Ghazanfar returns for second half of Blast!

After his successful spell with the county last year, I didn't expect to see Mohammad Ghazanfar return in 2026.

He did very well, even if he bowled at the start of the innings, rather than in the middle overs where I suspect he will be more dangerous. Samit Patel wanted those overs last year and as skipper he got them. In 2026, Matt Montgomery will likely bowl in the Powerplay, as he did successfully for Nottinghamshire, so Ghazanfar will be in more familiar territory.

He is obviously a very fine bowler and has continued to bowl with control and take wickets over the winter in the various Mumbai Indians franchises. Any spinner who goes for under eight in T20 is doing well and he has an economy rate of under seven. That is quite remarkable for any bowler, but especially one who is still only 19.

He will be available for the second half of the Blast and I understand he would also be able to play should Derbyshire make the knockout stages. That can only be a good thing and again I can only applaud the standard of recruitment this winter. 

Yes, his fielding left a little to be desired last year, but hopefully that has improved. We shouldn't need his batting, although he showed he can hit a long ball. His bowling will continue to be a handful. It will give his captain control and it speaks volumes for how he enjoyed his previous stay that he has returned. A bowler who can turn it both ways will always be prized and Mickey Arthur has managed to land two of them, in Sufyan Moqim and now Ghazanfar.

Be honest, we are all getting a little bit excited now, aren't we? 

What a winter this has been.

Do you agree? 

Derbyshire swoop for Pakistan mystery bowler, Sufyan Moqim!

First there was Zaman Khan, he of the slinging action and toe-crushing yorkers. Then came Mohammad Ghazanfar, of the hard to read variations and cleverly controlled spells.

Now, we welcome Sufyan Moqim (sometimes spelled Sufiyan Muqeem), a name that means as much to me as it will to batters across the county circuit. But unlike me, they will have to try and figure him out this summer, over a six-match Vitality Blast stay which will cover the first half of the competition, up to and including the Nottinghamshire game on May 29.

There isn't a lot of footage showing Moqim in action, which is excellent news for Derbyshire, because it will be difficult for others to prepare to face him. What is evident, from that footage, is that he turns the ball both ways, has a very high action and keeps a very good length with those left arm spin variations. His career average, so far in T20, is to concede less than seven runs an over, with best bowling figures of five wickets for three. In the current BPL he has figures of 1-11, 1-12 and 1-29 in his four-over spells.

It is another signing that is testament to the contacts of Mickey Arthur, the player on his radar since his time in Pakistan. While critical of some of his red ball signings, I cannot argue that he has enticed players of quality and exciting potential to Derbyshire for the last three seasons of white ball. Moqim has been playing under Arthur in this year's Bangladesh Premier League for Rangpur Riders and looks a very sound pick.

There are not too many left arm wrist spinners of quality in the world game and that rarity tends to make them a challenge. Tabraiz Shamsi of South Africa, Kuldeep Yadav of India and Noor Ahmed of Afghanistan are the only ones that come to my mind, but Moqim seems to bowl quite flat and present a challenge to batters hoping to get 'under' him. Of course he can be hit, but unless you pick him - never easy - or get lucky, such intentions are fraught with danger.

It is another winter signing that I applaud, although I might need some hand cream soon, since I've been doing that now for several months. I cannot recall a winter of such positivity and activity in all of those that I have supported the club. Moqim will doubtless form a dual spin attack in T20 with Matt Montgomery, who proved very effective for Nottinghamshire with his Sunil Narine-style off spin, often with the new ball. It was a role that Wayne Madsen once filled cleverly and ensures we can compete on all surfaces.

With this signing, the challenge is now to name a first choice T20 side. Pat Brown will be fit after surgery, as will Harry Moore. Could this be a first choice eleven?

Donald

Jewell

Montgomery

Madsen

Basra

Whiteley 

Andersson

Chappell

Moore/Aitchison

Brown 

Moqim

Depth and power to the batting, variation in the attack, greater athleticism in the field. While more positive about our red ball chances, if that team fires they will do pretty well in the short format.The bowling HAS to be better than last year, the fielding should be and the batting has the potential to do damage.

The great thing being that there are other options too.

