Good wishes for 2023!

It isn't ideal to be approaching the end of 2022 with an element of uncertainty over the future of Mickey. Arthur. But such is professional sport these days that things rarely run smoothly.

For what it is worth, I would be surprised were the Head of Cricket to leave his post. There is considerable goodwill towards him at Derby and what I'm sure is a generous contract is his for the next three years. He can achieve something at the county in that timescale and leave it in a far better condition than it was found.

If he goes back to Pakistan? Things are never simple in that part of the world and it always seems to me that there are way too many fingers in pies they should be steering well clear of. Selection inconsistences and infighting seem to go hand in hand. There is no doubt that the main sport in that country produces some magnificent cricketers, yet I am never convinced that their strongest eleven ever takes the field.

The absence of Shan Masood for a long time and Mohamad Abbas perpetually seems odd at this distance and they are far from isolated occurrences. I get the impression that a slight shift in power battles sees the current incumbent of the coaching role in an awkward position, usually resulting in the end of a contract. It has been so for Arthur before, it will be again.

We must only hope that common sense prevails. Were he to see out his Derbyshire contract he would still be young enough to take on another international role, having probably added something notable to his CV. Leaving, let's make no bones about it, would leave a bad taste and after protestations of wanting to leave a legacy and be referred to in the same breath as the likes of Eddie Barlow and Fred Swarbrook, that wouldn't happen. But at the end of the day, all of us must make our own decisions in life.

With the offices at the Incora County Ground closed for the festive period, it is likely that any statement from the club will come next week, when they all return to work. I do hope that such a statement is quickly forthcoming, because there are memberships to sell and an overseas player to be signed. This work will be made considerably easier with the right man in post and that right man is Mickey Arthur.

Anyway, that will all sort in due course. From me, very best wishes for 2023 and thank you to all of you for your support, your messages, comments and emails over this year.

Perhaps 2023 is the year of the falcon...

Arthur conjecture gathering pace

You can pay your money and take your choice on this one.

According to some reports, Mickey Arthur is set to return to Pakistan as coach of their national side. According to others, his opinion only on the new cricket supremo in that country has been sought and he is happy where he is, at Derbyshire.

I really have nothing to add to this. It was inevitable, when I first heard that his name was in the frame for the role, that this kind of thing was going to happen. After all, international coaches of established pedigree are not common. It was my concern when he was chosen over Grant Bradburn, who also made the final cut.

By the same token, I think he would make a mistake in going back to a country where they decided against extending his contract originally. Returns in sport are seldom successful and I would be surprised - and of course disappointed - if Arthur were to turn his back on Derbyshire after just one season in charge and after signing a contract that keeps him at the club for a further three seasons.

Yet after 50 years and counting of following sport, very little surprises me anymore. 

All I hope is that either the club or the coach himself is quick in making a statement to clarify the situation for supporters. Things have blown up very quickly over Christmas and I have no doubt that there are some of those reporting who are perhaps quite liberal with the truth.

One way or the other we will know what is happening by the end of the week. But one thing is for sure.

Derbyshire will continue. But players who signed on the dotted line on the understanding that they would be working with him will be mighty disappointed were that to prove not to be the case.

I know I would.

Have a great Christmas!

There is just time, before we all shut down for the joys of family Christmas, to thank you all for your support over the past 12 months and for following the blog, wherever you are in the world.

I remain incredibly humbled that blog usage continues to rise, especially during the summer months. Family commitments limit my time to write stuff in the winter, but I continue to try to keep pace with developments and create copy, as and when I can.

Special thanks to those who have generously donated. That support really does make a difference and for those of you who would like to do so in the next couple of weeks, here is a little news about a January draw.

I will be offering five prizes in that draw, all of them excellent cricket books. The first name drawn out gets to choose first, then the second and so on. 

That draw will be open to all of those who have donated towards blog running costs, which is quite a few people!

Thank you so much to every single one. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and wish you the very best in 2023.

Here's to a winning Derbyshire!

Second team to hold trials

In another development that I can only applaud, Derbyshire will be holding trials in the early new year for English-based players with an interest in playing for the second eleven n the coming summer.

Led by Second XI Coach & Head of Analytics, Chris Highton, and with involvement from former Derbyshire all-rounder and new Analyst & Support Coach, Alex Hughes, the Second XI will provide players with the opportunity to play high level cricket and work to the standards expected by Head of Cricket, Mickey Arthur, in the first team.

The Club’s pathway will provide a steady stream of players for the Second XI, as they continue their development, but Derbyshire are also giving players the opportunity to impress ahead of the 2023 season and earn a spot within the setup.

It is a notable step forward. For a long time appearance in the second team, rightly or wrongly, appeared to be down to who had a few days off and was a decent player. There was a very poor occurrence a couple of years ago, when an overseas professional for a local club was originally announced as captain for a second team game.

I will be honest, as I always am. I see no point in offering opportunity in the county second eleven to anyone who is not legitimately looking for or good enough for potentially making a step up. There is a big difference between when Eddie Barlow brought over Peter Kirsten, Allan Lamb and Garth Le Roux, all seriously talented players and with a view to seeing which one was best fit for Derbyshire, and our playing a young Australian, Zimbabwean or South African who just happens to be local for a few nights.

We have seen changes this winter, all of them positive, but a lot of players are out of contract at the end of next season. If we can unearth a few gems, either from local cricket or further afield, then that would be a very positive use of the second team and excellent succession planning.

The summer presents an opportunity for them to find out the way that Mickey Arthur and his coaching staff work, and to buy in to the club's ethos.

If they can prove that they have what it takes for stepping up a level, then so much the better.

Madsen signs new deal

Such great news this morning, as Wayne Madsen extends his contract with the county to the end of the 2024 season.

He will be 40 by then, but if last season's form is anything to go by, maybe he can do a 'Darren Stevens' and play on longer still.

Last year very much marked a renaissance in his fortunes. His batting with Shan Masood was a joy to behold, but throughout the year he set an example with the bat, while remaining as good and safe a slip fielder as anywhere in the country.

That he was often the choice for point in T20 matches, when Anuj Dal was not playing also speaks volumes for his fitness. He still looks as fit as he did when he first burst onto the Derbyshire scene.

We have all been privileged to watch a genuine all-time Derbyshire great bat exclusively for our county for what will have been a decade and a half by that stage.

The thought of it continuing for at least another 2 years is very much a thought to warm the heart.

I'm sure I'm not alone in looking forward to both his classically correct and wonderfully improvised stroke play over the next two summers.

Fantastic news, for sure

Bring on 2023!

Weekend Warmer

On a day where the temperature here is currently reading -6, a winter warmer is very much what the doctor ordered!

Truth be told, there's not much to relate from a Derbyshire perspective. I am sure that off the field, the clubs, function rooms and the marquee are doing their bit towards supporting Mickey Arthur's ambitions. A successful festive period, following on from a very well attended fireworks night, can make a major contribution towards the club's financial well-being.

The only real news this week, though very positive, was the return to action of Sri Lankan seam bowler Suranga Lakmal. Having him restored to full fitness will be a major boost ahead of 2023 and his 2 for 29 in 4 overs, against the side currently coached by Arthur, was a respectable effort.

We seem to have plenty of options with both seam and spin this year, although of course, like every year you are only a couple of injuries away from a problem.

Mark Watt has also been in fine form for Scotland and has bowled with his usual guile and parsimony.

Perhaps this week we might have a pre-Christmas boost with the announcement of the second overseas player, but more logically that may have to wait until the new year.

Whatever happens, have a good week, stay safe and stay warm!

Just a thought...

While claiming no inside information, I wouldn't be at all disappointed if Mickey Arthur's choice of overseas batsman to replace Shan Masood turned out to be Abdullah Shafique.

The 23-year-old Pakistan opener looks to be really special, a generational talent. While he is batting on something akin to a road in the current Test match, his style and class are quite evident. Mind you, a Test average of 67 and first class one of over 70 is a reasonable indicator of quality.

I suspect that both he, his advisors and the PCB would see a stint in England as a very good finishing school. 

I have no doubt he will score very heavily in the years to come and will only get better.

I recall Dave mentioned him as a good option a few months back, in a blog comment. 

Nothing I have seen would dispute that assertion.

Arthur signs on for three more years!

There is wonderful news to wake up to today, as Derbyshire announce that Mickey Arthur has signed a 3-year contract extension, which takes him up to the end of 2025.

