Abbott's extraordinary form has seen him called 'the country's form player' and he currently averages 130 with the bat, to go with fourteen wickets at the same average. It has earned him a call up to his country's Test squad and rightly so.
He has been around the international setup for a while but the strength of Australian quick bowling has kept him out of contention up until now. Yet such stellar form cannot be ignored and he may well get a game or two this winter. What that would mean to Derbyshire's chances of him coming over next summer is anyone's guess. On the one hand it could give him the chance to broaden his experience, but they might also want to protect him from overwork.
Meanwhile Ben McDermott is averaging nearly seventy and has been racking up some big scores. Frustratingly he gets out before adding to his list of first-class centuries and that will be something he will want to build on. Four fifties so far is good going, but he will hope that is the basis for progress, rather than the pinnacle.
Both players are hoped to take up the contracts that were there for last summer, subject to clearance by the Australian cricket authorities.
Meanwhile, back home Nick Potts has won a rookie contract with the club after impressing in training and for the England development set up.
At 18, he is the latest from what is becoming a very good academy production line and it is encouraging to see this starting to produce the goods after too many barren years.
They have a good man in charge with Daryn Smit and I fully expect to see more lads coming through to join what is a young senior squad.
All this and an imminent vaccine too.. who knows, we might get to see some cricket next year, live and in the flesh.
Now THAT would be special!
Anyone know how fast Potts bowls? Sounds promising.
ReplyDeleteI understand he is more Ben Aitchison than Mikey Cohen at this stage, but moves it both ways and is very professional in his approach and work ethic, which bodes well!
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