Monday 18 March 2024

County Championship Division Two - the rivals

 In considering how well Derbyshire might do in four-day cricket this season, it is of course necessary to look at our rivals. With that in mind, I present to you - and would be interested in your thoughts on - the following:

Glamorgan

With a new coach, the excellent Grant Bradburn, expect the Welsh county to at least start the season well. Sam Northeast is the new skipper, replacing David Lloyd who is now with us, of course. The batting should be fine, with Marnus Labuschagne and Colin Ingram sharing overseas duties and plenty of prolific scorers elsewhere. But Mir Hamza will be following a fine player in Michael Neser, who has moved to Hampshire and needs to hit the ground running. 

I think they might struggle to bowl sides out and their attack isn't the youngest, though the addition of Mason Crane on a season-long loan may help later in the summer, when it starts to turn

Gloucestershire

Bottom of the pile last year with no wins (like Derbyshire) and will hope to do better this time around. Mark Alleyne is a shrewd appointment as coach, but few changes in personnel mean this year may be another struggle. 

Cameron Bancroft will get runs on his return and is available all summer, while Zafar Gohar is a canny spinner when conditions allow. Yet Alleyne will need to get more from his squad for them to mount a promotion challenge. The development of the talented Price brothers will be interesting to follow.

Leicestershire

Like Derbyshire, a side with plenty of changes. Colin Ackermann and Callum Parkinson have both moved to Durham, while former Derbyshire men Will Davis and Ed Barnes have gone, along with several others.

Ben Mike has returned after a spell at Yorkshire, while Liam Trevaskis has moved from Durham to replace Parkinson. Ben Cox should offer runs as well as excellent glovework after his move from Worcestershire, while Wiaan Mulder and Peter Handscomb are solid overseas players. I expect them to be competitive under Alfonso Thomas and as a club they are doing good work on and off the pitch.

Promotion will be down to keeping Chris Wright fit, as he remains their best bowler. But at 38 can that continue?

Middlesex

Two players who lined up for Derbyshire last season will now wear their colours - our former captain Leus du Plooy and Henry Brookes, who appeared on loan from Warwickshire. John Simpson has left to join Sussex, while crucially Tim Murtagh has retired and is now a coach at the county.

They are unlikely to have an overseas player because of their financial issues and it is hard to predict a successful season, unless those new signings galvanise the rest. Ethan Bamber will lead the attack well and Ryan Higgins is one of the more underrated players on the circuit.  If they start well they could challenge, but need more runs than last season in order to do so.

Northamptonshire

They have signed George Scrimshaw, erstwhile of this parish, but Tom Taylor has gone to Worcestershire so they will miss his important all round contributions. George Bartlett has arrived from Somerset but they are the only non-overseas changes. Karun Nair is an interesting overseas signing from India, as is Chris Tremain until the end of April.  

Both did well last summer in short stays and I think they will need to do so again to take them up the table. Nair's runs could help, but taking twenty wickets may prove problematic, unless Ben Sanderson has a vintage year.

Sussex

Another side to recruit well, with John Simpson arriving from Middlesex and Danny Lamb from Lancashire. Runs shouldn't be a problem, with Cheteshwar Pujara around until the end of May, but Jayden Seales from Trinidad will need to make an impact with the ball for them to challenge and other key players will need to stay fit. Fynn Hudson-Prentice will offer consistent  runs and wickets after signing a new contract in the winter.

Didn't seem the happiest of camps last year and they must hope for less internal friction and on-field indiscipline to be among the pacemakers.

Yorkshire

Even with their England absentees, there is no reason for Yorkshire not to challenge. Matt Fisher and Ben Coad are as good as any county opening bowlers and with Dan Moriarty arriving from Surrey to offer spin, they should take wickets, IF they all stay fit. 

That has been a challenge most summers, but Shan Masood will hope for consistent runs from a talented batting line up that isn't always the most reliable. But a top four of Bean, Lyth, Masood and Byas surely should hope to dominate?

How much continued behind scenes issues affect the squad is anyone's guess, but failure to be one of the top two sides with the players they have would be seen as a considerable disappointment.

Conclusion

There is always one surprise side and players who hit golden form early. Yet four-day cricket is a long haul and at the end of it I expect promotion to be between Yorkshire, Leicestershire, Middlesex and Derbyshire.

What do you think?

Season prospects - the County Championship

 I did my first season preview for Derbyshire in 2008, which seems an unfeasibly long time ago. For most of that time, I suspect regular readers might say, I have remained optimistic to a level that at times has scarce been warranted. Far too often, the light at the end of the tunnel has been nothing but a burglar's torch and we have seen more false dawns than a Tony Orlando tribute convention.

Whisper it gently, but **might** this year be different?

I certainly have sensed a greater optimism than before among contributors to this blog. More so than those seasons when we signed Shiv Chanderpaul and expected him to bat one end from April to September, or when we picked up a gun overseas who turned out to be injury prone/injured or to have other plans.

This is year three of the Mickey Arthur Project and for me the one on which he should and will be judged. In season one, the arrival of the big name coach got an extra ten per cent out of players, but the ceiling of talent was still too universally low for genuine progress, although there were reasons for optimism. Last year there was a regression, the reality of some players not QUITE being the standard that we needed. Injuries to key personnel didn't help, nor did pitches at Derby that were largely lifeless and only occasionally conducive to results. Batters loved them, but bowlers can seldom have racked up with anything other than heavy hearts.

