The end of the year

Even for me, not really a fan of T20, there was much to admire in the Big Bash game between Sydney Thunder and the Melbourne Renegades today. "It's still cricket, love" I told Mrs P as I made my way downstairs this morning to watch the game, leaving the rest of the family to have a long lie-in.

For one, there was superb fast bowling, hovering around the 90mph mark, from Dirk Nannes, Fidel Edwards and Shaun Tait, as well as high-class leg spin from an obviously injured Shahid Afridi. The three wickets taken by the latter marked the turning of the game, especially when he dismissed Usman Khawaja.

Khawaja had a mixed game, with two catches of real brilliance and a classy-looking 17 runs. While he worked it around, allowing Chris Gayle to blast away in his traditional manner, it was hard to see the Thunder side losing. Nor, at 101-1 in the fifteenth over, chasing another 40 from 32 balls, should they have done so. Yet Khawaja gave it away, launching Afridi, Gayle-like without the power, to a man on the deep mid-wicket fence and the game turned.

The new men found Nannes (4 overs for 10) and Tait far too much for them and I was left thinking that the Thunder, missing their skipper Dave Warner, were a two man side. Gayle eventually perished in the deep, starved of the strike and no doubt frustrated that no one had the nous to push a single. His 75 was by a distance the best knock of the night on a slow pitch, redolent of the County Ground of recent vintage.With a modicum of support it would have been a match-winning innings and deserved to be.

How Khawaja and his team lost this match will have made for an interesting post-match discussion and I'd like to think that a Derbyshire side would have made a better fist of things. They were in such a strong position that it only needed a little common sense to be applied, though I fully understand that knocking the ball into space when it is being delivered with pace and accuracy is perhaps easier to suggest from the comfort of one's armchair...

Anyway, it was worth getting up for, which was the main thing and if Derbyshire are looking for a strike bowler to top and tail an innings, those on show would be worthy of discussion. I still think Tait prone to erratic spells - his first over today went for 16 - yet his last three went for only 14 at the death, fast lifting deliveries combined with searing yorkers to keep the batsmen guessing. Nannes meanwhile was fast and straight, his first ball coming in at 91mph. Some loosener...

I haven't a clue who Derbyshire are chasing for the T20 as we enter 2012, but, like the rest of you, I eagerly await the breaking of the news. A genuine fast bowler, like Nannes or Tait, maybe Brett Lee, would give us something quite different and would make a few teams more wary of facing us.

As we enter 2012, I'm sure I speak for all fans by wishing all connected with Derbyshire CCC a Happy New Year. May 2012 be the year of the Falcons - and the year that you all keep checking in for news and thoughts on Derbyshire cricket, of course!

Thanks for your support in a record-breaking blog for 2011 - I look forward to hearing from you next year.

All quiet on the cricket front

I hope you all had a good Christmas and are now ready for the fun and frolics of the New Year. Chez Peakfan that generally means staying up playing games until the early hours while listening to Jools Holland and consuming food and (largely) soft drinks.

There's certainly little in cricket to distract me from the family at the moment. I've continued to watch the Aussie Big Bash when I've had time and am increasingly of the impression that spinners, as Derbyshire found last season, often keep things tighter than the quicks. That is partly down to the fact that the quickest bowlers can just as easily go down fine for four off either edge as they can drop it into the blockhole or just short of a length. In the Big Bash I've seen some very quick and good deliveries from the likes of Tait, Rana Naved, Nannes, Edwards and Lee, but at the same time seen them top edged for fours and sixes. Such is the lot of the speed merchant, but a genuine quick does bring excitement to a game of cricket that quite often isn't there when the medium pacers are operating.

Part of the attraction for me is in the thought that perhaps one of these guys is Derbyshire's T20 target for 2012. For all the appeal of Steyn or Morkel, I don't see Cricket South Africa letting them play and potentially be injured before their national side tour England. All the other potential quicks are out there in Australia and I'm enjoying the game of "what if?" when the games are on. I have a day off on Friday (only because I'm working on Saturday...) and look forward to watching what promises to be a fascinating match between Melbourne Renegades and Sydney Thunder. The former have the formidably fast opening pair of Tait and Nannes, while the latter boast Fidel Edwards, who bowled some quick 88mph stuff in their last match.

