Oh, we're going to Barbados...

Bring out the steel drums, look out the sun block and get the calypsos written!

Derbyshire are off to Barbados on a pre-season tour between March 15 and 25. With five matches scheduled against good standard opposition, the tour should give the boys plenty of excellent practice in readiness for the season that starts on April 9.

63 sleeps to go!!!

With Yorkshire, Lancashire and Essex also involved, plus a University of West Indies Select and a Barbados Select it should be good to watch. If I had some spare shekels I could quite enjoy that sort of a break. I have always fancied Barbados, so it would be a great chance to see the place and pull in some quality cricket at the same time. Sadly, there's a small matter of work, unless I win the lottery between times...

On the subject of the Caribbean, I'm feeling quite psychic (maybe I should do the lottery this week?) On January 24th I wrote that Wavell Hinds' form could see him get a national recall.

Lo, and yesterday he was called up for their forthcoming one day series against Australia, replacing the injured Dwayne Bravo. Amazing, huh?

You would have to say that it is not a like for like replacement, despite Cricinfo calling him an all rounder. You could have fooled me, given the little bowling he did last year, though his wobblers sometimes seemed a useful weapon in his first year. I still don't know if he was injured, didn't fancy it or wasn't rated, but maybe he would have seemed a more valuable player had he turned his arm over more often.

Either way, if Chris Gayle stays in nick they will set some targets. The other day the West Indies posted 399-5 in 45 overs against the Prime Minister's XI, with Gayle smashing 146 in 89 balls (eight sixes and fourteen fours.) It saw them win by 90 runs after a Duckworth Lewis calculation, despite a young Aussie named Tommy Cooper scoring an unbeaten 160, no doubt just like that!

Back home, Middlesex failed to sign Sachin Tendulkar so are set to "make do" with Yuvraj Singh for the T20. If Adam Gilchrist and Singh don't pull the crowds for them, they may as well wrap up and go home. Colossal signings, although whether they bring success will depend on the contributions of the other players. Like I've said before, two players doesn't make a team, unless perhaps one is Bradman and the other Sobers...

I still don't think its fair that the MCC part finance these guys for Middlesex so they can afford two. Maybe we should ask them to part finance an extra player for us, as we're one of the few clubs that are professionally and profitably run?

The T20 signings I am aware of at present are:

Glamorgan - Shaun Tait
Hampshire - Shahid Afridi
Leicestershire - Brad Hodge
Middlesex - Adam Gilchrist AND Yuvraj Singh
Notts - Dirk Nannes
Somerset - Kieron Pollard
Sussex - Dwayne Smith
Worcestershire - can't afford one

In closing, still no news of our T20 specialist, but an increasing number of counties are sorted now and there are still a lot of good players out there. I would still take any one from Kallis, Duminy, Morkel (Albie), Parnell and de Villiers and be blissfully chuffed.

I suspect we may not hear until the South Africans return from India. I still think that will be the source of our player, though I wouldn't be gutted if it turned out to be Chris Gayle :o)

And if anyone has some spare cash lying around for sponsorship, and the IMWT sponsorship of a player for the club is too low key for you, just let John Morris know.

Any two from that little lot should set us up nicely!

See you soon