Supporters Player of the Season - Charl Langeveldt

The term "Kolpak" has evolved from one that describes a sportsman on a passport of convenience to one that is even more disparaging. Many players have used the loophole, which is essentially what it is, as a means of making a quick buck and have offered little in return. No names, no packdrill, but look around the county circuit and they will be obvious.

There have, of course been exceptions. Dale Benkenstein has led Durham with skill and has showed a tactical nous beyond many of his peers. HD Ackerman has bolstered a poor Leicestershire side over several seasons with his consistent batting displays and others like Ryan McLaren at Kent and Lance Klusener at Northants have given excellent value.

When Charl Langeveldt's name was linked with a move to Derby earlier in the year there were eyebrows raised. Surely he was in the frame to tour England with the South Africans? There were also several other - bigger, according to the press - counties in for him, so why would he choose Derbyshire?

When he did eventually sign after a delay that matched the "phony war" of 1939, we were all pleased. He'd done well in a brief spell at Leicester, less well in a shorter one at Somerset, but he came from a sensational season back home where he produced extraordinary figures, especially in 20/20 matches. We knew he was a man of principle, as he had by that stage retired from international cricket in protest at the quota system in the South African game. He was quite happy to be picked on merit, but not merely because of the colour of his skin.

South Africa's loss has definitely been our gain. It was a loss for them, as despite winning the Test series in this country, they appeared to have some fine fast bowlers but no one who could really put it on the spot consistently, especially when the focus switched to one day cricket.

From the start, Langeveldt has been an outstanding player for Derbyshire, nothing more, nohing less. Only Michael Holding in my memory has so consistently carried the burden of being both shock and stock bowler. Charl is a burly man, solidly built, probably as close to the ideal for a fast bowler as it is possible to be. From start to finish of the season he has walked back to the start of his runup and come in flat out every day, an economic action being the precursor to a baffling array of deliveries.

Quick one. Slow one. The one that swings away late. The one that cuts back. The toe crushing yorker (available in two varieties). The occasional bouncer just to keep batsmen on their toes. Langeveldt has them all and bowls them with such skill that we are surprised when he goes for - horror of horrors - three an over. In the 20/20 competition, no one really got hold of him and it has been especially noticeable, even on great batting tracks (Essex in the Pro 40) that when the ball has been flying everywhere, Langeveldt still has commanded respect. It is a pleasure to once again have an opening bowler who you EXPECT to take wickets. You don't hope with Charl, he's too good for that.

Times many this season he has been given the ball when batting was easy and has broken through, or tied things down at one end to the benefit of the man at the other. It's the old trick and many's the bowler who has profited from the accuracy of a Hendrick, Cartwright, Shackleton, Gladwin and Jackson. We've not had one for some time and it has been a pleasure to watch a craftsman in action.

The statistics don't lie. 413 overs in 12 matches. Only Graham Wagg, perhaps his closest rival for the award with Chris Rogers, has exceeded that and only by two overs. He's also played three more matches, so Langeveldt's workload has been considerable. He has had a niggle from his knee and a slight back problem but you'd not know that from the way he has run in. As the one day season has fallen apart from the side he has had an opportunity to rest for these matches, but his 54 wickets at 22 are testimony to the skill of his bowling. A further 16 wickets in one day matches at just 18 each, plus eight 20/20 victims at just under 15 tell their own story. So too does his run rate in the short slog game - a shade over five and a half an over. Amazing really.

I've not mentioned his batting and fielding. We didn't expect much from his batting but he has entertained when he has made it to the middle. An average of 17 from a man who has mainly batted at eleven is prefectly acceptable and the fact that 2/3 of these have come in boundaries show his attitude. The agricultural heave is a favorite shot, sometimes with more textbook strokes, but Charl really should be accompanied to the crease in matches to the music of "One man went to mow". It is often short, but never less than exhilarating.

His fielding meanwhile is like his bowling. Total commitment and if not the most lithe of movers he does what is required and has a good pair of hands when the need arises.

It has been a genuine pleasure to have Charl in the Derbyshire side this season and with the reassurance of his being back next year we can enjoy the winter. I hope that he continues in the colours for years to come, by which stage he will have cemented his place in Derbyshire cricket folklore.

Well done Charl - and thanks from all of us!

Sorry Mike, but...

Anyone read Mike Atherton's latest on the county game?

You can read it here

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/mike_atherton/article4775993.ece

I just don't follow it. One minute he's saying that England are an improving side. The next that we can't capitalise on this until our Test ground counties are strong again.

It is an article of contradictions that has a Scooby Doo ending. Why Mike? Good players are good players, irrespective of the county that produces them. Just because they cannot all be signed by the moneybags counties, our supposed elite, changes nothing.

Warwickshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire and Surrey are only average sides, despite a multi-million pound turnover. Middlesex are only a little better and inconsistent, while Nottinghamshire are the best of the bunch but far from unbeatable.

When cricket goes the way of football, my interest goes with it. There have been periods of dominance for several sides over the years, but this has been when a batch of fine players came together. Beating the Yorkshire of Hirst, Rhodes, Sutcliffe, Leyland and Bowes was difficult. Doing the same to the Surrey of Laker, Lock, Loader and Bedser the same. These were players who came together by dint of fate, not poached from less affluent neighbours by a fat cheque book. There, in a nutshell, you have the reason why people rejoice in Lancashire's current problems and smirk when Warwickshire poach the "creme de la creme" of other counties.

OK. Ant Botha. Boyd Rankin. Rikki Clarke. Make that skimmed milk...

Say hello to Captain Buck Rogers...

Steadily and quietly, with the minimum of fuss, John Morris has gone about the business of getting a team together over recent weeks.

Dan Redfern was signed for two years and more recently Paul Borrington too. These lads are fine talents and we can now work to improve them further and highlight the good deeds going on in the Academy setup (take a bow Krikk!)

Then Wavell Hinds was signed for next season with an option for 2010. Added to the fact that Charl Langeveldt was on board for two years, this gives Morris a nucleus of experienced, talented players who should both benefit from a full English season and the range of conditions they have faced.

Now comes the news we have all been hoping for. Chris Rogers is signed for next year as captain and I applaud that decision 100%. While there was a school of thought that we should use the captaincy to attract an established pro from elsewhere, there is a two word answer to that one.

Rikki Clarke.

I firmly subscribe to the Australian model of picking your captain as the best player available. Few would argue that this is Rogers, and the amiable Aussie has grown from a slow start to become the second most prolific run scorer in the country. At 31 he also has his best years ahead of him and realistically is unlikely to trouble the Aussie selectors given the depth of batting talent in that country. Yet with 1372 first class runs he has emulated the feats of Michael di Venuto - and in my opinion surpassed them.

There have been comments - some of them from me - that he is not really a one day player. The bare facts are that he averages 37 in one day cricket and 57 in the longer game. However, he has managed six fifties in 13 one day innings and has only failed in not converting these to centuries.

He is a very solid professional, well respected and has the potential to be our skipper for the next five years. What's not to like?

I'm delighted with this appointment and now John Morris has to answer some serious questions.

Is Steve Stubbings worth another year?
Is Wayne White?
Is Ian Hunter?
Can Dom Telo come back next year as the player who made such an impact in South Africa?
Can Tom Lungley re-emerge from an injury-hit year to bolster the seam bowling ranks next season?
Can John Sadler challenge for a middle order spot?
Is Tom New worth an offer?
Who can he bring into the middle order to strengthen next year's side?
Do we need a new slow left armer, or do we accept that Graham Wagg may be as good as any of them that may be available and make a move for Yorkshire leggie Mark Lawson?
Can he find another seamer?

I've said before and will again that I'd like to see Dominic Cork back next year. Rumours of Steve Kirby's availability abound, but Cork would be my choice. Erstwhile personality aside, if Stuart Law and Andrew Flintoff reckon Lancashire have made a mistake I'm happy to trust their judgement.

There may be some merit in a move for Andrew Harris, now that he has left Nottinghamshire, but given his track record it might best be as a "pay as you play" deal. On his day he's a good bowler, but whether the body is still up to it is debatable. There would be a degree of irony if he were to rejoin Derbyshire, as I seem to recall John Morris, acting as an agent, being instrumental in his leaving a few years back and his decision to go down the road will still rankle with some fans.

For me, the side for next April is taking shape nicely. I'd see it as being something along the lines of:

Rogers
Stubbings/Birch/Borrington
X
Hinds
Redfern
Smith
Pipe
Clare
Wagg
X
Langeveldt

We should remember that we will not see Borrington until June with University commitments and may not see Hinds at the start, depending on the ICL schedule. It has been an encouraging season in many ways, but this winter's recruitment will dictate the rate of progress from here.

Derbyshire v Gloucestershire day 3

Back to a semblance of normality tonight after a Festival week at work that saw me doing 61 hours...

Anyway, apologies for the later, sporadic and non-appearing posts, but normal service will now be resumed.

Tonight's late two wickets for the wonderful Wagg probably gave us a slight edge going into the final day at Derby, though nothing can and should be taken for granted. Marshall, Gidman and Taylor are all dangerous players and there appears to be no real deterioration in the wicket. There will be a lot of work required to take those remaining eight wickets tomorrow before we can win this one.

There were again positive signs from our batting today, with Greg Smith again highlighting increased maturity. What an asset he should be next season, when he should again be able to add to the seam bowling ranks after his early season muscle tear in his bowling arm. He is a fair off spinner but much better, at this stage, as a seamer.

