T20 chances go with Nottinghamshire win

Rikki Wessels assault last night, on the same Worcestershire bowling that had strangled Derbyshire a few days earlier, quickly ended any remaining hopes, were they ever entertained, of our qualification from the northern group.

It also meant that I didn't need to seriously consider resurrecting my earlier plan of travelling down to the Riverside for the final match, which had been some time in the consideration stage, but discarded after the Northamptonshire defeat.

I  will have my thoughts on the T20 at the weekend, but we must try to finish on a high at Durham, then ensure that we get as high a finish as possible in the county championship. That is very possible, given the potency of Lockie Ferguson thus far, as long as we quickly adapt to the four day format once more.

Attention will also turn to off-field matters and the appointment of the Head of Cricket. There has been little from the club on the interviews and when they might be conducted, though logic suggests we would want someone in place sooner, rather than later, especially when John Wright and Dominic Cork are no longer around to offer some form of guidance and support.

I find it hard to believe that the club will not have had some very strong applicants for the role and remain adamant that it should go to someone completely new to the club. It needs to be a fresh eye on the place from top to bottom, not someone with 'previous' at the club. We have done that a number of times now and it hasn't worked out with some very good people.

I would be astonished if it went to Mal Loye, who with the greatest of respect would be seen by many as the 'easy' appointment. I don't doubt his credentials, nor discount the work he has done with the club's academy, but I can think of several very good external options (and I am including Grant Bradburn in that) with who I would be very happy.

Interestingly, from reading his Twitter account last night, one of them will not be Chris Adams.

'Surely it's time the powers that be sorted themselves out. Talk a good game, continue to fail in basic decision making - winners win, losers lose' was what he wrote. Subsequently, when asked, he said he had not been approached by Derbyshire. My understanding was that the role required an application process anyway, so maybe there's crossed wires, but the wording suggested that the return of who some see as the 'prodigal son' is not on the cards any time soon.

I dare say that we will find out soon enough, but this is going to be a very big winter for the club. I won't go down the path of 'who shall we sign', because my first concern is that we retain the services on appropriate deals of some of our better young players.

The wolves are always circling and there may be interest in some players, even those under contract. If those deals have not been appropriate to their contribution to the club, we run a high risk of losing them and others offering to buy out their deals.

I hope not, because board elections are coming up in the new year and from the tone of emails that I have been sent, a lot of supporters and members are unhappy at present.

Fingers crossed their concerns are allayed in the coming months...