News breaking this morning that Derbyshire has engaged the Hampshire all-rounder Sean Ervine on an initial 28-day loan is both interesting and welcome.He is a player I have always liked and his statistics back up his contribution to Hampshire over many seasons. A batting average of around 37 and closing in on 300 first-class wickets is the mark of a very good cricketer. People knew he was with his efforts for Zimbabwe when they had a good international side, of course, but Ervine needs senior cricket and hasn't been able to break into a strong Hampshire side for most of the summer, despite scoring well in the second team.
There is an interesting piece on this from The Southern Daily Echo which highlights his form and that he will almost certainly leave the county at the end of the season, as will Jimmy Adams. Perhaps this lets us look at him, as he will look at us, but any permanent signing will likely be down to winter events. Another mid-thirties player, to go with Madsen, Rampaul, Wilson Palladino and Smit is perhaps one too many, but not all of those are contributing enough. Crucially, however, all are contracted, which puts a different slant on things.
There will be a few eyebrows raised at the signing at this stage of the season, but with six county championship games to go, it is not beyond the powers of reason that we could close the 35-point gap between us and the promotion places. Lockie Ferguson has shown his talents in the Vitality Blast and Hardus Viljoen seemed an improved bowler on early season. The signing of Ervine would bolster a misfiring batting line up and also enable the playing of an extra spinner, assuming he took the place of Ravi Rampaul and bowled first or second change. A notional first choice side would then be:
Godleman
Slater
Madsen
Hughes
Critchley
Hosein
Ervine
Palladino
Viljoen
Qadri
Ferguson
Hosein deserves to play after a fine match at Chesterfield in our last four-day game and neither Smit nor Wilson have scored the runs to cement their place. They could better utilise the bowling of Alex Hughes too, someone who might have made a difference with more bowling at Durham.
Had we not messed up two good opportunities this could have been a genuine promotion push.
As it is, I wouldn't yet discount it. Matt Critchley will be confident after his match-winning effort at Queens Park and his winning of the 'Performance of the Month' in the Cricketer magazine is nice to see. An attack of four seamers and two spinners is always good at this time of year, especially when there are two genuine fast bowlers.
The T20 may be over but there is good cricket still to be played.
And you never know, in this wonderful game of cricket...
Postscript - the above eleven, plus Anuj Dal and Ravi Rampaul, has been named for the Sussex trip. The above should for me be the eleven, but I would like to see Dal get a chance in the side before the end of the summer.
He looked a talented lad in the T20 and it would be good to see his potential in the longer format.
I'm surprised and wonder who has made the call. I really don't think there is still chance for promotion as the first three or four sides feel to be so much better than the rest. I saw Sussex a couple of weeks ago and failing another Hardus type performance I'd be surprised to see a win there. My own preference would be to make sure some of the younger players get a good grounding in the remaining games.
ReplyDeleteLike Sean Ervine although his performances over the last couple of seasons have been patchy but if we've signed him we have to play him. In the line up you've proposed his inclusion certainly strengthens the batting line up.
Not sure about Ervine other than a band aid for this season
ReplyDeleteI would play Dal and stand Hughes and Rampaul down based on CC form
I thought we might have heard about the Head of Cricket by now ?
Lets hope he settles well and quickly and contributes, age worries me if we make it a long term signing, however, disappointed it might be at the expense of Dal who I like
ReplyDeleteMaybe Chris Adams has recommended him, oohh that's opened up a can of worms.
ReplyDeleteWhen I 1st read that he has joined the club on a 28 day loan the question why came to mind?
ReplyDeleteThis will be at expense of Academy player does't personally go down well for me. We are playing for Pride in championship can't see us closing gap being realistic. If we finish in top 5 this year I see this year as Progress. Kim Barnett went on record saying a top 4 postion was the target if my memory serves me right.
I think you could put strong argument together that Dal did enough in 20/20 to give him run of games in Championship cricket. Players like Dal who at this moment of time no one know's if he will make it or not as a county cricketer need to be given opportunity and chance to learn from mistakes and gain valuable experience in his development as a player. I can't see how we can develop players in the Academy without giving them a good stint 1st team cricket. As a club who is dealing with a small budget in terms of other teams budget the Academy is key to long term future of the club being a competitive club. I always see Matt Crictley as a good example. We have had to patient with him but now we are seeing beyond the potential. In todays market Derbyshire could we sign player like Critchley from another club? Young county players wont come to Derbyshire unless they can't get 1st team exprience at their own county. There is a very small pool players that fall in that bracket who are better that what we currently have. Then there are players who have seen best days. They wont have ability to preform day in day out like they use too. Rampaul is good example, great player on his day but has preformed day in day out?. The balance of experience and Youth is important and Ervine will offer experience.
last question is Who made this decision to get Ervine instead of giving a Academy player a opportunity?? anyway lets hope Ervine does produce some of his best cricket in a Derbyshire top. As he has been a fantastic player in the past