This winter has seen revolving doors at the Incora County Ground, as a number have left and more have come in, the latter players of reputation. standing and talent. Leus du Plooy has gone, to Middlesex in a move that still bemuses, as has George Scrimshaw, a key member of the T20 side, together with local favourite Tom Wood. Mattie McKiernan has moved into coaching, while Mark Watt will be with Scotland at the T20 World Cup. There will also be no Billy Godleman, after admirable service over many seasons.

Yet those coming in are winners, as we have heard many times on social media, with more collective silverware than the average episode of Antiques Roadshow. The question, I suppose, is if they are all here to enhance those collections, or for one last pay day. I am old enough to remember the time when Derbyshire became the last chance saloon for an assortment of county veterans, most of them showing too frequently why their erstwhile employers had dispensed with their services.

I don't think that will be the case with the class of 2024. There are time-served warriors, for sure, but there appears to be a collective desire to do something special. With a wily coach of international reputation now giving us his undivided attention and two time-served players as red and white ball skippers, this **could** be the year.

How you quantify success is another question and it may not yet be in silverware, but recruitment has produced what on paper looks a side for all formats, with the usual caveats in place of good fortune with the weather and injuries, as well as holding the chances when they come.

Those chances should be there with the arrival of Mohammad Amir, he of the silky skills and basilisk stare. Recent viewings in the PSL have suggested a player at the very height of his considerable powers, still lively, still with great control of the ball and with many variations of grip and pace. He will need to be nursed, as the leap from four overs in two spells in T20 to twenty overs a day in four-day cricket is considerable. He will put a few on the gate, because the shouts of 'AMIR, AMIR' from the stands of the PSL have confirmed he is still box office, but I suspect we will see limited four-day appearances, his powder largely being kept dry for the Blast...

Blair Tickner will arrive from New Zealand as an international bowler, albeit one who has snuck under the radar. He looks to be lively in pace and crucially appears to bowl a length that may do well in this country. The county has engaged Kiwi quicks with mixed success in recent years and time will show if Tickner can be one of the more memorable, but he has a reputation to build and a good summer here will push him up the list back home, when international squads are being chosen.

The supporting cast of seamers is good. Zak Chappell made a good impression last year and will want to build on his success, while Sam Conners has the chance to push himself into contention among England possibilities. If Sam can cut out the too-frequent four balls that sometimes ruin his figures, he has the ability to produce the special that could take him to the next level. 

Pat Brown has arrived from Worcestershire and while T20 will be his forte, he could be used as a strike bowler in the longer form. He wanted greater opportunity and will get it, even if the variations that make him such a canny short form adversary may need to be tempered down to build pressure in the championship. 

We may not see the considerable talents of Ben Aitchison until perhaps May or June and must hope that he recovers fully from back surgery in the winter. It is a big year for him, the last of his current deal and we must hope that he doesn't need to change his action with a consequential reduction of effectiveness. Similarly with Nick Potts, another in the final year of his contract and needing to prove that he can do at first-class level what he has so far managed through the age groups. County cricket is littered with those who showed early promise then faded away and we must hope that 'one of our own' comes through in the summer ahead.

Spin bowling looks to have less depth, with only Alex Thomson officially on the staff for the four-day game. He did well last year and the arrival of Samit Patel is unlikely to reduce his opportunity, though a rumoured loan spinner might offer required competition. I can't see many games where we play two spinners, though three seam bowling all rounders (Dal, Reece and Lloyd) in the likely first choice side offers a chance for a more varied attack if required.

The batting should take care of itself. As the season ended last year, Luis Reece and Harry Came recreated the halcyon days of Barnett and Bowler up top and it is unlikely that they will be displaced in the four-day game. Whether David Lloyd or Brooke Guest goes in at three will be interesting to see, both capable of fulfilling the requirements of the role. The former, keen to make an impression, will likely want to lead from the front.

The evergreen Wayne Madsen will still be a comforting sight in the middle order, whether at four or five. The winter hasn't suggested his considerable powers are yet on the wane and he will remain one of the safest slips and most sage of counsels for Lloyd. His time at Derbyshire has been memorable and almost as long-standing as this blog. May he continue for a few more summers yet..

Aneurin Donald and Matt Lamb will compete with Ross Whiteley and Mitch Wagstaff for other middle order places. Donald has all the shots but has suffered in the past with a desire to play them too early or too often. He will be a huge asset in the Blast (more on that later in the summer) but can offer real impetus in the four-day game. He also offers quality back up to Guest with the gloves and will undoubtedly entertain. 

Lamb was unlucky last season with injury.  When he could play he still looked in discomfort and it wasn't conducive to his showing his best form. There was sufficient evidence in a fine innings at Chester-le-Street and a match-winning one at Northampton to suggest he has plenty to offer and that middle order battle will be worth a watch. 

Wagstaff made good impressions last year and in other times would have walked into this side. He will have to force entry, however, but his leg spin variant might see opportunity come knocking as the summer progresses. Between times he will need to get runs in the bank at league and second team level and be ready when the time comes.

Meanwhile Whiteley returns, one of the prodigal sons of 2012, with a reputation as a T20 biffer which has subsumed his ability in longer forms. I recall watching Ross in second team cricket years ago, when he looked a talented left arm bowler who could bat a bit. The bowling is less frequently seen these days but it is still a viable option, even if his greater value may well be seen in one-day cricket, where he has one of the best pair of hands on the circuit, besides an ability to hit a long ball that could be vital.

