Deep Groan Wald

I always think of Derby as being a pretty long way away, yet it only takes me a shade longer to get to a game there from Bristol than it does to get to one at Lord's. As my train trundled through Gloucestershire, mist hung in patches over damp fields and low cloud masked the high ground. If conditions were anything like this in Derby it would not be good news for anyone having to bat. A shred of comfort was that assuming we managed to amass the runs required to avoid the follow-on, it wouldn't be us for most of the day. How big an assumption would that be?

As it turned out, skies brightened north of Birmingham, and the game began in sunshine, although conditions remained very humid with plenty of cloud around..

Simmo and Ollie began on 30 and 22 respectively with Middlesex on 197/6, needing 39 to avoid the follow-on. The first batting point was notched up in the second over, but disaster soon followed, with Simmo (36) run out by Chanderpaul's direct hit. It was a superb piece of fielding, as he only had one stump to aim at. 208/7.

2 runs later the new ball was taken, and things were looking ominous with Groenwald and Footitt going in for the kill.

TRJ (5) never looked comfortable, and after being repeatedly beaten outside off stump, he flashed hard at one. It's often said “if you're going to flash, flash hard,” but anyone saying that should also add “but not straight into the hands of Chesney Hughes at 3^rd slip.” 224/8 and the threat of the follow-on loomed large.

A tense spell of play followed with Murts appearing to feel the need to nibble at every ball. However somehow he and Ollie inched their way towards the follow-on target, which was was reached when Ollie hooked a Footitt bouncer to fine leg for a single, also bringing up his 50.

We were within 1 run of our next batting point when Murts (10) finally got a nick through to the keeper off Footitt. 249/9.

Finny – replacing James Harris after being released from England duty – lasted only 2 balls before being pinned LBW by Footitt for a duck. 249 all out and a missed bonus point, with Ollie left stranded on 52. 136 looked a very large deficit indeed. My thoughts were that we needed to get them out for no more than about 100.

During the innings break I went to get an ice cream and I turned around after being served to be greeted by the sight of Simmo brilliantly catching Slater (0) off Murts. 0/1.

With only 1 more run added Madsen survived a huge appeal for caught behind off Finny. Regardless of loyalties most people in the stand I was in thought it was out. The umpire didn't.

Thankfully Madsen (2) departed next over, caught by Denly at point. 4/2.

It should have been even better when Chesney Hughes was dropped by Voges at 1^st slip, a regulation chance. He didn't stay long though, and fell LBW to Finny for 3. 16/3.

Lunch was taken at 20/3, with my hopes of a gettable target still very much alive.

As happened last time I visited Derby though, the pitch looked easier to bat on after Lunch. Chanderpaul and Johnson looked alarmingly untroubled, a fact underlined by Chanderpaul launching Ollie over the top for a big 6. A wicket looked a distant prospect, so I took a wicket walk. Thankfully it worked. Just as I was served with liquid refreshment, TRJ claimed the big wicket of Chanderpaul (32) LBW, a reward for some disciplined bowling. 68/4.

There followed a spell of quiet tension. A few light showers passed over, but not sufficient to stop play until a heavier downpour at 3.15 led to an early Tea being taken. 86/4.

 wald

On the resumption, Derbyshire continued to make slow progress. With the score on 100/4, Johnson on 48 benefited from a missed stumping off Ollie. This seemed to act as a catalyst to speed things up. Johnson's 50 came up with a pull to the mid wicket boundary, also off Ollie.

When the wicket came, Hughes (24) caught by the leaping Joe Denly off The Iceman, I found it hard to avoid the feeling that it was rather a case of too little too late.116/5.

When the score had reached 131, maybe Derbyshire thought so too, Poynton (9) holing out to TRJ at deep mid on off Ollie. Then with only 2 more added, Johnson (59) was snapped up by Robbo at short leg off the same bowler. 133/7.

Ollie was on a roll now, and claimed the wicket of Burgoyne (4) LBW, stepping back and leaving.

Groenwald (20) came in and had a go, smashing Ollie for a big 6 and Finny for a couple of fours, but soon succumbed to Robbo at short leg off Ollie again. 160/9 became 160 all out as Footitt holed out next ball to Morgan at deep mid wicket to give Ollie another 5 wicket haul, 5/67.

We now faced a potentially nasty 9 overs and a target of 297, which looked very, very tough. It quickly looked even tougher when Footitt trapped Joe Denly (2) LBW with just 8 runs on the board. The somewhat controversial decision to send Finny in as nightwatchman with 6 overs to go always looked fraught with danger, and it was unsurprising to see him bag that pair, trapped LBW by Groenwald. 11/2.

Shortly afterwards came a faint glimmer of hope for tomorrow, as Groenwald left the field injured. If he is unable to play any further part it could be a real blow to Derbyshire's chances.

Voges joined Robbo at the crease, and the pair saw us through to the close, on 11 and 12 respectively, with the score on 25/2.

The 272 further runs that are required for victory are certainly not impossible (weather permitting), but even if Derbyshire are indeed without Groenwald tomorrow, the impressive Footitt and the young spinner Burgoyne especially are likely to be a real handful. We will need to produce something special, but then again, when has a team (apart from Warwickshire of course) ever won the title without producing something special?