Best of all, Tait and Nannes will be bowling at "our" Usman Khawaja and the quite remarkable Chris Gayle. I've watched cricket for 45 summers and don't think I've ever seen a player hit a ball so far, so often as the tall West Indian. People like Adrian Kuiper, Viv Richards, Ian Botham and Chris Wilkins were talented hitters, but Gayle is simply brutal. He is also better with age and seems more willing to bat it through than he was even two or three years ago. To average forty in T20 is spectacular and the only shame about the game is that Dave Warner is in the Australian Test side - unless their game finishes tomorrow, which it might. Gayle and Warner together could be quite something, though, like the partnerships between Ian Botham and Viv Richards used to be, they could be brief as they attempt to outgun one another.

Players like Gayle and Warner - even, believe it or not, our old friend Travis Birt - have made a difference thus far in the competition, simply because they bypass any field the opposition skipper cares to set by clearing the ropes. You can't set a field to stop someone like Gayle when he hits eleven sixes, as he did in the Thunders' game against the Adelaide Strikers in the last match. Likewise Birt and Owais Shah both hit three "maximums" as the Aussie commentators love to call them today and a successful side HAS to have one or two players who can be expected to do that. There's maybe not that much between a run-a-ball scoring rate and 1.5 - but you'll win more matches with the latter, for sure.

If I'm honest - and I'm never otherwise, or there's no point my doing this blog - I think a fast scoring bat will win you more T20 games than a bowler for one simple reason. He can face and affect up to 120 balls in the innings, where any bowler, no matter how good, can only determine the outcome of 24. Ain't no rocket science to the argument, although if your strike bowler removed the opposition hitter early in his spell, that one ball could be mighty useful...

I don't know who Derbyshire will end up with for the T20, but I look forward to finding out. And if Messrs Krikken and Grant between them could identify a fast-scoring batsman AND a strike bowler I think we would do much better than has historically been the case.

Not to mention filling those cracking seats in the stand and a good few more besides.

Santa's coming!!

In a few short hours, the man with the long white beard (Santa, not WG Grace) will be winging his way across the skies bringing Christmas goodies to those that deserve them and have been good. Hopefully that includes me, but I'm sure it will include some Derbyshire players too. Here's what I think Santa will bring some of them this Christmas.

For Wayne Madsen it has to be a copy of Mike Brearley's book "The Art of Captaincy". If the new skipper can follow the England legend's lead we will do pretty well next season. Meanwhile, Wes Durston, Ross Whiteley, Tim Groenewald and Tony Palladino will get a copy of "Groundhog Day". If 2012 is like 2011 for those players we will have no complaints whatsoever.

Paul Borrington and Matt Lineker will get a year's extended warranty on the bats they used to such good effect  in the leagues and Second XI last summer, together with a stool to ensure that this year they genuinely make a step up. Chesney Hughes will be delighted with his dancing lessons from Aliona Vilani, the Strictly Come Dancing champion, which will ensure that he is as light on his feet as Muhammad Ali and twice the already very talented player he is because of it.

Dan Redfern will get a Paul McKenna hypnosis DVD, the consequence being that Redders will break through that century barrier and go on to become a run-scoring legend for the county. Tom Poynton might be a little disappointed with his large tube of superglue, but if he liberally applies it to those gloves next summer we will have few complaints about our new glove-meister...

Mark Footitt and Mark Turner each get a sat-nav to ensure that their deliveries always get to the intended destination by the best route, while both of them, together with Jon Clare  will get a copy of the new Steffan Jones fast bowlers fitness workout DVD, "I'm Tough As Nails, Me" to ensure their bodies are in sync with the demands of fast bowling for a full season.

Jake Needham and David Wainwright will both get a spinning top, something they will hope to see a lot in 2012, while Tom Knight and Peter Burgoyne will get the same, together with an atlas. The latter will remind them where they are in what promises to be a hectic and well-travelled year in which they will visit various countries and hopefully appear in the Under19 World Cup.

