29 April 2006 - Derbyshire v Sri Lanka - First Day
After a great start to the season, with one win over Surrey and a tie with Yorkshire, our spirits are high and we are looking good. The team has been performing quite well but we are doing well mainly due to a few good innings. We need the entire team to play well. The weather is looking as good as it has done all season, with mainly sun with a little bit of overcast. Day 2 will see some lovely sun as will the end of Day 3. With it favouring spin bowlers, I can't see us doing too well.
With the talent that Sri Lanka has for batting, I had to go with 5 bowlers. None of the bowlers have really impressed in the Second Team yet so there is no-one to come in and replace some of the bowlers. Jones will no doubt
be the first out when someone gets into form. Rowntree nearly got into the team but I just don't think he's ready yet.
Stubbings came out to rest for the match, which would mean the Australians would be opening the innings. Benjamin France came in to replace him, and even France hasn't been that great in the second team. With all the other batsmen doing decently in the first First Class game, I decided to keep the team and to just see how we did.
Welch won the toss and decided that he would bowl first. Nice to see him taking my advice and deciding to bowl first against the Sri Lankan's on this pitch. Kumar Sangakkara and Upul Tharanga walked out to the crease with barely any pressure at all. Jayawardene, Samaraweera, Dilshan, Vandort and Mubarak make up the rest of their batting attack. Every single one of those would fit into our top 4. That's just how hard it is going to be.
Our bowlers started the match very well, keeping their run rate down. Then an unexpected wicket came. Kumar Sangakkara went for 6 runs off 32 balls to Dean. He played all around a straight bowl, which wasn't even that good of a bowl. 13/1, Can we keep this up?
K Sangakkara - b Dean - 6(32)
Next over and Jayawardene nearly went out for a 2 ball duck. He nearly made contact to a bowl from Jones but pulled out at the last minute. Our first bowling change came after 14 overs, both bowlers have 7 overs each. Lungley came in for Dean whilst Botha came in for Jones. Sri Lanka started to score some runs quite quickly until a lbw appeal saw them slow down a little. The batsmen then took it to the bowlers, Tharanga bring up his 50 and the teams 100 in the process. In came Welch and Dean to try and get a wicket before Lunch. Jayawardene brought up his 50 up just before Lunch as Sri Lanka dominate completely.
Day One Lunch Interval - Sri Lanka 129/1
Jayawardene 64*
Tharanga 56*
Dean 1-27
An incredible change went begging just after lunch. Jayawardene edged one of Dean but Di Venuto couldn't keep it in his hands, and dropped him for 66. This didn't end up being a really expensive mis-chance as we got him out overs later for 77. Dean the man with the wicket again, but with one great batsmen out another is in. This isn't going well, 158/2.
Jayawardene - lbw Dean - 77(118)
Thankfully, Samaraweera didn't last long. With Tharanga chasing down his century, things weren't going easy at the other end. A mere 7 runs was all Samaraweera could muster as he edged one straight through to the keeper. Lungley, who has been very expensive as far, finally proved his worth. Dilshan in, he's better than Samaraweera in my eyes. 188/3, still the 200 is not up.
T Samaraweera - c Pipe b Lungley - 7(24)
Tharanga's 100 then came up as he continue his fantastic form in England. He scored 149 and 21* against Cambridge in their last friendly. We nearly got him on 104* though but Adnan couldn't hold on to the chance and this time, it seems it may be expensive. We get chance after chance, but it just isn't happening for us. Dilshan soon brings up his 50 as Sri Lanka race to just under 300. This is depressing.
Day One Dinner Interval - Sri Lanka 288/3
Tharanga 136*
Dilshan 55*
Dean 2-71
Lungley 1-71
Second over after lunch and we got our wicket. After Jones got smashed for many runs in the first over after lunch, Dean got Tharanga. He had already brought up his 150 though, whilst bringing up their 300. Dean again the man to get the wicket, he's the only one who can bowl like a bowler at the moment! Vandort is now in, a few quick wickets and we are still in it with a slight slight chance. 305/4.
U Tharanga - b Dean - 152(218)
15 runs later, and Dilshan goes for 66. He had a good impact on the game for Sri Lanka. We are fighting back now and if we can keep them under 400 then we would of done brilliantly. Dean gets his fourth wicket of the day, as he continues to be our main bowler. We will definitely need to improve this area of our game next season.
T Dilshan - b Dean - 66(100)
2 wickets in 2 bowls! Dean brings up his 5fer with the wicket of Mubarak. A golden duck from Jehan Mubarak brings delight to our faces as Sri Lanka seem stranded on 320/6. Chaminda Vaas will be facing the hat-trick ball. Another lbw from Dean, with Mubarak just not having a chance. Still, he's expected to do much more than that.
J Mubarak - lbw Dean - 0(1)
Vaas defends the hat trick ball and nearly edges the last ball of the over but manages to pull out just in time. Vandort has to carry Sri Lanka now to over 400, otherwise it's a disappointing innings for them. Sri Lanka nearly bring up the 350 mark but after a 24 run partnership, Vaas gets bowled. Lungley the man to pick up his second wicket of the match. 12 runs is all Vaas could get as the bowling talent as Lungley overcame him. 344/7.
C Vaas - b Lungley - 12(13)
We take the new ball a few overs later which nearly strikes straight away. Vandort playing a missing a wide one from Lungley. Lungley's next over and this time Vandort is out. Birt the man to hold onto the catch as Vandort's innings comes to an end for 27. A decent knock from the lower order man as Lungley picks up his 3rd wicket. 357/8 and restricting them under 400 looks likely now.
M Vandort - c Birt b Lungley - 27(53)
With no more runs added to the score, another wicket falls. Dean's spell comes to an end, with Welch coming in and getting a wicket in Dean's place. Kulasekera the man to get out this time, after only making 1 run from 19 balls. Murali the last man in, with us needing only one wicket. Who'll be the one to get it?
N Kulasekera - b Welch - 1(19)
Welch then tried a strange tactic which took everyone by surprise; he brought in a tired Dean at the other end. You've got to give it to him though, it worked. Dean got the wicket with Bandara going for a 8 ball duck. 358 the score West Indies got in the end, but at one stage they were 305/3 so that will be seen as a massive collapse. Dean ended up with 6 wickets whilst Lungley got 3. The two bowlers have kept us in the match, even if they have just a little.
M Bandara - b Dean - 0(8)
Change of innings - Sri Lanka 358
Tharanga 152
Jayawardene 77
Dean 6-92
Lungley 3-72
Di Venuto and Birt walk out to the middle with just under 30 minutes to be played. I can see Sri Lanka getting a few wickets in that time but hopefully the openers can last the time. Thankfully, they did. They ended up getting a run a minute as we ended up on 26. The main thing is though that we didn't lose a wicket and will go into tomorrow's day play with all 10 wickets in tact.
End of Day One - Derbyshire 26/0(trail by 332 runs)
Di Venuto 18*
Birt 8*
Dean and Lungley have kept us in the game so far. As long as we can bat averagely, then we can make them bat again. The draw is definitely on the cards if we can get some batsmen to make some runs. We can still win but that's unlikely and to be honest, I don't really care about friendlies. As long as we give our all tomorrow at the crease I'll be happy. Teams seem to be having one of their top order batsmen ordered to score big against us at the moment. Here's hoping one of ours can do the same.
