Durham Match Thread 2021

[Durhamfootman]

Nobody has come close to scoring more than Lees did last year.... and that was only a 10 match campaign

Damned bad luck that

[westoelad]

Nobody has come close to scoring more than Lees did last year.... and that was only a 10 match campaign

Damned bad luck that

Yes, but it indicates the lack of cover in our squad.

[westoelad]

In 2019 Potts economy was 8's, last year it was 7's, this year it's been 9's

he's always taken wickets though, but 9's an over is back to the bad old days of yesteryear when we struggled to find a bowler who could concede less than 10 an over. At least we now only have one bowler who still goes for double digits every time he gets his hands on the ball (and he was a part of those bad old days too)

Yes but scoring rates in general have increased over the last few years, a total of 200 is now regarded as par.
demands on Potts in both forms have been exceptional for a 22 year old- no surprise there's been a falling off.
Lack of cover again...

[Durhamfootman]

I have something in the back of my mind that says we won 4 of our first 5 matches

if that is the case, and I think it is, then that means that since we were forced to start changing our best XI we've won 1 out of the next 8, which seems extraordinary if I've got that right and goes back to WL's point about the strength of the squad

of course that means we must have really missed Coughlin's economy rate of over 10 an over

[Durhamfootman]

the 5th game was a total washout, so 4 wins from 5 matches played

Potts figures over that period

2 for 28 W
2 for 27 W
1 for 44 L
3 for 34 W
wash out
0 for 24 W

Potts figures over the next period

0-30 (2.5 overs) L
2-41 (3.3 overs) L
1-20 (3 overs) W
1-29 L
0-21 (2 overs) L
1-50 L
2-38 L

[Durhamfootman]

I'm not trying to pin the blame on Potts, you understand, but if he isn't firing then we lose. He bowls in the high scoring parts of the match, the PP and the death, but if he is expensive, even if he takes wickets, we lose. What that tells me is that we are too heavily reliant on the performance of one bowler. In most T20 matches, if he can't win the game for us by taking wickets in miserly fashion then we don't win, so he clearly needs better support from other bowlers...... and probably better captaincy too

[Durhamfootman]

even looking at things at a really simplistic and very basic level

Our main bowlers (not the odd appearances) have conceded 1765 runs in 209 overs so that's an econ rate of 8.44 per over, so we are always likely to concede about 170 in most games. Our batsmen who do the bulk of the run scoring (I've gone with anyone who has scored over a 100 runs this season) have scored 1611 runs between them in 1205 balls faced or a combined SR of 133, so we can only really rely on scoring 160

compare that with Notts, (who have the balance absolutely right imo) whose main run scorers have scored 1722 runs in 1122 balls at a SR of 153 and whose main bowlers have conceded 1714 runs in 233 overs or an econ of 7.4. They can expect to score 180+ in most games and concede under 150

Notts sit top of the group and had they not surprisingly tied 3 match (which is extraordinary in itself) could have been looking at 11 wins from 13

[Durhamfootman]

160 runs will win as many matches as it loses and we don't just collapse the way we used to a couple of years ago, so that is progress

Our bowling is still too expensive, but nowhere near as bad as the 10 an over we were averaging before Coughlin went off to Notts a few years ago, so there is progress there too

But it all feels a bit like slow progress and even though we are making strides to catch up, I can't help but feel that the other sides will have already moved on a notch by the time we get there

[Durhamfootman]

Still....

Notts score at 150's and we score at 130's

Notts concede at 7's an over and we concede at 8's

these are not big margins, but they are the difference between a top table side and a bargain basement one

[westoelad]

Yes, in a nutshell ,we're poorly led both on and off the field in both CC and T20 so to do so well is quite encouraging. Clearly Bancroft can't be re-engaged next season for either form so those 2 appointments are crucial.
Lees should be the forthcoming RL50 captain with a view to a wider role in the future. Hopefully Bangers will have to return home for early September and we can get the likes of Latham or Young in as locums with a view to a longer appointment.

[Durhamfootman]

or Patel

[Durhamfootman]

did Lees get any captaincy experience at Yorkshire?

[captaincolly]

did Lees get any captaincy experience at Yorkshire?

Yes, one day captaincy. Don't think it worked and coincided with loss of form but no reason why that would happen now. I think he was offered the captaincy before Bancroft was first appointed but wasn't keen - probably because he wanted to focus on his game - I'd hope he wouldn't be against doing the job now it asked.

[westoelad]

did Lees get any captaincy experience at Yorkshire?

Yes, one day captaincy. Don't think it worked and coincided with loss of form but no reason why that would happen now. I think he was offered the captaincy before Bancroft was first appointed but wasn't keen - probably because he wanted to focus on his game - I'd hope he wouldn't be against doing the job now it asked.

Captained them in both white day formats in 2016 but then fell out with Gale over it which I would Imagine most would regard as a plus on his cv.. Hobson's choice for me for him to be RL50 captain -nothing to lose.

[captaincolly]

Agree about Lees.
Another hammering - barring a late miracle- and apparently a nasty injury to Carse, it seems as if he fell over bowling to Hales who accidentally hit the ball onto his head! Apparently he walked off the field so hopefully it's not too bad. Could well rule him out or the early 100 games 8f it's concussion.
Excellent bowling figures for Borthwick amidst the carnage. 1 over for 24 runs and duck for Clark!