Finally for Karl Krikken, an envelope bearing the signatures of Usman Khawaja on a dotted line for the second half of 2012, together with those of Chris Gayle and Lasith Malinga for the T20. I know that the last two aren't going to happen, but magical things happen if you make a wish at Christmas - at least, that's what I always told my kids. I watched Gayle yesterday smash eleven sixes for Sydney Thunder, Khawaja's team, and allowed myself a brief fantasy in which he was doing that for Derbyshire.

It's a nice thought to take into the Christmas season. Have a good one everyone - and thanks for your continued support of the blog in 2011.

The Big Bash

Thanks to those nice people at Bet 365 I've watched a few of the games in the Aussie T20, the so-called Big Bash. For those who don't know, you can register on their website and, for a minimum balance of £5, watch live streaming of all sorts of sports for free. Good, reliable streams too and well worth the money, even if, like me, you never bother to place a bet.

Anyway, I have watched a few games and today saw Shaun Marsh play a fine innings that contained a dazzling array of shots. Admittedly he was helped by one of the more shambolic fielding performances I have seen, with run outs, stumpings and catches missed with a frequency that suggested an unofficial award for worst fielder was attracting numerous entrants. There was also Shaun Tait, bowling at 93mph but with zero direction. Strike bowlers are fine if they can control the ball, but Tait reaffirmed my belief that he is an expensive luxury, one good ball an over accompanied by some genuine rubbish that Marsh, once used to his pace, treated with disdain.

Its a puzzle why no county has made a move for Marsh, who can play all forms of the game with equal skill, though averages around 40 suggest a very good, rather than outstanding player. Which brings me neatly to an expansion on a comment I made on the Forum yesterday. For me, in T20 cricket your top three should be your best batsmen and/or the ones who give you the best chance of taking full advantage of the Powerplay. After all, they have the full innings at their disposal and can shape an innings from the outset. Those who follow may have limited opportunity and thus should only be attaining high averages if the top three isn't working well.

Look at Derbyshire last season. No issues with Martin Guptill, but Wes Durston and Chesney Hughes only had one innings each of substance and our best average came from Ross Whiteley who was more often number six. Marsh today scored his unbeaten 99 from just 52 balls, a singularly impressive rate that it is hard to imagine anyone, sans Guptill, matching in our colours. Such performances dictate, make and break matches and, as I've written before, Karl Krikken will need to give some thought to his best batting line up in T20, especially if Usman Khawaja turns out to be part of it.

Khawaja has to open, presumably with Chesney Hughes, who looked leaden-footed against spin last year. Alternatively, you could go with Durston, who did so well as opener the previous year, but either way I'd suggest Ross Whiteley as number four, where his clean hitting would have more chance to influence games. With Madsen then at five, a resourceful player of spin with a wide range of shots, the batting would be pretty steady, even without the presence of a genuine master-blaster.

What makes a huge difference in this cricket is fielding, which is why I still see a role in this competition for Garry Park. He did well in it last year, when a shoulder injury meant he rarely bowled, but his fielding was, as always, a joy. I would always have Park in my one-day side assuming he was fit and in decent form, while Clare and Poynton would offer decent lower order ballast, as would Wainwright if things went pear-shaped and a rebuilding job was required.

Whatever combination of bowlers was used (and it would be nice to have an overseas player who could use the long handle like Rana Naved has done for Tasmania), I think Derbyshire are capable of matching any side in the field. On such factors are games won and lost.

No doubt something Krikk will be reinforcing to his young charges as the build up to 2012 continues in the New Year.

Overseas - but who's coming over here?

At a time when many counties are facing financial difficulties, it is nice to read Keith Loring saying that "large sums"  are available to Karl Krikken ahead of the new season.

By the same token, it is not news. We have known for some time that money has been set aside for "a strike bowler" for the T20, while the second half of the season's overseas role is up for grabs. Add in the money from the retirement of Luke Sutton and yes, there is a fair old pot in there.

Of course, Mr Loring is absolutely correct in saying that little can happen until IPL and international schedules are known. I've written before that we could sign someone like Malinga, Lee, Morkel or Steyn, then find them injured in the IPL and us up a creek without a paddle. Then again, we could be if we make no moves and play a waiting game.