Welcome to Derbyshire, Sufyan. 

We look forward to enjoying your talents in the months ahead.

Here's a clip of our new man in action, taking those five wickets for just three runs against Zimbabwe.

Just the second half of the Blast to sort now...

Midweek update

Derbyshire announced their preseason schedule today and it probably gave a warm, fuzzy glow to supporters everywhere. 

Because in just eleven days we can all wake up in the morning and think to ourselves 'cricket is back next month'. 

I always love this time of year, full of expectation and anticipation around the country, everyone starting with high hopes of a successful summer. For some there is the quick reality check, for others, the year becomes something special, on either an individual or team basis.

As I have written before, this will be my 60th summer as a supporter of the county. There have been more downs than ups in that time, but the sense of hope and expectation continues unabated.

I have already booked hotels and have just to firm up on the travel for three trips in the early summer. I will be at Old Trafford in April, Derby in May then Chesterfield in June. If things go to plan, I might fit in another trip later in the summer, but with five separate weeks away with my wife and the dogs to look forward to, it is a challenge fitting everything in! 

Derbyshire will head to Zimbabwe in early March, to prepare for the red ball season and hopefully get some sun on their backs.

On returning to the UK, they will travel to Uptonsteel Grace Road from 25-27 March to face Leicestershire, before taking on Leeds/Bradford UCCE at The Central Co-op County Ground from 28-30 March. The season proper starts at Derby on April 3, against Worcestershire.

The second team fixtures were also announced today, with matches taking place at The Central Co-op County Ground, as well as matches in the county at Belper, Duffield, Repton School and Quarndon.

I always enjoyed watching the second team fixtures when I was better able to travel and my parents were alive. The logistics and cost largely rules it out these days, but there is much to commend watching our stars of the future on a pleasant ground. I have enjoyed numerous chats with people at such fixtures and if you haven't had the opportunity it is well worth considering.

Anyway, hopefully that acts as a midweek winter warmer. It did its best for me this afternoon on dog walks, when it was certainly not cricket weather!

Shoaib Bashir signs for Derbyshire!

For the next two seasons at least, Shoaib Bashir, England's number one spinner, is a Derbyshire player.

Supporters will have a few questions and it is only fair to respond to them as best I can here. But the fact that a player in the current England setup sees Derbyshire as the perfect fit for his immediate career ambitions speaks volumes, not least for the changing attitudes towards the county on the circuit. You have to go back to Phil de Freitas for a player being signed with genuine England aspirations, so in that alone it is a landmark signing.

Mickey Arthur has to take a lot of credit for this, as does Tom Poynton and the board for backing him. There can be little doubt that this would not have happened without a man of Arthur's reputation at the helm. 

For all that some supporters may question his involvement in franchises around the globe, such networking opportunities afford a chance to 'get in someone's ear'. We saw last year how Mohammad Ghazanfar came to the club because of the friendship between Arthur and Mahele Jayawardene, the Sri Lankan legend, heavily involved in Mumbai Indians. He will have done his homework on Bashir, spoken to people around the circuit and will know what he needs to get him back on track. The key now is to provide an environment in which a young man of undoubted talent can flourish.

Is he the finished article? Of course not, he cannot be at his age, despite strong performances in England colours. His county record is very ordinary, but perhaps he has needed somewhere that is the right fit. Tony Palladino did, likewise Mark Footitt, Luis Reece, Martin Andersson and a good many others. A good bowling coach would help too, so Chris Wright can build his own reputation as he hopefully rebuilds that of Bashir.

He will presumably come to Derbyshire as first choice spinner, when available, but he could form an intriguing spin duo with Jack Morley, one that would be ideal for late season pitches. The battle between them will make for good viewing and can only be to the county's benefit. Morley is also a young man of talent, two years the senior, but will understand - as I do - that it will do little for Bashir's fragile confidence to be the immediate number two at a new county. From there, though, it is up to him to maintain the position and for the other man to force his way ahead.

No one can doubt Bashir has ability. You don't get selected for and get wickets at international level without it. But it is up to him now, with his attitude and willingness to learn, to show that Derbyshire were right to give him opportunity. He can improve his all-wicket bowling, but needs also to be seen to contribute in the field and with the bat. 

