Sunday thoughts

With the Vitality Blast almost behind us (who shouted 'Thank Goodness'?) it is time to turn our thoughts back to 4 day cricket and that good old staple of the cricket calendar, 50-over matches.

My concern with the arrangement of the summer as it is? It would be very easy to play yourself out of form, when you are often asked to go in and slog for a few overs, or don't play at all. 

The top six in Derbyshire's red ball averages highlights this. Madsen and Jewell have continued to bat and with some effectiveness, Andersson has been up and down the order but often had to slog, while Came and Guest have been bit parts. As for Luis Reece, he hasn't played, bar for a brief second team foray, since 26 May. For that matter, nor have David Lloyd and Luis Reece, so the return of red ball cricket, for much of the side, will be like the start of the season. 

We can only hope they will be invigorated by the hiatus in their summers and can resume where they left off.

One player who will be keeping his fingers crossed for greater opportunity is Mitch Wagstaff. 

I had high hopes of him this summer, because there is undoubtedly a player in there. Only a couple of summers back he played an excellent innings against Glamorgan and compiled a very classy half century at Scarborough in an environment that is fairly hostile. He also took wickets and held a catch that was quite remarkable. 

Last summer, he got one game, on the Chesterfield green top that would have tested the technique and temperament of someone far more experienced than he. This year, it has been a case of 'Have a game, Mitch. Chesterfield again. By the way, you are up against Jimmy Anderson. No pressure...'

I mention Mitch for two reasons. He scored 41 and took 6-37 for Alvaston and Boulton yesterday and, at 21, his contract is up at the end of the summer.

I looked back at the early career of another leg spinning opening bat, who at the end of his third summer with the county had played eighty first class innings and was averaging only 22. That is an identical average to Mitch, who has had only eleven first class innings. Thankfully, Kim Barnett, for it was he, had a perceptive coach in Phil Russell, who saw something in him. That turned out to be the best bat in the history of our club. 

Then there's Ben Slater. After two summers and 22 first-class innings he was only averaging 17 with the bat. Greater opportunity produced dividends and while Nottinghamshire have been beneficiaries of his greatest days, he might not have kicked on without opportunity. 

Whatever happens for the rest of this season, I hope that Mickey Arthur shows patience and the level of perception of his predecessors. I fully understand that with a top two position at stake it might be a gamble for Mitch to play red ball cricket this summer, but he should be told that he will play in every white ball fixture to the end of the summer. Take the pressure off, let him open the batting and see what he can do. 

For what it is worth, David Lloyd, who has been opening all summer, only averages 26 himself, so there's not a great deal between them, apart from Mitch being the younger by twelve years...

My fear is that the Head of Cricket's desire to win something while he is at the club could result in short-termism, more experienced players being brought in to theoretically win matches. It hasn't worked so far with Lloyd, Samit Patel and Ross Whiteley, but has with younger players like Jack Morley and Martin Andersson. Read into that as you will.

I think the Derbyshire support would be more understanding of defeats if there was a clear and obvious promotion of our own young talent. There would be big interest in a side including a selection from Joe Hawkins, Wagstaff, Yusaf bin Naeem, Rory Hayden and Amrit Basra.

If, in losing, we discovered two or three gems from that group, I'm all for it...

And with Nye Donald, Wayne Madsen, Pat Brown and Harry Moore all missing, there are vacancies to fill.