Rogers, Morris' challenge and the farce of Bristol

The size of the task facing John Morris in his rebuilding job at Derbyshire became clear this morning when the rumoured loss of Chris Rogers became a reality. Rogers will play his cricket next season at Lords, still in Division Two, but at the home of the game.

Only the most churlish would fail to wish him well. He has given his all for Derbyshire and over 4,000 first class runs at an average of 63 tells its own story. In an era when overseas players willing and able to commit to even one season are rare, Rogers showed loyalty to Derbyshire and will go down as one of the very finest batsmen to represent the county, certainly in the four-day game. While he never quite came to terms with the demands of one-day cricket (compare his stats for the various forms if you will) he was a neat, compact player who at his best seldom looked like getting out.

Perhaps the various options available told on him this season, as his record since the opening match at the Oval has been more modest, with an average of just under 40 before the Middlesex match. Yet the fact remains that he will be a very difficult man to replace. How many eligible and available players in the world game can you think of who will average over 60, or perhaps over 40 and take 30 wickets? They’re like gold dust.

I’m not convinced that Rogers was an outstanding captain though. Competent, yes, but not inspirational. I don’t recall him changing many games as skipper, or forcing an error from batsmen who were going well. Such actions are the hallmark of greatness, but it helps if you have players to carry out your masterplan, like Steve Waugh and Mark Taylor had, or you can do it yourself, like Eddie Barlow. Donald Carr is still regarded as one of our finest captains at Derbyshire, but with Jackson, Gladwin, Morgan and Smith in the attack he had some potent weapons at his disposal. Rogers hasn’t had that luxury, with respect to all concerned and it makes a huge difference.

So what happens now? Graham Wagg was saying farewell last night and we’re also likely to lose Robin Peterson, as he won’t qualify for a visa. So we’re losing our best batsman, leading wicket-taker and talismanic all-rounder. Anyone who expects next season to be anything but transitional is kidding themselves, unless John Morris gets Harry Potter and his magical wand involved somewhere along the line…

As I see it, Morris’ major areas to address at present are:

· The captaincy

· The overseas role

· The wicket-keeper

· The lead spinner

· The coaching staff

· The need for younger seam bowling options

· Another batsman

· Another Kolpak (possibly)

That’s a lot of work…

Conjecture has already started, with one correspondent on IMWT having heard that Luke Sutton is coming back and Shane Watson will be overseas player. I would be delighted – no, make that ecstatic – if this were true. I could believe Sutton’s return, which would enable him to stay in the north and would be delighted if it was established as fact. At this stage it is far from that.

Watson? He’s a world-class player, so who wouldn’t want him? Realistically though he is part of the Australian setup and they are heavily committed during the 2011 English domestic season. A trip to Bangladesh in April and May is followed by one to Sri Lanka in August and September, South Africa in October and November then India at home in December. With that in prospect, my guess would be that he will be unavailable.

As I have written before, the ONLY countries without international commitments from April to September next year are South Africa and New Zealand – at least for the time being. If one assumes that the leading lights from each nation will not fancy six months in England, it doesn’t leave many options to go around the first class counties. It may be some time before we know the identity of our hired hand from overseas.

As for today, irrespective of conditions I cannot defend any first class side that is bowled out in sixteen overs. Just when you think we’ve reached the depths (aka Horsham) we plumb new ones. It might well have been a season of mists and mellow fruitfulness to Keats, but to Derbyshire fans it is a lengthy prelude to a long, dark winter.

Which will actually be a bit of a relief, if I’m honest. Today's play may or may not have been on a wicket that offered undue help, but to be bowled out in that time is unprofessional. Logic suggests that this game will finish sometime between lunch and tea tomorrow and that is simply not good enough.