Come in number three...

Your time is now

Yes, there's no pressure but the role of number three in our side this season will be crucial to our chances of success in competitions.

For starters, this is how I see the first choice Championship side line up:

1 Chris Rogers
2 Steve Stubbings/Paul Borrington
3 ?
4 Dan Redfern
5 Wavell Hinds
6 Greg Smith
7 James Pipe
8 Graham Wagg
9 Jon Clare
10 Jake Needham
11 Charl Langeveldt

There's quite a few names missing from that side, so who are the candidates for that final place. You'll notice that I've got Wavell down at 5 (where he'll avoid the new ball most of the time) and Greg Smith at 6. The latter has a big year in 2009, as he's been bracketed as a "promising" player for a few years now. He was unlucky with early injury last year, but must translate undoubted ability into fulfilled talent. While I'd perhaps push him up the order in one dayers, he has a major role in the middle order.

Dan Birch

Dan the man can hit a ball and in form can give real impetus to an innings. He can also get out early with a shot that looks careless and ill-judged. A solidly built man, he isn't the most lithe of movers in the field and at times seems to lose concentration and has put down a few sitters. The jury is still out, but there were signs last year that he was coming to terms with the County game. Another facing a big season but a contender, without doubt.

Dominic Telo

Dominic arrived on the back of a fine winter in South Africa, although not at the highest level. Great expectations preceded him and its fair to say his first year was a disaster. He would often make a start, only to find a way of getting out when he'd done the hard part. Geoff Boycott has said that only poor players get out in the 20s and 30s. There's plenty don't get that far, but the fact remains that Telo needs runs this year or may well be back in South Africa. Has he got the temperament? After a prolific school career, Dom is facing a big test of character this season.

Steve Stubbings/Paul Borrington

Once Bozza finishes University there'll be a battle royal for the opening berth to partner Chris Rogers. Perhaps the "loser" could drop down to three? I'm not so sure, as neither are fluent stroke players and the innings could lose, or fail to gain impetus. Both have great "stickability" but we can only win games by getting runs on the board and bowling teams out twice. While there will be days that their grit will be crucial as the ball moves around, I can't see us accommodating both in the same side.

John Sadler

I was genuinely surprised to see Sads struggle last year. He'd had good one day and four day years at Leicester and could play with aggression or dig in. Last year he struggled to get the ball away and occupied the crease for a long time for no obvious reward. Later in the season he returned to the one day side and made more runs than most - not that this says all that much in a poor one day season. I think he can come again, but is at an age where he simply has to.

Garry Park

Park arrives from Durham with a reputation as a fielder of Rhodes-like brilliance at point and a batsman with a fine array of strokes. While he has batted throughout the middle order for Durham, he spent most of last year scoring loads of runs at number three for their second eleven. He's billed as an all-rounder, but has only two first class wickets and can also keep wicket. I would be very surprised if he didn't have a big part to play this season and even more so if he didn't at least start in the side as first wicket down. Why else would he leave the County champions but for regular first team cricket?

So that's my call at this stage. Of course, it all depends on pre-season form, fitness and the possibility of another signing before April. There's every chance I could be wrong, but we're all entitled to an opinion!

Which brings me to a final point. I'm ever so slightly concerned about the finances (stay with me on this one)

Last year we lost/got rid of Rikki Clarke, Nayan Doshi, Wayne White and Kevin Dean. My guess is that saved us around £200K, a figure based on suggestions of the salary our erstwhile skipper commanded.

We've signed two younger players in Park and Tim Groenewald, so I'd hope that at least half and probably much more of that figure was still available. Yet we're saving five grand by chopping the yearbook and there's little sign of anyone else coming in.

Is the money going into ground improvements? Or are we keeping a sum aside to bring in a big name for the 20/20 this year? It would make sense, as the big crowds at these games have seen some pitiful cricket in the past two years. To keep them coming in we need a big name who will offer the possibility of a few wins and some electrifying batting. I'd be surprised if Buk didn't take another mid-season break and miss the form of the game in which he has had the least success. So perhaps we're bringing in a Hayden, Gayle, Symonds or Sehwag? That would be something to look forward to, but I don't think I'm alone in wondering when the club might set our minds at rest on the financial and playing fronts.