Sunday 16 September 2012

And now the work begins

Over the four days I was at Derby last week, I lost count of the names of players who were being suggested as required to strengthen Derbyshire's side in readiness for division one. Ian Blackwell, Rory Hamilton-Brown, Jack Brooks, Niall O'Brien - they were all in there, alongside many more.

I'm not privy to the signing process and certainly don't expect to be consulted on who we will be signing, but I do have my own opinions, which is, of course, why I write this blog about Derbyshire County Cricket Club. Have I mentioned that we're champions...? Don't think I'll ever tire of writing that, nor you of reading it, I'll wager.

For one thing, there have been several references in the media of Karl Krikken's intention to seek players under the age of 26. Now you may agree or disagree with that, but it is his prerogative as the man in charge. While I can see the merit in an older player, and have previously espoused the benefit to their teams of such players as Darren Stevens, Sean Ervine, Jim Allenby, Andrew Hall and many more, the big question is where you would fit such a player into the side.

If one assumes that Wayne Madsen would be better away from the opening role, one that he essentially took on in the absence of viable and willing candidates, you are likely to have a middle order of Madsen, Durston, Redfern and Whiteley. Assuming also that you're going to play three seamers and a spinner and have to play a wicket-keeper, you have your team, sans openers. At the very small risk of being in a minority of one, I don't think that any of those players named above should be out of our first eleven, which is what you would have to do to bring in experience.

Add in the reality that a player of such experience would cost serious money, which would jeopardise the club's salary structure and as a consequence team spirit, I am not sure of the merit of the idea. Derbyshire are lucky that we have one over-thirty in Wes Durston who fits in beautifully with his younger colleagues, but that is not necessarily always the case. One has only to read about the county game and listen to people to understand that there are many dressing rooms where factions prevail to the detriment of the team ethic that has served Derbyshire so well. Indeed, you only need one person who doesn't fit in, either through insularity or ego, and the team mentality can come crashing down.

Then there's the other side. Yes, we could bring in an experienced player or two to take the places of the younger ones, but it is a short-sighted move that will logically deprive those young players valuable time in gaining that experience themselves. How do we know they won't cope if we don't let them? In assessing our prospects in division one, few seem to factor in the mental, physical and technical development that another year will bring. Much as this young side will be mentally better prepared next summer after a year together, their techniques will also be better honed to cope with division one.

So I don't expect to see a move for Brooks, who at 28 is a good bowler but not necessarily better than what we have, as 23 wickets at 36 this summer suggests. Nor for O'Brien, a fair player but one who misses too many matches through Irish call-ups and at 31 is unlikely to improve. Blackwell? There are fitness issues for one thing and, as an "eye" player, I feel his best days are behind him. Nor is he an especially good fielder, something that would set him apart in the best collective fielding side I have seen in Derbyshire colours.

Rory Hamilton-Brown is a good player, but I have seen reports suggesting that he may struggle to return to the first-class game after the loss of his best friend Tom Maynard. At 25 he is a very good cricketer, but as captain at one of cricket's more affluent counties will be on a salary way beyond our compass. Again, I have to say I don't see it. Likewise Sam Northeast at Kent, a very good player but one to who they will offer serious money to retain.

Nor do I see us moving for Scott Elstone and Karl Turner, both released by Nottinghamshire. The latter has had three counties and not made it, while Elstone for me is not an improvement on what we have, nor is what we need - an opening batsman. A Burton lad, I could see Elstone trial at Derby next summer, or end up playing at Leicester, but not being taken on the staff at this stage.

Scott Newman? Too old, not a great fielder and with an average that is artificially massaged by a couple of good seasons on Oval batting tracks where it was hard to fail. That average is now falling by the summer and I see that as a non-starter.

Indeed, of the players I have seen released - and of course I'm no more aware than the rest of you who is out of contract - there are two that I would see as possibilities, both fitting the under-26 criteria and being available.

The first is Billy Godleman, recently released by Essex. At 23 the tall left-hander has suffered from strong competition at Middlesex and latterly has played for a county where dressing room unity must have been hard to find after the travails of last winter. He still averaged 37 in limited opportunities this summer and a career average of just over 30 owes much to making a senior debut at the age of 17, much the same as Paul Borrington. I've read various reports suggesting him a future England player in recent years and have a feeling that working with Dave Houghton could be very much to his benefit. I'd suggest he would be affordable and as long as he fitted into the team ethic may be worthy of an enquiry. While I am generally wary of batsmen brought up on southern wickets moving up north, Godleman could be one to cope. Indeed, his average is only just below that of the talented Sam Northeast, so read into that as you will. Essex releasing him seems a strange move, but then again so did their decision to sign Greg Smith...

The second is Chris Jordan of Surrey, who is nearly 24 and an obvious talent with bat and ball. Again, early promise has faded, but a new start could be the making of him. The question mark would be against his fitness, but if he could sort this he is a hard-hitting batsman and a bowler capable of spells of genuine pace.He has the potential to be seen as an all-rounder and my main reservation about the Derbyshire side, assuming we're sorting the opening berths, is that we could do with a number seven who can average around thirty with the bat.

Maybe Tom Poynton will become that player in the not too distant future, while David Wainwright is capable of more runs than he scored this summer. So too is Jonathan Clare and if one of these players can emerge as a regular run scorer at seven it would make our task next summer considerably easier.

Having said that, I am not fazed at the thought of division one. I look at teams such as Durham, Middlesex, Somerset, Surrey, Sussex and Yorkshire and feel they are beatable. Nottinghamshire will be harder and, judging by their performances this summer and our displays against them, Warwickshire will be the team to fear.