I jokingly referred to Morley as 'Binary Jack' at the end of 2024, when eight of his nine innings produced only three runs, the same as his eventual average. Yet that had risen to fifteen last year and he contributed well on several occasions. He was also solid in the field and perceptions that this is not a strength of Bashir can only be changed by similar hard work. There was a time when one-dimensional players were fine and there were plenty of them, but not in the modern game.

Even going back to the time of the legendary Edwin Smith, more was needed. He tells the tale of getting out to an off spinner in one game and being berated by Denis Smith, the coach, when he got back to the dressing room. 

'You bowl it, you should be able to **** play it', came the counsel of a man not known for 'molly-coddling'.

Bashir is centrally contracted to England to the end of 2026, so will cost Derbyshire very little this year. If that contract was to end, the club will have budgeted for the ongoing cost, but would then have greater availability of the player. To me, it is a win/win situation. You simply cannot sign better than the player regarded as the country's best in a specialised skill.

In so far as next year is concerned, as I have written before, there are a number of senior players out of contract. Not all of Messrs Madsen, Dal, Whiteley, Brown and indeed Morley will be on the staff in 2027, some through age, others through a need for improved performance. The finance is not an issue and the club board will have that covered.

What does it mean for Joe Hawkins? Very little, to be honest. Hawkins has great potential and he can only benefit from working with the other spinners and the new bowling coach. Time is very much on his side and if his development is accelerated in the second team he will be a medium to long-term success story. But as it is unfair to place undue expectation on the shoulders of Bashir at 22, how could we expect more of an eighteen-year old?

I am pleasantly surprised at the signing, but even more delighted at the level of the club's ambition. It will be nice to see the county name alongside a player when an England squad is announced. I suspect he will remain first choice for his country (if they play a spinner) because the ones behind him, like James Coles and Farhan Ahmed, would represent an even bigger gamble, while Will Jacks doesn't look like an improvement, even if he offers a few runs. How could he be, when he bowled only 75 red ball overs in 2025?

What Bashir now needs is plenty of bowling, because like anything else in life, you only get better if you do something regularly. As Edwin Smith told me recently, it is doing the hard yards on unhelpful pitches that gives you the confidence to do your stuff when conditions are in your favour. Rhythm is king and you cannot replicate it without those overs under your belt. The wickets won't always come, but if you can keep things tight, as Edwin and Geoff Miller once did so well, something often happens at one end or the other.

Shoaib has 68 wickets for his country, at a far better average than for his counties, so far.

I reckon that situation will change over the years ahead.

And he is now Shoaib Bashir of Derbyshire. Well done to everyone concerned in making this happen.

And welcome to Derbyshire, Shoaib!

2026 Academy intake announced

There is a familiar and very exciting look to the Academy intake of twelve, announced by Derbyshire today 

Wicket keeper bat Joe Hall returns after an excellent 2025, as do seam bowlers Jake Green and Matt Stewart. There is quite a buzz about these two young seamers and they appear to have great potential. There is a place for gifted ex-Denstone College batter Rohan Vallabhaneni, while opener Sam Cliffe retains his place, along with all rounder Zak Kelly and tall seamer Ayman Karim, both learning their trade at Clifton CC under Daryn Smit.

Batters Oscar Edwards and Theo Brown, who enjoyed excellent summers with the under 15s and played at the Bunbury Festival, move up to a senior level for the first time, as does young bowler Lucas Green, who played alongside them. Lucas is the younger brother of Jake, so there is a lot of talent in that family!

Bowler Manav Bapodra moves across from Leicestershire, while all rounder Niall McHale is another from the excellent conveyor belt at Denstone College, while playing his club cricket for Milford Hall CC in Staffordshire

It is elite company and there is sadly no place for Hassnain Akhtar, who moved to Chesterfield CC this winter. He will play there alongside Matt Stewart, so both have an opportunity to shine at a higher league level.

Even more disappointing, for those who followed the fortunes of the under 18s last year, is the absence of Rubaiyat Abrar. He had a stellar summer in which he scored 816 runs at an average of 32, including eight scores of 50 or more, while his left arm spin also claimed 47 wickets at an average of 17, with best figures of 4-18.