The news could hardly be better, as the experienced international coach has galvanised the county's fortunes in a relatively short space of time. The transformation was clear last season, when the side was much more competitive with minimal change to the playing staff. Over the next three seasons I would expect the club to kick on still further, with the playing staff changing to reflect the Head of Cricket's mentality and requirements.

It is a thrill to read how much he has bought into the county and into the area. My only concern, when I first heard of his interest in the post, was that we might be merely a stepping stone back into international cricket. It is extremely pleasing to see that is not the case and equally so to see that finances have been put in place to enable him to do the ' roots and branches' review that was needed.

Last season was exciting. Hold on to your hats, because the next three look like upping the excitement level!

Speaking of which, the fixtures came out this week. That announcement always seems to bring the season a little closer, even though we still have plenty of cold, frosty, wet and snowy days to come.

It is the typical mess that we have come to expect from the ECB. It would be nice if County cricket - the source of all those players doing so well for England at the moment - was played at a time of year when spectators might enjoy some sunshine on their backs, while the players were able to discard several layers of sweaters and leave the hand warmers in the dressing room.

During a 36 day period across July, August and September 2023, Derbyshire have eight days of cricket, home and away. Seriously, at the height of summer.

Meanwhile, after 20th May they play on a Saturday just once. It is crazy, counter-productive and as if those arranging the fixtures were hell bent on the game being unsuccessful. We can only hope that the next review of the county game actually considers when it is being played, not who is playing it.

They will argue, of course, that they want to leave Saturdays free for those who want to play the game, while later in the season, they want to avoid potential clashes with football. The argument simply doesn't stack up. There are many more people who love cricket and are unable to play the game for whatever reason, while the days of football being a 3pm Saturday game have long gone. Perhaps for 2024 we might have fixtures arranged for a time when spectators could actually attend a spectator sport. How radical would that be...?

The silver lining for me, however, is that the away game against Durham runs Thursday to Sunday and so enables me to go for the first three days with no impact on my annual leave. My accommodation is already booked and I am looking forward to attending a lovely ground and catching up with old friends.

I am also thrilled that after several years of trying I should be able to attend the Chesterfield Cricket Festival! As things stand, I will be there for the entirety of the four-day game against Yorkshire and I am already excited at once again watching a game where I had my introduction to Derbyshire cricket, back in 1967. 

Exciting times!

Arthur closing in on overseas target...

I would like to thank Gareth for sending me a link to a piece in the cricketer which suggests that Mickey Arthur is close to the second overseas signing for 2023.

You can see the article here, but the interesting section is:

"I could pull the trigger on a guy tomorrow I've just got to see how it ties in with budgets," Arthur, the former South Africa, Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka head coach, told The Cricketer.

"There is potentially another guy we've got in the loop. We are looking to see how that pans out before I commit totally to this player."

"There are a host of them that want to come here. I've got my eye on one young batter that would be very good for us."

I like the idea of a young batter. Someone with a reputation to make, hopefully available for the full season and with the ability to score heavily across the formats.

It all suggests that we should have some one in place before Christmas and that we can all go into our festive period excited at what the future holds.

I don't know about you, but I can't wait to find out who it is!

County to feature in 'Blast Off'

I'm afraid that time ran away from me yesterday and work took too great a chunk from my available time to comment on the day's big news.

Which was, of course, that Derbyshire will feature in a tournament-opening Vitality Blast 'Blast Off' double header at Edgbaston, which will see us play Lancashire while Birmingham Bears take on Yorkshire, on Saturday 20 May. It is a big occasion for supporters and one which will feature all of the razzmatazz of finals day. Who knows, it may well turn out to be a portent of things to come..

It highlights the tournament in a grandstand way and sees it come very much to the forefront of public consciousness, all this in May, when the county game usually sees its participants jostling for early dominance in the season.

The downside is that Derbyshire are the only side involved who are effectively giving up home advantage. They are the designated home side for their game, while it is Birmingham's home game anyway. The counter arguments that I have seen are that it is one less game for supporters to go to and that we are not really a home side.

But does that matter? We played very well on this ground last year and for me getting this tournament into minds so early in the summer can only be a good thing. It is innovative, it is making people aware that there is a better tournament out there than the one which has been marketed to death, yet still only sees the bulk of its attendance figures through promotional giveaways.

The Blast is a  very good competition. How else would England have become world champions in the format? The players in that side grew up playing in our domestic T20 and honed their skills in it. Derby to Birmingham is not that far and the club have already said that they will lay on coach travel to and from the ground. You get to see two games of cricket and this is in the price of your membership, if you chose to go down that route.

There was a time in my life when I had 40-50 miles in each direction as my daily commute. I didn't find it too difficult at the time and I wouldn't find it an issue to travel to support my favourite sports team, particularly when I could just jump on a luxury coach and relax.

Cricket supporters around the country have spent the last twelve months mobilising in support of the existing county structure. The dangers facing it were clear and the franchise competition is still out there, its supporters still vocal.

I am just pleased to see the counties fighting back with innovation of their own. Perhaps the following season it will be a different four counties involved, a different venue. I would assume so, but I hope that supporters of all four clubs get behind this.

From the perspective of the players, the opportunity to play in front of what should be a large crowd can only be positive for them. Big game experience can only be gained by playing in big games, there is no simulator that can otherwise replicate everything.

I accept that there will be other views and it is, of course the prerogative of the individuals concerned to hold those views.

But I like this. I like to see my county involved in innovation.

Bring it on! And remember, it is Blast Off, not Bake Off...

Weekend warmer

There's not a lot to report on this week, aside from Alex Hughes moving into coaching.

It gives Derbyshire a very solid coaching setup and should ensure that progression from the Academy/Pathway is seamless. His departure from the playing staff does, however leave a gap in resources for T20 cricket, where he played a key role. It may be that Mickey Arthur is looking to recruit someone with all round skills for that competition.

I was surprised last year when Hilton Cartwright joined but then didn't bowl at any point. Someone who can offer a few useful overs in that competition, as well as scoring quick runs, will always be an asset.

It wouldn't surprise me to see the second overseas role split with one player for 4 day and 50 over cricket, the other for the Blast. It just seems unlikely that you would get someone able and willing to commit to a full season, or that a player could stay fit for a full season, given the demands of the current game.

So we must play a waiting game, until individual commitments and international fixtures for 2023 are finalised.

But things are looking good for next year. I think we have already made more signings than I expected, but this coming season will be seen as a watershed, with so many players coming towards the end of their current deals. The winter next year will likely see a few changes, although many have the opportunity to extend their stay at the club with an impressive 2023 season.

It can't come soon enough for me!

Hughes moves into coaching

It is very much the end of an era, with today's announcement that Alex Hughes has retired from the playing side at Derbyshire County Cricket club, to move seamlessly into coaching.

He will take charge of the second team as part of his new role as Analyst and Support Coach, doubtless taking some of the pressure from Daryn Smit in the process.

He is a perfect candidate for the role. It's funny, during the summer just past I stood talking to him for 20 minutes during a rain break in one match. In the course of that conversation I said to him that I thought he would be a good shout for second eleven coach, pretty much an ideal mentor for young players making their way into first class cricket. He didn't say anything, maybe it hadn't been discussed at that point, but I am pleased that we will retain someone of his talents in some capacity. Also that mystic Peakfan retains his powers...

He has been a good, solid county cricketer. Maybe the runs and wickets that I expected, early in his career, didn't quite follow on, but then opportunity seldom knocked for him in recent seasons. He became somewhat pigeonholed as a one-day player, which is understandable, given the all-action nature of his game.

I couldn't see how he could fit into a first choice side in the coming season but the new role seems like a perfect compromise to me. He is very much a thinker and I will always maintain he was a good captain who got away. Those lads coming through the academy have got a supportive, intelligent bloke to look after them, that's for sure.

I will miss, as will many others, his gritty determination and not inconsiderable skill, particularly when backs were against the wall. Yet will also miss his improvisation and powerful stroke play when time was running out and runs were still needed.

As a bowler he was canny. There were plenty of variations of pace and although none of them ventured anywhere close to 'lively' he was a bowler who made opponents work for their runs.

In the field he was excellent. A safe pair of hands at slip, on those increasingly rare occasions when he played four-day cricket, but equally reliable in the deep when the big shots were being unfurled, especially in T20 matches. He was quick across the ground and put down very little that came his way.

I wish him the very best in his new role and I am pleased that we will still see him around the County Ground, hopefully for some time to come.

Thanks for everything Alex.

Weekend warmer

So England are the world champions in T20 cricket. Which suggests to me like they all got a pretty good grounding in the Vitality Blast, that same competition the ECB appear to want to marginalise in favour of a tin pot tournament that bothers very few.