But I will happily put it on record now. We need not fear any of these sides, because we have a team ethic that will be the envy of most and individual talent to match most of them too. With two or three prudent recruits, especially in the crucial overseas role,  there is no reason for Derbyshire to fail to compete. I don't expect a title challenge, but I think we will surprise a few people next summer.

We did this year, didn't we?


7 comments:

  1. Good analysis Peakfan. I think that most counties doing a review of their squads will identify the opening birth as an area to strengthen. Very few opening batsmen stood out this year due to weather affected pitches and, as you have often pointed out, what we have in Borrington, might be good enough? On Sky yesterday, the experts were only able to identify four possible names to replace Andrew Strauss as England opener. That's not a large number based on the amount playing on the circuit and shows how difficult it was to score a significant weight of runs. Out of interest they were Compton, Carberry, Root and Chopra.

    The fact that Godleman has been released by Essex shouldn't put anyone off this player. This is a county that in recent times have said goodbye to Stephen Peters, Varun Chopra, Chris Wright and, of course, Tony Palladino.

    Whoever Derbyshire do sign, I hope it is a player that is versatile enough to add some aggression to our one day batting. I know that the four-day fixture is your game of choice, but evening cricket is all that I get to see and we just haven't competed in the shorter form for too long.

    It is easier to identify the charachteristics of the ideal replacement than it is to come up with a name. Similarly, it is easier to come up with a name than it is to persuade them to sign. I guess that's where the coach and chairman really need to do their stuff.

    Craig

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  2. In my personal opinion Paul Borrington is not good enough to be next years opener. He has had so many chances this season and hasn't delivered. People could say that conditions were not suitable for openers but you don't hear this same talk in the subcontinent about middle order batsmen and spin bowling, as an opener you have to adapt to conditions. In my view we need four new players. A new opener, another top order batsmen probably the overseas player, a wicket-keeper because what are going to if Poynton gets injured, this year we were lucky because it was a few days left to recruit a loan signing but what are Derbyshire going to do if he gets injured in a morning of a game, use young Chris Durham, he will struggle have no first-class game and espicially in Dvision. We also need another seamer, the seam attack is very thin and you need good back-up for the likes of Palladino and Groenwald. I personally think the likes of Fotitt and Turner could struggle in Division 1.

    John

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  3. Totally agree with your analysis that there are nine places in the team that we can cover reasonably for next year and two definitely "up for grabs".

    Your key point could be the mention of out of contract players, or alternatively those with release clauses. By achieving promotion we have become an extremely attractive proposition for the 3rd choice opener at a "big" county - someone who is focused on the opportunity to play regularly - or for an ambitious div 2 opener who wants a go in division 1. There must be someone out there of the right age and salary expectation who will integrate well into the Derbyshire team.

    Of course one of the two players is likely to be the overseas signing. On this front it wouldn't surprise me at all to see Khawaja back here next summer if he is not selected for Australia. While he has only been a moderate success this year there is at least a case for a player who seems to "fit in", is still improving and might be available season long. Perhaps he could be contracted to open regularly - shouldn't be an impossible ask!

    SR

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  4. Maybe a back-up seamer is required as there seemed to be a lack of strength in depth to the bowling was Dino and Groeners had completed their opening spells this season.

    Therefore, I suggest Tim Linley to fill that gap. OK he's just 30 - and possibly still under contract - but 22 wickets in 8 games this season at an average of just under 26 could be just what we need.

    I remember he took 10 wickets at Derby last year when Surrey beat us, and also has the advantage of height at 6'2".

    The vibes from Surrey don't seem to be too positive at present with the issues from Tom Maynard's tragic death still to be resolved and also calls from their supporters to remove Chris Adams not to mention isues regarding the salary cap and discipline issues etc.

    From what I gather, Linley seemed to be ostracised from the first XI for most of this year as he has quite a hard-working attitude and isn't one for getting into bother.

    It seems that the Surrey supporters reckon he's been hard done by and maybe a change of county could be just be needed.

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  5. Interesting to look at the batting stats for the season that shows not one person passed 1000 runs in division 2 (although the aggregate of our overseas players reached just over this amount with 15 games between them). We had 3 people in the top ten (Madsen, Durston and Redfern) while the others are mainly made up with people with Test Match experience (Nash, Key, Sarwan, Jacques and Marshall).
    This shows that it was an abnormally difficult season to bat with the weather and the lack of effect of the roller.
    Agree with everyone else thought about the need to recruit a couple of openers - one surely must be our overseas player and the other will be anybodys guess at this stage. I haven't seen anyone else mentioned so far that looks a nailed on solution so will have to wait and see

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  6. I agree Gary, one of the openers will most likely be an overseas selection. If we could get the same man for the full year it would be great, but the coach will have his work cut out to achieve that.

    I am glad most people are now coming to the conclusion that I asserted to some time ago, namely that Wayne Madsen is better playing in the middle order. I feel he could thrive away from the new ball, given decent starts being provided from the pairing that do end up filling the positions at the top of the order.

    Unfortunately, I take no pleasure in suggsting that Paul Borrington is not been the answer to the second opener slot. I really wish I had been proven wrong with my own past assessment, but feel, like a number of others, that the senior side is one step too many for him. The club's success this season will only serve to make his job even more difficult in 2013.

    MASTERVILLAIN

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  7. Cracking article Peakfan and think you're bob on.

    Chris Jordan is an excellent shout personally, think he would benefit from coming to TCG.

    As for an opener, I think you're looking at needing two, with Bozza as back up. One is your overseas player, and although I - like you - think Godleman could fit the bill, so too could Neil Edwards who Notts have let go. Yes, he's in his 30's, but has plenty of experience from playing on a pretty ropey batting track at Notts. I'd be very tempted by him.

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