Thumbs up for the blueprint

As anyone who read last night's blog will probably expect, the Chairman's blueprint for Derbyshire cricket gets a massive thumbs up from me.

The highlight of the strategy is obviously the landmark new signing from 2012 and conjecture will be rife in the coming months over the identity of the player. I've discussed this previously and have now seen the names of Simon Katich and Marcus North, both former players at the club and out of central contract in Australia linked. I'm less sure about them than others I've mentioned. Katich has a great record, though only in longer forms of the game, while North, a worthy and talented player, would hardly be a marquee signing. He has, after all, pitched his tent (sorry!) in most counties over the years, as of course has Katich.

Player development pathways for home grown players and the introduction of a specialist coaching fund are to be applauded. Let's see young players of ability accelerated through the ranks and let us reward them with performance related salaries after their annual appraisals. A player who scores 1,000 runs should get the financial reward that goes with that milestone and not get the same as one who scrapes to 500 year on year.

The opening of contract negotiations with key players is to be applauded, though I am confident that Chris Grant will not be held to ransom in this process. Again, a player who returns good runs and/or wickets can expect a commensurate reward and rightly so, but the club has a limit that cannot and will not break the bank.

The permanent appointment of Karl Krikken as Head Coach working alongside captain Luke Sutton is great news for me. Krikk is as highly qualified as a coach can be, universally liked but not incapable of telling home truths when the need arises. With the club trusting in youth, who is better placed to take the reins than the man who has worked with many of them since they were the height of full-size pads? Derbyshire through and through, Krikk has my full support and I hope that everyone else does the same.


That Derbyshire will field a minimum of nine English qualified players from 2013 is sensible and will maximise ECB grants. Both Wayne Madsen and Chesney Hughes will be qualified then and this sends out a warning to Greg Smith. I am sure we would all like Smith to stay, but he needs to keep his demands within the realms of realism and get himself qualified. End of story, exactly as it should be.

Perhaps best of all is that negotiations will soon begin on long term contracts for several Academy graduates, which will include a blueprint for their development both as cricketers and as individuals. I fully expect to see Messrs Borrington, Redfern, Whiteley, Poynton, Knight, Sheikh and Slater signed up for a good few years and am delighted at the prospect. With exciting young talent behind them like Burgoyne, Hughes and Cork, these could be exciting years for Derbyshire cricket, most of the players home-reared and with a sense of loyalty that comes with developing with friends through the ranks.

Posters on last night's piece have urged caution with such a young squad. Of course. Only a fool would say that a young side will win everything in sight, but I would hope that fans would show greater understanding as young players - OUR young players develop into a team to be proud of. OUR team, local lads as far as possible. Karl Krikken and Luke Sutton are first class players and men who will set an example. Steffan Jones will presumably stay in the mix as a man with a level of fitness to aspire to as well, not to mention considerable nous in the art of bowling.

With the right man in there to highlight the importance of good habits, to show them what to do in the middle when it matters, this setup could herald the start of a successful era. Stick a Ponting, Kallis, Hussey or Collingwood in there and who knows? Young bodies and minds of talent and vitality alongside a modern legend could be pretty interesting. How much fun will it be to share in their development?

Remember too that these lads are good. You don't play age group cricket for your country, as many have done, and be rubbish. By definition, if you are one of the best eleven under 17, 18 or 21 players in the country, you are a very good player. It might take a little while to develop physically, emotionally and psychologically to compete with seasoned pros at first class level, but with the right support, coaching, mentors and incentives it will all be a steady, upward path, one well worth following. We've not set the world on fire with other approaches, so let's go for it and back it 100%.

Nice work Mr Grant. I'm very impressed.