I still think Usman Khawaja will be the man for the second half of the campaign, as I cannot see him making the Aussie one-day set up. I think he could win us 50 over and four day games with his batting, but don't see him as a T20 player at this stage, as I wrote the other day. Neither were Simon Katich or Marcus North, both of who played the format for us, as well as Chris Rogers. All fine cricketers, but not explosive enough to win matches where an innings only lasts for 120 balls. I watched Katich and North play in the Big Bash at the weekend and it didn't seem right. Cultured cricketers both, when the team's need cried out for a more rustic approach and a need to clear the infield and the boundary.

 Leicestershire showed ther route to success in T20 - two talented all-rounders who could score quickly and bowl tight in McDonald and Razzaq, backed up by tigerish fielding. Derbyshire's tactic in T20 may well be for a spearhead and one other seamer, backed up by spin from Durston, Hughes and Wainwright. Because of the congested calendar it is hard to find worthwhile names who will be tempted by what we have to offer in comparison to the riches of the old Raj. It is romantic, exciting and ultimately pointless to think of Gayle coming over, while Dave Warner and the main players of Australian one-day cricket will be on tour here at the time.

I still think there would be a good chance to persuade a top South African over ahead of their tour here in July, especially some of their fringe players. Pairing, for example, JP Duminy and Rusty Theron would make us a side to reckon with. though for that matter, the muscular ex-Spondon man Colin Ingram and Theron might cost less than Brett Lee, Morne Morkel or Lasith Malinga and might be considerably better value. Ingram is having an excellent winter but won't make the cut in the Saffer team ahead of Messrs Kallis, Rudolph, Smith, de Villiers, Amla and Prince. A powerful hitter to give early impetus to an innings would be crucial to success, but so too would someone like Theron, who bowls a full length, varying his pace to good effect at the death.

Allowing for my guesswork on who may or may not be both affordable and interested, we could do much worse. By the same token, it is who Krikk comes up with that really matters.

Something for the weekend

Again, apologies for the lack of posts this week but a combination of little news and too much work has been the reason. Anyway, I'm back now for a Saturday morning roundup of the week's important events.

First, the club have reached an agreement with Andrew Brown, a worthy man who gave good service to the club as a batsman who never quite established himself as a senior player, despite some plucky knocks, as well as in a coaching capacity. Whatever happened earlier in the year, Brown was caught up in it and his future now lies elsewhere. Like all Derbyshire fans, I wish him well in new ventures.

There were few runs for either Martin Guptill or Usman Khawaja in the Test match between their respective countries in Tasmania, though on a dodgy wicket that was hardly surprising. There's still no news on whether Khawaja will join us for the second half of the season, though that may be just a matter of time. As I have said before, I think he is a fine player, though I'll confess to reservations over his ability in the T20, a format in which he has minimal experience. He is obviously a player of very high class, but so was Chris Rogers and he wasn't a T20 player either. If Khawaja does sign and his contract includes appearing in the T20, I hope that he proves me wrong and I will gladly acknowledge the fact if he does so.

Dave Warner played a lone hand in the Australians second innings and is now being taken seriously as a "proper" batsman, not just a slogger with a good eye. You don't make a score like that on a "sporting" track without being able to play and I'll hold up my hand as someone who had written him off as nothing more than a tonker. I'm happy to revise that opinion, not just in the light of one innings, but several played by the player over recent months. As I write, he is holding together Sydney Thunder's run chase against the Melbourne Stars, an unbeaten 55 from 86-4, suggesting that his side will stand or fall on his efforts, especially after the early losses of Gayle and Khawaja.

Over on the Forum there are "rumours" that Martin Guptill is going to play IPL after all, apparently voiced by "someone in the pub". With respect to those concerned, I'll wait and see if anything emanates from the club before I get overly upset about this one, as anyone can start a story. Why, only yesterday I had a call from Chris Grant asking if I was free to bowl my spin variations in the T20 next season. After protracted discussions, where my price rose to a Belgian Bun and a cappuccino, I signed on the dotted line. Can't get enough spinners in that game, even if one is less mobile than he used to be, thanks to a dodgy left knee...

That was a joke, by the way...

In a related story, I was mildly amused to see Somerset announcing the signing of Vernon Philander for the early part of the season, as long as he doesn't get picked for the IPL. Given the player is on fire at present, I'd have thought the chances of him not getting an IPL deal are remote and Somerset's announcement will reek of a few that Derbyshire have made over the years. There was a time when Langer/Jayawardene/Rudolph/Yousuf/Astle and others were announced, only to fall foul to scheduling or injuries that some of us never knew existed as body parts.