Fair play to the side which looked pretty impressive throughout. With a top seven as good as that (that still doesn't include Root or Bairstow) most can only envy the depth of talent in our game. Produced by eighteen first class counties of course, let's not forget that. We never really needed to see what the rest of them could do, but with Woakes, Curran and Rashid all pretty handy with the bat, this really is a side that will take some beating.

It has been a fairly quiet week on the Derbyshire front, but the players have returned to training and it is good to see our new players involved.

Thanks to all of you for your contributions to my question last week, as to which overseas stars of the past you would bring into the current setup. Hypothetical of course, and there is no right or wrong answer, it comes down purely to personal preference.

For what it is worth, allowing only for the perceived area of greatest weakness in the current squad, I would have brought in either John Wright or Chris Rogers to open the batting in both 4-day and 50 over cricket. Both would be perfect, but if I had to name one I would take Wright, only because I rarely saw him fail. While Rogers was also a run machine, he rarely scored many when I was in attendance, much the same as Michael di Venuto.

That would then enable me to bring in a T20 specialist and I would have to pick Adrian Kuiper. For all that there have been better batters and bowlers at the county - and to be fair, between you all you named them - Kuiper was a 'gun' finisher.

I have seen every Derbyshire overseas player since Chris Wilkins, the first, in 1970. Chris was the only one remotely close to Kuiper as a long hitter. I would have loved to have seen the South African all rounder with one of the modern bats, as the ball went a country mile with the ones available at that time.

Add in his bustling medium pace and his excellent fielding and Kuiper would easily have been a multi-millionaire in the modern game.

I hope you enjoyed the little bit of fun, so here's another one for you for this week.

Which overseas player, or players in the world game currently would you bring in for the season ahead? You can split the role, should you wish, but be realistic as to who we could get. No Indian players for T20, of course, and my guess would be a maximum spend of 150K.

The international future tours programme can be found here

Have fun!

Weekend warmer

It was great to see the bumper crowd that attended the bonfire night celebrations at the Incora County Ground on Friday.

An equally successful festive season will be perfect for Derbyshire, generating the crucial off field income that will allow Mickey Arthur the money required to improve fortunes on the field.

I doubt that anyone is unhappy with the way that the winter has gone so far. Logically, all that remains is the recruitment of the overseas player, or players to replace Shan Masood.

I am not sure if the World Cup has featured those players, but there have been some standout performers. I was less impressed with Sikandar Raza as the tournament went on, his batting looking a little too frenetic against good bowlers. His bowling was more impressive and while I am sure there will still be interest from the county circuit, the recent recruitment of Mark Watt pretty much legislates against him being on Derbyshire's radar. I can't see us needing four spinners, with two then unlikely to play much cricket.

One player who has impressed me has been Suryakumar Yadav of India, who batted well against Derbyshire last year. He seems to have elastic wrists and some of the shots he has played have been quite spectacular. I was surprised to find out that he is 32 and thought him a younger man. Which in its own way speaks volumes both for the sheer quantity of talent in that country, as well as the merits of the later developer.

It is a shame that Indian players cannot play in the Vitality Blast, as most of their stellar line up would be huge draws. It is hard to gauge though whether any would be equally successful, or interested in a contract for longer form matches.

I would be surprised if Mickey Arthur was able to find a player available for most of the season, as Masood was last year. Even more so if that player was as successful. While not in any way meaning to diminish his efforts, he perhaps had the best early season wickets for a decade on which to bat, while Suranga Lakmal probably thought he had arrived in the wrong country, with what he had to bowl on.

It could be that this time next year we are all hailing the latter, if April sees more traditional English wickets. I suspect had he not had the elbow injury, some of the wickets as the season progressed would have been perfect for his talents.

As a bit of fun, here's some nice thoughts to occupy you over the next few days.

Which Derbyshire overseas player of the past would you recruit to enhance the current squad?

I am going to ban the selection of Eddie Barlow, because anyone who saw him would appreciate that him in the side would automatically improve it by 20%, regardless of his individual contribution.

There is no right or wrong answer, but I would be curious and delighted to see everyone's thoughts. I will then tell you my decision next week.

Have a good one!

Mark Watt signs for 2023!

I have two immediate observations regarding today's excellent news, which sees Mark Watt returning to Derbyshire, around his Scotland commitments, for all formats next season.

The first and most obvious is that we have picked up a very canny operator. He is one of those players who seems to have been around for years, which he has, but he is still only 26. My guess would be that although he is the junior of our three spinners, he will start next summer as our first choice.

He has to. His ability was noted and not questioned by any of the commentators at the T20 World Cup. Mickey Arthur speaks of him in glowing terms and his enjoyment of the game and of the individual battles within it are clear every time he steps onto the ground, with or without his notes on individual players...

He is a leader. The sort of player that every captain will want when the chips are down. Someone to who you can throw the ball in expectation that he will make something happen. That might be one of his 24 yard specials or many variants in between, including remarkable swing for a spin bowler at times.

As next year's captain, Leus du Plooy will know that he can depend on Mark, whose reputation precedes him in the shorter forms of the game.

Is he yet the finished article for 4-day cricket? No, but he hasn't played that much more in that format than I have. In the interview on the club site, Arthur mentioned him 'getting more revs on the ball' 'giving it more flight' and being 'a work in progress'. As are all spinners in their mid-20s, of course.

But let's not focus on any perceived weaknesses, rather enjoy the fact that we have recruited a player who has proven and established his credentials on the world stage. It has been a very good winter so far, exceeding my expectations for players coming in.

The other observation is that his signing almost certainly means that our other overseas player will be either a batsman or a batting all rounder. English wickets are rarely conducive to spin until later summer anyway and it seems very unlikely that we would go into the 2023 season with four spinners on the staff.

Logic thus dictates that the replacement for Shan Masood will be close to like for like, even if the new man is not necessarily an opening bat.

Last week's news that Leicestershire are set to sign Indian batsman Ajinkya Rahane for 2023 was an eye-opener, as was the accompanying news that India are keen to see some of their players gather more experience on English wickets.

The exclusivity contracts held by those who play in the IPL means they couldn't play in the Vitality Blast, but there are a number of players over there who would undoubtedly benefit from a season in English conditions. Just as the county game would benefit from their presence.

Many are simply too well rewarded by the IPL to need county cricket, of course. The biggest stars can simply live off their IPL earnings, if they chose to do so. With Virat Kohli worth an estimated £120 million and even a talented young tyro like Prithvi Shaw worth £2 million, they don't really have to spend their summers in a Derby flat..

But it leaves a lot of outstanding cricketers who would undoubtedly be thrilled to work under an internationally renowned coach. Perhaps, like Shan Masood, keen to get back into the international picture.

Very much something to keep an eye on.

But for now, let's celebrate that we have secured the services of Watty. The man with the regular smile, the many variations and the desire to win that will continue to endear him to Derbyshire supporters.

Ben Aitchison

This is the first in a series I will run over the winter, each focusing on a young Derbyshire player with the potential to go far. Each can be a key member in a side that could see the resurgence of the county fortunes. 

There is no order of merit, nor is it alphabetical. But let's start with A for the sake of convention...

___________________________

Ben Aitchison is my kind of cricketer.

For one thing, in an age when sports stars are increasingly demonstrative, he isn't. In watching him celebrate a wicket, I'm often taken back to the footage of Jim Laker, celebrating each of his 19 wickets against Australia in 1956. Jim's excitement was demonstrated, at best, with a clap of his hands and the hitching up of his trousers. It was a reaction of its age, a man simply doing the job that he was paid to do.

Today's 'celebrappeal' appalls me. Bowler striking the pad, running down the wicket arms aloft, nary a backwards glance to the umpire to see if it is actually out. Then the 'teapot' of indignance when the finger isn't raised. Yes I'm talking about Stuart Broad as a prime example, but there are others and I don't like it. Time enough for that kind of thing when the umpire raises his finger. I guess I am getting old..

Ben will turn to the umpire and if the decision is the one that he wants will look down and clench and shake his fists in celebration as he walks towards the slip cordon. Nowt exaggerated or fancy, just a young man doing his job. In the words of the old disco classic, that's the way, uh huh, uh huh, I like it..He might occasionally 'push the boat out' with an upraised arm, but that is as far as it goes.

He is a bowler of vast potential and Lancashire's loss is very much Derbyshire's gain. A back injury last winter ruled him out of the early part of the summer, a stress fracture thankfully not sustained in bowling and therefore easier to heal.

