Time for a moan

Number One

"Old Scratcher" on Lancashire's 606 page, who says about Tom Lungley:

"Probably couldn't get a game with Derbyshire. Looking at their roster they have - based on birthplace anyway - six South Africans, two W Indians, two Aussies and a Dane (yep, a Dane).
Little wonder the kids would sooner play football or video games. The English are unable to get a team together without recourse to S African born players. How much longer before it's the full eleven."

Yawn, yawn, yawn. So what? Its a modern world and qualification rules allow it, so why worry. You'll see I've replied to him, no doubt he'll be back with more "in my day etc" piffle, but its stupid.

I've said before and will again. If John Morris could find three Eskimos who were brilliant cricketers and through some backdoor route could get them playing for Derbyshire, I wouldn't care. People always talk about such stuff keeping out the good young English players, but where are they? If they were good, they'd still come through. Yes, its great that we're committed to an Academy and its bringing lads through, but the administrators need to tighten regulations (which they've done) and then counties work within (and around) that.

Number Two

Simon Hughes in his latest book. I'd name it, but frankly can't be bothered. I picked it up in Waterstones on Saturday and read (I have to paraphrase) that Derbyshire at one time became a second class county and many would wish that they'd never ceased to be one, as their ground is horrible and they've hardly produced any players of note.

Doctor, my sides...

Given that Hughes was a distinctly average county cricketer who has fallen very lucky in becoming an "expert" analyst for TV, he should perhaps keep his comments to himself. He ended with a very similar bowling average to our own Colin Tunnicliffe and given 60 seconds, any self-respecting Derbyshire fan could reel off 20 names better than the genial and willing Tunners. Hughes took wickets primarily because batsmen were taking risks against him before Wayne Daniel, Emburey and Edmonds came back on and on some occasions he looked incapable of bowling a hoop down a hill. Now he tells everyone what X is doing wrong and how to put it right. Hmmm... I'll take that from a Benaud, Holding, Botham or even Atherton - EVEN Bob Willis, the man who slags off County cricket despite barely playing it for Warwickshire. Not Hughes. His book went back on the shelf.

Rant over.