I don't know the contractual situation at Derbyshire, but would like to think that Martin Guptill signed having thought it through and that was it. Should anything happen to the contrary it would do no one any favours. I haven't a clue how some counties are going to get an overseas next year and some have said they may well not bother. Maybe I should make myself up a bogus CV and tout myself around a few clubs as Etienne van der Leiderhosen, an all-rounder from Cape Province. It's worked before in professional sport...

England Lions announced their winter touring squad and for the first time in what seems around ten years there was no place for Steve Kirby of Somerset. The penny must have finally dropped that the player is now 34... no places for Derbyshire players, but there's plenty of young talent in the Derbyshire squad and such a place is something for them to aspire to in the coming seasons. 

Finally today, it was good to get texts from the club regarding the fact that three Christmas parties were in full swing there last night. On such events will the club flourish and that level of usage can only help to swell the coffers, thoroughly justifying the outlay on the marquee and other venues. In turn, it will help the club to retain their young talent and attract others. I wish all concerned the best of luck with their continued efforts.

Have a good one!

PS Warner 95 not out from 45 balls as I close. Not bad...

Monday musings

I'd a smile this morning when looking at the report of an extraordinary Test between Australia and New Zealand, which the visitors ended up winning by seven runs despite a fine unbeaten century by Dave Warner. In the course of the Aussie innings, Phil Hughes was once again caught by Martin Guptill. Poor Hughes has been found out against the lifting ball by the Kiwis, as England did last winter and it prompted a comment of wit by ex-Aussie (and Somerset) spinner Kerry O'Keefe.

 "If Hughes nicked himself shaving I reckon Guptill would pop out of the medicine cabinet with a bandaid" he said, a reflection of our man holding him three times in four innings between second slip and gulley. A small man, Hughes will need to work out a technique against the lifting ball as he'll get a lot of it from now on. You can expect hm to get plenty next summer, now he's signed on the dotted line for Worcestershire. He'll get plenty of runs for them, as there's not the same skill sets evident at county level as he will face on the Test scene, but he'll need to practice his ducking or hooking, that's for sure.

Elsewhere, ten sixes Kieron Pollard still couldn't steer the West Indies to a win over India and their batting, shorn of Gayle, Sarwan and Chanderpaul gives a new dimension to the word "brittle". It doesn't lack talent, but the days when enough players make a worthwhile contribution are sporadic in the extreme. The days of Greenidge, Haynes, Richards, Lloyd et al seem like a lifetime away.

Over on the Forum there have been comments on the lengthy contracts at Derbyshire, old ground as far as I'm concerned and I don't plan to belabour the point here. Suffice to say that if you are going to invest 7-10 years in the development of young players from 10-20, surely they are worth persisting with, if they show any real talent, until they are 26? All of our young players need to show year on year progress and I get the impression through the use of development plans that one good year in three, just before the contract is up, will not be the road to success in the chosen career. There are plenty of lads pushing through behind the current staff and the onus will be on all of them to move forward each year whenever they have an opportunity.

Some will undoubtedly fall by the wayside, which is part of life. I've coached enough kids myself over the years to know there are some look terrific at 15 but never kick on, while some are later developers who suddenly develop physically and mentally and become good players in their late teens and early twenties. Karl Krikken and Howard Dytham will have their ideas about the young players at Derbyshire and I look forward to seeing which of them become club stalwarts in the years ahead. By giving the cream of them three-year contracts, they have given them the stability to play without fear and to develop in their own time. At the end of the day, that's what happens - for some, the penny drops a little quicker, but this embryonic stage in our club's development may well turn out to be something well worth remembering.

There will be frustrations along the way, but as one contributor pointed out on the Forum tonight, you don't watch Derbyshire EXPECTING to win trophies. Yet there's a chance that might change in the years ahead.

Something for the weekend

I'm working this weekend so won't have as much free time as usual. Yesterday's gales slowed the retail trade down but the busiest week of the year is about to start and time is, as they say, money...

