A couple of names are being bandied about on the Forum for next season. How much truth there is in them I don't know, but they're worthy of comment.
One is Hamish "Oi'm Oirish" Marshall, the other Danish Kaneria.
Marshall for me would be a no. Yes, he was a decent player for New Zealand, but 346 runs at 25 this season is hardly something to write home about. At 33 next summer I doubt he will get better and I don't see many takers for him at what would probably be a high salary.
Kaneria? I've mixed views on that one. If Derbyshire's wickets remain the same next summer, dry and dusty, he would take a barrow load, enjoying conditions as other spinners have this year. His experience would also be invaluable for Tom Knight and Peter Burgoyne, young lads who could do with a role model to work with as they learn their craft. He could also be the missing link in the side, one with plenty of talented seam options but no experienced spinner.
On the flip side, he and Knight would be unlikely to play in the same team, unless in one day games although Knight could be at University for the first half of the summer anyway. Burgoyne, a fine fielder and potential all-rounder, could get in the side anyway and I'm unsure as to whether he will be first team material for a couple of seasons.
If we did sign Kaneria - and I stress this is only conjecture - you may as well say goodbye to Jake Needham. I can't see Jake displacing the mercurial Pakistani, although his skills might help Jake with his season-long travails.
To be fair though, given he is essentially persona non grata with the Pakistan selectors (at least for this week...) you really couldn't say no. Nearly a thousand first class wickets, 65 times taking five in an innings. 261 Test wickets, with fifteen five-fors. The man is a class act and unless the Pakistan selectors change their minds about him, is likely to be available for the whole season, a precious commodity.
Is our greatest need for a bowler or a batsman in 2012 though? I'd be keen to see your thoughts on that, so I've brought back a poll. Three choices - do we need a batsman, a seamer or a spinner? More to the point, can we find one and afford one with the IPL attracting the top players like flies to a cowpat.
Look forward to your votes on that one...
I must admit,i would prefer a batsman in an ideal world,but Kaneria would be a good signing. Almost good enough to use the dreaded "landmark" word.
ReplyDeleteWe have lacked a quality spinner for long enough and whilst i agree with your assessment of Knight,Burgoyne and indeed Needham,signing Kaneria would be too good an opportunity to miss.
I don,t think Needham will make the grade.It,s sad but that,s life and sympathy is unlikely to change anything. Knight and Burgoyne will,im sure,prove valuable assets in the future but we all have to live in the here and now. A year or two of Kaneria would be no bad thing and like you say Peakfan,would only benefit those around him.
We still need a thousand runs a season batsman,but maybe we can source that from within the UK. As i,ve said before,we have some promising youngsters but they need a few good senior figures to show them the way. Whether in cricket,football,rugby or any other sport,young players rarely improve a poor team,but they often compliment a good one.
Taking care with how I phrase this, but are we forgetting the spot-fixing allegations and the fact that the aftermath is still finding its way through Pakistan's courts? On the face of it, there may not have been the evidence to charge him in this country, but neither is there the evidence to clear him in Pakistan's eyes. Yes, of course you can presume that there is no more to this than Pakistan cricket politics, but for my part, I don't want us to have anything to do with a player who remains tarnished even by the sullied standard of Pakistani cricket.
ReplyDeleteOn Smith, second highest scorer today and a run out, second highest run-scorer in the season, batting average higher than his bowling average so a genuine all-rounder. Perhaps that's what Krikken sees? His value is unmistakeable even if his form is indifferent at the moment and his inconsistency frustrates. The only question for me would be whether the club's valuation of him eventually matches his own. If it does, I'd suggest that he could be our thousand runs a year man, and with a bowling record that isn't much worse than Kaneria for Essex in 2010 - 25 at 35 with a best of 4-63 compared to 23 at 33 with a best of 4-51.
I can only think that there is a good chance of Smith being at the county next year with his continued selection. Maybe, as you say, there has been a realisation that there are not a barrel-load of offers on the table and that there may be room for an agreement further along the line?
ReplyDeleteI think danish would be a great signing, it would be a good leaner cerb for our young spinners as well.
ReplyDeletepaul
You are a wind up merchant Notoveryet. I love it when you,re joking. I think the clubs valuation of Smith is nil so it would seem the two parties are a fair distance apart. Why don,t you start a whip round to make up the difference?. Im sure with a bit of effort and alot of luck,you may even find someone who wishes to contribute. Forget Peakfan,coz he,s on my side.
ReplyDeleteOne other thing Notoveryet,i suggest you start with Krikken!.
ReplyDeleteI doubt if there's any closing of the gap to be done if Smith indeed doesn't have any other offers. As long as pride doesn't lead to noses being cut off to spite faces on either side, beggars can't be choosers. If Smith can't find any other takers, he'll have to compromise or go. On the other hand, where is Derbyshire going to find someone with his versatility and record, even in a relatively poor season for him. I'll concede that Smith can be let go even if a reasonable deal can be arranged, Marc, if you can suggest a ready made alternative that we are likely to be able to afford.
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