All quiet on the cricket front

There's not much to report in the Derbyshire cricket world just now.

I don't see any more signings until the New Year at the earliest, when we're likely to be looking to confirm our second overseas player for the T20, assuming we get one.

Elsewhere, there are various clubs looking for players, with Kent saying they are looking for an overseas bowler and Worcestershire signing a keeper on loan and struggling to replace the exodus at the end of last year.

That was a fine knock by Chris Gayle the other day/night against the Australians, who have now slipped to third in the world Test rankings. They still have fine batsmen, but the Aussie attack is a pale shadow of what it used to be and won't cause too many alarms for the better sides. Having said that, Gayle played a fine hand against them and showed unusual restraint. Gayle is a player of a great innings rather than a great player. His average in Test cricket is ordinary, yet when the mood takes him he can bat like a dream. In most cases he bats the same way, irrespective of the format of the game, part of the reason why I don't think he would make a great overseas star for a county.

Speaking of overseas stars, Travis Birt cannot get into Tasmania's side now and it is remarkable how the careers of both Birt and Moss went downhill after their stint in Derbyshire colours. Michael Dighton is another who plays only an occasional innings of substance and is more often than not a one day player only for Tasmania.

Anyway, that is pretty much it from me for tonight. Sorry there's been no blog for the past couple of days but there's no point my putting any old guff on here!

Until the next time