Saturday news

Maybe it is my innate sense of parochialism, but I think Robin Peterson owes a debt to Derbyshire for his current good form.

In this World Cup Peterson has looked a good cricketer - as he did for most of last season. While he found a full English season hard going, I think the responsibility of being a senior player in a young team has been good for him. His country now appear to have covered their weaknesses as a side with the advent of Peterson and Imran Tahir as spinners of quality. Both have done well in this tournament and, with the assistance of Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn and Lotse Tsotsobe give the Saffers an attack for all seasons.

Peterson has contributed with bat and ball and gives the side better balance than Johan Botha (a decent off spinner) while being a better bowler than Rolof van der Merwe. He's also a better batsman and fielder than Paul Harris and could just have cemented his place in their national side for some time to come.

Of course, playing on the sub-continent has helped too, but Robbo looks a good cricketer at the moment and I still think that his country or India will come out on top at the end of it all. Mind you, the tournament has been way too long and to only now be getting to the business end of it is just silly. I'm all for encouraging associate nations but there have been too many dead matches and mismatches for me.

Meanwhile our opponents in Barbados tonight, Essex are set to announce the signing of Aussie Peter Siddle as overseas player for the first half of the summer. He's a fair player and if he stays fit should be a decent signing.

As pointed out on IMWT, Cricinfo have Derbyshire's staff as featuring Mitch Wilson, a bowler from Dorset. I assume this is a mistake as there's no mention of him on the club site. With such things do rumours start...wonder if I can spot any reference to our new Kolpak, Jacques Kallis...