That's a hard one to answer for Graham Wagg. It was pleasing to see Charl Langeveldt win the Player of the Season award and no one could argue with the impact he has made. Yet Wagg must have run him close. He needs 13 runs from the last match to complete the mini-double of 500 runs and 50 wickets and that is an outstanding achievement. Add in his electric fielding and the fact that he can bowl both left arm seam or slow left arm with increasing skill and we have some player! The greatest tribute I could pay him is that he has taken over the mantle of Graeme Welch and loses nothing in comparison to the modern legend. Derbyshire 2nds over in Birmingham must have had a few thoughtful moments over the decision to let him go. Their loss has been very much our gain.

Tom New also came up with runs when they were needed and the youngster has done little wrong in his spell with us. While he has made a few mistakes behind the stumps, his batting in all forms of the game has been resourceful and solid. He has made no secret of the fact that he would prefer to play as a wicket-keeper batsman than as a batsman only, but he may be worthy of consideration this winter. While Tom Poynton is a player with a future, he has a way to go and New appears to be worthy of an extended opportunity. Realistically he is not as good as James Pipe, but there aren't many around the country that I would swap with the Yorkshireman.

So, tomorrow should be a good day of cricket if the weather stays out of it. May the best team win.

As long as it's us of course..

Derbyshire v Gloucestershire day 2

This is a fascinating game that is very much in the balance at the end of a second day that saw batting a much easier proposition than on the first day.

It was good to see Steve Stubbings efforts lauded in the press although less good to see our bowlers having to work hard for wickets this morning. Snell and Lewis proved very stubborn and once again it was Waggy who rose to the occasion and finished with an excellent six wickets. That's two seasons in a row now that he has passed the 50 wicket mark. While his batting is a little more "iffy", he remains a player good enough to be considered a genuine allrounder rather than a bowler who bats. His fielding is excellent too and he is a key member of this side. When one considers he is bowling through an injury we see how big a contribution he makes to the side.

Paul Borrington has had a tough game here, but Dan Birch batted well and Chris Rogers completed a double hand (40 and 74) in match that is worth more than many a century. When he was eventually dismissed the game was tilting Gloucestershire's way, but Tom New joined Greg Smith and they steered us to calmer waters of 193-4 at the close, 158 ahead.

Quite how many are required to force a win is debatable. I'd have thought we'd need at least 250, while 300 wouldn't be sniffed at. The wicket seems to have flattened out and the danger for both sides would be the reappearance of cloud cover. I'd be quite happy with a sunny Friday and an overcast, muggy (but dry) Saturday for Wagg and Langeveldt to work their magic.

One final point. To me, the under-utilisation of Wayne White suggests that the captain doesn't have too much faith in him. White bowled only eight overs while Ian Hunter bowled 15 and the others more. He also went for four an over, which while not expensive as such is probably more than one would expect in bowler-friendly conditions, especially yesterday.

Warwickshire's fine batting today suggests that they will perhaps press for a win over Essex in the next two days, leaving us fighting only for placing in Division 2. No disgrace in that, and another year in this division should enable some of these young players to develop further in 2009

Derbyshire v Gloucestershire day 1

First of all apologies for the lateness of this blog but yesterday was a long one work-wise and I didn't get in until midnight...

The first good news of the day was that John Morris has secured the services of Paul Borrington on a two-year professional contract and he will be "ours" full time after his University studies end next year. I'm pleased for the lad, who makes the most of his talent and has strong adhesive qualities. While not as obviously a "star" in the making as Dan Redfern, he should do well and time will be the judge of just how well.

The second good news was that we fought back well after at one stage being 88-6 and totalled 188, with both Graham Wagg and Charl Langeveldt supporting the returning Steve Stubbings, who anchored the innings with an excellent unbeaten 61. The thinking money may be on Stubbo leaving at season-end after a poor year, but he has made the decision a tough one with this knock, which appears to have been typical of the man. Throughout his career he has made runs when they have been most needed and has been a fine player. Contractual situations apart, could anyone see Sadler, Telo or indeed Hinds battling through to a score like that yesterday? No, me neither.

The third good news was that the pitch inspectors are happy with the pitch and reckon it was just poor batting and swing that caused the problems. I was sure mid-morning that we'd be docked points for this one, but that appears not to be the case.
Ou current healthy position is due to "golden arm" Wagg running through the Gloucester batting after a steady start and although Charl was not quite himself (he's not bowled for a while), I hope that we can finish them off early today for a good lead.

The bad news is that irrespective of what we do it is unlikely to bring promotion. Having dropped the batting points we'd need maximum from here and attaining them would give us a season total of 183. With Warwickshire starting this on 171, they would only need bonus points and one draw to be above us. Given their reputation this season, they should manage that easily enough as it is the starting point in their game and they will stick with it.

