Saturday 11 August 2012

If...

I've never been one for counting chickens before they are hatched, to use the old and time-honoured phrase, but there will be more than a few Derbyshire fans out there right now wondering if this is really to be our year.

As always, I will be perfectly honest and say that for us not to go up this summer, as champions, would now be a major disappointment. We control our own destiny, it is as simple as that. Twenty-six points clear and a game in hand on all of our rivals is a position that most sides would love and the truth is that such a position is deserved and the result of some high quality performances.

Winning is a nice habit to have and I got the impression, watching Derbyshire's body language against previously unbeaten Sussex in the week, that they believe in themselves. They have proved their ability against weaker and stronger sides in the division and need only to retain that belief and keep doing the right things over the next twenty days of championship cricket and we will be crossing that finishing line in first place.

Next week's game at Headingley is massive for me. A win there and even the sceptics will be convinced. A draw would do us nicely. Defeat? No, let's not think about that at this stage...

Should Derbyshire go up to the top division, of course, there would be a sea change in public opinion. Fans would be ecstatic, a few cynics would shut up (temporarily, at least) and the astonishing work that has gone on at the club would come to wider notice.

Yet the work would really start there. What we do not want at Derbyshire is a replication of Derby County when they went into the Premiership, becoming the laughing stock of the country. I don't think that would happen, because we have some very good players who can pit their talents against supposed betters, as we showed against Sussex. We will need an injection of new blood though, people who can provide us with a genuine top-class squad, as opposed to a good first eleven with seven players in reserve.

How we go about that from a financial perspective is a matter I will leave to Messrs Grant and Storey, better qualified than I (or anyone else reading this, I'd wager) to work out what we can afford, but the reality is that Derbyshire need new personnel in key areas to make a serious impact on the top division.

First, for all the talent in our seam attack, I think we need another proven performer, a wicket-taking bowler who can ideally contribute with the bat. Groenewald and Palladino are the real deal, quality performers who will either take wickets or keep it quiet, but can we expect them to stay fit, season after season though? Jon Clare is capable of good spells too, though his bowling seems less penetrative of late and his batting hasn't really progressed. Mark Turner has and while still prone to erratic spells, is a much better bowler than the one that arrived at the county, while Mark Footitt is seriously quick but still with question marks over his ability to stay fit over the season. For me, another, proven performer would be required for us to make a sustained impact, a player who has shown that he can take regular wickets at county level to put pressure on the regulars and ideally become just that himself.

The spin bowling is in good hands with David Wainwright, and Tom Knight will come increasingly into the mix. Wes Durston is a useful backup, as is Chesney Hughes, though I'd sooner the latter rediscover his batting mojo than become a bit-part player. Peter Burgoyne may also come through and I have few qualms about that facet of our game.

Another wicket-keeper would be an asset too, as competition for places is a factor in success. Tom Poynton has had a pretty good first season, but we need a second man of confirmed county standard to keep him on his toes. I am a big fan of Richard Johnson, who has done little wrong in his stint at the County Ground, but time will tell if we are able to move for the player on a permanent basis.

Which brings us to the batting. I think we need a couple of players, one of who will be our overseas, and I would personally like to see Wayne Madsen open again next summer. I think he is the best opener on the staff and as such should, captaincy pressures notwithstanding, be opening the batting. With Durston, Redfern and Whiteley in the middle order, along with Hughes, we have a solid look, but an established first wicket down player and an opener, alongside Madsen, would for me head the winter shopping list.

I covered this in detail back at the start of June and haven't changed my mind since then. Next summer will prove extraordinarily difficult for the recruitment of overseas stars and, with only Zimbabwe clear of overseas tours to the four corners of the earth (aside from the ICC Trophy) Brendan Taylor is a standout cricketer. A dynamic batsman, fine fielder, useful spinner and solid wicket-keeper, as well as his country's skipper, he is exactly the sort of player that a county should be looking at. Taylor can either open or go in at three, something that holds considerable appeal, and his dynamic batting would be an asset in all forms of the game.

A county that aims to make a mark next summer, like Derbyshire, has to get in early for a top overseas player, rather than rooting around for scraps once the ICC Trophy squads have been announced. Throw in another overseas batsman for the T20  - the bowlers aren't the problem - and we would be in good shape for 2013. With two good T20 batsmen we could make an impact in that form of the game. The reality is that this summer we effectively played without one.

Time for a few car boot sales to raise the cash, methinks...


6 comments:

  1. Peakfan, excuse my ignorance but would no South African players be available as having had the pleasure of watching him yesterday AB de Villiers would be perfect!

    Anyway...out of my little dream world now...

    Totally agree that it is an oversears batter that we need next season. Taylor? Well, why not I guess. There isn't going to be a lot of choice out there and having someone for the season, rather than a couple of months here or there is much better for continuity.

    Bowling... In Tim, Dino, Clare and Turner I think we have a basis of a good seam line up. I thought Evans bowled a good spell at Amla first up yesterday before proving expensive late on, but to me he looked to have considerable talent. Footitt, to my mind, is not up to scratch, woeful, in fact. He sprayed the ball all over the place yesterday. Yes, he ended up with better figures than Evans, but that is very unfair. Where we not supposed to be after Richard Jones at some point?

    Spin bowling is well covered too, and another keeper to add a bit of competition would be good too, as TP needs to up his batting output.

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  2. I think Taylor would be an excellent overseas signing, particularly as we would have him for the whole season. Splitting the role can lead to a loss of momentum as we have seen this season when Guptill left. Another quality batter is essential in my view: we simply don't have enough effective competition for places at the moment.
    Another fast bowler would be good; unfortunately Jones has re-signed for Worcestershire but hopefully we'll be more attractive if we go up.


    Spireite Tim

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  3. Sadly Chris, de Villiers is way too busy and too affluent to bother with our T20. He can effectively earn a million for IPL each year and will do in 2013.
    South Africa tour Sri Lanka straight after the Champions Trophy and between IPL and those competitions you'd be lucky to get any decent Saffer for more than 3-4 weeks.
    Shame, as he'd be my number one pick for Derbyshire!

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  4. THanks Peakfan - I didn't know what the touring schedule was for the Saffers etc. Shame, imagine what he'd do to the batting line up!!

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  5. I understand that Paul Franks has been given permission to talk to other counties by Notts. On the face of it, this could be a good move for Derbyshire, but his recent bowling results suggest a steady pattern of decline - 20 wickets at 51 last year, 7 at 50 this year.

    Ideal for me would be Alan Richardson, who continues to take wickets regualrly and cheaply - 40 at 16 this year. If Worcs go down, and we go up, perhaps a return to his frst home might look attractive?

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  6. Fair points notoveryet, though Franks is, as you say, a player on the way down and we're on the way up...
    Richardson is a fair shout, but I believe they're talking about a coaching role for him there, which may well convince him in a long term stay at New Road.
    The bottom line is that first division Derbyshire is a big lure for younger players who are out of contract and may have international aspirations. Who knows what names might be available?

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