Anuj Dal will remain a key component of the side with bat and ball, a wristy accumulator and steady stock bowler. His emergence in recent seasons has been one of the joys of Derbyshire watching and there is no reason to think it will not continue. As well as being one of the best cover points in the game, he shows constant enjoyment of his lot in life and is an engaging and articulate 'face' of the club off the field.

Brooke Guest will continue his role as an outstanding wicket-keeper/batsman and will keep the field on its toes, while offering stylish runs wherever he bats. Like Dal and Luis Reece, it is a joy to watch players who take such obvious enjoyment in their work and I expect that to continue this summer.

David Lloyd will skipper the side with common sense and expected flair and Mickey Arthur has chosen well in recruiting the former Glamorgan man. Critics will point to his batting average and suggest it should be better, but I have a feeling that his best days lie ahead and his probing medium pace is another string to his bow that I hope he will not be reluctant to utilise.

I haven't mentioned Samit Patel as I see him unlikely to play four-day cricket, unless at Chesterfield in July. Yet his experience will be important and such a reputation will be invaluable for the others in that dressing room. When the Blast commences his nous and skills will be crucial to our prospects.

Forecast?  In March, everyone fancies themselves for a promotion shot, but several have blown that possibility by the middle of May. There is the talent in that dressing room and if people stay fit and the rain clouds stay away, Derbyshire might just surprise people this year. On paper, it is our strongest, most competitive squad for many a year.

Mickey Arthur now has HIS squad. 

What he does with it should be compelling viewing.

Friday 15 March 2024

Weekend warmer

Well, that was a busy couple of days! I made a few updates to the blog and moved a few things around, then in changing the colour scheme succeeded in totally messing up the format. 

After trying a few options, I am quite happy with the more vibrant blue we now have and hopefully it meets with your approval too! 

The 'donate' button is now amended so it doesn't look as though I'm seeking sponsorship for the blog through that. It isn't compulsory, but any donations, no matter how small, throughout the season are much appreciated.

I managed to get it all sorted this afternoon, just in time to watch a Mohammad Amir masterclass of bowling for Quetta. Sadly, a fragile batting lineup never looked likely to challenge the total set and despite our new strike bowler's excellent 2-20 in his four overs, he was trumped by the excellent Imad Wasim, who had figures of 3 for 12 in his four-over allocation to rip the Quetta batting asunder.

The Derbyshire players are getting put through their paces at the pre-season training camp. I hope that they are enjoying the sun on their backs, because the forecast between now and the end of the month is pretty awful. I would be surprised if there were many grounds fit for cricket before mid-April, even if I am basing that assertion on our own grass, which is something akin to walking on jelly at the moment.

Finally tonight, I realised in getting my laptop out of storage (I usually blog on my phone, but changing layouts is easier on the bigger screen) that the blog is fast closing in on four million views. Thank you so much to everyone who checks in on a regular basis, I really do appreciate your support.

Have a lovely weekend. I look forward to catching up with everyone in the very near future!

Wednesday 13 March 2024

Spinner coming in on loan?

There was an interesting article from The Cricketer today, albeit behind a paywall, written by Nick Friend.

Although primarily a piece on David Lloyd, it said: 

'The Cricketer understands that a spinner is likely to join on a loan deal, though that player is not believed to be Shoaib Bashir.'

Hmm...so who?

I tossed a few names around with a friend today and perhaps the most likely - this is only a guess - would be Jack Morley of Lancashire.

He broke through into the red rose county's first team last season, where he did pretty well. Yet his chances of playing first team cricket this year would appear to be very limited, with Nathan Lyon signed as an overseas player for the season and England winter star Tom Hartley also looking for game time. 

Morley will be 23 in June and I believe his contract at Lancashire is up at the end of the season. The chance for him to work with Samit Patel would be an exciting one, while Derbyshire have good links with his county. Our former wicket keeper Karl Krikken is performance manager there and we have already seen Luis Reece, Brooke Guest and Ben Aitchison make the move south to good effect.

Mickey Arthur is on record as saying he likes a slow left arm bowler and from a logistical perspective, it would make sense for the young man. More so, for example, than a move for Amar Virdi at Surrey. Dom Bess would be another option, presumably down the pecking order at Yorkshire after the signing of Dan Moriarty, but he would be a like for like with Alex Thomson, which wouldn't make a lot of sense, after the latter signed a new two-year deal at the end of last season.

I daresay we will know who it is soon enough. How much cricket either Thomson or AN Other might get is a moot point, especially in the early weeks when seam is normally king. But with Patel unlikely to play four day cricket, having an additional option would be handy, while later in the year, having two spinning specialists would be much appreciated, further adding to the competition for places that Arthur wants at the club.

Thoughts? Anyone else potentially in the frame?

At this stage we know nothing about timescales, but it would seem strange to take a spinner on loan for the first few weeks of the summer only. 

Perhaps a season-long loan would work very nicely for all parties...

Sunday 10 March 2024

Weekend warmer

There have been some really good matches in the PSL this weekend, with matches going down to the very last ball.

They highlighted, in fact, that teams are rarely out of games if they keep wickets in hand for a final run chase. 

Today I enjoyed, once again, control of Mohammad Amir on a good batting pitch in one game, while in the other Imad Wasim, who I have mentioned several times over the winter, hit a six and four from the last two deliveries to win a game for his side from nowhere.

Illustrating that 20 over cricket is not a lot of fun for bowlers, Shaheen Afridi was blasted over square by Mohammad Wasim Jr from the last ball, when the batter went right back on to his stumps to allow himself the leverage against a very good bowler. The margins for error are very small and sometimes there doesn't even need to be a mistake for the ball to disappear to distant parts.

