What's it all about?

There's not even any sign of Alfie...

Late blog again tonight (this morning?) as I've been at a retiral do of a long time colleague, but I'm dashing down a few words before heading up to join the rest of the family in bed.

What is going on over at 606? There's so much nonsense on there today that it's scary. Everybody is signing players says one. Oh? Really? There's only a handful so far that I'd have liked to see at Derby. When will people realise that we cannot compete for some of these people financially? Surrey have made a few signings, as have Hampshire, and guess what? These are two affluent counties who can outbid most of their peers.

There is very unfair and unjustified criticism of In Morris We Trust, which is by a country mile better than 606. Anybody can open countless accounts on the BBC site and come up with "witty" names and print spurious comments on people who are unable to defend themselves. Derbyshire La La La refers to only two occasions when things have been removed from his site. I was one of them, as I asked him to remove my posts when I got embroiled in a heated discussion that I regretted. The other was when some brave soldier, basking in the anonymity of his PC, made libellous comments about a player. Shameful stuff from a supposed fan.

Apparently I "brown nose" the boss. Really? Maybe that is because I support the club, not use it as a means of venting my spleen because of things in my life I'm not happy about. Yes, I think John Morris is moving us forward. Maybe results haven't yet reached the level where that is patently obvious to the less discerning, but there were grounds for optimism last year. What we now need, to go with improved resilience is a little more class, especially in the spin bowling department and a little more luck. There were times when we enjoyed none of that last year. If we play badly, I say so. If I see signs of improvement, I'll also say that. For brown nose read "fan".

Fans expecting us to win most of our matches sometime soon may as well go and support Durham, because it might not happen. I've said before and will once again, we are a little fish in a big cricket pond that is gradually learning to punch its weight and above it.

Suggestions that other teams are signing class players is nonsense. Who have Worcester signed? Or Sussex? Or Leicestershire and Middlesex? Surrey have signed a few but I don't feel alarm bells ringing at the thought of Batty, Chawla and Davies playing against us. Leicestershire have confirmed the signings of Benning and Jefferson but have lost Dippenaar, Allenby and Ackerman. I don't see that as improvement. Middlesex have signed Scott Newman, a rookie left arm spinner and a youngster. Worcestershire have signed Alan Richardson. Northants have re-signed Mal Loye but are set to lose Van der Wath, Hall and Wessels. I'll accept argument if it is logical, but none of the above equates to stronger opposition for me.

We have an excellent top four, two youngsters of talent at five and six and a very good wicket keeper/batsman we've signed at seven. I'm convinced that John Morris has a plan for a top spinner because if he hadn't, we'd have picked up Middlebrook by now.

If I'm right I think we'll have another good championship season next year. If we are able to sign a quality second overseas player for the Twenty/20, we could do better in that too. Without the Kolpaks the playing field will be more level and the overall standard of our first choice side is far higher than it was two years ago. If you don't believe me, look back at your yearbooks, or Wisden.

Finally, there's much talk about the "error" in renewing the contracts of Hunter and Lungley. The reality is that the former took 21 wickets at 28, a decent average, while the latter had an option of another year on his previous deal that he took up. Wouldn't you? If he fails next year he'll be gone. If he plays a blinder, there'll be substantial helpings of humble pie being swallowed.