He still missed the first half of the summer, too much from a Derbyshire perspective. A time when seam bowlers were dropping like flies and a revolving door of less satisfactory replacements were coming in for matches here and there.

Ben will have been pleased to see his team mates, George Scrimshaw and Sam Conners, earn call-ups for England Lions, but will likely have realised that bar for injury that could just as easily have been him.

He is that good. More than any other of the current young crop of Derbyshire bowlers - and there are some talented ones in there - he is the Mr Reliable. There may be an occasional ball that slips down leg side, but more often than not the batman has to play, has to handle the challenge of the moving ball and make a decision. That control has been even better this season, since he cut down his run up. I am unaware of any major difference that it has made to his pace, but as many fine bowlers over the years will tell you,  speed isn't everything and the subtleties of line, length and control are the things that frustrate and ultimately dismiss a batsman. Darren Stevens, Tom Cartwright, Derek Shackleton, Don Shepherd - how many examples do you want? There are plenty in the great Derbyshire lineage.

Were you to compare him to a local hero of yesteryear It would probably be Mike Hendrick. Another bowler capable of long spells, accurate and moving it around to the detriment of opposition batting lineups. Hendo was a good slip fielder too and also had a good arm. It is unusual to see a quick bowler in the slip cordon, but Ben has held some good catches this year and the days of your quick bowler fielding at third man or fine leg, not required to dive around and using their foot to stop the ball are gone forever.

He is no mug with a bat either. I do take issue with those who have asserted that Derbyshire have three number elevens, because Ben is better than that. Supporters will remember his bucolic half century in a losing cause against Nottinghamshire a couple of seasons back, but he has also shown that he can hang in there in support of an established batsman. He favours a whippy stroke off his legs and I think he can improve still further with the bat in his hands. There's a steady number eight in there, with time and hard work 

But it is as a bowler that he will make his name. 60 first class wickets at 26 is a solid start to his career, but the first of those figures will rise rapidly while the second continues to drop. The likely first choice seam quartet for Derbyshire next year is Aitchison, Lakmal, Chappell and Conners. I'm not sure if they will all take the field together, but at their best there will be plenty of batsmen with sleepless nights before facing them. It will be interesting to see who gets the new ball, but Ben rarely wastes it and would be a very strong candidate.

An affable lad from a lovely and successful sporting family, he won't get carried away by success, nor get too down on the occasional bad days that affect all sports people. 

But if I am any judge of a cricketer, I reckon there will be many more of the former over the next decade.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

Guest signs contract extension!

Piece by piece, Mickey Arthur's jigsaw for revamping Derbyshire cricket is taking shape.

Today came news that wicketkeeper batter Brooke Guest has signed an extension to his existing deal, which will keep him at the club until the end of 2025 at this stage.

There were stories a few weeks back that he might not be here next season, but to be honest, I was always firmly of the conviction that such stories were nonsense. My understanding was then and is now - as today's announcement has shown - that Brooke is very happy at Derbyshire.

Indeed, all I hear are positive things emanating from the dressing room, positive comments about the culture that has been developed and an environment where there are no egos.

Brooke is a diamond of a cricketer and I have every expectation that at some point in the future he will earn representative selection. There are good wicketkeepers about, and there are good batters about, but those who keep to a high standard and score heavily at number 3 are in very short supply.

I have liked him since I first saw him at the club and needed no one to tell me that he had a bright future. I am delighted to see that he has shown the world of cricket - and certainly Derbyshire supporters - just what he is capable of in 2022.

With his hard work ethic, his positive attitude and a grounded upbringing, I am sure that he will go from strength to strength.

And we are all going to enjoy watching that.

Weekend warmer

It has been a fairly quiet week from a Derbyshire perspective, although the news that Sam Conners has been selected for England Lions was widely welcomed.

He fully deserved it after an excellent season and I hope that this is just a start, for a fine young cricketer.

Further afield, I have enjoyed watching some of the Cricket World Cup and I thought that the qualifying competition was very good indeed. It was a shame that Scotland missed out, but they just seem to lack that one batsman of proven quality that some of the others had.

Mark Watt earned lavish praise from the commentators as a 'canny operator' and I think he was as good as any spinner that I saw in the past week. You can tell that he thinks about the game, but his side couldn't scrape together the extra few runs in each innings that would have made a difference.

The best player I saw in the week was Sikandar Raza of Zimbabwe. He has had a fascinating background, which included doing his degree in Glasgow and playing cricket in Scotland before moving to Zimbabwe and qualifying to play for that country after a number of years in Pakistan.

Over the past 12 months he has probably become as effective a player as any in the world game, scoring a lot of runs and taking wickets with his clever and varied spin bowling. I like the way that he conceals the ball behind him as he runs into bowl, then baffling batters with a combination of accurate off, leg and topspin. His stock ball seems to be the off spinner, but he is talent, for sure.

A blistering 48-ball 82, followed by one for 17 in three overs won them the game against Ireland, while his 40 from 23 balls saw him the only man to come to terms with conditions against Scotland and turned the match. Add in his 3-19 against the West Indies and his has been a standout performance.

I look forward to seeing how he gets on now that they are mixing it with the big guns. I suspect there will be a few people looking at him. With Zimbabwe's relatively few international commitments in the next year he would be a good option, at least for the Vitality Blast.

Should we read anything into Mickey Arthur congratulating him on his performances on Twitter? Probably not, perhaps just a man with his finger on the pulse of the world game.

But I would be very happy if Raza shipped up at the Incora County Ground.

Just what the doctor ordered, for me.

Wagstaff and Harrison sign Rookie deals

Yesterday was way too busy for me to comment at the time and by the time I finished at 8:00 p.m. I was too tired to pen a few thoughts.

But in their own way, the signings announced of Mitch Wagstaff and Archie Harrison are as important as others so far this winter.

Both are products of the county academy pathway. Both have suggested in their short experience of senior cricket so far, that they have something to offer as their experience broadens and they develop.

They have each had success at age group international level and while this is no guarantee of continued success as mature cricketers, it suggests that the raw talent is there.

Wagstaff looks a compact opening batsman and it has been a while since one of those has come through our own system. It may be that his education sees his availability limited in the immediate future, but Derbyshire have to look to a future post Godleman and Reece. He will get opportunities in the summer ahead and like any other player. It is up to him to take them when they occur.

There is also a buzz about Harrison, who appears to have the natural assets of a genuine all rounder. He has scored heavily at Repton School and has done the same for the academy and on occasion for the second team.

A lot of hard work lies ahead for him, but it will be interesting to keep an eye on their development. Equally, it is important to remember that many players take time to handle both the physical and mental demands of the first class game. As we are now seeing from Anuj Dal, Brooke Guest, Sam Conners and a few more, patience brings its rewards.

How nice will it be to see a successful Derbyshire side with more than a sprinkling of homegrown talent within its ranks?

With the continued efforts of Daryn Smit and other Pathway coaches, as well as the efforts of youngsters and their parents, the future looks bright.

Weekend warmer

I have to admit to raising a quizzical eyebrow, perhaps in the style of Roger Moore, at news emanating from Trent Bridge this week.

Two very good cricketers, Toby Pettman and Dane Schadendorff, signed renewed contracts with Nottinghamshire, while Tom Loten joined them from Yorkshire.

It surprised me, to be honest. Pettman spent most of 2022 on loan around the country, doing quite well in those appearances. He looked a very good bowler for us on the first morning against Middlesex at Chesterfield, bowling accurate lines and troubling good batsmen. I was sufficiently impressed to think him worth a punt for next year at Derbyshire, though the subsequent signing of Zak Chappell rendered that redundant.

Besides the prospect of working full time with Mickey Arthur, Chappell must have got fed up at being second choice at Trent Bridge, when he is actually a very good bowler. Let that be a salutary lesson for Pettman, whose chances of regular first team action, especially in the light of Nottinghamshire signing. Olly Stone, seems slight.

I suspect that he will need to have his car ready for some more miles next summer, when he is likely to be heading out on loan again, the route to the first team seemingly some distance away.

So too Schadendorff. A thousand runs in the second team this year confirms him as a very good wicket keeper-batsman, but he is behind a pretty competent first choice in Tom Moores, who also happens to be the son of the Nottinghamshire Head of Cricket. That the Zimbabwean-born player appears good enough for first-class level seems beyond dispute, but with his rival only 26, I would suggest his best chance would be to ply his trade elsewhere.