One more point - two wickets for tricky Rikki on debut for the Bears. Pettini and Bopara, so no bad victims. However, he also went for 5 an over, so some things never change...

You have to laugh..

Have a look at the Nottinghamshire 606 site.

Two eejits suggesting that they might swap Andrew Harris for Graham Wagg....

Take it that they're now doing brain share operations on the NHS down Nottingham way? A fit Harris is a good bowler, but his track record doesn't inspire confidence. Anyone who thinks we'd swap a fine all rounder who plays through the pain for a seamer who misses more than he plays has to be several slices short of the loaf.

Do feel free to have a laugh at them...

The vote

Well, half of you reckon we should get rid of both Wayne White and Ian Hunter for next season, while a third reckon that Hunter should go. Having said that he's bowled better of late, few would claim that Hunter was a penetrative seamer. He has bowled with accuracy in the one dayers, but it has only been in comparison to a mainly second-string attack of late.

White bowled well against Glamorgan but I'm not that impressed by him and feel he has a lot of work to do to become an established player. He needs to come back next season like Jon Clare did this year, filled out and stronger.

One or both could be saved depending on Morris' targets this winter. The loss of Kevin Dean and the continued injuries of Tom Lungley leave our seam attack very thin after the usual suspects of Wagg, Langeveldt and Clare, with only Ross Whiteley as a reserve.

This week's poll is the area we most need to strengthen for next year. I look forward to seeing your ideas.

Derbyshire v Gloucestershire preview

Sorry about the late blog tonight but its festival week at work and I've four late nights on the trot!

Tomorrow we play the first of two games that we need to win. Looking at the opposition, we really should fancy our chances. The visitors are missing Marcus North, who is on international training with the Aussies, as well as Craig Spearman who is injured. Hamish Marshall is playing and often does well against us, while Alex Gidman, a target for John Morris before he re-signed for Gloucestershire, will be the rock in the middle order. Jon Lewis is still a good seamer and Steve Kirby is nothing if not whole-hearted. The visitors line up is:

Kadeer Ali
Will Porterfield
Hamish Marshall
Alex Gidman
Chris Taylor
David Brown
Steven Snell (wkt)
Jon Lewis (cpt)
Steve Kirby
Anthony Ireland
Richard Dawson
Vikram Banerjee

Banerjee is likely to miss out in that side, which is at the start of a major rebuild.

As for Derbyshire, we're pretty much at full strength, except for the injured Tom Lungley. Tom is a nice guy and a talented bowler, but last season apart has lost a lot of his career to injury. This has been another one to write off and next year is a big one for him.

Our line up is:

Chris Rogers (cpt)
Paul Borrington
Dan Birch
Wavell Hinds
Greg Smith
Dan Redfern
Tom New
Jonathan Clare
Graham Wagg
Jake Needham
Ian Hunter
Charl Langeveldt

James Pipe is deemed not quite ready for four day cricket after his broken finger, so Tom New again deputises. The final place would appear to be between Jake Needham and Ian Hunter and I would guess the spinner will miss out, mainly on the basis that Hunter is in better form. That would leave Dan Redfern and Greg Smith to share spinning duties and Derbyshire to hope that it doesn't spin ...

So, with four days of decent weather I fancy a win. Having said that, I'll be more confident once we've dismissed Messrs Marshall and Gidman in both innings.

Not much happening

There's not a lot I can write tonight. The penultimate game of the season is 48 hours away and there's no sign of any team news.

For us to gain promotion we need to win both of our remaining games and realistically take maximum points. Boring, boring Warwickshire need 16 from their last two games for guaranteed promotion, so bonus points alone should do it.

Given that it is unlikely for the weather to stay out of the games, draws are likely to start all games as the favourite result. Realistically a game will only be won in around three days by a "sporting" wicket and given our luck we'll be penalised for such a transgression anyway, despite several teams getting away with it this year, Lancashire and Durham being prime examples.

Yesterday saw Lanky-sheer relegated in the Pro 40. Shame... For a big club they're not really very good and it is about time that they accepted the big days of Lloyd, Fairbrother, Wasim Akram et al are behind them. They're actually in a similar situation to us in having to rebuild, although they have Anderson and Flintoff on central contracts.

Their fans always moan about the weather and their bad luck, but who hasn't suffered this year? It has favoured us and gone against us, but over the piece I'd reckon we've had more bad luck than good.

Also yesterday Nottinghamshire lost a game they had sewn up thanks to a Herculean effort from Murray Goodwin and a brave and at times fortuitous one from Mohammad Sami. The last over was sensational and few Notts fans could believe they'd lost from there. I recall Dave Houghton telling me that he'd once nearly signed Goodwin from Sussex when he was in dispute over a contract. What a signing that would have been, as he has been a huge success for the southern county.

