So Michael Buble is making an appearance at the Pattonair County Ground next summer.
Good news for the club coffers, I would think. A rival for Tony Palladino too, long established as the king of swing in Derbyshire...
In cricket matters, it was good to read of Dave Houghton talking about our challenging not just in the coming season but in the longer term. He has done very well to build a squad with the right spirit and personnel to do that and the possibilities of the current squad are quite exciting.
We all know that the batting has power and depth, something that will undoubtedly carry through to 2020. Houghton has addressed last year's weakness, an over-reliance on Ravi Rampaul and Tony Palladino, by recruiting a quality overseas seamer in Sean Abbott, together with South African quick Michael Cohen. They, with Dustin Melton will give us much more edge than last year and enable all-rounders Luis Reece and Fynn Hudson-Prentice to be all the more effective in not being over-bowled.
There will be times when our one bowling weakness, the absence of a quality spinner, may hurt us, but both Matt Critchley and Mattie McKiernan are young enough to develop as a spin-bowling all rounder.
It is all very exciting as we come to the end of 2019 and look forward to the 2020 summer.
The week's cricket has been dominated by the death of Bob Willis, the former England and Warwickshire quick bowler. He will forever be remembered for his feats in 1981, when 'Botham's match' could quite easily have carried his name forever, after a stunning second innings performance.
He was a fine bowler and a commentator who 'shot from the hip' in his summaries at the end of a day's cricket. His on-screen persona suggested a dour man, yet the tributes paid to him suggest a man quite different, one who was good company and a loyal friend.
Such a man is welcome in any gathering and he will be missed.
Rest in peace, Bob.
Thanks for this Peakfan. I noticed that Sean Abbott scored a fifty in a recent Sheffield Shield game, showing he can handle a bat and could be capable of useful late-order runs or, at least, hanging round to help see Leus to another hundred (I might be getting slightly ahead of myself, but I am excited about the new season and Abbott in particular.) Qadri's departure could be quite a blow - he bowled very well for England U 19's recently. Matt Critchley bowled fitfully last season and I think next could be a big one for him, one way or the other. If the club make him the number one spinner then he will have to deliver or the club will have to look elsewhere. That said, I'm a huge fan of Matt and would always find a spot for him in the team. I noticed that Simon Kerrigan has signed for Shropshire and is still only 30.
ReplyDeleteAre we still looking for another batsman or might Dal or F H-P be given a chance higher up the order?
and anyone who likes both Bob Dylan and Richard Wagner in equal measure has to be good. RIP Bob Willis
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