Tough for Tuffey

Yorkshire may have beaten us once on the pre-season tour but they're now seriously worried at the loss of Daryl Tuffey for the next six weeks at least with a broken hand sustained in the recent Test against Australia.

The number of counties who have had to change their plans for an overseas import this winter is crazy and they're all panicking a little at this stage. Thank goodness for Chris Rogers! I'd still take him over pretty much anyone else on the circuit.

Buck will be delighted that his Victorian team won the Sheffield Shield in his absence through injury by a piffling 457 runs having left Queensland a trifling 640 to win. With James Hopes injured they were never in the hunt, though even with Bradman, Richards and the Chappell brothers in there they'd not have got them in a day. Hopefully the skipper will be fully fit for the start of our season.

Another man celebrating is Robin Peterson, who barring a last match disaster will be enjoying a SuperSport Series title after the coming four day match against the Warriors, starting on Thursday. Peterson played a key role in the innings win over the Dolphins last week, taking 3-37 in 21 overs on the final day. Hope he keeps that economy rate going in England...

Good to see that we've now been granted planning permission to move the floodlight pylons at the County Ground and we can now look forward to watching the game from different angles from now on. The pavilion balcony could be in danger of a peppering in the T20 this season, hopefully from Derbyshire batsmen.

Interestingly the majority of voters in the poll (2/3) seemed to feel our greatest need is a bowler for the T20 campaign. I can see both sides of the argument and wouldn't be heartbroken either way we went. If we ended up with a Loots Bosman-style dasher it would be an asset as we don't really have a player who clears the ropes and gives us a Dave Warner-esque opening to our innings. On the other hand I'm not yet convinced we have five blokes who can bowl four tight overs on a regular basis. Peterson probably will (should do, given his role in the side) but the others have been inconsistent in their one day displays and go for either nowt or plenty.

On balance and assuming that Rogers and Peterson weigh in with runs and we can't sign a top all rounder, my preference would be a bowler. However, if the choice (in my dreams) was between a batsman like Matt Hayden and an average seamer, I'll take the batsman - please and thank you!

Speaking of which, and in closing, I see Jacques Kallis' batting is in decline and he now averages a mere 283 in the IPL after his dismissal today. Meanwhile Pakistan have appointed ex-Derbyshire man Shahid Afridi skipper for the World T20.

I just hope that he doesn't go onto the field without a good meal...