Derbyshire v Lancashire day 4
I would be lying if I said that today's result and performance wasn't disappointing. I had no real expectation that we would knock off the biggest chase in our history against an attack led by two international bowlers, on a helpful track with a swinging ball.
I did hope that we would take the game into a little longer than marginally post-lunch, however and the speed of the demise was a disappointment. Our batting is long and supporters will expect a better standard of performance and greater resilience than that, without doubt.
However, it is the first game of the season, we were playing a good team and the difference was, essentially, their four overseas players/Kolpaks. Prince and Petersen made big runs, Siddle blew away our top order in the first innings and Jarvis ran through us in the second. The irony of a team managed by a recent England coach fielding four non-qualified players is obvious, but Lancashire fans will not be worried. The end justified the means and they were on the right side of the result, as, assuming they all stay fit, they should be for much of the season. Indeed, there should be inquests at Old Trafford if they don't go up...
What about Derbyshire? Well, for much of this game we competed against a strong side, but the game ran away from us in the last session yesterday. Only the players will know if the level of intensity slackened, that having disposed of the Lancashire tail in jig time in the first innings, there was an expectation that the last pair would fold quickly. They didn't and a hundred stand completely changed the game and the mindset of those involved, as it so often does.
260-ish was gettable, 360-plus was suggesting we boldly go where no one has gone before - at least not us and not on a fourth day wicket.
We will regroup and we will come again. Today hasn't changed my expectations - maybe if we'd lost like that to Glamorgan it would have - but it has highlighted that we need to be on top of our game for 96 overs and three sessions of every day, or we will suffer.
It is a blip in the foothills of the climb and I expect a reaction to it at Bristol on Sunday.
There are plenty of positives to take from the game and more came in the second team game at Northampton, where Tom Poynton clearly confirmed that he will not allow Harvey Hosein to be first choice keeper without a fight.
Yesterday Northamptonshire racked up 448-6 declared, with Kyle Coetzer scoring an unbeaten 250 and Matt Critchley, fresh from his unbeaten 92 from 41 balls for the Academy, taking 3-69 with his leg spin.
Today, Poynton and Tom Knight combined in a stand of 163 after Scott Elstone had been dismissed for 63. Poynton made 103 from 107 balls, with nineteen fours and a six, while Knight went on to an imperious unbeaten 156, with sixteen fours and five sixes, as Derbyshire declared in turn on 364-4.
The home side had reached 146-2 in their second innings by the close, no doubt setting us a run chase tomorrow afternoon. It serves to illustrate that those outside the team want to be involved and the two Toms will get their chances as the season progresses.
Full marks to both of them for getting their heads down. I shall follow that game tomorrow with great interest.