It is the most overused word in the language.
I got your favourite cereal at the shops today. Great. Your Mum was on the phone. Great. I put a new toilet roll on the holder. Great. We say it all the time and with respect to those concerned, it doesn't really mean a lot. It's not, by any stretch of the imagination,the correct usage of the word.
Yet there were several examples yesterday of the true definition, of ability, quality, or eminence considerably above average.
The passing of Keith Poynton was that of a great man. One has only to read the comments of those touched by his life, who knew him and who called him a friend, neighbour, colleague or relative, to understand that. I realised it when I last spoke to him, at the County Ground at the end of last summer.
We were discussing respective families and our pride in the success of our youngsters. Like any parent worthy of the name, both of us had spent many hours doing the things you do as they grow up. Encouraging them; helping them celebrate success; being there to help with disappointments; ferrying them here, there and everywhere to support their interests.
I mentioned that my son had recently graduated and was at that stage seeking employment and Keith was very interested. He made several telling comments, a couple of very useful suggestions and was genuinely helpful and interested in a young lad he had never met. It was not the interest of someone who was merely passing time in idle chit-chat, but that of a genuinely nice - yes, great - bloke who cared and whose time and company were appreciated in equal measure.
I looked forward to catching up with him and his lovely wife Sheena again in a couple of weeks time, but that sadly won't happen now. Yesterday's devastating news put paid to that, but it doesn't change my opinion of Keith Poynton. He was a lovely man and it was a pleasure to have known him.
In much the same way can the word be applied to the club that we all love and support. Perhaps you only really appreciate and understand the merits of people and organisations in adversity. By any standards against which you care to judge it, the conduct and communications of Derbyshire CCC, its players, staff and administrators over the past couple of days has been truly outstanding. Great, if you will.
So too has been that of fans and the wider cricketing 'family'. There has been an outpouring of support that in the darkest of hours must have been of some comfort to the family. It came from far and wide, perhaps most touchingly from Marcus North in Australia, sending a message to a soon to be team mate. It must have rekindled his own emotions, coming so soon after he had to deal with the loss of his brother, also in a motor accident.
Derbyshire is a family club, a close-knit community where families are welcomed, known and involved. The conduct over the past couple of days from Chris Grant and Simon Storey has been impeccable, thoughtful and professional. The club's statements and tweets have been respectful and wholly appropriate in demanding circumstances and have made me even more proud to support such a club. All concerned deserve the utmost praise for their efforts.
Tom Poynton and his family will be struggling to come to terms with their loss right now. Tom will need time to recover from the physical and mental scars but he and his family will get there, with the support of a truly great club and an outstanding group of people. I wish them all well.
Rest in Peace, Keith Poynton.
Showing posts with label Tom Poynton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tom Poynton. Show all posts
Sunday, 6 April 2014
Wednesday, 8 June 2011
Fantasy stuff
Here's a couple of posers for you in your (imaginary) job as Derbyshire's cricket supremo.
You are coming to the end of the season and have two 23 year old players. Both are technically very good and are strong mentally, though not powerful physically at this stage of their careers.
Player A has played 7 games, 11 innings, 133 runs average 12.09
Player B has played 26 games, 42 innings, 1109 runs average 29.97
Resources mean you have to sack one of them, but you can give a three-year contract to the other. Who do you sack? Player A, presumably?
Having sorted that one, next you have two 21 year old players to consider. Both are 'flair players' with a lot of natural ability that can see them perceived as a bit rash or careless at times.
Player A has played 58 games, 82 innings, 1606 runs average 22.30
Player B has played 39 games, 64 innings, 1740 runs average 29.00
Again, you have to sack one player and give the other a three-year contract. Once again, I would suggest on record you would sack player A.
Congratulations. In the first example above, you have just sacked Chris Rogers and given a three-year deal to Paul Borrington. In the second, you sacked Kim Barnett and gave Dan Redfern a three-year deal...
That's young cricketers for you and why I feel too many give them a raw deal. If you want more examples:
At the age of 24, Chris Adams was averaging 27
At the age of 22, John Morris was averaging 27
At the age of 23. Eddie Barlow was averaging 28
At the same age, Peter Bowler was averaging 25. So was Martin Guptill.
At the age of 24, Greg Smith was averaging 22
At the age of 22, one of our greatest batsmen, Denis Smith, was averaging just 13...
