No excuses from Ripley after defeat number eight

The innings and 85-run reverse at Hove was the latest chapter in Northamptonshire’s chastening return to Division One of the LV= County Championship.
Northants head coach David RipleyNorthants head coach David Ripley
Northants head coach David Ripley

It was the eighth time they have tasted defeat from their 10 outings and the sixth instance of it being by an innings.

A combination of a pair of sub-standard efforts with the bat - they have passed 300 just three times in 20 innings - and the conceding of an over-par total having elected to bowl proved to be the County’s downfall on the south coast.

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But, as has been the case all year, head coach David Ripley wasn’t in the mood to make any excuses for his team’s failings.

He said: “We’ve got to hold our hands up and say we weren’t good enough.

“I don’t think it was a case of the same old becuase we were unlucky on the first morning not to have them 70-5 or something similar.

“It was one of those mornings when everything misses the edge but we then didn’t follow it up in the second and third sessions and that cost us.

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“Once they made 400 it was always going to be tough for us on a surface that was doing quite a bit and as we’re not in the best of form that was what happened.”

The County return to Championship action on Saturday when they welcome Somerset to the County Ground and while Ripley admitted that changes could be made, no decisions have been taken just yet.

He added: “The Second XI are in Milton Keynes this week and it’s a chance for a few to put their hands up.

“The likes of (Maurice) Chambers, (Adam) Rossington and (David) Murphy could all come under consideration.

“We haven’t got a lot of scope to change things around but we’ll give it some thought nearer the time.”