Billy Godleman signs for two years

To some extent the signing of Billy Godleman, announced today by Derbyshire, is a gamble.

The player left Middlesex, home to a number of talented opening batsmen, in search of greater opportunity elsewhere. He washed up at Essex, where life cannot have been a great deal of fun in the past couple of seasons and where team spirit isn't something that has come easily. Far too many good cricketers have left, or more to the point have been allowed to leave that county in recent seasons.

Godleman is the latest and his search for the right environment in which to flourish now brings him to Derby. Yet a look at his statistics suggests a young player with the ability and attributes to be a success and perhaps Derbyshire is the right place for him at a crucial stage of his career.

There should be no question of his being a championship opener at the very least. Five centuries and seventeen fifties in 118 first-class innings confirms that the lad can play at county level, though he will want to improve on an average that is just north of thirty. I would be confident in suggesting that David Houghton knows him and rates him, while the player is well aware that Houghton and Krikken could help him to the international stage that seemed inevitable when he was scoring runs for fun at age group levels.

Making the first team at Middlesex when you are only 17 is quite an achievement, but like others who have gained such early promotion, it turned out to be a mixed blessing. All the talent in the world is of only marginal use if you are not physically, technically or emotionally ready for the first-class game. For a player who has been an automatic pick for so long, rejection and omission from a side can cause self-doubt to creep in, not the most helpful thing when you need to bide your time and be ready to take an opportunity when it arises.

Godleman is tall (6'3") so should get a good stride in, never a bad thing at Derby. He is not the most graceful of players - for those of a certain vintage, think John Edrich more than David Gower - but is exactly the sort  that Derbyshire need. Like most left-handers he is very strong on his legs, but perhaps has got into the habit of playing through the onside too frequently for his average's sake. I am sure that David Houghton will be aware of areas that he can improve the player, and am equally convinced that Godleman realises that this is a big opportunity for him. He sells his wicket dearly and any batsman who does that gets my vote. While any batsman can go early before hands, eyes and feet are in synch, the best players are the ones who "drink at the well" when they get to thirty and capitalise. As former Surrey opening batsman Andrew Sandham once said - anyone can get a duck, but only silly buggers get out for thirty on a regular basis...

At 24 it is silly to say it is last chance saloon, but Godleman will aim to translate undoubted talent into weight of runs for Derbyshire over the next two summers. The friendly team environment will help him considerably, as positive atmospheres are always more conducive to productivity and success.

I think Billy Godleman's signing is a shrewd piece of work by Derbyshire. If we can pair him with a top quality overseas player it will help, but a player of unquestionable ability now has the opportunity to cement a place in the county game in the top division. That must have seemed a long way off when he was released at Essex.

Time will tell if Godleman has the last laugh. But I wouldn't bet against the lad.

He can play, without doubt.