The natives are getting restless...

A week ago we were all getting excited about a possible place in the FP Trophy quarter-finals. Now, all of a sudden we are seeing fans on BBC 606 complain about the standard of recruits and the team. Are their complaints justified?

Well, for those who thought we would sweep the board this year they probably are, but surely there were few who thought we would become world-beaters overnight? Yes, Dean Jones and Les Stillman turned things around dramatically in one winter, but they had a lot better material to work with than John Morris has at his disposal. Jones had Barnett, Cork, Malcolm, De Freitas, Colin Wells, Chris Adams - good players, very very good players all.

Morris has Chris Rogers, Charl Langeveldt and (now) Wavell Hinds. Don't get me wrong, Wagg, Lungley, Clare and others are decent players, but not in that league. Rikki Clarke is a player of great talent but has been hampered by injury and like many all-rounders has struggled when one of his talents has been taken away. Flintoff the all-rounder is a fine player. As a batsman? Hmmm. Likewise Botham, Hadlee, Kapil Dev. I'm not saying Clarke is in that class, but he should be judged on an all round contribution.

I am confident that the knives will at some point be out for Wavell Hinds. Make no mistake, he is a fine player, but he is no Lara, or Chanderpaul. He will average 35-40, not 50, and will make a contribution to some wins, but let's not expect him to transform the side.

Some posters have said we are not as strong as last season, which is nonsense. The side is far more competitive than last year and while individual performances could be better, we have turned a corner. We have swapped an overseas player who averaged 38 only because of one good match against Gloucestershire, for a thoroughly professional, decent and committed man in Chris Rogers. Indeed Travis Birt allegedly caused more grief to bouncers at a Derby nightspot than he did to opposition bowlers and often looked like he didn't want to know. We lost Katich, but in going down to one overseas player it was always likely and he came as a platform to the Australian side, nothing more. It would be churlish to say he was anything but a fine player, but his performances waned as the season progressed.

There will be much more change at Derby. Morris will be speaking to eight players, some of whom may sign, most of whom will be batsmen. I am quite happy with our bowling, especially the seamers who are the equal of any in the country. Nayan Doshi started steadily but has lost his place, although I expect to see him back in the side soon, especially for the 20/20 at which he excels. Who else could we have signed? The only other spinner on the market was Ray Price of Worcestershire, who hardly set the world on fire there.

Likewise John Sadler is no world-beater, but battles more than we ever saw Hassan Adnan do in his last year. He was arguably the worst runner between wickets I've seen in Derbyshire colours, absolutely shocking. Sadler will score runs, I have no doubt, but if we could secure the signature of David Sales or Alex Gidman in the winter - well, we wouldn't say no would we?

Of the players who left in the winter, I feel we will only miss one - Gary Ballance. I think he will be a fine player, but how could we compete with a county who will put him through University? Chris Taylor played some good innings when he first came, but left under a cloud. He has not yet made the Yorkshire team and may not do so. It may be that he is destined to follow the likes of Messrs Rollins, Weston (Rob) and Cassar in leaving for the green grass over the fence and finding that they weren't really up to it.

My message to Derbyshire fans is simple. Keep the peace, be realistic and understand that we have people in charge who are desperate to do well as they are Derby through and through. I'm a huge fan/devotee of the club and its history and there have been few times in the 130 + years when we have been a batting side. This side is Bradmanesque in comparison to others over the years and it will get better. We just need to give Morris time. He is affable, able and persuasive and sets his sights high. We are now able to compete with supposedly bigger names for top, out of contract players. That has NEVER been the case and for that alone I am convinced that good times - maybe even the best ever times - will be here before too long.