Fascinating chat with former County player

I had the pleasure of a lengthy chat the other day with a former county player.

It was one of the more fascinating I have been involved in for some time and covered a range of subjects, not least how Derbyshire could do better another year and improve on overseas recruitment.

We both agreed that change was required and that the need was for a communicator, as well as coach. Not just someone who gives soundbites to the media, but engages with the players, sets up a sound structure and makes goals and pathways easy to understand for them.

A couple of names were tossed around, but until the county were to announce any change it would be unfair to throw them into a mix. Both were interesting, however and I would have thought very feasible.

With the game changing we also agreed that the club board needed greater cricket representation, ideally with at least one person who had recent playing experience at county level. The game has changed over the past five years and someone who could relate to the modern game and its demands would be essential. Colin Tunnicliffe has done a fine job (and is a lovely bloke) but his county career ended almost forty years ago. Like it or not, the game has changed dramatically. 

Then the subject changed to overseas recruitment and whether Derbyshire used personal contacts or analysts to identify potential targets. I was told it 'very unlikely' that we used analysts, because anyone looking at pitch maps, and how bowlers get their wickets, would have shown that Billy Stanlake was the wrong kind of bowler for us. Our need is for a Mohammad Abbas or Michael Neser-type bowler, to zip it around, not someone who will bang it in to the pitch with less consistency of line and length.

Leicestershire used analysts to pick up Inglis and Naveen, their T20 overseas players this year. With the former averaging 37 and the latter taking 21 wickets and going at only eight an over, you would have to say it has been a success. 

'So if you were in charge of Derbyshire cricket, who would you look at for next year?' I asked. 

There was a laugh and something about 'being put on the spot' was mentioned.

'I would split it. Two for four-day cricket, two for one-day, assuming the overseas regulations stay the same. Look at Essex. They split Wagner and Siddle to great effect'. 

I pressed for names. I was enthralled and the knowledge of the person concerned shone like a beacon.

'You need a batsman and a bowler for four-day cricket. A bowler and an impact all-rounder, or batsman who can bowl, for one day.

Because budgets are likely to be tight, look at players who take wickets on unhelpful wickets for them. Perhaps one of the Sri Lankans, Vishwa or Asitha Fernando. They take good wickets, do it on batsman friendly pitches and likely wouldn't cost the earth. Chameera may be another good option'. 

And a batsman?

'Same idea. Look at someone with a reputation to build, who gets in and then scores big. Someone whose cricket board would want them over for experience and so wouldn't cost the earth. A similar idea to when we picked up Khawaja and Guptill a few years back. 

Will Pucovski.'

The batsman is rated the 'next big thing' in Australian cricket. Six centuries and six fifties in his first 38 first-class innings, at an average in excess of fifty. He made his Australian debut at the start of the year, against India and made 62. There are question marks - he has had a few concussions and had a spell out of the game with mental illness - but what a player he looks likely to be. With scores of 255*, 202, 38, 1, 23*, 62, 10 in his last seven first-class innings, he won't be affordable, or available for long. 

What a player to have in Derbyshire colours...

It was a memorable and hugely enjoyable chat, coming out of his interest in recent pieces I have written.

I am hopeful it won't be the last, either.

'You could do much worse than Ravi Rampaul as the one - day bowler next year' he said.

'As for the other, let me think on it...'

Hopefully we can pick up on that another time!