As indeed has Chris Adams, one who got away from Derbyshire and who has been an outstanding skipper, perhaps the best in the country, at Sussex. Griz should have had international recognition for at his best he was a delightful batsman to watch, pugnacious, dogged, elegant - whatever was required. Whether he plays on is open to doubt, but he is probably the biggest loss of the entire exodus of talent in the
1980s and 90s

Anyway, I'll be back tomorrow with a preview of the Gloucestershire game.

Derbyshire v Warwickshire Pro 40

I didn't do a preview for this game as there was little, if anything resting on it. A little pride would have done nicely and at least we didn't go down without a fight, but the failings that have dogged our one day cricket this season were evident once again.

The bowlers often make a good start but we then seem incapable of forcing home the advantage. Even allowing for a couple of good players (Maddy and Ambrose) getting going yesterday, we let them away from 42-3 to 229-5.

Kevin Dean showed what we are going to miss, even on an occasional basis, with an exemplary new ball spell. This is what Wayne White needs to learn. I was surprised to see White play at the expense of Hunter yesterday, unless the latter was injured. Maybe White was being given another chance to show what he can do and a decision has already been made, one way or another, on Hunter. The latter is unlikely to get any better, but has bowled well in the last few weeks, while White has time on his side but can only get away with that "excuse" for so long. He has bowled some very expensive spells this season and needs to find consistency in his game to maintain hopes of a first class career.

Dan Redfern also bowled steadily and followed it with a breezy innings. We must not expect too much from the talented young left hander, but he is a fine talent and could be an all round asset. While his bowling could be useful, I hope that it is not to the detriment of his batting.

Speaking of which, we did the same old things yesterday. The loss of early wickets put us on the backfoot and when faced with a not unduly challenging 7 an over for the last ten we fell apart. I don't know how you teach players not to panic in these situations, but it seems that our batsmen go for the big shots and don't appreciate the merit in running hard and whittling away at the total. Maybe we need a master class from Dean Jones and Michael Bevan in one day batting. Faced with seven an over, they would pick off the odd bad ball and place and time the ball so well that ones became twos and twos became threes. It is an acquired skill and experience helps, but we need to work on that.

Wavell produced a beauty of an innings yesterday that looked like it could have taken us home, with a little more support. He was very harsh on Ant Botha, clumping him for five sixes in the arc between mid wicket and long on, but in these situations a batsman needs something at the other end an it was not forthcoming. It was good to see James Pipe back behind the stumps, but unfair to expect one of his vintage innings after a sizeable layoff.

So that's one day cricket for this year and to be honest, thank goodness for that. With the odd exception we've played it badly this year (again) and I hope that we can work on the techniques of the one day game over the winter. The fielding is by and large OK, but the bowlers need to learn from Langeveldt on where to bowl and the merits of mixing up the pace.

While I feel that overall we have, as a side, made progress this season, I can't say this for the one day game. The Championship will be the more likely route to success for this side until we show greater maturity in key aspects of the game.

Derbyshire Legends 9 - Les Townsend (1903-93)

Les was one of those players who would earn a fortune in the modern game and a key member of that outstanding side that played prior to the Second World War.

As a batsman he was a powerful hitter, especially straight. Tommy Mitchell recalled bowling to him in the nets at Derby and as soon as he'd let the ball go, running away. Many a fine bowler of that period came on the receiving end of the Townsend treatment and he played the same way in most situations.

He could perhaps have finished with a higher batting average than he did, and 27 over a career of almost 500 matches is nothing spectacular. Again, though we should remember that the wickets were uncovered at this time and that Les was a fixture in a middle order who normally played under instruction to get their runs quickly so that the bowlers could get at them again.

Denis Smith, Harry Storer, Albert Alderman and Stan Worthington were th "serious" batters of the side, while Townsend and the Popes were normally expected to get runs but to ensure that no time was wasted. Les' innings were usually fast scoring affairs and he boasted a highest score of 233. With 22 centuries and over a hundred half centuries he could handle the willow and life was seldom dull when he was at the crease.

He suffered as a bowler too, with Bill Copson, Alf and George Pope and Tommy Mitchell regularly bowling sides out without the need for his medium paced off breaks. When they were required, he rarely let the side down and finished his career with the highly impressive statistics of 1088 wickets at 21 each. He took five in an innings on 51 occasions and ten in the match 16 times.

In 1933 he excelled in scoring over 2,000 runs and taking 100 wickets and was voted one of Wisden's cricketers of the year. He also was the antithesis of the suggestion that all Derbyshire cricketers were hard drinking men, as a lifelong non-smoker and teetotaller. Six Test appearances came his way, but he never did himself justice in appearances agsinst India and the West Indies, taking just siz wickets and averaging only 16.

