2's then?...

How do you come to that conclusion ?!!

But yes, you are right. As one who probably follows the Seconds more than the First team (simply because I can see more cricket, at more grounds) over the last few years, I have seen the team go from boom to bust and back again (repeatedly !). I'd say this COULD be start of a bust again. It's such a shame, because there is talent there. I just think too much has been put on certain players before they're ready (the Brookes brothers particularly), there are square pegs in round holes (Ed Pollock in the red ball game), we've stuck with some players too long (George Garrett and Ryan Sidebottom stand out) and not given chances to others who deserve it (George Furrer and Jacob Bethell come to mind). I just hope Westwood and Farbs realise this before it's too late and make the necessary changes / introductions soon.

Isn't Bethell in his "A" level year, so has limited availability?

Live Scores Link

https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#m8434c48c-2588-4a62-94b9-71baa2008fcf

13 man squad listed
Derbyshire 2nd XI won the toss and elected to bowl

The_Lickey_Banker wrote:

Andy wrote:

Not happy with the 2's then?...

How do you come to that conclusion ?!!

But yes, you are right. As one who probably follows the Seconds more than the First team (simply because I can see more cricket, at more grounds) over the last few years, I have seen the team go from boom to bust and back again (repeatedly !). I'd say this COULD be start of a bust again. It's such a shame, because there is talent there. I just think too much has been put on certain players before they're ready (the Brookes brothers particularly), there are square pegs in round holes (Ed Pollock in the red ball game), we've stuck with some players too long (George Garrett and Ryan Sidebottom stand out) and not given chances to others who deserve it (George Furrer and Jacob Bethell come to mind). I just hope Westwood and Farbs realise this before it's too late and make the necessary changes / introductions soon.

They do seem to have realised there's a need for changes and introduced some 'new blood' (along the lines I've suggested !):-

Jacob Bethell and George Furrer are in the 13 man squad, along with van Vollenhoven and Shaikh. Dan Lincoln is still there (and again listed as Keeper - so he must now be taking on that role) and Amir Khan is given another chance. No sign of George Garrett (?!) and Ben Wells is also missing - I hope he hasn't been let go, he looked promising. Other than that, pretty much the same people as the Notts game.

No start at 11.00 - as expected, its raining - and the forecast indictaes we probably won't get any play today.

No play today, so reduced to a three day game.

The_Lickey_Banker wrote:

The_Lickey_Banker wrote:

Andy wrote:

Not happy with the 2's then?...

How do you come to that conclusion ?!!

But yes, you are right. As one who probably follows the Seconds more than the First team (simply because I can see more cricket, at more grounds) over the last few years, I have seen the team go from boom to bust and back again (repeatedly !). I'd say this COULD be start of a bust again. It's such a shame, because there is talent there. I just think too much has been put on certain players before they're ready (the Brookes brothers particularly), there are square pegs in round holes (Ed Pollock in the red ball game), we've stuck with some players too long (George Garrett and Ryan Sidebottom stand out) and not given chances to others who deserve it (George Furrer and Jacob Bethell come to mind). I just hope Westwood and Farbs realise this before it's too late and make the necessary changes / introductions soon.

They do seem to have realised there's a need for changes and introduced some 'new blood' (along the lines I've suggested !):-

Jacob Bethell and George Furrer are in the 13 man squad, along with van Vollenhoven and Shaikh. Dan Lincoln is still there (and again listed as Keeper - so he must now be taking on that role) and Amir Khan is given another chance. No sign of George Garrett (?!) and Ben Wells is also missing - I hope he hasn't been let go, he looked promising. Other than that, pretty much the same people as the Notts game.

No start at 11.00 - as expected, its raining - and the forecast indictaes we probably won't get any play today.

Kiel van Vollenhoven is a 22 year old South African leg spinner (and a decent middle order bat, by the sound of it), who has played for Titans in SA
and MCC Young Cricketers (took 5 wickets for 12 runs for them against Durham 2nd's a couple of years ago !). He is a UK passport holder, who has been looking for a County side to give him a trial this season, after no chance last year - sounds like we have taken that up. He's played Club cricket for Bilton CC in Rugby and Nottingham.

