Options...

To my knowledge, there are only a handful of seam bowlers who have been released by counties and are currently unattached. Of course, there could be a few more out of contract that I am unaware of, but the likely candidates, should Derbyshire choose such a route for improving the staff after the retirement of Luke Sutton are as follows:

Ben Harmison
Decent cricketer who can bat pretty well, but worryingly barely bowled a ball for Durham Second XI last summer. Has had his injury issues but may thrive, like Will Gidman did at Gloucestershire, in a different environment. Will need to be fitter than he has shown over the last couple of years, however.

Robbie Joseph
Has had sporadic success for Kent and once made the England Performance Squad, but at 29 is still prone to be erratic. Given that Marks Footitt and Turner tend to be the same, I feel we need someone who offers a little more accuracy. Not convinced he would add anything to our squad.

Steven Cheetham
14 wickets in one day games for Lancashire in four years but at 6'5" he has all the necessary attributes. A prolific wicket-taker in Second XI cricket and as a league professional, at 24 Cheetham could be a bowler worth pursuing and shouldn't cost the earth as he needs to impress.

Naqaash Tahir
At 28, Tahir is a good bowler, capable of bowling at good pace. 139 career wickets at 29, with ten four-wicket hauls and two five-wicket ones suggests a bowler who can get men out. Given our success with Messrs Munton, Welch and Wagg from Warwickshire, could we strike it lucky for a fourth time? Another who has had his injuries, but a likely option.

Of course, Karl Krikken may consider he has a big enough squad and much will depend on how much Ross Whiteley improves over the winter, but I feel that five seamers may be insufficient for a long summer.

Still, it's Krikk's call...