On retirement he emigrated to New Zealand where he coached and was held in high regard - just as he is by all Derbyshire fans. Definitely someone we'd like to sign this winter...

PS The photograph shows Les Townsend hooking Indian seamer Nazir Ali for four at Bombay in 1933

More thoughts on players

One of the fascinating things about conjecture is that it opens your eyes and gets you reading things that might ordinarily not cross the radar.

I've been looking at the Northamptonshire board on 606 and they're pretty much in shock over the loss of their star batsman, while the odd dissenter claims that he only scored runs when they were "easy" and rarely influenced a game, especially in one day cricket.

Of course, that old line of "lies, damn lies and statistics" can be trotted out for that one. You don't average over 70 and score them all in dead matches. All players have got easy runs from time to time and you can only do your best. One of the criticisms of Michael di Venuto was that he scored most of his centuries in the second innings of games when it had already been shaped - i.e. we were normally 200 behind. However, that does not and should not tarnish the repuatation of a very fine servant.

Are runs on an easy track to be discounted? I suspect that Derbyshire's club record innings against Somerset will stand for years, but it masks what was a singularly dull contest where a result was never going to happen. We should also discount, on the same basis, wickets picked up in heavy atmospheres or on green tracks.

IF (its a big if) we signed Klusener, it would be as a batsman who could turn his arm occasionally. Some of the Northants dissenters are annoyed as he was signed as an allrounder who rarely bowled. A little churlish perhaps. I remember years when Clive Rice hardly bowled for Nottinghamshire with injury yet scored, like Klusener, loads of runs. His coming would also mean we played four non-qualified players in most matches. I can live with it, especially if we win, but I'd prefer not to do that.

For balance I'd prefer overtures be made to Ian Blackwell. Partly because he's English, certainly because he's a Derbyshire lad and mainly because he would sort, with one signing our biggest requirements - a middle order batsman as well as a slow left arm spinner. I don't think for a minute he is a great spinner, but he is accurate and even as someone to give the seamers a breather he would be worthwhile.

If we don't go up this season, and we'll need a combination of brilliant cricket and luck with the weather to do so, I think we can win the Championship Division 2 next year. Surrey are almost certain to come down and they are not world-beaters (especially the attack) and one of the Roses sides looks likely to join them. Again, I think both sides positions reflect their players and that they would be beatable.

Mind you, there'd be a delicious irony in "We're a big county and Test Ground" Lancashire being in division two...

Very interesting...

Well, as the vegetable shop owner said when he went in to pay his library fines - there's a turnip for the books...

Lance Klusener released by Northamptonshire.

On the face of it, this is a strange move. The chap is currently top of the national averages with 73 per innings. OK, his bowling is pretty much gone now, but that's one big average, for the third year running.

The county say that they want to play more England-qualified cricketers. I can understand that, but only if they now release a few of the others. Van der Wath has had a decent season for them, but Andrew Hall, Rikki Wessels, Nick Boje and Jo Louw have all performed only moderately. If I was a fan of theirs tonight I'd be a little cheesed off and a quick read of their 606 board suggests most of them are.

Interestingly one suggests Derbyshire as his next stop...

Would we want Lance Klusener? The answer is probably yes, I'd have thought, with the only concern being that the usual snipers would moan about our being Kolpak central, which we're not in comparison to other sides. We obviously have both Charl Langeveldt and Wavell Hinds for next year and I'd love to see us confirm the re-signing of Chris Rogers in the near future. John Morris has said that he wants another top batsman and lets be honest, Klusener is that and then some.

The Englishman in me says I'd sooner see us sign an English player, but the Derbyshire fan in there (which more frequently surfaces and is rarely, if ever away) would be quite happy as long as it made us a winning side.

Make no bones about it, with English qualified younger players like Paul Borrington, Dan Redfern, Greg Smith, Graham Wagg, Jake Needham and Jon Clare in the side, I've no qualms about our "doing our bit" for the cause. The Glamorgan game on Monday highlighted a need for experience in there. Players like Akhil Patel and Ross Whiteley have bags of talent but are a long way from being county regulars.

John Morris' comments to the Derby Telegraph the other day suggested that he doesn't see too many batting options out there other than players released for poor performance. That being the case, there's a strong argument for making overtures to "Zulu" Klusener. Be honest, you'd like to see him in our colours next year, wouldn't you?

At 37 he's the same as Dominic Cork, but where his batting has improved with the years at the expense of his bowling, Corky seems to have gone the other way. Signing the pair of them would be massive, but we shouldn't kid ourselves at this stage that either will happen. exciting as the prospect may be.

The real tough call would be if Klusener and Ian Blackwell were both available and desperate (you never know) to come to Derby. Maybe the younger and similar style Blackwell would then be my choice, but imagine for a minute. You turn up at the County Ground next season and buy your scorecard. It reads Rogers, Borrington, Hinds, Redfern, Klusener, Smith, Pipe, Clare, Wagg, Cork, Langeveldt...