The game has been abandoned without any play.

Seems extreme to write off a four day game after only one day, all the others seem to be on still. Should have thought a one innings match of some sort could have been arranged at the very least - even at another ground if that was the issue.

Perhaps our coaches thought it would be more beneficial to have time training with the first team before the Worcester game.
I see that the Worcestershire 2nd team game at Barnt Green was called off for the day very early today. Barnt Green is one of the better club grounds for drainage, so must have been exceptionally wet, also the low ambient temperatures won't help the drying process.

We have used the last day planned for the 2nd's Championship match, for a One Day Friendly (50 over) game at Derby today. 11.00 start - good forecast this morning, rain showers possible this afternoon. Match details will be on the Play Cricket site. The 12 named players are:-
Pollock (Capt), Mousley, Hose, Bethell, Ethan B, Lincoln (listed as Keeper again), van Vollenhoven, Henry B, Johal, Sidebottom, Furrer & Kelley.

We won the toss and elected to bowl.

Good spot!
Live scores are here
https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#m1bc7d5cd-041f-434d-8e7a-860106bc77a5

Kelley added to the squad
Pollock, Mousley, Hose (c), Bethell, Ethan B, Lincoln (wk), van Vollenhoven, Henry B, Johal, Sidebottom, Furrer, Kelley

An amazing win for us ! Derby set a total of 291 (for 7) off their 50 overs. We were 137 for 7 off 30 overs, but van Vollenhoven and Henry Brookes put on 162 runs off 19 overs to win ! Van Vollenhoven made 82 NO off 88 balls and Henry B made 87 NO off 56 balls (with 3 x 6's) ! Incredible !

The_Lickey_Banker wrote:

An amazing win for us ! Derby set a total of 291 (for 7) off their 50 overs. We were 137 for 7 off 30 overs, but van Vollenhoven and Henry Brookes put on 162 runs off 19 overs to win ! Van Vollenhoven made 82 NO off 88 balls and Henry B made 87 NO off 56 balls (with 3 x 6's) ! Incredible !

Young Kiel vV must be close to Henry B in being MotM. Obviously, Henry hit an amazing 87 off 56, but he was incredidly way off with his bowling (10 for 71 runs and no wickets), but Kiel also had a decent return of 2 for 48 off his 8 overs of leg spin. If this was a trial match for him, I really hope we extend it - there could be a decent all rounder there - and we don't want to let him disappear off to another County lightly !?
Apart from Kiel, Ryan S (2 for 40 off 10) and Dan Mousley (1 for 42 off his 10) had decent returns with the ball. Jacob Bethell was the other wicket taker, but he was expensive (at over 8 an over). On the batting front, it's just as well our 8th wicket partnership lasted so well, 'cos only two other batsmen got over 20 (Ethan B with 30 - he's doing OK as a batter now - and Dan Lincoln with 22). They experimented with Hose opening, but it didn't work (he got 4) and the Captain only just made it into double figures - again !

Hose was captain today!

A good win, but still some concerns with the bowling.

Bethell took a great catch when he was bowling.

Jacob Bethell and George Furrer are in the 13 man squad, along with van Vollenhoven and Shaikh. Dan Lincoln is still there (and again listed as Keeper - so he must now be taking on that role) and Amir Khan is given another chance. No sign of George Garrett (?!) and Ben Wells is also missing - I hope he hasn't been let go, he looked promising. Other than that, pretty much the same people as the Notts game.

Kiel van Vollenhoven is a 22 year old South African leg spinner (and a decent middle order bat, by the sound of it), who has played for Titans & Northerns in SA and MCC Young Cricketers (took 5 wickets for 12 runs for them against Durham 2nd's a couple of years ago !). He is a UK passport holder, who has been looking for a County side to give him a trial this season, after no chance last year - sounds like we have taken that up. He's played Club cricket for Bilton CC in Rugby and Nottingham.

In KvV's only first class game (for Northerns, a couple of months ago, against Western Province), he took 1 for 18 in 8 overs and scored 23. Pieter Malan's brother, Andre, played in that - I wonder whether a recommendation from brother to brother, might have helped secure a trial for us ?!