Lineker makes a case

In most other seasons of recent memory, Matt Lineker would have had a first team chance by now.

Last week I mentioned the consistency - solid, if not spectacular - of the batting line-up and Lineker, like Paul Borrington, has been unable to break into the side. Borrington has scored bucketfuls of runs with Ticknall this summer and has been steady, though not quite so prolific, for the Seconds.

Lineker, for a number of years the scourge of Premier League bowlers, has had his struggles in the Second XI. There have handy thirties and forties, but not enough big scores to make a convincing case for elevation to the senior side. Of course, there is a world of difference in playing cricket every day, for a living, and playing at the weekends. The levels of physical and mental fitness required are substantially different and doubtless Lineker found this transition as difficult as many others before him.

The signs are, however, that he has got there. 125 against Warwickshire recently was a worthy effort, while an unbeaten 165 against Leicestershire yesterday was indicative of a man who has got to grips with the requirements of professional cricket. The big question is, of course, whether it will be enough to earn him a full contract for next season, following on from his summer deal of this year.

That Lineker is a fine batsman is beyond dispute. The volume of runs he has scored over recent years indicates a player of quality, but Karl Krikken has two factors to take into account when mulling over his suitability for next year and beyond. For one thing, at 26 Lineker will not earn Derbyshire any ECB money. While mercenary, that is also a realistic consideration. If Krikken and his coaches feel that Lineker could genuinely make a prolific county batsman it would not be a deal breaker, but the other factor is, for me, the biggie.

Is he better than Hamza Siddique, Ben Slater or Peter Burgoyne? For that matter, is he a better option, to pick a name at random, than someone like Michael Thornely, who has done well for the Unicorns this summer and is crucially, at 23, a player who can offer a county three years of income. Derbyshire have only a finite budget and how it is best spent will doubtless occupy the thoughts of Karl Krikken in the coming months.

Once he knows (if he doesn't already) the plans of Greg Smith and Tim Groenewald he will be better placed. Replacing those players and Steffan Jones would be essential, but there are any number of ways in which to do so. There will also be a lot of players out there at the end of contracts, a number of others seeking an opportunity.

I would like to think that our players might follow the example of Jack Brooks, who today signed an extended contract at Northamptonshire despite interest from other counties. At 27 Brooks was a later starter and is rewarding the county who took a punt on him with another two years service. While no one can blame any individual for wanting the best deal for themselves, it is nice to see a player decide that his best option is to stay put, presumably better rewarded as a result.

Thumbs up for Mr Brooks from me. Hopefully at least one of ours in a similar situation might seek to follow his lead.