Last night I mentioned that there would be players available at the end of the season when the promotion and relegation places have been sorted and the niceties of individual contracts have been sorted out. Some players will, of course, wish to ply their trade at the top and whatever you might think of the idea it is their prerogative to do so.
Such players will include very good opening batsmen of the calibre of Steven Moore of Lancashire and Moeen Ali of Worcestershire. Both are fine players and their names have at some point in their careers been mentioned in England terms. Moore had a very good time at Worcestershire, where he scored 1400 runs with six centuries in 2008, before moving to Lancashire, where he has also done well, scoring runs in decent quantities and, in one day games, with considerable speed.
Then there's the uber-talented Moeen Ali at Worcestershire, a batsman with a full range of shots and a great technique, one who comes with the added string to his bow of very useful off spin, something at which he is good enough to recently take ten wickets in a match.
Admit it, you'd love to see Derbyshire's batting opened by these two, wouldn't you? Sign them up, put them in at the top of the order, acknowledged as our problem positions, and watch the runs flow.
The problem is that I haven't a clue about the contractual situation of these players and their statistics for 2012 make sobering reading.
In 22 first-class innings this summer, Moore has 363 runs at 17, with a highest score of 47
.
Ali, a player coveted by a number of counties, has 531 runs at 25, with just three fifties in 24 innings.
It again ties into what has been a very difficult summer for batsmen, especially those at the top of the order. Wet weather, slower outfields, humid conditions, the building of stands to change wind flow, the type of balls - excuses are many and varied, but it has been tough at the top this summer.
Gareth Rees is another, a very good batsman for Glamorgan yet with only one fifty and an average of 19. Greg Smith, a young player of considerable talent, averages just 15 from 21 starts at Leicestershire. Daryl Mitchell, another good batsman at Worcestershire, averages 23 from 24 innings. Neil Edwards is out of contract at Nottinghamshire and is a decent player, yet his 2012 summer has seen 230 runs at 20.
On the face of it, most of these players would strengthen Derbyshire's batting, yet their most recent statistics don't necessarily lend credence to the suggestion. All of them will undoubtedly hope for better conditions next summer.
One player who might be worthy of consideration is "oop north". I always rated Joe Sayers of Yorkshire and he earned an England Lions call up as a compact opening batsman. Sadly he contracted a virus which then saw him miss the 2010 season through Post-Viral Fatigue Syndrome and he has struggled to regain his place in a powerful batting lineup. With an average in the mid-thirties and a career going nowhere fast at Yorkshire, I could see merit in an enquiry with regard to his availability, always assuming that he is now fully recovered from the condition.
Just shows you though, eh? Difficult game, this cricket.
Hi Peakfan,
ReplyDeleteThe chances are that in order to secure a decent player from the domestic circuit, it will require us to take a gamble, albeit a well judged one hopefully. We will likely see slightly older players (29 = old these days I am lead to believe!) or those currently viewed as 'out of nick' being released by their current employers
Sayers is an interesting one. He could be viewed as a batting equivalent of David Wainwright - talented, but surplus to requirements, particularly now Lyth has regained form. Perhaps the White Rose county would be daft enough a second time? He would be a decent option.
Edwards will almost certainly be looking for a new county and Rees would be a fair shout too - probably Glammy's best home grown bat in 2009 and 2010.
Billy Godleman might well be another name in circulation soon.
I can't see Ali being available, even though his current deal is due for fresh negotiation - Worcestershire cannot afford to lose him, even if they take the drop. Remember, Solanki has already gone. Moore might be released, but I think he will be on a pretty lucrative deal. His CC form, from recollection admittedly, has been poor with Lancashire, apart from a modest 2011.
One thing is for sure, we need openers. My preference would be for the skipper to bat in middle order.
MASTERVILLAIN
Edwards and Sayers are good shouts.
ReplyDeleteSayers is perhaps a little out of our reach, but you never know, perhaps Mr Wainwright could have a word in his ear!
There are never any guarantees that new signings will be any better than those they have been brought in to replace. A look down the Derbyshire playing staff over the past few seasons underlines the point,with a goodly number who simply failed.
ReplyDeleteBatting has been somewhat difficult this season,given the shocking weather and the stop/start nature of the season as a result. Most batsmen,s figures are perhaps arificially low as a consequence,whilst bowlers figures are artificially higher.
We have had problems at the top of the order,but then so have many other teams. Up to now,those players already released would not interest me in the slightest for various reasons,ranging from age through poor stats to injuries.
I,ve said before,signing a player just to change the name on the teamsheet is not a sensible way forward. Hughes and Borrington are still contracted for next season and there is still an argument that Lineker should join them. Any additional players have to be top quality otherwise we may just as well stick with those we have.
The overseas player is one very much open to debate,though options will be restricted for all the usual reasons. Khawaja hasn,t done enough to justify a return,even if he was available. The fact he is unsuited to one day cricket is another minus point. We need to improve as a one day outfit and the right overseas player would go some way to achieving that.
It may be possible to persuade Guptill to return,following New Zealand,s tour. If so we would need a player for the first half of the season. We will have to wait and see how things pan out over the winter.
I will also rest a bit easier once we have tied Palladino to a new contract.
Good comments gentlemen!
ReplyDeleteMarc,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your view that it is pointless acquiring new players that will only deliver to a similar level to those we already have. That said, I genuinely believe we do not have openers currently of the requisite standard to succeed at CC1 level, apart from Madsen. However, I would prefer to see the skipper play in the middle order because he tends to be more vulnerable than many early on in his innings. His statistics do reflect my assertion on this point.
MASTERVILLAIN
I take your point Mastervillain and I agree Madsen would be better coming in somewhere in the middle order.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the opener situation I just don,t see where we would get suitable replacements from,given that the better players will obviously be remaining with their current clubs. Unlike football we can,t just go out and buy one.
We could of course sign an overseas opener,if we could find one. I don,t think there is a huge gulf between division one and two. Certainly not one that can,t be bridged. Remember a few years ago when Notts gained promotion,the following season they won division one.
I don,t think anyone would deny the top order haven,t done themselves justice but it could just be those we have now may come good next season. They might not,in which case we would encounter similar problems to those we have this year. We can,t be sure of anything,either one way or the other. Madsen himself has not had a great season with the bat,though fingers tend to point in other directions. I just think unless we can sign proven quality there is little point in adding mediocrity to the squad.
Come the end of the season,I would like to hear Karl Krikken,s views on where we go from here and what,if anything, he would like to do for next season.