Then there is Loten. A talented all rounder, he was surprisingly released by Yorkshire, yet has racked up at a county where his best chance of first team action - maybe only chance - is in the Royal London Cup. He would appear to be a similar sort of player to Joey Evison, who left Nottinghamshire due to a lack of opportunity and has done well for Kent.

I accept that with Alex Hales and Ben Duckett being back in the England fold there are batting opportunities to be had at that county, but the likeliest beneficiary of that, Sol Budinger, decided to up sticks and head to Leicestershire. Revolving doors indeed...

I would make two observations on this. One is that some of these players seem to be poorly advised, though they will doubtless be well paid at Nottinghamshire. It can't be a lot of fun to play second team cricket all the time if you are showing on a regular basis that you are good enough for the next stage.

Remember Mark Footitt? When he left Derbyshire he made a huge career mistake and moved to Surrey. It didn't work out down there for various reasons, then he had the choice of moving back up north. Go back to Derbyshire, where he had become a hero, or return to his roots at Nottingham, where he had struggled for opportunity.

Mark chose the latter and was rarely seen again.

Ross Whiteley is another classic example of this. For all of his talent and his match winning ability, it must be dull to play in front of a handful of spectators for much of the summer, only being brought out for T20 matches.

The other observation is that there are so many players of talent in this country. Those who wish to reduce  to eight sides at top level will be denying opportunity to many more than those that I have named.

I am looking forward already to watching Zak Chapell and Matt Lamb next season.

In a parallel, lesser universe, what might their plans be, having left one of eight 'big' Test ground clubs?

It makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Cohen leaves Derbyshire

It is always a shame to write about a Derbyshire player leaving. In all the years that I have written this blog, I have never found it easy to do.

It is especially difficult when the player had everything you could wish for in a cricketer, apart from a body resilient enough to handle the demands of first class cricket.

So it was with Mikey Cohen, whose release has been announced today. It came as no real surprise, as he missed a lot of 2021 with injury and barely played, for the same reason, in 2022. Given that he is from South Africa, there was additional pressure for him to perform every single time, as his name on a team sheet meant that the club lost ECB money for fielding a non-domestic player.

The frustration was that Mikey had it. Still has it, if that body will allow him to get out onto a pitch on a regular basis. Stress fractures have been the problem, the worst enemy of any fast bowler and perhaps a period of rest might enable his body to recover properly, before he perhaps tries again.

Because he is quick. Seriously quick, as he looked on his debut for Derbyshire when wicketkeeper and slips looked to be standing back a little further than we were used to. He took good wickets too, but sometimes the line wasn't quite right and his figures could suffer accordingly.

He took five wickets in an innings against Warwickshire last year and we all hoped that might be the start of something special. It was not to be, as those injuries returned.

We will miss his ready smile, his obvious enjoyment of what he did and his all action style in the field. He could handle a bat too, probably covering more distance than most in between balls as he walked away to square leg to 'recalibrate' between deliveries.

It is with the bat that most will remember him.THAT win at Trent Bridge in the Bob Willis trophy of 2020. He followed five wickets in the home side's two innings with a crucial and calm unbeaten 30, as he and Fynn Hudson-Prentice added 66 together and steered us to a winning run chase of 365. 

When Mikey played the shot off his legs for two runs from the bowling of Jake Ball to win the game, he became an instant hero. When I think back over 50 years of watching the county, that will always be in my top six moments and I suspect it will be for many more too.

It would have been great to have seen more of him as he had serious potential with bat and ball, but it was not to be.

I wish him all the best in the future and like most of you, I am sure, will continue to watch his fortunes, on and off the pitch, in the future. From what I have seen on his Twitter account, he is certainly one of the best guitarists ever to play for Derbyshire.

One of the nicest guys too.

Thank you, Mikey.

Godleman steps down, du Plooy steps up

This morning's announcement that Derbyshire will have a change of captain next season came as no real surprise.

Billy Godleman has held the role for the past seven seasons, for much of which he has led from the front with his unique, distinctive style of batting. He has been a run machine, not to put too fine a point on it, until the past two summers.

They have made for awkward watching. When Billy is in his best form, you would never hold him up as an example to others, never see him in the MCC coaching manual. But it works, for him and for the side. The slash through the offside, the rapier like square cut, the jumping pull and a hook that is remarkably effective, if ungainly.

Yet too often in these past two seasons his feet, head and hands haven't worked together and the result has been an early dismissal. The averages don't lie and the bottom line is that he would have struggled to hold on to his place were he not the club's captain.

That role and the commensurate responsibilities must have weighed heavily on him and it is to the benefit of both the player and the team that he now steps down, back into the ranks and hopefully back into the form that have made him into a modern county hero. 

Captaincy is not easy at any level of the game and I speak having been club captain for 9 successive seasons. It takes a lot out of you and the pressure at county level will be considerably more than that  I faced.

As he goes into the final year of his contract, Billy will have enough on his plate. My Dad has told me several times about the consternation among supporters when Arnold Hamer was finally released by the county after a decade of stellar service. Time waits for no man and regardless of his many great feats as a Derbyshire player, it was time for Arnold to go. It comes to all in the end, as it may have done for even so great a county player as Darren Stevens this year.

Yet Billy is young enough, at 33, to entertain and to contribute for several more seasons, if his game can get back into the groove that saw him score so many runs. To score ten thousand at this level you need to be a pretty good player..

His replacement as captain is Leus du Plooy. While some, myself included, might have favoured the claims of Anuj Dal, Leus is a good cricketer who might move on to the next level with the responsibility of captaincy.

It is equally a strong bargaining tool when his own contract negotiations are up for renewal next season. There may well be no lack of suitors for his services, but few of them will be in a position to offer him the captaincy as well. He will have to bed into the role, learn on the job, but he is an intelligent and thoughtful young man who will likely do so.

I understand he is very happy at Derbyshire and if an appropriate offer was made, when the time comes, will be prepared to extend his time with us.

I wish him well and while that learning curve is ahead, there is no shortage of experienced support inside the dressing room.

In closing, I would like to thank Billy for seven years of sterling effort. Only five men have captained Derbyshire in more matches, only five have held the captaincy for longer in terms of years. In itself, that speaks volumes.

Now let's get that run machine back. Because we all know that if it does return, our chances of success are all the greater.

Matt Lamb signs two-year deal

' I want to make this the county of choice'.

Those were the words of Mickey Arthur, soon after, he signed as Head of Cricket at Derbyshire last winter.

Today on Twitter he welcomed new County signing, Matt Lamb, to that same county of choice, in what is likely to be the first of several signings over the next couple of seasons that will galvanise and transform the club.

Historically, good cricketers don't move from 'big' Test match ground counties to 'little' clubs like Derbyshire. Matt Lamb is a very good, very talented player.

His absence from the Warwickshire side had been noted, though I had put it down to injury, rather than the player's desire to experience pastures new. Let's face it, his average suggests a player of above average talent, while the manner in which he scores his runs is indicative of someone who supporters will enjoy watching.

At 26 he has served his apprenticeship and the Staffordshire-born batsman has a chance to develop his game under the tutelage of one of the game's finest coaches. It may well be that Ian Bell, who worked with the county last year, tipped them off as to the player's unease at Edgbaston, but it is an impressive signing and a statement of intent.

Lamb averaged a shade under 50 in his first team appearances last year, over 40 in List A cricket so far. Such figures are indicative of his talent, but I suspect he has the potential to kick on still further with increased opportunity.

He is also a useful medium pace bowler and no captain can have too many bowling options to choose from. At a time when the club have announced next year's membership rates, it is a timely signing, as well as being an astute one.

If this is what the winter holds in store, then bring it on. There is now additional competition in what is already a strong Derbyshire middle order and, following on from the signing of Zak Chappell, the Mickey Arthur revolution is starting to take shape at the Incora County Ground.

Welcome to Derbyshire, Matt. We look forward to watching you and welcoming you to one of the most friendly clubs on the circuit.

Here he is in action. 6'3 and imposing at the crease, one to watch for sure.

link

Season-closing thoughts

And so the dust has settled on another cricket season. A better one, enjoyed by most Derbyshire supporters, I would think.

I will be honest, I don't expect major changes to the playing staff this winter. The rumours about potential interest in Hassan Azad, oddly released by Leicestershire, continue but I don't see interest in many other domestic players. Not because they wouldn't improve the side, but because at this stage the budget isn't there.

With four existing players awarded their county caps, their salary would have had to increase commensurate with that. That may or may not have taken up a little slack in the budget. But no one would argue against those awards and if it helps to retain the services of the players concerned then it gets my vote.

