Tuesday, 11 August 2026

Will Rogers signs on short-term red ball deal

Mickey Arthur has signed 23-year old left arm seamer Will Rogers on a contract to the end of the summer, for the remaining red ball games.

Ostensibly to cover for the long-term absent seamers, one must assume that Luis Reece will do little more bowling this year, as the accompanying press piece cites his 'different angle' as the draw. Surely, if a seamer was needed, Matt Stewart might otherwise have been in the first cab off the ranks?

Fair play to Rogers, who has clearly impressed enough to warrant a deal, but figures of 1-148 in his three most recent spells for the second team don't initially suggest his signature on a contract.

He was previously on the staff at Sussex and has played in other county second teams, so here's hoping the lad proves to be a shrewd pick up and can leave his mark on the remaining fixtures. 

Is he the 'replacement' for Mohammad Abbas, so clearly needed for the remainder of the season? I understand he isn't, more of an addition to the ranks 

It goes without saying that I wish him well, as I am sure others do.

10 comments:

  1. I also wish him well and always open to picking up a player whom scouts elsewhere may have overlooked. Agree the second XI record isn't that impressive and he won't get much help from pitches in the run in.

    I do agree around Matt Stewart though, apologies for beating the same drum but perhaps if he'd been given half the One Day games we'd have had even more confidence he was ready for the step up.

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  2. Serious question.How does Mickey Arthur give this guy a contract with those stats? Surely there is better available. Simon

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    1. I suspect his ideal scenario would have been an overseas left arm quick. But they are rarer than hen's teeth. And there aren't many here, either, who are available. I guess it's a gamble that *might* come off, or might not. Worth a try, I guess and only short term if it doesnt

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    2. It amazes me that Mikey with all his contacts in Pakistan he’s never unearthed a rapid young left arm quickie in his time at Derbyshire, i know he wasn’t young he was about 32 but somebody like Mohammad Ali ,seemed to appear from nowhere he was rapid he also got the old ball to reverse I think he took about 48 wickets and then he disappeared not sure if it was a visa issue or something

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    3. With the announcement of a whole raft of South African matches coinciding with the last few rounds--to go with existing international tours, the CPL, Australian pre-season and the terminal unreliability of Indian overseas players' availability--to be honest getting ANY decent seamer with decent fitness will be a challenge. The only ones I can see who might even be a possibility are Jacob Duffy (quite possibly unavailable too since he's recently missed a tour on paternity leave), Dane Paterson, Zak Foulkes and Nathan Smith.

      Unless, that is, MA's famous contacts book yields something. But frankly, if the contacts book was a player, it would probably have been released from its contract by now!

      Dave

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  3. I wish him well but as usual it smacks of penny pinching

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  4. Why was my comment not posted?

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    1. I am on holiday, mate and playing catch up later in the day when I have the chance to review and publish

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    2. Sorry mate! Enjoy your holiday. I am also away, a chance to simmer down a bit haha.

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  5. Ian from Suffolk11 August 2026 at 22:42

    Very good luck to the young lad. It will be interesting to see with Abbas not playing any more this season if Derbyshire can or will push the budget this last few weeks of the season to bring in at least one or maybe two loan players to boost the bowling otherwise realistically it’s unlikely we will be able to get20 wickets in any of the 6 games left

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