Red ball county preview

It would be very easy, when putting pen to paper for this season preview, to cast my mind back to September and the end of a fairly mediocre season. 

There was little of excitement to write about and I had pretty much written off any possibility of the same in 2025. 

It may turn out to be equally anti-climactic, but it doesn't need to be that way. 

Every season throws up a surprise package in sport, a team that plays beyond the sum of its parts, gets off to a flyer and makes everyone else sit up and take notice. 

There is no reason why it should not be Derbyshire. If you look down the team, there are players of talent, potential and experience. There are also those who are playing for a new contract, which is always a consideration. Most have points to prove, which could go either way, of course.

There are question marks. Some of these are over fitness, mental toughness and technique. The ability is there, as it has to be at this level. The key will be in Mickey Arthur getting the players to produce their collective best form on a consistent basis. 

We are not a team of superstars. There are few within it who can win a match on their own. But just as in 2012, when the team pulled together to produce something special, maybe the same spirit can be galvanised once more. Even in 1936, when we won the County Championship, we were far from a good batting side. Yet runs came down the order and someone always ensured the side had enough for a keen attack to work with.

Wayne Madsen is back as red ball skipper. Maybe reluctantly, as he has surely had the opportunity to return as captain before now, but he is by a distance the best option available. He lifted the second division trophy in 2012 and while it would be optimistic in the extreme to expect him to do the same this year, we only need a good start, decent luck with the weather and injuries and to hold our catches to make a decent fist of things. The Derby pitches will be key and if the planned use of hybrid tracks comes to fruition, we have the bowlers to make good use of them.

Blair Tickner returns after a spell last year that didn't go as planned, but was one in which his ability and attitude was clear. He has something to prove - not least his fitness after a shoulder problem - but an opening partnership with Zak Chappell will be dangerous. Zak was outstanding last summer and is so important with bat and ball. So too Ben Aitchison, who should return in early season to offer another excellent red ball option. We must hope his injury troubles are behind him and he can now go on to a long and successful county career.

After a good tour of Australia with England Lions, Pat Brown will want to make an impact in all forms of the game, while Harry Moore will hope to build on a fine first summer once he finishes school in June. With Nick Potts working his way back from injury and keen to get what looked a serious talent back on track, we should have the ability to take wickets - IF they all stay injury-free.

Jack Morley will likely be the lead spinner and is another young player with potential. Alex Thomson will possibly play a more peripheral role, but will aim to do well when opportunity presents itself. Mitch Wagstaff will hope to force his way into the reckoning too, though whether as a batter who bowls a bit, or a genuine all-rounder is currently up for proving

Martin Andersson joins a group of all rounders that also includes David Lloyd, Luis Reece and Anuj Dal, so competition for places will be strong. Sometimes last year I felt we almost had too many options and didn't always use them to best effect. All of them need to pitch in with bat and ball to support a batting line up, which while talented, was never reliable last year. That two of them have opened the batting in the past could be useful, although whether that is to stabilise and innings at 30-3 or face the second new ball at 270-3 will depend on the effectiveness of the 2025 batting model.

Madsen will again lead the batting - how often have I written that over the years? At some point Father Time will catch up, but there seemed little sign of that last year and there may yet be life in the supremely talented old dog beyond this summer. 

Caleb Jewell arrives from Tasmania after a troubled winter in which his form at least seemed to be returning at its end. At his best he can really bolster the batting and engender confidence, as Shan Masood did three years ago. Good judges in Australia rate him, but the side needs him to hit the ground running.

I would like to see Harry Came as his partner, but I hope Harry remains assertive. Too often last season he appeared to be bogged down with responsibility and his natural fluency disappeared. Towards the end of the season the strokes returned and so too the runs.

Brooke Guest could well continue at three, but so too could Luis Reece or David Lloyd. There is much to commend a left/right partnership in the top order, so it may be fluid, depending on the first wicket to fall. Meanwhile, Aneurin Donald will want to show that he can play match-winning innings in the long form. We all know he can hit a ball a long way, but he is at a stage in his career where he should realise you don't need to do it to every ball in four-day cricket. If he can marry his wonderful timing and power to greater game awareness, we would have a special player on our hands. 

He will also continue to be back up wicket keeper to Brooke Guest, although that seems as onerous a task as it once did for those on the staff in case Bob Taylor was injured. Guest's level of fitness and high standards are a huge asset to the club and he will prove a trusty advisor to Wayne Madsen.

Confidence will be high at this stage, as it will be around the eighteen first-class counties. I am making no bold assertions, as I don't think it is helpful, but IF we can produce our best form consistently, we should win our share of games. 

If we don't, it will be another of those seasons, I'm afraid. 

But like all of you, I wish them only the best.