I am curious, very curious about the way that Mickey Arthur will go in his search for an overseas player. It may be that this year he splits it, bringing in one man for the county championship cricket and Royal London cup, another - a 'rock star' as he calls it - for the T20.

I have seen and heard various comments about replacing Masood on a like for like basis, but I am not so sure that we will. Having been contracted for next year, Billy Godleman will almost certainly start it and will open. Having returned to the form that we have come to know and love, I expect Luis Reece to be his opening partner. He is a far more effective player in that role and with a strong seam bowling staff next year will not have to do so much in that line.

The reality under Mickey Arthur is the same as it was under Dave Houghton. We cannot afford to carry senior players in the second eleven. The two men named above, like a number of others next year, will be playing for their Derbyshire futures. My understanding is that the current staff is very happy and only a major sea change in that respect would see many of them, or any of them, wishing to leave next season.

With Yorkshire replacing Nottinghamshire, I genuinely think we could be well placed to challenge for four day promotion next year. But I also think an overseas spin bowler, ideally one who can handle a bat, would be a better option for us than replacing Masood like for like.

To throw in an example, someone like Imad Wasim might be a good option. Good enough with the bat to average over 40, talented with the ball in all formats. He did well for Nottinghamshire in a T20 stint and more recently has done an excellent job in the Caribbean T20. At 33 he is probably not going to interest the Pakistan selectors any more, but might just see a county stint as a last throw of the dice from that perspective. Mohammad Nawaz would be a similar option, good in both skills.

It is all conjecture, of course. But we need to be wary of a Derbyshire side where the tail starts at number 8. I think that Harry Came is deserving of a run at number six next year, which probably keeps Anuj Dal at seven, even though his batting talent probably warrants being at least one place higher. Someone like Wasim at eight would give him the support that is required to rebuild innings, while also giving Derbyshire a very strong option as either a stock or strike bowler, depending on conditions.

Anyway, we will see. Next year will be the 15th of this blog and I won't pretend that this year has been especially easy to keep it going. Hopefully things calm down a little in the coming months and for your interest over that period I will be doing pieces on some of our key players.

Do please keep in touch, with your comments and your emails. Your support is also appreciated with a donation, using the button on the blog for that purpose. I will be doing a few prize draws over the winter with some excellent cricket books as prizes.

But thank you to all of you for your support, your comments and your interest over the summer months.

May the current feeling of optimism continue to buoy us all over the winter!

Season Review 2022

When considering the appropriate words for this end of season review, it is important to remember where we were at this time last year.

Quite frankly, the same exercise at the end of 2021 was painful. For the first time I was pleased to see the end of a cricket season and at that point could not see a way forward for the county I have supported for well over 50 years. It was patently clear that we needed a reset, a new head of cricket and a different mentality at the club.

Then came Mickey Arthur. He didn't start until the new year, but in a relatively short space of time has galvanised what was effectively the same squad into a team that competed in almost every game.

It wasn't perfect, how could it be? As he said himself before the season, first, we need to become hard to beat, then learn to win matches. The latter is still very much a work in progress, but all fans of the county would have taken, pre-season, the knockout stages in the Vitality Blast and interest in promotion, until the second last round of matches, in four-day cricket.

Overall the batting did well. Only later in the season did Luis Reece rediscover his mojo but he missed the early summer after major winter surgery on both his shoulder and knee. I have every expectation that he will return to former glories next year, when it appears he will be a batsman and occasional bowler, rather than the overworked all-rounder of recent seasons.

Billy Godleman sadly had a wretched campaign. Only a century in the final, largely academic game made his average semi respectable, but he will know as well as anyone that it simply wasn't enough for someone heading the batting and leading the side. Next year is a massive one for him, as we simply cannot accommodate a player who isn't offering what is required at this level. Can he return to former glories? I hope so, but I honestly don't know.

Shan Masood had a wonderful summer and was everything that could be wished for from an overseas player. There was palpable disappointment when he was dismissed, exceeded only by the news that he wasn't going to stay next year, instead taking up an option from Yorkshire. His stroke play, timing, placement and easy personality will be missed, but will live long in the memory. The irony that he will be back as captain of a now-relegated side next year is not lost on many.

Brooke Guest took on the massive challenge of batting at number 3 while being wicketkeeper and did an astonishing job. He reeled off four centuries and is a delightful player to watch when he gets into his stride, as well as an excellent runner between the wickets. His level of fitness is astonishing and he is to be commended for not missing a day of cricket throughout a long summer. 

His wicket keeping too maintained a very high standard and we have a high-class performer on our hands. What summed up his work ethic for me was when he came out as a runner for Ben Aitchison at Cardiff. If anyone was entitled to put his feet up, it was the genial Guest, whose smile barely left his face all summer.

Wayne Madsen enjoyed an Indian summer in his career. I don't think I was alone in thinking that the innings-builder, the run machine had gone and been replaced by a slightly inferior, yet still eminently watchable player of one-day cameos. He finished the season as the highest scorer in the country in four-day cricket, playing some magnificent innings, while his displays is in the Blast were breathtaking in their brilliance. We must enjoy him while we can, as it will be many years before we see his like again.

Leus du Plooy had a solid summer. To be honest, I think he is a better player than an average of 40 suggests and he is capable of much more. When he is in the mood, the ball flies from his bat with the minimum of contact and no bowler can keep him quiet. Yet there are also times when he looks ponderous and awkward, which can be a frustration. There is a sense of expectation when he walks out to bat, however, something given to very few. If he can step up next summer, the absence of Masood will not be so keenly felt.

Anuj Dal is my player of the year. For several seasons he has looked a player of talent, yet possibly one who might not go on to realise it. At the end of last summer, with the departure of Fynn Hudson- Prentice, the opening of an all-rounder role allowed him to find his niche in the side and how he responded! Almost 1,000 runs at an average over 70, as well as over 30 wickets was a remarkable return for an intelligent, articulate and engaging man. He has the opportunity to cement himself as a county legend and I really hope that he does so. He is another who looks like he enjoys every minute and is a firm fan favourite, quite possibly the next captain.

As Dal and Guest kicked on this summer, I think Harry Came may do in 2023. This year he played several fine innings in different styles and started to look at home at this level. His stroke play, when he gets in, is a joy. His defensive technique improved immeasurably and he may be one to watch next year. I had concerns he was just a twenty-over biffer, but he showed himself as much more than that this summer.

Sadly, Tom Wood played little cricket and we didn't really get to see the player that we know is in there. Hopefully he will get back to being the run machine we know from local cricket next season, as there is strong competition for places in this Derbyshire side and there are others well ahead of him at this stage.

As for the bowling, there was a big difference between pace and spin. None of the spinners made a strong case for regular inclusion. Mattie McKiernan did well in the T20 until the quarter final, but rarely bowled in 4-day cricket. He did play some important and fine innings, but seems unlikely to force his way into this side as a batsman who bowls a bit. Alex Thomson started the season well, but faded as it went on and his averages with bat and ball are not strong enough to stake a claim for a regular place.

 Meanwhile Mark Watt, like McKiernon, was a major factor in the T20 success, but looked less of a threat in the longer form. Nor did his batting suggest him the number eight that he ended up in that format. In short, a canny bowler when the batsmen have to score quickly, less threatening when he has to wheedle them out. 

By contrast the seam attack did well, despite its relative inexperience. Sam Conners was the pick of the bunch, taking fifty first-class wickets and doing remarkably well to stay fit and play most matches in all formats. An England Lions call up was his reward and if he can tighten up a little over the winter, curbing the tendency to leak runs with the new ball, the sky is the limit for a very talented bowler.

Likewise, Ben Aitchison. He missed the first half of the season with a stress fracture, but quickly made up for lost time with a reduced run up and looked a bowler of high talent. I suspect he is the best of them all and, with increased support next year, could also be interesting the national selectors. His batting could also develop and there is a bright future ahead for the undemonstrative giant. A great asset for both of these bowlers is their commitment and skill in the field.

Because of injuries Nick Potts was thrown in perhaps before he was ready, but showed that he was capable of good spells and high class deliveries. Like Conners his effectiveness would increase with greater accuracy, but the potential is definitely there for a young man only just out of his teens.

George Scrimshaw bowled effectively in the Blast and also earned an England Lions call. He was rarely seen outwith that format and I suspect that he will become the latest England bowler to limit himself to the short form in due course. His fast, whippy style is well suited to when batsmen have to get after him, but I am unsure as to whether the variations are there to make him a wicket-taking force in the longer form.

