Thoughts on the season

It's the last day of the Premiership football season today. Thank goodness for that, as it has been tough being a Derby fan this year.

My daughter, who is ten and not especially into sport hit the nail on the head last night. I was talking to a friend on the phone and overheard her saying to her Mum that "Dad's cricket team was a lot better than the football one".

She's absolutely right. For the last few years I've looked forward to the cricket season in the football one and vice versa with an expectation that the one to follow would be better than the one currently being experienced. I genuinely feel that we can all look forward to the rest of this cricket season with a genuine expectation of being competitive most of the time and winning a good share of games.

John Morris has done an outstanding job in his short time here. There, I've said it. When he was appointed I was far from convinced as I had no knowledge of his coaching credentials or motivational skills. His recruitment over the Winter and Spring was excellent and when you read Tom Lungley attributing his developing batting to changes Morris suggested have to accept that things are looking up. It is no bad thing that Messrs Hendrick, Krikken and Brown are involved too. All are excellent coaches and all are Derbyshire men through and through.

When was the last time we had genuine competition for places throughout our side? In the Barnett era we had some fine players, but the side effectively picked itself and injuries saw the likes of John Owen or Paul Aldred come in. No disrespect to either of these, both of whom I had a lot of time for and who I feel were badly treated, but it is much different now. With Hunter, Dean, White and Needham vying for bowling places but out of the side, four all rounders in Clarke, Wagg, Smith and Clare and batsman ready when able in Redfern, Hinds, Birch and Borrington we have not had this level of competition in years - if ever.

The trick will be for Morris to keep them all happy and to pick the right side each game. As the season progresses there will be injuries and we will need all of these players to contribute when their opportunity arises.