The PSL remains my favourite overseas competition, even if the commentary at times can be somewhat manic. Dominic Cork still shines like a beacon with his informed comments and humour, but the cricket has been of such a high standard that it speaks for itself.

Anyway, in a quiet week for Derbyshire cricket, we are another one closer to the domestic season. The players will soon be on their way overseas for the preseason camp, then it will be back for the friendlies.

Walking round our village today, with a fleece underneath a long padded jacket, a warm hat and gloves on while walking the dogs, it seemed hard to believe the action is only two weeks away..

Sunday 3 March 2024

The season approaches!

Having made it through the frozen wastes of winter, we are now at that heady time of year when we can say the cricket starts later this month!

There are interviews a-plenty around the web and it has been interesting piecing together what still needs to happen from those interviews.

It would appear that Blair Tickner has been signed primarily for 4 day cricket, with Mohammad Amir likely to play up to five of those matches, but primarily being signed for the Vitality Blast. A spinner keeps being mentioned and I still feel it is likely we will see a spin bowling all rounder come in for the latter competition.

Why? Because Mickey Arthur mentioned having a strong top eight in the likely Derbyshire side. If Samit Patel is at eight, then nine, ten, jack look like being Chappell, Brown and Amir. That is fine, but would then leave the fifth bowler between Lloyd, Reece and Whiteley. I could see David Lloyd doing a Stephen Mullaney job for us, but more likely is a spinner who can bat.

I still think Imad Wasim a likely target, but Dave below the last piece noted a few other decent options that are out there. We know he won't be playing for Pakistan and I am sure several counties are looking at him, if his global T20 commitments don't rule him out of the equation altogether.

There was a scare for Tickner in the game just finished for Central Districts, when he had to retire from the game after being struck on the head while batting. He should be okay after a week's rest though and his compensation is having made a career-highest score.

More worrying for Leicestershire fans is the latest concussion sustained by Will Pucovski, one of their overseas choices for this season. It was pretty horrific to watch and is the 12th time the young Australian bat has sustained such an injury. One wonders how long he can continue to put himself through that, with Harvey Hosein a local reference for how it can affect a player.

Pucovski has referenced challenges that he has faced with his mental health since the first blow at the age of 16 and I worry for his future in perhaps ten or twenty years time. I am not sure I would take the risk of signing him, regardless of his undoubted ability. Short balls are on obvious challenge for him and he will keep getting them. The one today wasn't that short, but he ducked into it, taking his eye off it completely.

Fingers crossed he is okay.

Finally, returning to Derbyshire, two pre-season matches have been announced. We will host the South Asian Cricket Academy in a three-day fixture, starting on Tuesday 26 March, before facing Leeds/Bradford UCCE at The County Ground from Sunday 31 March to Tuesday 2 April.

Twenty-three days! Admission to the ground will be possible for both fixtures, although the warmth of one's living room and the announcement of a stream for both games might make it more preferable viewing on this occasion..

More from me soon.

Friday 23 February 2024

Thoughts on the Tickner deal

Blair Tickner might not have been on many people's shortlists when names were being mentioned for the second overseas role, but he looks to be just the sort of bowler we need.

6'4, capable of bowling around 90mph and getting a lot of bounce, he should fit in well with a Derbyshire attack that isn't exactly vertically challenged. The wickets in New Zealand are fairly similar to those here and I would like to think that Tickner, who is closing in on 450 career wickets, will be an awkward proposition in early season.

There are a lot of excellent quick bowlers in New Zealand and for him to have reached international level in such company is a good effort. The highlights reels I have seen today suggest a wholehearted bowler who will quickly become a fan favourite. Supporters will always get behind a player who is giving his all and that appears to be his modus operandi.

As I mentioned earlier, I am unsure how many times he will share a new ball with Mohammad Amir, but I suspect opposition opening bats will not rejoice if they see both names on a team sheet.

My thoughts now are that he will take his place in the side for the season opener. I suspect that we will break Amir in gently and, for what it is worth, I would go with the following side to start our summer:

Reece
Came
Lloyd
Madsen
Guest
Lamb
Donald
Dal
Chappell
Conners
Tickner

That side has good depth in batting, not to mention six seam bowlers. I doubt we will need a spin option at that stage of the summer, but I would not be surprised were Tickner to be replaced by an overseas spinner for the second half of the season.

So what do you think? The side that starts 2024 is considerably different to the 2023 model

When one looks at who is outside of it, you realise how strong a squad it is.

I will draw short of saying happy days are here again. 

But with the talent in that squad, they really should be...


Tickner signs on for overseas role

So now we know the identity of our second overseas star  for 2024 -  experienced New Zealand international Blair Tickner

On the face of it an interesting and solid signing and I will give my thoughts a little later, as today is a busy one. As I mentioned to a friend earlier, I became increasingly of the opinion that it would not be a Pakistani bowler in recent days - less an insight or tip off than a hunch, especially when I heard the announcement would be today.

An experienced red ball bowler who has white ball experience, the signing makes a lot of sense. He will be available for nine four-day and eight Blast games.

Whether we will see him open the bowling alongside Mohammad Amir in four-day cricket is a moot point, with the latter apparently available for up to five four-day matches, as well as the Vitality Blast. A return to the old Kim Barnett rotation methods would be welcome and make a lot of sense.