Suranga Lakmal arrived as the second overseas player and was unlucky. Firstly, the country was blessed with the best early season wickets for several years, then he picked up a serious elbow injury which ruled him out of most of the summer. I understand that he will be back next year, restored to full health and his experience will be of great value to an otherwise young attack.

Others flitted in and out, but had little opportunity for sustained success. Alex Hughes let no one down in the T20 but played little outside it, while Hayden Kerr replaced Lakmal as overseas and did OK, without pulling up any trees. When he in turn was injured, Hylton Cartwright replaced him but failed to impress.

Toby Pettman was the best of several players who came in on loan, but none of them seem likely to move here over the winter. Ryan Sidebottom bowled some good spells, but returned to Warwickshire injured and his track record is not good from that perspective.

Nonetheless, as we go into the winter, Derbyshire fans can reflect on a summer that was far more enjoyable than many in the recent past. There was a smile on the face of the players, suggesting that they both enjoyed and bought into the ethic introduced by Mickey Arthur. It contrasted considerably with the look and body language at the end of the previous season.

If the club's perennial budgetary situation allows it, another opening batsman and a spin bowling all rounder of quality should be the winter goal. With Zak Chappell already added, the seam attack will be a dangerous proposition next season, assuming full fitness for all concerned. 

A job well done then. With five players rewarded for their efforts with county caps, but most of the existing staff coming to the end of their contracts next season, there is plenty to play for and reasons to impress.

Some will fall by the wayside, as Mikey Cohen looks like doing, having played little cricket this summer with his latest injury. But as a collective, the players did supporters proud this season. If this becomes the county standard, there will be few complaints.

What is exciting is that a number of these players are some way from their peaks and have much more to offer.

We all look forward to what the future holds.

Five receive county caps

It is a sure and healthy sign of a season of progress when the end of it sees five players awarded their county caps.

Such was the case at Derbyshire yesterday as Anuj Dal, Brooke Guest, Sam Conners and Leus du Plooy, as well as the departed Shan Masood received theirs.

All five enjoyed outstanding seasons and it is fitting that this was recognised in the time honoured manner.

Over the winter months, I intend to do pieces on the players who can play a massive role in Derbyshire's future development. In an ideal world, the first four named above will stay at the county for a long time and I hope that is the case.

They have each got to the stage where you see their name on the team sheet and know that the opposition is going to have a tough game. We will progress and start to win things as a county when there are two-thirds of a team of such players as a minimum.

We're getting closer to that and if we can recruit wisely over the winter months, I think that promotion in 4-day cricket is certainly within our compass next year.

I will also recognise their contributions in the end of season review, which should be coming over the weekend.

For now I would just like to applaud their efforts and thank them for a job well done this summer.

Winter well guys. Next year might be the start of something really special.

Derbyshire v. Leicestershire day 4

Despite the expectation from your correspondent, Derbyshire's attempt to win their final game of the season came to naught. A fabulous innings by Rehan Ahmed, in which he blazed his way to a super century was a major factor  in Leicestershire saving the game, as well as gritty, battling performances down the order.

After his five wickets yesterday Ahmed looks a fine talent and is set for a glittering career. Our bowlers ran out of steam, understandable after a long season in which injuries played a part.

Special mention today goes to Sam Conners, who reached 50 wickets for the first time. He has rocked up to play pretty much every match this year and the fitness and commitment that he has shown has been especially noteworthy.

A mention also to Wayne Madsen, who finished the season as top scorer. It has been a real Indian summer for the modern legend and we must all hope that he has a few more of those in his locker before the time comes to hang up his boots, bat and pads.

This weekend I will be preparing my end of season review but for the first time in a long while I go into the winter with far greater confidence. We're still short in a couple of areas and I suspect that next year will be the last for some players, but we have improved beyond doubt.

At the start of the season. Mickey Arthur said that before you can become a winning team you have to become one that is hard to beat.

He managed that this year. There are very obvious signs of improvement and although we need additional bowlers to finish teams off, there were far more days when we gained the ascendancy with positive, aggressive cricket.

More from me over the weekend. But hey, the Yorkies are down and we don't have to play Nottinghamshire in four day cricket next year.

Double bonus for me!

Derbyshire v Leicestershire day 3

Leicestershire 249 and 131-2 (Evans 59*)

Derbyshire 568-9d (Godleman 158, Reece 116, Madsen 92)

Derbyshire lead by 188 runs

All things being equal, Derbyshire should wrap up a win in their final game of the season tomorrow, tomorrow.

Leicestershire resisted well in their second innings, but the tail appears to be a long one and early wickets tomorrow could well see an afternoon finish.

This morning Billy failed to add to his overnight score, but Madsen and du Plooy batted nicely before the latter rather gave his wicket away. After that it was a case of whether Wayne could reach his century and if Dal could reach his thousand runs for the season.

As it turned out neither happened, but that doesn't change what have been tremendous seasons for both players.

I will be back tomorrow hopefully with news of a season-ending victory.

Derbyshire v Leicestershire day two

Leicestershire 249

Derbyshire 356-2 (Godleman 158*, Reece 116, Guest 40)

Derbyshire lead by 107 runs 

When Billy Godleman reached 50 today, I have to admit to letting out a sigh of relief. When he nudged the single to reach his century, I stood up and punched the air with happiness. When, shortly before the close, he went past 150 I just grinned from ear to ear.

He went past 10,000 first class runs today too. It highlighted what a fine player he has been, while today he showed he still has it. Of course, you have to factor in that it wasn't a game with a great deal of pressure, nor was it the best attack on the circuit, but history will only record that he ended the day still batting with the prospect of more to come.

He has played his side into a very strong position, one from which they should go on to win the game.

It's funny, because there have been times this season when I have watched Billy and thought he looked in quite good nick, yet he managed to find a way to get out. Other times he looked like there was no middle to his bat. The runs just haven't come for him this year, but whatever else today's score will send him into the winter knowing that he has still got it.

He got excellent support today from Luis Reece, who played with greater freedom and played the more memorable shots. Both players will go into the winter knowing that they can and must do better than this year, but it was heartening to see them celebrate together in the middle as the milestones were passed.

When Luis eventually played one back to the bowler and was caught and bowled, Brooke Guest played well for a while, before edging behind. Madsen looked in imperious touch before the close, while our opponents looked a dispirited bunch through the last session.

Who can blame them? Already 100 behind and with 2 days to play, Derbyshire can aim for a hundred in each of the first two sessions and then put them in once more.

Two things struck me today. How different the season might have been had the skipper been in this form throughout, and how much of a difference Ben Aitchison has made since his return from injury.

If you add Lakmal and Chappell to the existing seam attack next year, it carries serious firepower

Derbyshire v Leicestershire day 1

Leicestershire 249 (Scriven 53, Conners 5-51, Aitchison 3-46)

Derbyshire 57-0 (Reece 27*, Godleman 26*)

Derbyshire trail by 192 runs

Last night I wrote that I looked forward to seeing the new ball partnership of Ben Aitchison and Sam Conners one more time before we go into the winter.

Today they didn't let me down, the latter returning career best figures, while the former bowled in the manner that we have come to expect. 

The result, despite some spirited resistance, was that the visitors were bowled out for 249, with Derbyshire replying with an unbroken 57 runs before the close.

There was plenty of playing and missing, a lot of edges, too many going for four, but some very good bowling and some sharp catching.

Special mention tonight for Brooke Guest, who took his 50th championship victim of the season and became the first Derbyshire wicket keeper since Luke Sutton to play in every game of a season. Given the high standards that he has maintained throughout that summer, he can be extremely proud at the end of it. There is no longer any debate as to Derbyshire's number one. wicketkeeper and should he choose to do so, the role can be his for many years to come.

There are a few showers forecast tomorrow, but around them we must try to push on and get ahead. Today's work means that this game is there to be won and I remain confident, as I was before it started, that we will do just that.

More from me tomorrow when I will have a little more time.

Derbyshire v Leicestershire preview

And so we come to the last game of summer. Derbyshire's involvement in the promotion stakes lasted until the penultimate game, which most of us would have taken at the start of the season.

Mattie McKiernan is added to the 12 from the last game, with Ben Aitchison declared fit to play. That will be a huge boost to our chances of winning and I look forward to seeing his new ball partnership with Sam Conners one last time.

As for Leicestershire, they have Azad and Ackermann missing, a big blow to them as both are fine players.

They come with 12 as follows:

Ahmed, Barnes, Budinger, Evans, Hill, Kimber, Parkinson*, Patel, Scriven, Swindells+, Walker, Wright.