Settle back in your seats, it's going to be a good day!

Jason Brown has also been released and the off spinner has a good first class record. However, Staffordshire lad he may be, but over the last two years he has definitely lost his mojo and he has been a pale shadow of the player who was on the verge of England recognition a few years back. Maybe he has been flattered by the tracks at Northampton, which usually turned from day one. With not having to try to turn it too much he maybe has lost the art. I don't know, but while he is probably the most experienced spinner to come on the market this winter, I'm not sure if there's a need for him at Derby. I'd far sooner gamble on Lawson at Yorkshire and bring him on as a younger model. Brown is only an average fielder and a poor bat, so Lawson gets my vote.

Anyway, more food for thought. I'll be back tomorrow - please leave your comments if you wish, I look forward to hearing from you.

PS Got the England game a bit wrong last night... they were nearly as good as Derbyshire at our best!

Networking...

I like it...

I thought that sort of stuff only permeated my workplace and I'm not sure if I'm happy or sad to see it more widespread.

So cricket coaches network too. Do they also indulge in "blue sky thinking" (another I hate)?

Anyway, John Morris is apparently chatting to his network of contacts about players but as I wrote a couple of weeks back, the notifications of approach to counties is pointless. Morris says that players simply use it as a bargaining tool which is absolutely correct. Only the poor players won't get anywhere and we wouldn't want them.

Interestingly Morris is keeping tabs on Mark Lawson of Yorkshire. He is a similar age and has similar experience to Jake Needham, but if nothing else, if we were to sign him it would keep both on their toes. There are hardly any decent spinners around and one who has time to improve is definitely worthy of consideration. Lawson has taken a couple of five wicket hauls and although expensive at times, leggies can also be dangerous in the right conditions. Most who have played the game would agree that the ball leaving you is harder to hit than the one coming in, and Lawson has a reputation as a big spinner of the ball.

Morris says in the Derby Telegraph today that he wants a spinner, a batsman and a seam bowler. He also said he had money in his budget BEFORE Clarke and Doshi left, so we shouldn't be short of bargaining power. It all depends on players being available and signing for the sake of it would be silly.

I find it hard to see where players may come from if we assume that he'd be happy with the two Kolpaks we have in Hinds and Langeveldt. I'd hope that Telo and Sadler might kick on next season and would hope for Tom Lungley to be fitter than he has been this time. If this were the case, we'd be looking at just small tweaks as Morris suggests.

I'd be surprised if Steve Stubbings was retained. I think he's a top bloke and, like Kevin Dean has been a great servant. He has had a wretched year though and has made little impact even in the seconds. I know he's had Benefit Year distractions, but he seems to me the most vulnerable if we were letting another batsman go. We would need to replace him though and should remember that Paul Borrington won't be available until June next year with University commitments.

I thought that we might let two from Hunter, Dean and White go, but Kevin Dean's retiral may mean a reprieve for both. Hunter has bowled well in recent weeks, while White has time on his side. Again, we can't afford to go light on seam bowling with Lungley's track record. Both Graham Wagg and Charl Langeveldt have played through injuries this season and it would be unrealistic to expect Jon Clare to get through a season unscathed next year (OK, apart from Wavell's spikes at Chesterfield).

I still say we should go for Cork. Personalities apart, I'll take talent any time and Dominic is still a dangerous bowler. I'm mystified as to why Lancashire have kept playing him, having said he would be released. Surely this was the time to give a youngster a chance? Whatever the reason, Cork has continued to bowl with accuracy and skill which will no doubt impress a lengthy list of potential suitors.

There were rumours that Steve Kirby may be on the move, but the Gloucestershire bowler, while a 100% trier, isn't in the Cork class.

For what its worth, and based solely on who I have heard is up for a move, I'd sign Dominic Cork, Ian Blackwell, Mark Lawson and Mark Hardinges. Another three all rounders and in Lawson a lad who can handle a bat and has potential. Hardinges is a Paul Aldred-type player. Never the headline act but those with decent memory will recall the year Aldo basically bowled one end for us as everyone else got injured. I rate Hardinges as a solid county player, especially in one day cricket.

Like one or two others, I also like Jim Allenby of Leicestershire, but think there's plenty of others would do too and I'd sooner spend money on a proven match-winner like Blackwell.

So there's some food for thought this evening. I'm now off to get dinner and then watch England lose (probably) to Croatia.

See you soon.

Kevin Dean goes

I never thought I would say this but I am glad that Kevin Dean has announced his retirement.

I thought his place was in jeopardy for next season and would have hated to see John Morris release a man who has been a great servant to the club. I am convinced that but for a run of injuries he could have gained England honours. At his peak there were few better seamers around, and he had a talent for moving the ball around and causing problems if there was a heavy atmosphere.