His displays saw him take home the Under 18s Batter of the Year, Bowler of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year and Coaches’ Player of the Year awards at the Awards Night in November. 

Yet ECB directives say that Abrar needs to have a British passport. He lives here permanently and will be qualified in two years time, but cannot take his place on an Academy until then. It seems a dreadful shame that a clearly talented young man will miss out on two years of important coaching at a key stage of his development.

It is a similar situation to that faced by Adnan Miakhel, who starred in Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams. He was helped to secure asylum in the UK and is now on the Lancashire staff, the programme's publicity doing his cause no harm.

I hope that common sense might at some point prevail and Abrar is able to continue his cricketing education with Derbyshire. There is no doubting his potential.

That is a good collection of young players, with a strong likelihood that some of them will eventually find a place on the county staff. 

I look forward to watching their progress during 2026 and wish them all the very best.

Bashir roundup

Well, the link with Shoaib Bashir certainly produced a range of comments! 

While I am confident that the story, in The Daily Mail, originated from the player's agent, I don't doubt that there is interest from Derbyshire. Such stories are normally put out there to generate competition or to make other clubs consider a late move, perhaps create an awareness they might have made a mistake by letting him go. 

It happened with Mohammad Abbas and you see it everywhere. The story on Bashir suggested that the Derbyshire board was split on the signing and I get that. So is the club's support, judging by your many and appreciated comments. 

My stance is this. Derbyshire have only one recognised spinner on the staff, as I noted a week or so back in another piece. It is a potential weakness, especially if Jack Morley sustained an injury in the early season that kept him out for some time. 

There is a small - make that very small - number of spinners of any quality in this country. Having discussed this at length with Edwin Smith, who is the only man alive to have taken over a thousand wickets for our county, the main problem is a lack of bowling and unsuitable pitches. You could also throw in a perceived requirement for the spinner to have to bat as well, to show the challenges that they face. 

Whoever we sign, there will be question marks. They were there when we signed Morley, and will be for anyone who has not established himself in the game. Such players are the lifeblood for a county like ours and a look through the existing staff shows plenty of examples of players who needed to move for that all important opportunity. Most have thrived on that chance.

Someone suggested Amar Virdi, another off spinner of talent, yet one who has failed to hold down a regular berth in the county game. Whispers of his lack of fitness have been an issue, while he isn't really a batter or fielder. Nor an international player. After that, who else might there be? Archie Lenham comes from good cricket stock in Sussex, but 30 first-class wickets at 40 will make counties see him and his leg spin as a gamble, even though he is still only 21 and currently available, to the best of my knowledge..

It seems strange to suggest that signing England's number one spinner is a gamble, but it is, even though the costs are negligible in year one with his central contract. 

Yet for me, it is one worth taking. At the end of next season the contracts of Messrs Brown, Madsen, Dal and indeed Morley are up and not all of them, I would suggest, will remain. Pat Brown has to recover his best form, Madsen to continue to defy Old Father Time, Dal to recover from two less productive seasons and Morley...well, he has a shoot out for the role of senior spinner - perhaps.

It might be that Derbyshire decide against the move, or someone comes in with a late offer. Equally, it could be that he signs and finds an environment in which he can flourish. In all sports, players who are lucky find a club where they can give their best and are appreciated.

Bashir needs that and, given the paucity of options elsewhere, English cricket needs it too. For me, the club needs to back Mickey Arthur if he wants Bashir, then trust him and his coaches to get him on the right track.

If push comes to shove, it could either be written off as having been a mistake at the end of 2027.

Or hailed as a masterstroke. 

Our county are strongly linked with a bloke currently on tour with England. That doesn't happen very often and it is certainly unique in my lifetime.

In itself, a reason to be cheerful, I think 

Anyway, thank you all for your many comments, your considerable interest and your donations in 2026.

I wish you all a Happy New Year, one that hopefully extends to our county and its fortunes!

Excellent interview on club site

There is an excellent interview with Mickey Arthur on the club site today. 

In the 20 minutes he covers recruitment, hopes for the new season and his winter experiences. 

It is well worth a watch