More from me later

Monday 19 February 2024

Chappell signs deal extension

Excellent news from the Incora County Ground today, as it is announced that Zak Chappell has extended his current deal until the end of the 2026 season 

He had an excellent first season with Derbyshire last year, taking 24 wickets at 36 in ten first-class appearances and a record-breaking 26 wickets in fourteen T20 Blast appearances. He also contributed useful runs down the order and showed himself to have a safe pair of hands in the field.

It was good to see him refer to an area where he - and others - can improve this summer, by improving the economy rate. At times we gave away additional runs with a loose ball an over, which lessened the pressure being applied to batters at one end, often by Anuj Dal. 

As well as all of the new signings over the course of the winter, it has been especially heartening to see the core of a strong established staff have extended their deals.

Everything is very encouraging right now, with one more piece of the jigsaw - the filling of the other overseas role - to go.

Like a few of you I watched the opening weekend of the PSL and there were some excellent games, admittedly on wickets that largely favoured batters. Mohammad Amir looked the class act we know he is yesterday, bowling his four overs for just 29 runs in a run-fest. Equally impressive were two players I have mentioned previously , Mohammad Wasim Junior and Abrar Ahmed. It is unlikely to be this season, but I fully expect both to be picking up county deals in this country before too long.

Less than fifty days to go...

Monday 12 February 2024

Skippers announced

There is no real surprise in the announcement of Derbyshire's captains for 2024, but today's news, with the sun shining around the country, makes the season seem that little bit closer.

David Lloyd will be the club captain for red ball cricket, while Samit Patel will skipper the side in the white ball formats.

As I have written as recently as yesterday, both were expected. Brooke Guest will have been considered and would have been a sound option, but Lloyd was a solid skipper of Glamorgan before coming to the Incora County Ground and Patel has unrivalled experience of the T20 around the globe.

Like all of you, I am looking forward to seeing what they bring to their respective roles. Lloyd promises aggressive cricket and pushing for results, which is the only way to gain promotion, of course. 

With a squad that has plenty of batters who can score quickly and a world-class bowler in Mohammad Amir, the second overseas role, together with pitches that offer something for bowlers, will go a long way towards that.

The work will continue behind the scenes. Things look good, but the acid test will be when they get out on to the grass, of course.

Sunday 11 February 2024

Guest shines - and a little story...

Time for a little story..

Derbyshire has a talented young player on the staff. He's played age group cricket for his country and made the first team at a rate commensurate with his perceived ability.

His first season sees an encouraging 750 runs scored with four fifties in 36 knocks. An average of 25 is OK; nothing special but reasonable for a young player. In his second summer 21 innings sees him average only 17, with a highest score of 69. Just 362 runs. There are a few concerned eyebrows being raised, as the lad continually gets out the same way, often nicking to the slip cordon as he plays away from his body. "Too flash" say the critics, who, as always, are sharpening - if not knives - at least their pencils.

Season three? Not much better. 443 runs in 23 innings, an average of 23, a highest of 67. Three seasons of first-class cricket sees an average of 21 from eighty knocks and while the next sees a maiden century and the average creep just north of 30, another 24 innings sees one more but little else.

The player has a career record of 2100 runs from 105 innings and an average of 24. That's less than Billy Godleman (3693 runs from 132 innings at 29) Chesney Hughes (2060 runs at 35 from 61 innings) Dan Redfern (3193 runs from 112 innings at 30) Ross Whiteley (1225 runs at 28 from 50 innings) or Paul Borrington (1544 runs from 64 innings at 27).

Yet we persist and from there the young player takes off and becomes one of our greatest players.

His name is Kim Barnett.

Proof that some players take time to become established in the county game. Others take to it like a duck to water. But sadly, not everyone is granted the extended opportunity given to Barnett by a sage coach, who could clearly see the talent within.

The demands of first class cricket are strong. You may have all the talent in the world, but the realisation that you are now playing for money - and your reputation and career rests on regular performance - is not something that everyone can handle. Nor the constant testing of mental and physical toughness by senior players who want to stay just that.

For every Kim Barnett there have been plenty who fell by the wayside, for whatever reason. Chris Armishaw, Alan Morris, Pete Burgoyne, Ben Spendlove, Tom Knight, Ben Cotton - there are plenty of other examples of players who looked to have real talent but didn't quite get there.

That is why, regardless of how we do this year, I hope the youngsters emerging from our Academy will be given opportunity to first get into the side, then a chance to shine.

Harry Moore and Yousaf Bin Naeem are in the vanguard and it would be grand to see future county elevens thrive on the feats of our own product. 

So keep an eye on the second team games, whose fixtures were announced in the past week, as well as the performances of the Pathway.

Maybe the next Barnett is just awaiting his turn...

Finally today, it was good to see Brooke Guest selected for the Comilla Victorians in the Bangladesh Premier League and rewarding them with a fine performance on his debut.

Brooke took a catch and conceded no byes, before a breezy 34 at a run a ball helped his side to a win.

Something to look out for. I still think the genial wicket keeper is a likely skipper for at least one format this summer, possibly more. That should be announced soon, with David Lloyd, my guess for 4 day cricket and Samit Patel a decent shout. for T20. 

But Brooke would be a good option too and it would come as no real surprise to me.

Watch this space!

Sunday 4 February 2024

February Weekend Warmer

For those who, like me, are getting excited at the thought of the forthcoming cricket season, the weekend has given several reasons to do so.

We have seen Wayne Madsen, crazily overlooked by the Johannesburg Super Kings, make an important, unbeaten 44 from 29 balls to help them win only their third match of ten, while chasing 204 to win against the Durban Super Giants (no modesty in these names, eh?!)

