No news on Lace

The first club members meeting is tonight and I expect that at some point Dave Houghton will shed some clarity on the Tom Lace situation.

After the announcement of the signings of Sean Abbott and Ben McDermott in the last 48 hours, Lace would appear to be the 'outstanding business' for the county. Yes, in an ideal world we could do with an off-spinner of quality, but looking around the county circuit I don't see too many who are available and good enough to force a way in. Besides, with better luck with injuries, Mattie McKiernan could well enjoy more cricket next season.

This is already a strong Derbyshire squad. I agree with many of you on that and if we approach next season as professionally as we did the last we will do fine. Yet Lace showed last season that he could provide quality ballast in the engine room, averaging over forty and looking every inch a player of class, at the tender age of 21.

The problem is that he is still contracted to Middlesex for another year, while the even greater one is that I don't now see them willing to let him go, having already lost Dawid Malan to Yorkshire.

I know how much Tom enjoyed his time at Derbyshire last summer and he has made great friends among the squad. Were the decision his alone, I am sure he would be heading up the M1 to sign on the dotted line for Dave Houghton, for who he has considerable respect. Equally I am sure that Dave would have him signed up by now, were it a possibility.

Perhaps Middlesex have guaranteed him an early slot in the side next summer, as much as a sports side can ever do that, but if he isn't in the side then I wouldn't be surprised if a loan move was requested by him. The Lord's camp doesn't appear an especially happy one at present, from reports.

I'd equally be surprised if Derbyshire didn't make a prompt expression of their interest to sign him by putting in a 28-day notice at the start of June. There may be other interest, of course, but Tom is at an age where he needs the right environment and the right coach to get the best out of him. From what I have read and heard, I don't think that is at Middlesex.

It's awkward for Houghton though, because if Lace does stay down south, we end up a batsman down for the summer. If he becomes available and he has signed someone else, it is an even greater problem, because the budget will have gone.

The player I really feel for here is Tom Wood. I don't think there are many supporters who wouldn't want to see Tom Lace at the club, but Wood has done little wrong in the past three years. He has scored prolifically at all levels other than county, where he has had no chance and is now coming to his prime when we have our best batting side in a decade.

There may, of course, be an option for a contract for the RLODC, when we will be shorn of Madsen, du Plooy and Reece for this Hundred malarkey, but I'm not sure how many people around the country could drop commitments in other jobs to go and play cricket for a couple of months.

It is a big ask for any player to go from even top club cricket to county level, with no intermediate step. Maybe Derbyshire feel they can cope with the staff they have for the RLODC, assuming there are no injuries, but options may be very limited, for us and everyone else.

If anyone is going along tonight, do make sure to let us know what is discussed. I don't expect much more in the way of signings, after a busy old end of season and Autumn.

But you never know...