I first heard his name mentioned around three years ago, when a good judge of cricket talent told me that the young lad (at that time) had 'fantastic hands' and could handle a bat. The person concerned is not known for hyperbole and so the comment stuck with me. Three years down the line, having kept an eye on his progress in the leagues and lower elevens between times, I can say that the potential is considerable.
He's already been working with Bruce French at Loughborough and the specialist coaching that he will get from Simon Guy will hopefully help him make the step up to the senior squad an easier transition than might otherwise have been the case. Nor should the work done by Howard Dytham be overlooked in his progression.
We should not be too hasty, however. At seventeen he still has schooling and could have university lined up thereafter. While Graeme Welch has suggested that he could make his senior debut before the end of the summer, we may have to wait before he is a genuine and regularly available contender for the gloves with Tom Poynton.
Of course, Derbyshire will know his future plans and they will largely dictate the contract situation of Gaz Cross at the end of the season. The latter is gradually getting into batting form, while his glove work, one poor game excepted, has generally been of a high quality. Unless Hosein eschews further education at this stage and is therefore available to us from April to June, I suspect we will see an offer made to Cross to stay on for at least another year.
Whatever else happens in the close season, it would appear that our wicket-keepers are not going to be a source of concern.
Well done Harvey!
Photograph courtesy of Derby Evening Telegraph.
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