Then Samit Patel followed a breezy 32 by taking 0-8 in 3 overs in one match, with 2-14 in a second as his team, the Sylhet Strikers, won both of them in the Bangladesh Premier League.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Amir continued an outstanding winter with successive figures of 3-34 and 2-29 for the Desert Vipers in the ILT20 in Abu Dhabi.

When you also consider that the likes of Ross Whitely, Nye Donald, David Lloyd, Luis Reece, Zak Chappell and Brooke Guest will be in the Derbyshire T20 side this summer, we should see some very large crowds and more than our fair share of wins in 2024. It really promises to be special and if those named above live up to their reputations, we should have no reasons for complaint.

I don't think it will be too long before we hear Mickey Arthur's plans for the second overseas role. Will he split it, or has he found someone who would be an asset in all forms, like Mohammad Amir?

Someone I mentioned a few weeks back, who I would love for the T20 was Imad Wasim, now retired from the international game. In the past few days he became only the fifth Pakistan player to go past 300 wickets in the short format.

Interestingly, three of the others have played for Derbyshire. Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir and Shahid Afridi are the players in question, the other being Sohail Tanvir. It is thus fair to say that country has been a fine source of overseas talent for the county.

More from me in the course of the next week. Who knows, perhaps the next piece I write is about that crucial second overseas role...

Monday 29 January 2024

Weekend Warmer

We are nearly at the end of January and you know what that means? 

Later this week we will be able to say that the county cricket season starts next month! Only just, with the start of the three-day friendly against Leeds MCCU on the last day of March, but we are looking at small wins here. Hopefully a prelude to some big ones when the action starts..

England gained a quite remarkable win in the Test match, thanks to an extraordinary innings by Ollie Pope and a second innings seven-wicket haul by Tom Hartley. I have to admit that nothing I had seen of the Lancashire spinner suggested he was going to win a Test match anytime soon, but fair play to the lad, he came back from a first innings mauling to be the hero of the hour.

Forty-two wickets in his previous twenty first-class matches didn't suggest he was the new Hedley Verity, but he showed remarkable mental fortitude in rising to the occasion and outbowling established counterparts in the Indian side.

But what do we expect of spinners? If there is a pitch in this country that shows a degree of turn before the last day, pitch inspectors head in. Most get marginally more opportunity than I do and we have selected three for the tour who don't yet have one hundred first class wickets between them. The days of the specialist spinner are long gone and they generally need to be decent batters to get a game at most counties 

You don't generally become fully-skilled at the spinning art in your youth. No greater authority than Edwin Smith told me that he didn't regard himself as the finished article until he reached 30, by which time most modern equivalents have been consigned to the scrapheap, or are only playing a few first-class games at the end of the summer. 

I suspect that there are plenty more twists and turns in the series but India will not have expected Messrs Ashwin and Jadeja to be outbowled by a young lad from Ormskirk...

Moving on, my post about my FAVOURITE Derbyshire eleven produced a bumper mail bag and plenty of comments. I must stress again that it wasn't my greatest Derbyshire eleven, which would be really difficult to do.

How do you compare someone like Arnold Hamer and, say, Peter Bowler? The averages suggest the latter a far superior player, but the former played on uncovered wickets, where batting was a lottery if it rained. Contemporaries said he was a brilliant player against all bowling and often  didn't have a lot of support. 

Similarly, how do you compare Les Townsend and Geoff Miller? Many of us saw Geoff, loved and rightly respected him, but none of us saw Les and his batting and bowling averages were better. Geoff scored 2 hundreds and 72 fifties, to go with 888 wickets at 28, while  Les scored 22 centuries and 102 fifties, as well as over a thousand wickets at 21 each. 

Was Mike Hendrick, as an example, better than William Mycroft? The latter took 863 wickets at just 12 runs each! Granted at a time when the game was vastly different to today, but he dominated in his era and none can do more than that. George Davidson must have been another terrific cricketer, with the figures he produced, yet how does he compare with George Pope, Derek Morgan or Dominic Cork as an all rounder? How do you compare the runs made by batters against the plethora of quick bowlers in the 70s and 80s against those made today? Kim Barnett and Wayne Madsen are probably the two finest batters in our history, yet the conditions in which they made their runs - and the bowlers they faced - are very different.

I don't pay too much attention to social media 'greatest' elevens, because they are heavily weighted in favour of those, understandably, who have been seen. If you follow football, you would think the game didn't matter before the advent of the Premier League. Yet if I chose my favourite eleven most people in it would pre-date that. Was Steve Bloomer better than Kevin Hector, or Bobby Davison? In his era he was a giant of the game and his legend lives on, but most voters in such a poll would likely vote for Chris Martin...

If everyone who reads this submitted a 'greatest' Derbyshire eleven, I would reckon no two would be the same. 

Especially when the format would need to be clarified! 

Wednesday 24 January 2024

My favourite eleven

At the end of last season, I was asked if over the winter I could turn my thoughts to an eleven, over the time I have spent watching Derbyshire, who I really enjoyed watching. Not necessarily the best players, but personal favourites. 

It has taken me a while, for reasons you know and if I thought about it for too long I would probably change that eleven on a regular basis! But my favourite side (and choosing only two overseas players was a challenge!) is as follows:

1 Kim Barnett

Needs no explanation. Simply the greatest bat the club has ever had, as well as being one of the most entertaining. Skippered the best side I have seen in our colours and always a joy to watch. Handy bowler too and fine fielder.

