Three of his wickets were leg before, the other bowled. The videos show batsmen beaten by pace and movement, a combination so potent as to get wickets at any level. To be fair to the player he has been doing that all season, taking wickets regularly as a stand out performer in a second team largely made up of players on trial.
Which is why he fully deserves his crack at county cricket. Yesterday he was given a contract for the remainder of this summer and for next, which should enable him to show Derbyshire supporters what he can do.
For those who have only seen him in the game against Australia, he is better than he showed in the first innings of that game. I think nerves played a part, and he was much improved in his later spells, when he had calmed down and, I think importantly, swapped ends. He beat the bat against very good players, troubled a couple with his pace and looked like he belonged.
It is all on him now to show that is the case.
He will join a Derbyshire attack full of question marks. As they go past their mid-thirties, can Ravi Rampaul and Tony Palladino continue to take wickets, as the former has done splendidly this year and the latter for the best part of a decade? Can Luis Reece bowl so many overs and still open the batting? Can we find a reliable, wicket-taking option for the overseas role? Can one of the younger bowlers emerge as a viable option for the first team?
The latter has been a problem this year. For all the bullish winter comments to the contrary, James Taylor, Alfie Gleadall and Sam Conners haven't looked ready for senior cricket by some margin. Conners has looked the best, but has had his share of injuries, as has Gleadall, while Taylor appears to lack 'oomph' at this stage.
If those young players are to remain credible options, we need to find a way of getting them fitter and both mentally and physically prepared for being a professional quick bowler. As an old county legend once said to me, you need to get used to something, or everything, aching every day if you are going to make it.
For those who might say 'but we let good lads go in Cotton, Taylor and Davis' my answer is simple. Did we? Cotton has drifted out of county cricket after struggles with maintaining his weight and fitness, while Davis has taken just seventeen wickets at 38 for Leicestershire this season. As for Taylor, who started the season with a ten-wicket haul, he will likely end it with fourteen, as he has only been fit enough to play three first-class matches. Which was the reason why Derbyshire lost patience in the first place.
It is a tough gig and only the strong survive. The figures of Davis are startlingly similar to those of Logan van Beek, who has nineteen wickets at 38, so the task for Dave Houghton for another year is clear. If he can find someone like Michael Neser, who looked so impressive against us, it would be perfect. Joe Mennie, who did well for Lancashire in 2018, would be an excellent option too, an experienced, proven bowler who can contribute wickets and runs.
Dustin Melton may turn out to be another inspired signing by Dave Houghton, or may fall short of the exacting standards demanded of a good county cricketer. Yet he will have a fine coach in Steve Kirby and can draw on his experience, as well as that of Rampaul and Palladino.
His physique and age suggest someone worth keeping an eye on. If he succeeds, another crucial piece of the jigsaw has been put in place.
Congratulations on the deal, Dustin.
We look forward to watching how you go.
This is really a 'nothing to lose' signing. Can't see it will make a big hole in the budget. I've only seen him in the Australia game and he looked nothing out of the ordinary but if Steve Kirby can work with him over the winter he could be useful next year. On the couple of occasions I've seen Connors he's been impressive and with a decent overseas signing the potential for a pool of bowlers next year is growing. Don't agree with you re Davis PF but we'll see.
ReplyDelete