Houghton wants batting improvement

Dave Houghton says Derbyshire’s batting line-up must produce more, after the side were beaten heavily by Worcestershire at New Road. 

Despite half-centuries from Matt Critchley and Wayne Madsen in the first innings, Derbyshire fell short of avoiding the follow-on, before being bowled out for just 128 in the second innings to lose by an innings and 23 runs.

It’s the second time in three matches that the side has been beaten in this manner, while they also suffered a heavy defeat to Nottinghamshire earlier in the season.

While Critchley (648) is among the leading run-scorers in the country, only two other batsmen (Madsen and Harvey Hosein) have passed 50 more than once, with the latter missing the game at New Road due to concussion protocol.

Derbyshire are bottom of Group One, with games against Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire and Essex still to be played, and Houghton says the team’s run-tally must improve in the remaining red ball fixtures.

“Our problem at the moment is obvious, we aren’t batting well as a team. I thought we battled quite hard in the first innings, but I want to see batsmen who are well set go on and make big scores,” he said.

“Matt Critchley was not out for 81, which is great, but nobody batted with him and we end up missing the follow-on target by two runs. With that, the whole momentum of the game changes, everything is in their favour and we get bowled out cheaply. A few more runs in the first innings and it’s a different game.

“We aren’t batting well as a unit, that’s for certain. Critch is probably in the top five run-scorers in the country, he’s having a brilliant individual season, but as a group we just aren’t batting well enough. We need to be scoring 400 every first innings of a game, but we’ve only done that once out of seven.

“Our bowlers, considering their age and experience, are doing a magnificent job, but we didn’t support them in this game, not only with the bat but in the field too, we dropped four catches before lunch on Day One, you can see how just getting a few elements right would change the complexion.”

While there are three games to go, Derbyshire are likely to finish in the bottom two places of Group One, which would mean they compete in the third division during the second phase of the LV= County Championship.

With the Vitality Blast and Royal London Cup also on the horizon, Houghton says the team will be looking to improve and compete across the board, no matter where the situation.

“We are still going to play every four day game trying to win it, if we are in the bottom division, we want to win that division,” he added.

“It’s important for our development that we win games of cricket, but we play three different formats, so if we can have a strong T20 or 50-over competition, that too would be good success.

“Every game is important, no matter the format, and we just need to build a bit of momentum. Hopefully from there, things go our way.”

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