2 Alan Hill

I have always enjoyed a batter who grafts solidly away at 30-40 a session, presenting a bat as wide as a door. 'Bud' was a definitive example of this. He had the shots, mind, but batted for the team.

3 John Morris

Classy, stylish, powerful and eminently watchable. Didn't stay long enough but he was such a fine bat. If he was in for an hour it was one of the best hours you could wish for.

4 Eddie Barlow

One of my overseas. Also my skipper. Oh, and first change bowler too, as well as opener if we needed one through injury. Magnificent man and cricketer. As a kid I wanted to be him, still idolise the bloke

5 Wayne Madsen

Second best bat I have seen, after Barnett. But it is the way he makes his runs, as well as the sheer volume. Brilliant catcher, one of the nicest guys you could wish to meet and one I will miss considerably, when he eventually calls time on playing

6 Anuj Dal

Love watching him bat and bowl, while he is brilliant in the field. But he always seems to enjoy himself and just edges out Luis Reece in this team. Busy cricketer and another lovely bloke.

7 Fred Swarbrook

Solid, in every sense of the word. Dependable and gritty with the bat, a terrific spinner until he got the 'yips'.  Good pair of hands too. Geoff Miller was a better player, but I loved watching Fred and his commitment to the cause.

8 Michael Holding

Underrated bat, wonderfully quick bowler with all the skills. A safe counsel for Barnett and Eddie Barlow would love such a weapon in his attack. A genuine great of the game

9 Bob Taylor

Worth the admission money, just to watch him take the ball. I feel sorry for very good keepers since, because the standard he set, day in, day out, was astonishing. Another lovely man, but what a player!

10 Alan Ward

When he was on song, was fit and full of confidence, he was a joy to behold. That long back, high action and follow through. There were a few didn't fancy getting in line against him and he was an awesome sight in full flow.

11 Mike Hendrick

Not especially quick, but wonderfully accurate. On his day he could be unplayable and I saw him tie Geoff Boycott in knots at Chesterfield before dismissing him, one evening. Not many could do that. Excellent fielder too, when not all seamers were..

Others bubble under. I liked Bruce Roberts, Ashley Harvey-Walker, Matt Critchley, Chris Wilkins, Mohammad Azharuddin, Dean Jones, Ian Bishop, Tony Borrington... There are many more, but that eleven above gave me great pleasure over the years.

I would give good money to see them walk on a pitch and play together!

And if anyone else fancies a go, by all means let me know...

Thursday 18 January 2024

Big news day!

So today is one of two momentous pieces of news.

The first is that it has now been confirmed that Mickey Arthur has left his role in Pakistan and will from now on be focusing all of his attention on Derbyshire. I think that we can all be grateful for that and I am hopeful that the season ahead of us will be where his work thus far comes to fruition, certainly in terms of sustained levels of performance.

According to The Cricketer, his contract with Derbyshire is for another 3 years, whereas  I (and Dean who sent me the link, thanks mate!) thought it was for two. I can only assume there is an optional extra year and that will be very much dependent on results in the intervening period.

What impact it has on any plans for our second overseas role I don't know. I guess the obvious one is that he will not know so quickly who is excluded from their World Cup plans, but I am certain he will have several irons in the fire and one of them will come through in due course.

The second piece of news? Probably more personal, but I will be retiring on June 19. I have brought it forward from the end of September, but I have worked long enough and I have to admit retiring with a summer ahead of me holds considerable appeal.

Especially when that retirement allows me to fulfil a long standing desire to attend the Chesterfield Cricket Festival - or at least the Yorkshire four-day game part of it.

So at the same time as completing the paperwork for work, my hotel is booked and all I need now is for the weather to be kind and, of course, Derbyshire to produce a good performance!

Hopefully I will see plenty of old and new friends on that trip. I'm not sure how many times I will be able to do that now, but this is something I have wanted to do for some time. Since I like Chesterfield as a town, there will be plenty to keep me occupied even if the weather is less favourable!

Looks like I will be keeping my fingers crossed for some time...

Sunday 14 January 2024

Weekend warmer

I watched a little of the South African T20 this week and was astonished to see that Wayne Madsen had been omitted from the opening game for the Johannesburg Super Kings. An oxymoron if there ever was.. 

Now it may be that I missed news of him picking up an injury, but their fielding against MI Cape Town was almost as bad as the bowling. Chances of regulation standard at that level were missed (although Faf du Plessis held a blinder) while the ground fielding was very inconsistent. For that alone Wayne should have been in the side, as he has always been very reliable. Their opponents rattled up a not inconsiderable 243-5, with Ryan Rickelton and Robbie Van Der Dussen added 200 for the first wicket, against bowling that strived for line and length and managed neither. Only Lizaad Williams emerged with any bowling credit in a poor display.

Leus du Plooy made a breezy 48 from 24 balls, but Joburg were hammered out of sight on a small ground where the ball flew to all parts.

Speaking of Leus, I wonder if he has had any second thoughts about his move to Middlesex? This week came news that they cannot afford an overseas player this summer, so the high profile signings of du Plooy and Henry Brookes are it. While last year's signings were poor, they could do with some additional input to offset the loss of John Simpson and Tim Murtagh and it is hard to see anything other than a summer of toil ahead.

