Leggie Critchley is learning to keep in the mix
MATT Critchley had not even played a T20 game for Derbyshire’s seconds prior to last month, but the teenager is already having a ball in the Blast.
There is arguably no art form more unforgiving than leg-spin and the 19-year-old was thrown into the deep end after being handed his T20 debut away to reigning champions Lancashire Lightning.
But he did not so much tread water as ride the crest of a wave, yielding just 19 runs from his four overs as the Falcons made the most resounding of statements with their nine-wicket victory.
Beginner’s luck was clearly no factor either as he emerged with figures from 2-19 in Derbyshire’s narrow defeat to Northamptonshire Steelbacks a week later.
However, his form may have been no surprise to those who had tracked Critchley’s whereabouts over the winter – the Preston-born spinner was invited to train with the England Lions in Dubai during their white-ball tour against Pakistan.
And, according to Critchley, the insight he gleaned from ECB lead spin coach Peter Such and company is the key driver behind his form.
“It’s been a new experience and speaking with Ant Botha and Graeme Welch in pre-season and making appearances in this competition is what I wanted to do,” he said.
“Over the winter, being taught by a coach like Peter Such and figuring out the hardest way to get hit – and the thought process that dot balls are like platinum, if singles are gold.
“Trying to hit middle stump, off stump and whether it goes straight or not – in T20 cricket it’s trying to make it as complicated for the batsmen as possible.
“It was a white-ball tour in Dubai and we were also with Stephen Parry, who is one of the best white-ball spinners in the country and I was learning from him as well.
“I’ve been able to work out how to read the batsmen and feel like I can mix it up a lot more.”
Derbyshire are set for a Midlands derby against Leicestershire Foxes at the 3aaa County Ground tonight as the county seeks respite from a winless red-ball season so far.
And they may even have been lining up their third T20 win on the trot if the in-form Critchley had bowled his fourth and final over last time out.
Instead Northants won with two balls to spare.
But Critchley said: “We have got world-class death bowlers so we back ourselves in that situation and thought they could get us the win.
“And I also know that one of my overs is going to get clattered soon enough so that may have happened to me on the day!
“With Neil Broom and Jimmy Neesham on board now, too, there are runs through the whole team, we look like a real T20 outfit and have the bowlers to defend the scores we get.
“No one expects us to do anything so the pressure is off us.”
Yorkshire Vikings versus Lancashire is another huge clash to watch out for in the North Group tonight – and the Red Rose have won three of the last four T20 fixtures between the two sides.
Elsewhere,Worcestershire Rapids have beaten the Steelbacks in eight out of the last ten T20 encounters but the hosts possess a red-hot Richard Levi, who has hit two halfcenturies in his first two outings this year.
And Birmingham Bears skipper Ian Bell, fresh from his fine 66 against the Rapids, will be looking for another big score.
He fired his best-ever T20 score (90) against tonight’s opponents Durham Jets in 2015.
Tomorrow, Durham are back in action away to Leicestershire and Notts Outlaws entertain Lancashire having won their last five T20 games in a row against the Red Rose.