If you want to go outside the county, Graham Gooch averaged 24 when he was 23 and Mark Butcher 23 when he was 22. Yet still we moan about under-achievement!
Reading about Ross Whiteley's (pictured) knock for the Seconds yesterday (65 not out from 37 balls against a decent Lancashire attack with first team experience) heightened my feeling that he is potentially our most destructive young player since Ian Blackwell. At 22 his first team statistics are not overly impressive (17 average with the bat and just one wicket) but I have always been impressed by his clean hitting and feel his bowling can come on still further. He has a tendency to drop one down leg side regularly, but that's just a case of grooving the action a little more. He can swing it and with experience will gain in confidence.
Others, like Ben Slater, Hamza Siddique and Tom Poynton are showing enough flashes of talent to warrant genuine optimism, Poynton batting four and aggressively for the Seconds and keeping wicket with great style (and no little vocal talent!)
But you can't expect perpetual brilliance from kids. Why, Dean Jones only averaged 33 when he was 21, and Michael di Venuto 34 when he was 22. They were/are exceptional players, yet in average not massively ahead of Redfern and Borrington at a comparable stage.
It makes no sense whatsoever, on any level, to cut ties with young players of that age. They make money for the club on each appearance until they are 26 and if they've not done it by then, fair enough. Socially, emotionally, physically and technically few are really cutting it before 23 or 24 anyway. Playing cricket for your livelihood is massively different to playing with your mates at the weekend and when some of those on the boundary edge go into print saying you're a waste of space (or worse) it can't be easy. I've had bad days in my working life, but no one has ever gone onto a web site that evening and told the world about it. That's a crucial difference.
A contributor the other night suggested that the players were well rewarded. I understand that the young summer contract players at Derbyshire are on around £1,000 for playing in July and August, after their University commitments. Throw in their gear and its a good deal for a student - a world better than slaving away in a fast food outlet, but not exactly Rockefeller standard. Ross Whiteley is probably on less than £5K for his summer deal and will have earned that back for the club from his appearances this summer. Borrington and Redfern will probably be on less than £20K is my guess, but next year, with under 22s likely to attract £2,500 per game and under-26s earning the club £2,000 per appearance I expect both to feature heavily.
Returning to the early theme of this post, what would you do? Pay Greg Smith £70-80K to keep him at Derbyshire? We've already invested a lot of money in Smith and he's still technically an overseas player costing us more each time he plays. Critics would suggest he's only had two really good summers and that if he was going to re-sign he would have done so by now. They might also suggest that the player has used Derbyshire as a convenience, retaining his South African citizenship despite opportunities to qualify much more quickly.
Or do we accept that he's going and invest time, opportunity and much less money in Ross Whiteley, giving him a three-year deal and encouraging him to go out there, confident that his place is secure to play his natural game? During that time he will bring in money each time he steps onto the pitch. I'm genuinely confident that the lad could take that number six berth and make it his own, just as I am that Poynton will be a very good wicket-keeper batsman for Derbyshire for years when Luke Sutton takes a step back.
From a purely financial angle, playing Hughes, Redfern, Borrington, Knight/Needham, Whiteley and (maybe) Poynton next year would bring in enough money to finance a top overseas player. You could notionally go with this side
Madsen, Borrington, Hughes, Durston, Redfern, Whiteley, Sutton/Poynton, Clare, Groenewald, Palladino, Knight/Needham
You'll note that side includes Tim Groenewald, who I think will stay, and doesn't include an overseas player. The identity and skills of that person are as yet unknown, so there's no point putting someone in for the sake of it.
A young side? Yes, but improving. Last year we came bottom with an experienced one AND lost £180K. How we do with this one is open to conjecture, but we wouldn't do worse - and would at least balance the books.
For me, as Chris Grant is poised to unveil his plans to the Derbyshire committee, it is the way forward. Karl Krikken, responsible for the emergence of these youngsters, would play a major part in the future too, working alongside an overseas player/coach. He knows the players, they respect him to a man, there's experience and exciting talent side by side and this would prepare us for cricket in the long term, as a club run to an effective business model that would be one for others to emulate.
It's the way forward all right. The DERBYSHIRE way.
You are coming to the end of the season and have two 23 year old players. Both are technically very good and are strong mentally, though not powerful physically at this stage of their careers.
