Negative Intent Spells Relegation
By Barmy Kev
July 18 2006
While it is nice to achieve a winning draw, the tactical approach to match appeared that neither team wanted to gamble, try to force the pace and take the initiative. If this attitude continues our fight for survival will be even more of a struggle!
While it is nice to achieve a winning draw, the tactical approach to match appeared that neither team wanted to gamble, try to force the pace and take the initiative. If this attitude continues our fight for survival will be even more of a struggle.
My observations are based on being at game Saturday, speaking to attendees of day 1 and 3, on-line commentary, Times newspaper reports and Ceefax. These all lead to the same conclusions.
The first real sign of negative intent was from Warwickshire. Once Nash and Joyce had started to take game away and with Middx just over 300- 5 the new ball was taken with 12 overs left. Now a few quick wickets could have changed the whole course of game and give the initiative back to Warks. The field set was just a slip and gully and no pressure applied. Our two heroes were comfortably able to survive that period.
The next morning, Streak’s field settings were just as defensive. Our batsmen again were content to nurdle ball around. While 446 was more than respectable, I never got the feeling that we would look for some super quick runs to bat them completely out of game.
The Warks innings was mirrored to ours to an extent. However, at 82-4 a win looked a serious proposition. When Wagh and Ambrose were putting on their promising partnership our heads dropped. Pepsi was put on late in day and with Rymps seemed to be there to stem run rate, wait for error, rather than act as attacking force.
Sunday, we had another sniff of the initiative mopping up tail quickly. The incentive should have been lets get runs on board as quickly as poss. to allow as many overs to bowl them out. Instead our batting was turgid and declaration, albeit safe for us, gave us little chance of win. For Compo to take 235 balls for his ton, in context of game was not what was required. Rymps 33 in 90 was equally ineffective. For example- 330 for 9 just before lunch would have helped our cause more than 280-4 after. The timing of declaration and pace of Compo’s century indicated his personal milestone was more important than team’s cause. With Captain Scott out there he must take the blame and hope Embers has strong words.