Desperate times

Once again an inability to kill off the opposition tail has left us staring defeat in the face, this time at the hands of Lancashire. The equation is simple, to be honest. We need to bat out the whole of tomorrow and well into the fourth day to stand any chance of the result not being a loss. Having had Lancashire 144-5, in reply to our paltry 160, we let them run riot as the tail wagged and wagged until they were all out for 398. Thankfully we didn't lose a wicket before close. In Adams, Carberry, Hughes and McKenzie we posess the best top four in the country, in my view. Reputations are one thing, actually doing the hard work is another and two of those will need very big scores to turn this situation around. On the bowling front Wood was a bloody miracle. On debut in the Championship he did his utmost for the team, and with fine success, picking up three middle order wickets, including the sloth Chilton. Sadly he wasn't exactly backed up by the others, McKenzie chipping in with two lower order wickets to prevent yet more damage.

Overall it was a pretty terrible day, meaning that we MUST win at least one of our two remaining games. Warwickshire look on course to beat Kent, so it may be that Kent will be scrapping for their very survival next week. It may be worth drafting Griff in to the team for the Kent match. Tomlinson has been incredibly accurate but he just isn't picking up the wickets of late. This has been our downfall on numerous occasions this year and Griff is a wicket taker at the end of the day. The other question will be who comes in for Macca? It will most likely be Benham, who like last season will have to come into the side with an extremely vital role to play in the middle order. Why we keep doing this to ourselves each season, leaving it to the last to try and get out of relegation danger, I don't quite know. If I did I guess I wouldn't be here now.