Player A has played 7 games, 11 innings, 133 runs average 12.09
Player B has played 26 games, 42 innings, 1109 runs average 29.97
Resources mean you have to sack one of them, but you can give a three-year contract to the other. Who do you sack? Player A, presumably?
Having sorted that one, next you have two 21 year old players to consider. Both are 'flair players' with a lot of natural ability that can see them perceived as a bit rash or careless at times.
Player A has played 58 games, 82 innings, 1606 runs average 22.30
Player B has played 39 games, 64 innings, 1740 runs average 29.00
Again, you have to sack one player and give the other a three-year contract. Once again, I would suggest on record you would sack player A.
Congratulations. In the first example above, you have just sacked Chris Rogers and given a three-year deal to Paul Borrington. In the second, you sacked Kim Barnett and gave Dan Redfern a three-year deal...
That's young cricketers for you and why I feel too many give them a raw deal. If you want more examples:
At the age of 24, Chris Adams was averaging 27
At the age of 22, John Morris was averaging 27
At the age of 23. Eddie Barlow was averaging 28
At the same age, Peter Bowler was averaging 25. So was Martin Guptill.
At the age of 24, Greg Smith was averaging 22
At the age of 22, one of our greatest batsmen, Denis Smith, was averaging just 13...
If you want to go outside the county, Graham Gooch averaged 24 when he was 23 and Mark Butcher 23 when he was 22. Yet still we moan about under-achievement!
Reading about Ross Whiteley's (pictured) knock for the Seconds yesterday (65 not out from 37 balls against a decent Lancashire attack with first team experience) heightened my feeling that he is potentially our most destructive young player since Ian Blackwell. At 22 his first team statistics are not overly impressive (17 average with the bat and just one wicket) but I have always been impressed by his clean hitting and feel his bowling can come on still further. He has a tendency to drop one down leg side regularly, but that's just a case of grooving the action a little more. He can swing it and with experience will gain in confidence.Others, like Ben Slater, Hamza Siddique and Tom Poynton are showing enough flashes of talent to warrant genuine optimism, Poynton batting four and aggressively for the Seconds and keeping wicket with great style (and no little vocal talent!)
But you can't expect perpetual brilliance from kids. Why, Dean Jones only averaged 33 when he was 21, and Michael di Venuto 34 when he was 22. They were/are exceptional players, yet in average not massively ahead of Redfern and Borrington at a comparable stage.
It makes no sense whatsoever, on any level, to cut ties with young players of that age. They make money for the club on each appearance until they are 26 and if they've not done it by then, fair enough. Socially, emotionally, physically and technically few are really cutting it before 23 or 24 anyway. Playing cricket for your livelihood is massively different to playing with your mates at the weekend and when some of those on the boundary edge go into print saying you're a waste of space (or worse) it can't be easy. I've had bad days in my working life, but no one has ever gone onto a web site that evening and told the world about it. That's a crucial difference.
A contributor the other night suggested that the players were well rewarded. I understand that the young summer contract players at Derbyshire are on around £1,000 for playing in July and August, after their University commitments. Throw in their gear and its a good deal for a student - a world better than slaving away in a fast food outlet, but not exactly Rockefeller standard. Ross Whiteley is probably on less than £5K for his summer deal and will have earned that back for the club from his appearances this summer. Borrington and Redfern will probably be on less than £20K is my guess, but next year, with under 22s likely to attract £2,500 per game and under-26s earning the club £2,000 per appearance I expect both to feature heavily.
Returning to the early theme of this post, what would you do? Pay Greg Smith £70-80K to keep him at Derbyshire? We've already invested a lot of money in Smith and he's still technically an overseas player costing us more each time he plays. Critics would suggest he's only had two really good summers and that if he was going to re-sign he would have done so by now. They might also suggest that the player has used Derbyshire as a convenience, retaining his South African citizenship despite opportunities to qualify much more quickly.
Or do we accept that he's going and invest time, opportunity and much less money in Ross Whiteley, giving him a three-year deal and encouraging him to go out there, confident that his place is secure to play his natural game? During that time he will bring in money each time he steps onto the pitch. I'm genuinely confident that the lad could take that number six berth and make it his own, just as I am that Poynton will be a very good wicket-keeper batsman for Derbyshire for years when Luke Sutton takes a step back.