The last year or so has seen the nip disappear from his bowling and although he could still get men out, he no longer ran through sides. Over 400 wickets at a good average of 26 is testimony to his ability and he remained one of the most affable men in the club. At 32 he has had a good career and will be remembered as one of the best left arm seamers we have had.

Having recently become a father his priorities have no doubt changed and I wish him well for his future career. He will be remembered as a fine player and a top bloke.

His fielding was steady if not spectacular and his batting was functional, with Kevin having the ability to keep an end going, as he did on numerous occasions, especially as night watchman. Few among us will forget his winning runs against the Aussies a few years back or his winning smile, even in adversity.

I'll remember him for that smooth, lithe run up to the wicket and the good line he so often bowled. His ability to take quick wickets was highlighted by two hat tricks and even this year he ran through Bangladesh at Derby in the first innings.

It is good and right that fans will have a chance to say goodbye at this weekend's match against Warwickshire. Curiously, as I watched Ross Whiteley last night I wondered if he might be a new Kevin Dean. He has a long way to go to reach that standard, but if he does, he'll be a good 'un.

Next year's skipper

In a healthy sized vote, it would appear that a third of you like the idea of Chris Rogers as skipper next year.

There are two schools of thought. Either we recruit someone who has shown a flair for the role and will galvanise the side, or we adopt the Aussie model and choose the best player. Undoubtedly that would be Rogers and I can't see anyone in the county game just now who I'd rate higher than him.

I don't think Michael Vaughan will leave Yorkshire and now he has retained his central contract he'd not be much help to us anyway. Waggy's time will come but not just yet, so that leaves Buck in a strong position.

Today' announcement of the retiral of Kevin Dean perhaps makes the position of seam bowling for next year an easier choice. Wagg, Langeveldt, Clare and Lungley are pretty much certainties, with Smith as back up. Make your feelings known in this week's poll.

Glamorgan v Derbyshire - final thoughts

I don't know about you all, but I didn't read a lot into last night's game. A lot less than the commentators did in fact.

I couldn't believe the stuff they were coming out with. These are supposedly informed people and they couldn't grasp that Derbyshire didn't have a full team out. There were numerous references to our having to rebuild with youngsters as we'd only a couple of senior players. There were no references to the absentees and the difference they'd have made.

I'm still not sure about Wayne White, despite a good spell last night. He bowls some very good balls and some rubbish and until he can bowl more of the former his place in the team and on the staff will be in doubt. I thought Ian Hunter bowled well, but Hunts is another who can be great one day and average the next. Ross Whiteley was overtaken by nerves in his brief spell and bowled too wide, but we really missed the seamers. Needham did OK, but Smith and Redfern looked occasional bowlers and Wavell, while a useful bowler, shouldn't have to bowl a full spell too often.

As for the batting, Chris Rogers was the only one who suggested permanence but was going TOO well and when he got out it looked a different game. Glamorgan's experienced attack was muchtoo clever for our batsmen and it was a foregone conclusion from a long way out though Whiteley and Sadler batted quite well at the end.

I'll be glad when the Warwickshire game is done. This has been a poor one day season, and the sooner it is consigned to the dump bin of history the better.

Glamorgan v Derbyshire

Not a lot to say about this one really.

An inexperienced Derbyshire side had Glamorgan on the ropes then somehow allowed them to make over 200. Fair play to the Welsh boys, they played some good shots, but the wicket looked tricky early on and the ball appears to be a ticking bomb when it leaves the hand of Robert Croft.

On a horses for courses basis I'd play Crofty next year against the Aussies at the SWALEC and prepare an absolute bunsen burner to suit him and Panesar. Let's be honest, the Aussies haven't got any spinners now and Croft has made our spinners look exactly what they are - novices.

We'd too many players missing to read anything into this one, although Rogers batted well briefly. Wave never looked at home and Danny Redfern played acouple of good shots but never suggested permanence.

As I type this we're 82-6 needing 10 an over off the last 12 with Sadler and Whiteley at the crease.

It really isn't going to happen. Not on this track and with these bowlers and who we have left.

Never mind, Rikki will be back in town on Saturday. Be still my beating heart...

Experts?

Listening to Sky's experts today and they do come out with some utter cobblers.

"Batting Dan Redfern at 3 is a desperate act by John Morris" (Nick Knight)
Really? For the best Under 19 bat in the country?

"Why's Chris Rogers moving from Western Australia to Victoria? (Mike Atherton to Ian Harvey)
"He just wanted a change probably". Er... he wanted to play more one day cricket, actually.

"Some of these young players have been introduced by Dave Houghton and given a chance today" (Bob Willis)
Eh? Dave Houghton?