A win for Derbyshire should see us in the top half of the table, a deserved finish after playing some good cricket this year. It hasn't been perfect, but I remain unconvinced that perfection can exist over a long season.

I do think we have enough left in the tank to win this one and I hope that the wicket is very similar to the last game, which offered something for everyone.

I will be back tomorrow night and apologise for the lateness of the blogging tonight

What are your thoughts?

Thoughts on the Strauss Report by David Burrows

David is a regular contributor to the blog with comments and I am delighted to publish this piece for your thoughts. PF

Some thoughts on the Strauss review, now that it has finally be formally published and I’ve had a bit more chance to look at it properly.

It is both timely and ironic that the proposals are now due for implementation in 2024. I say this because I think that that year could be very difficult for the two peak outcomes of the ECB – the national team and The Hundred. 

For the national team, we have the obvious peak of the Ashes in 2023, but in 2024 tours from West Indies and Sri Lanka are unlikely to generate anything like the same interest. In addition, by 2024 most of the iconic players in the national team are likely to be missing. Jimmy Anderson will surely have settled for pipe and slippers by then, Stuart Broad may have done the same, and sadly Ben Stokes is likely to have finally succumbed to injuries, unless he has a fully bionic knee by then.

As far as the Hundred is concerned, it will have great competition as the nations sporting interest, and in particular that of the BBC, will be concentrated on the Olympics in Paris during August, so free to air cricket will inevitably virtually disappear from the screens.

Within this background there is much to like in the Strauss review, a clearer focus on the inter relationships between the various formats, better focus on player growth and development, focus on matches with meaning etc. 

Against this there is the obvious dangers to the smaller counties in particular of a big reduction in playing days, and therefore revenue. This would be exacerbated if knocked out of the One Day Cup early.

I also have problems with the proposals for festival 4-day cricket both during August and if knocked out of the One Day Cup – would non-competitive matches really have much interest/ benefit? Strauss suggests a Roses competition and a London competition. These may work but what about all the other counties – nothing much for them, I think?

What alternatives could there be then, that would still provide more focus, cut down on the overall burden, and make every match matter?

Well – if I had my way:

We would still go to a 3 league system for the Championship. After the 10 matches though, we would look to the example of Scottish football and split the leagues at that stage, with the top and bottom 3 teams playing a further 2 games against each other to determine final positions. 

This would make the mid league positions crucial at the 10 game point, with the split between 3rd and 4th place. You could also offer the 1st place the incentive of playing both their final games at home, with 3rd place both away.

The final 2 games would determine the overall champions and the promotion and relegation places. 

When would these extra games be played within the structure Strauss proposes?

My answer to this would be to split the Hundred, so that it runs through the whole school summer holidays from the last week in July to the 1st week in September with a 2 week gap in the middle.

This middle gap would be used for a national festival of county and international cricket. It could include matches 9 and 10 of the championship season, together with back to back Test matches.

Splitting the Hundred may not necessarily be detrimental on that competition either. It could give franchises an option to sign players for either a half season or a full season, which may make it more attractive for more of the best players across the globe. 

Glamorgan v Derbyshire day 4

Glamorgan 550-5

Derbyshire 253 and 273 (Madsen 77, du Plooy 66, Godleman 40 Harris 3-40, van der Gugten 3-59

Glamorgan won by an innings and 24 runs

Although they once again battled, which has been an impressive characteristic of the side for most of the summer, Derbyshire were beaten by an innings by Glamorgan at Cardiff today.

There was resistance, as there was the first time around. The overnight batsmen, Madsen and du Plooy did well for a while, but once the latter was dismissed, there was little to entertain hopes of survival thereafter.

Dal once again lent best support, but seemed  unimpressed by the decision to give him out for the second time in the game. Those three players did well, but the challenge for another season is to get more of the team contributing than happened here.

Being honest, there are players who, while obviously being good cricketers to play at this level, are short of the standard required to push us on. My concern is that a good number of players have progressed this year, but the overall progress of the side has been limited by the fact that some just don't have that extra 10% to give.

That being the case, I don't expect next season to be substantially different to this one. There does not appear to be a substantial budget to change things around and most of the squad is already contracted until the end of 2023. This year we also had a stellar overseas player in Shan Masood, who will be difficult to replace.

I won't say much more at this stage, as my end of season review will give my thoughts in detail. But as in every organisation across the world, there are those who are very good at what they do, those who work hard but don't deliver quite the same results.

So we have one more match to go, against Leicestershire at home, in which to send supporters into the winter with a smile on their faces. We needn't be too despondent, because the signs of progress are there in a number of individuals. It is only when we are able to add to those players with others of similar talent and mindset that we will get to where Mickey Arthur undoubtedly wants us to be.

Glamorgan v Derbyshire day 3

I am running out of time tonight, so won't be able to comment in too great detail on the third day's play. Suffice to say that once again Anuj Dal batted quite beautifully and deserved a century, while Harry Came showed a different and impressive side to his game.

They batted very well until lunch, then sadly all the remaining wickets went before tea.

Second time around we batted better than in the first innings, but there is still an awful lot of work to be done to save this game.

If Madsen and du Plooy can get in tomorrow there is a chance, but escaping with a draw in this game would appear to be unlikely.

Full credit to Dal for another sparkling effort. He really has had a special season and would definitely be my player of the year, as well as my choice for captain in 2023. I would love to see him batting a place higher in the order, because too often this year he has been left with only the tail for support. But he has become a special cricketer and deserves everything that comes his way through his hard work.

We will see what tomorrow brings.

Glamorgan v Derbyshire day 2

Glamorgan 550-5

Derbyshire 140-5 (Dal 40*, Came 18*, Reece 58)

Derbyshire trail by 410 runs

After due consideration, over several hours of work in our daughters new house and a dog walk this evening, I feel I can say with a degree of confidence that this has been the two most disappointing days of the summer for me.

I will confess to seeing little of today's play, as domestic circumstances took precedence. But it seems to have followed a pattern all too familiar to Derbyshire supporters, one which we hoped had been consigned to the dump bin of history.

Yet how could it be? This is after all effectively the same personnel with which Dave Houghton struggled, although to Mickey Arthur's credit, he has managed to get more from them this summer than his predecessor ever did. Yet as we reach the fag end of the season the pressure on a small squad is clear.

We haven't bowled nor batted well here. The figures of Alex Thomson don't look particularly good and the Welsh side's counterparts seem far more effective. Then again they have been bowling at a batting lineup that always looked stronger when it was headed by our departed overseas player.

That six players have now gone past one thousand runs for the summer in all formats is laudable. Anuj Dal was the latest today, but the reality remains that our captain has had an awful summer. Too often for comfort. Brooke Guest has effectively been an opening batsman and we simply cannot carry a player at this level.

Dal and Harry Came restored a little pride later today, as it looked like we would be following on well before the close. Luis Reece resisted for a while, but we have been outclassed in this game. I get that to some extent against a team like Nottinghamshire, but there really shouldn't be the gulf between these two sides that we have seen here.

It emphasises that for all the good work he has done this season, the biggest task for Mickey Arthur lies ahead. I don't know if there is money for winter recruitment, but I remain convinced that a good overseas and another opening batsman are needed for 2023.

Disappointed? You bet.

Glamorgan v Derbyshire day 1

Glamorgan 380-3 (Lloyd 203*, Root 77* Bevan 48)

v Derbyshire

I'm not sure if Derbyshire's remaining hopes of promotion disappeared when we won the toss and opted to bowl today, or when Ben Aitchison went down in his first over and failed to reappear thereafter.

I assume the hope was that we might take early wickets, but the decision seemed a strange one, given the home side opted to include two spinners to bowl in the final innings.

The lineup was as I suggested last night, but the decision to give rookie Adam Sylvester the new ball also seemed odd. Perhaps the rationale was to help him shake off the nerves, but his opening partnership with Anuj Dal was unusual, to say the least.

The latter was the pick of Derbyshire's bowlers on a day that they will likely want to forget. He did take an early wicket, but thereafter Lloyd progressed serenely and at times brilliantly to a maiden double century that pretty much batted us out of the game.

Root also batted splendidly later on, as only Reece and Dal offered control. The debutant Bevan played some nice shots before giving it away, while our own debutant bowled some nice balls, but too many loose ones for his debut to be especially memorable. His run up seemed excessive to me, and he might take a lead from Ben Aitchison, cutting back without any detrimental effect on his pace.

A chastening, disappointing day then and we look like chasing 600-plus when our turn comes to bat.