From a purely financial angle, playing Hughes, Redfern, Borrington, Knight/Needham, Whiteley and (maybe) Poynton next year would bring in enough money to finance a top overseas player. You could notionally go with this side
Madsen, Borrington, Hughes, Durston, Redfern, Whiteley, Sutton/Poynton, Clare, Groenewald, Palladino, Knight/Needham
You'll note that side includes Tim Groenewald, who I think will stay, and doesn't include an overseas player. The identity and skills of that person are as yet unknown, so there's no point putting someone in for the sake of it.
A young side? Yes, but improving. Last year we came bottom with an experienced one AND lost £180K. How we do with this one is open to conjecture, but we wouldn't do worse - and would at least balance the books.
For me, as Chris Grant is poised to unveil his plans to the Derbyshire committee, it is the way forward. Karl Krikken, responsible for the emergence of these youngsters, would play a major part in the future too, working alongside an overseas player/coach. He knows the players, they respect him to a man, there's experience and exciting talent side by side and this would prepare us for cricket in the long term, as a club run to an effective business model that would be one for others to emulate.
It's the way forward all right. The DERBYSHIRE way.
Friday, 25 March 2011
Young 'uns to the fore
Good to read in the Telegraph this morning such encouraging news on the performances of Ross Whiteley and Tom Knight in Barbados.
I’ve seen Whiteley a time or two and have seen him bowl quite beautifully in what could best be described as the ‘Kevin Dean’ style. Yet I’ve been even more impressed by his clean hitting, which made me think of another young Derbyshire cricketer in Ian Blackwell.
At 22 Whiteley has time on his side and it alone will decide whether he becomes a genuine all-rounder, a batsman who can bowl a few overs or a bowler who can give the ball a real tonk. He has several impressive hitting feats to his name in the Premier League for Chesterfield, including an unbeaten 204 for them last August from just 117 balls. That innings included no fewer than eighteen sixes and eighteen fours!
As well as his cameo in last weekend’s final against Warwickshire, on the tour Whiteley played two innings for composite sides - 68 not out off 47 balls with three fours and five sixes and 45 off 26 balls with eight fours and a six. Such statistics suggest a young player who is getting to grips with his game and has the confidence to go for his shots. It is a potent mix and I will watch his progress with considerable interest.
As for Tom Knight I have yet to see him bowl but have heard enough good reports from good judges to suggest he could be a real find for the club. At 17 he has loads of time on his side and will need to continue to work hard, but figures of 3-18 in eight overs are impressive by any standards.
He took enough wickets in the Second XI last summer to set people talking and the slow left armer could be another to watch.
Meanwhile Tom Poynton has made good runs in Barbados on the back of his Australian trip. He is another for the future, although logically is going to find it hard to break into the side when the first team keeper is also the captain. If he works hard with Luke Sutton in the next couple of seasons, we will not need to look too far for the heir to the County Ground gloves.
Encouraging stuff.
I’ve seen Whiteley a time or two and have seen him bowl quite beautifully in what could best be described as the ‘Kevin Dean’ style. Yet I’ve been even more impressed by his clean hitting, which made me think of another young Derbyshire cricketer in Ian Blackwell.
At 22 Whiteley has time on his side and it alone will decide whether he becomes a genuine all-rounder, a batsman who can bowl a few overs or a bowler who can give the ball a real tonk. He has several impressive hitting feats to his name in the Premier League for Chesterfield, including an unbeaten 204 for them last August from just 117 balls. That innings included no fewer than eighteen sixes and eighteen fours!
As well as his cameo in last weekend’s final against Warwickshire, on the tour Whiteley played two innings for composite sides - 68 not out off 47 balls with three fours and five sixes and 45 off 26 balls with eight fours and a six. Such statistics suggest a young player who is getting to grips with his game and has the confidence to go for his shots. It is a potent mix and I will watch his progress with considerable interest.
As for Tom Knight I have yet to see him bowl but have heard enough good reports from good judges to suggest he could be a real find for the club. At 17 he has loads of time on his side and will need to continue to work hard, but figures of 3-18 in eight overs are impressive by any standards.
He took enough wickets in the Second XI last summer to set people talking and the slow left armer could be another to watch.
Meanwhile Tom Poynton has made good runs in Barbados on the back of his Australian trip. He is another for the future, although logically is going to find it hard to break into the side when the first team keeper is also the captain. If he works hard with Luke Sutton in the next couple of seasons, we will not need to look too far for the heir to the County Ground gloves.
Encouraging stuff.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)