Yup. Chesney Hughes has successfully come through an operation on his shoulder and should be fit in time to play a full part in next season with bat and ball. We missed Chesney's left arm 'darts' this year, especially in one-day cricket, when he often brings an element of control with balls fired in at the batsman's feet, as well as greater variation than some might give him credit for.
I expect to see him drop down the order next summer and he would be a good asset to us at five or six, able to offer useful variety with the ball, alongside whoever is selected as first-choice spinner. Slowly but surely the squad is being tweaked and a team for next summer is taking shape.
I've seen a few comments and had several mails about the Ben Slater 'situation' and most are critical about the decision. On first hearing of it, I was inclined to agree, but after due consideration I don't think that it's necessarily as clear cut as that. I think Slater is a talented prospect who may yet end up signed for 2014, but as I wrote last night we may be erring on the side of caution to see what other options are out there.
Few fans would argue that an experienced opening batsman would be of immense value to our side next summer, nor disagree that such a player would not come cheap. As Karl Krikken said last night, sometimes tough decisions have to be made.
At the same time, it would be patently unfair to assume that such professional people as Krikken and Chris Grant, both of who want Derbyshire success with even greater passion than we do, would willingly let first Ross Whiteley, then Dan Redfern and now Slater leave in a period of three months.
Other factors must be coming into play. We know that Whiteley's desire to go to Australia this winter and the club's reluctance to allow him to do so led to the impasse that saw his departure. For all his talent, the club's hand was forced and for me, the right decision was made.
I'm not going into the realm of supposition over Redfern's release, but logic suggests that the club again had little choice, for whatever reason. Why else would they allow a player with two years remaining on a contract, one in who they had invested perhaps ten years of time and money, to leave? He had a disappointing summer for sure, but only last year looked on top of his game.
Which brings us to Slater. A player out of contract, who 90% of supporters probably expected to see signed. We know that the playing budget is tight and that we need another opening batsman of greater experience - is the player's agent perhaps placing an unrealistic value on his services? I assume that Slater, like most players, has one and, if nothing else, it has to be considered a possibility.
I'm a firm believer in common sense and logic. These tell me that laying the blame squarely at the feet of club officials may not simply be unfair. It could be wrong.
I could be wrong too, but there are always two sides to every story - including this one. And that second side is perhaps the only way to make sense of it all.
First and foremost I think the way Ben has been treated is appauling and worrying that more and more homegrown players are being forced out of the club for whatever reasons. Ben outscored both Borrington and Elstone in 2013.. to offer Elstone a deal based on averaging low 30's in 2nd team cricket is a JOKE when Slater scored 3 big hundreds and averaged 60/70+ in various 2nd XI formats and lets not forget contributed half centurys in the only 3 games Derbyshire won! To say Borrington is a lot further developed is hardly suprising given he is 4 years older and been given contract after contract for no obvious reason....Slater proved himself this year with a weight of runs in the 2nd XI and held his own in a difficult 1st division not to forget playing on ridiculous green seaming wickets the ground staff prepared for results so to suggest he needs to score a weight of runs to even earn a contract is again laughable he has done all that needed to be done compared to others who have contracts and not sure what they have done to earn them Alex Hughes, Borrington, Elstone to name but a few. Slater would have been on the PCA minimum for his age if signed up which for next season would have been £20,588 if the club cannot provide that miserly sum to a player who has gone through all the age groups and performed at every level so far then not sure how the clubs heavily publicised youth policy fits in. I believe Slater will be signed up by another county fairly quickly just like Ross Whiteley and no doubt Dan Redfern just another all too fimilar case of players slipping through the Derbyshire net I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteI've allowed this one Anon but please use a name in future. I think you are wrong on several things here though.
ReplyDeleteOf course Borrington is older and that's what I said. To say that the three lads didn't justify a contract is petty and silly.
I have a feeling that Slater's agent may have been seeking more than the minimum - hence the current impasse.
And I don't think Whiteley's stance lends itself to 'slipping through the net' either. Redfern's may not do - time will tell
I read with disappointment and astonishment of the news that Ben Slater has not been offered a contract for 2014. After the emotions had subsided somewhat I am offering what I hope is a reasoned comment.Although obviously not privy to the club's reasons for arriving at this decision it does seem to me to be harsh and premature. I feel he has been treated unfairly,in that his first appearances in the first team were batting down the order before promotion to opener which is what he is, and I think he has performed by and large very well against Div 1 opening bowlers.
ReplyDeleteSurely he should be allowed to play a full season as opener in Div 2.to prove either he is good enough for county cricket or not? As it stands now it seems a waste and inconclusive.I know this is a pointless comparison but his average is better than Godleman's Also do we really need to offer a contract at this stage to Elstone who is unproved at 1st X1 level?
After all that, I read that Slater may be offered a contract after all, so fingers crossed
Thankyou for giving me the platform to air my views
Best regards
Mick