The news announced today, that Harvey Hosein has signed a contract extension at Derbyshire until the end of 2022, is welcome for a couple of reasons.
First, he's a good cricketer. He did well in four-day cricket last year, had a decent average with the bat, kept wicket pretty well and can still improve further. At 23 that is a given, as despite his being around for years, he is nowhere near his peak. Once he can marry his exemplary technique to greater power at the crease, he will be some player. I am sure he will work with Ben McDermott on that, a man who will likely keep in at least the RLODC next summer.
Second, it reaffirms the club's commitment to its own. Plenty of people, some within the support, feel we don't do that enough, though I am a firm believer that the cream will rise to the top if they are prepared for the graft that goes along with it. I also believe that we shouldn't just persevere for the sake of it. While I have long since acknowledged that players don't come to know their games until their mid-twenties, if there are signs earlier that it isn't going to happen, for some fundamental reason, we aren't sufficiently well off to hang fire 'just in case'.
Alex Hughes has managed it. There's been plenty of criticism in his direction over the years, but he has become a key part of the side as a gritty, sometimes flamboyant batsman, a tricky one-day bowler and a brilliant fielder wherever required. It hasn't happened by accident, but by a lot of graft. A willingness to get fit, play through injuries and work at his game.
So too Matt Critchley, OK, he isn't from our academy, but he has spent a few years with the club and has emerged from the second team to become a good cricketer. Again, there's plenty of work to be done to make the batting more consistent and the four-day bowling more penetrative, but Critch is a fine player, hopefully the next to sign a long-term deal.
Sam Conners could get there too. The whippy pace and bounce is there, he looks like he has all the raw components for success and he now needs to tap into that work ethic to get and stay fit. He and Michael Cohen could be long-term opening bowlers for the club, perhaps for some time after Tony Palladino and Ravi Rampaul retire, but the work starts now, for both of them.
It has been a very good winter, so far, for county supporters. I don't anticipate any more new signings, but I guess it depends on who becomes available.
Enjoy your weekend.
As you say still only young and looks to have the application to become a good wicketkeeper/batsman. I was a bit disappointed as to how his batting fell away a little but hopefully lots of focus during the winter will get him back into a good space for April. Can't quite agree re Alex Hughes; unfortunately in terms of four day cricket, he still has a lot to prove and I think had gone backwards. However his bowling in one day cricket has gone the other way and he is an important part of the squad. Critchley is a worry in four day cricket. As the main spinner he has to be more consistent and we see far too few good innings.
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