I also followed (but didn't watch) Pakistan against New Zealand and they have been outclassed. I don't think a muddled selection policy helps them and it appears the dressing room must have a revolving door, so frequent are the changes of personnel. With the selection of the bulky Azam Khan they are on their third wicket keeper of the winter, while I am unsure of the merit in batting one of world cricket's most destructive openers, Fakhar Zaman, at number four. It reminded me of our attempt last year to turn Haider Ali into an opener, which didn't work and rarely looked like doing so.

Thanks to Dean for forwarding me a link to the interview of Mickey Arthur in the Wisden Cricket magazine. It was interesting and gave an interesting insight to the processes in Pakistan, which don't always make sense. I am looking forward to the announcement of their T20 World Cup squad, as recent selections suggest their might be suprise omissions, which could benefit Derbyshire, of course.

Finally today I was pleased to see Grant Bradburn get an opportunity at Glamorgan, leaving Pakistan behind as Arthur himself has done. 

The Kiwi is an excellent coach and I think he will do well in Wales.

As long as it isn't against us, that's fine...

Tuesday 9 January 2024

Ben Smith in as new batting coach


It is a sure sign of one's own advancing years when the newly announced batting coach for your club is remembered as a talented young bat in his own right!

So it is with Ben Smith, who was a very good county bat over a couple of decades for first Leicestershire and then Worcestershire. Forty first class centuries and a hundred half centuries confirm what was a considerable talent and he was often considered to be on the edge of international recognition, without quite getting there. 

But a first class average of just under 40 confirms that he could play alright and he has been announced as the new full time batting coach for Derbyshire, replacing Ian Bell. The latter's many commitments meant he could only do the job part time and, as Mickey Arthur has mentioned, the job needs to be done on a full-time basis.

He brings considerable experience, having held similar roles at his previous counties, as well as Worcestershire, Ireland and currently the Central Stags in New Zealand.

At 51 he has a wealth of experience and this could prove to be a very astute piece of work by Mickey Arthur.

He will take up his role at the end of February and I am sure that you will all join me in wishing him well.

Friday 5 January 2024

Weekend warmer

It has been nice to get back to a semblance of normality in the last few days and catch up with my messages and my mail bag.

A couple of people asked if I thought that Mickey Arthur might be interested in Aamir Jamal, who has done so well for Pakistan in the series against Australia. 

While his team has struggled, Aamir followed an innings of 82 that featured some remarkable shots with 6-69 as his side took an unlikely first innings lead. More anaemic batting will probably see them whitewashed, however, although Aamir and Rizwan, the two main scorers first time around, will need to replicate their brilliance to give them any chance.

So to answer the question, yes, he will have taken note of the performance but will already be aware of what the player brings to the table. I think it is unlikely he will be in their squad for the T20 World Cup, as he is a little slower than many alternatives and goes at ten an over in his short form career so far. He could be a good asset in the four day game, lengthening the batting, zipping it around and worth an enquiry, perhaps. But there are plenty in that country and I am sure that the Head of Cricket has various irons in the fire depending on the eventual squad selection.

Mind you, Amir and Aamir would keep the proof-readers on their toes...

I still think he will split that second role and have a seamer for the four-day games and an all rounder for the Vitality Blast. 

Speaking of which, I have also been asked if I think there will be any interest in Josh Cobb, who it has finally been announced is leaving Northamptonshire. Cobb seemed to be on his way in the second half of last season, so no doubt there have been contractual niceties to conclude, before the parting of ways was confirmed.

There was a time when I would have grabbed the opportunity with both hands. He has been a long- time thorn in Derbyshire sides over the years, both with Leicestershire and Northamptonshire. 

However, after the winter of recruitment, I can't see how he would improve on what is already there. He is a powerful bat and a useful spinner, while he also has a good pair of hands in the field, even though weight fluctuations can impact on his mobility.

I'm not sure he brings anything different to the squad and in itself that is a favourable comment on how well Mickey Arthur has recruited this year. I cannot think there is money remaining in the budget anyway and our need for a second quality overseas player is greater with what budget is left.

I said a few months back that Mickey had recruited shrewdly in signing Mohammad Amir, as he knows he will be available for the start of the season through to the end of the Blast. That can't be said about too many players and it is interesting that counties have moved for those who they know they can safely recruit. Northamptonshire themselves look set to sign Sikander Raza from Zimbabwe, who won't be at the T20 World Cup, while Worcestershire have  signed Kiwi bowling all-rounder Nathan Smith to go with Usama Mir, who they must feel is far enough down the Pakistan pecking order to be a safe recruit.

There are still plenty of positions to be filled around the country and the next couple of months look likely to be busy. 

I am intrigued as to who Derbyshire will end up with and I think the signing will be crucial to our hopes of a much improved season.

I expected to do better anyway, but the right import could make it very special indeed...

Sunday 31 December 2023

Happy New Year

I just wanted to come on here, prior to the New Year, to wish everyone the very best for 2024.

Normal service will be resumed on the blog next week, with a weekly roundup of any news that catches my eye.

I hope that you all enjoyed the festive period and I suspect we will be enjoying the cricket season more than many in the recent past.

With less than 100 days to go now and the days gradually getting longer, I cannot wait!

See you all next week.. and thank you for your understanding over recent events.

Tuesday 19 December 2023

Two books sorted!

If Paul Fitzpatrick could now get in touch with his choice of Gideon Haigh on the Ashes or the Mike Smith book, that would be grand. I also need your address, Paul. 

I will then send the other one to Brian Birtles if you could remind me of your address please, Brian.

Hoping to get these away in the post asap!

Thank you to all those who have made donations. Your support is much appreciated.