That being the case I'm penning (or keyboarding) a few more thoughts on our new skipper and some observations based on comments and articles around the internet. As I would have hoped, the new skipper has been greeted with pretty much universal approval. Wayne Madsen is a class act and will prove so again. There have been a few comments about his struggles - compared to his previous uninterrupted successes - last season, but to be fair to Madsen he had sorted things out by season end, his last innings being 50, 64, 26 and 73 before struggling like most of his team mates on a bunsen burner at the Oval.

I was more than a little surprised to see a couple of comments regarding "improving the squad". Including summer contracts we currently have a staff of 25. It is, without doubt, a young one, but that is the way to go if we aim to build a successful club. We could theoretically shortcut success by signing a few older and available heads, but would we be much further forward if, for example, we signed Usman Afzaal, Jamie Dalrymple, Tom New and a Kolpak seamer? We might win a few games, but such players would be largely after a payday which, because of their age and circumstance, would cost us much more than their salary in ECB payments. Not quite the road to hell, but certainly the road to financial ruin in this economic climate.

I am enthused by this Derbyshire squad, both in its youth and potential. We potentially have four all-rounders in Durston, Whiteley, Wainwright and Clare, while Tom Poynton's pugnacious approach to batting will, given a little time, see a reminder of the style we became accustomed to with James Pipe. Wainwright gives us a spin bowling all rounder that we have lacked, his common sense approach to batting likely to prove very useful. Durston, Madsen and Redfern would make for a solid and prolific middle order and the only question mark will then be at the top of the innings.

Of course, we have Martin Guptill until June, so no worries there, but the challenge will be to see who partners him. Madsen could choose to open himself, of course, but we then have Paul Borrington, Chesney Hughes and Matt Lineker outside the team vying for one place. If, as I expect, Usman Khawaja rejoins us from June we will need to switch things again, the Australian presumably slotting in neatly at number three. Given we still have Garry Park eligible for selection, not to mention the likes of Ben Slater and Hamza Siddique coming through, does anyone else feel we are short of batting?

I don't.

 We have Wainwright as a specialist spinner, who will get support from Messrs Durston, Hughes and (I hope) Redfern, which leaves us with the seamers. In Jon Clare, Tony Palladino and Tim Groenewald we have a strong trio, with fast, but thus far erratic and injury-troubled support from Mark Turner and Mark Footitt. There is no Stef Jones this time to offer control in the one-dayers and no Greg Smith to bowl useful seam and spin. No matter how reliable they are from a fitness perspective, Palladino and Groenewald cannot play every game, while Clare carries expectations with bat and ball and has an even greater workload.

Don't get me wrong. I rate Turner, who showed in spells last year that he could be fast and nasty, as did Mark Footitt. But unless they improve their lines and lengths over the winter, track record suggests that when it goes wrong for them it does so horribly, especially in the one-day game. Irrespective of the talent and depth in the batting, we can't chase 240 whenever it goes pear-shaped...

Unless Krikk has a masterplan that revolves around playing an all-spin attack in one day games ("Those six little pals of mine, Wainwright, Needham, Durston, Hughes, Knight and Burg'yne") we need another seamer to share the workload and give these guys a breather. I know we are looking for a strike bowler in the T20 (Brett Lee, Morne Morkel, Rusty Theron or "Slinger" Malinga would do nicely...) but a seamer to cover for injury or loss of form and compete for a senior role in the real stuff would do nicely.

After careful consideration, Peakfan's pick would be Steven Cheetham. Quick enough and tall enough to be awkward, I think this lad would do us well. He wouldn't cost the earth and at 24 is physically developed and can keep bowling for long and hostile spells.

"Steven is a young bowler with terrific physical attributes, who bowls wicket to wicket and is very much at the start of his career," said Chris Adams of Surrey when he took him on loan in 2010. He didn't let him down either with a few wickets, including four against the Unicorns. he took stick in a couple of games, but again, if you play cricket for long enough that will happen to any bowler.

 Add Cheetham to that squad and, whisper it quietly, we might surprise a few teams next year.

 Remember, you heard it here first...

Wayne's World...Derbyshire's new skipper

Full credit to Chris Grant and Karl Krikken in announcing a successor to Luke Sutton with impressive speed.

That the new skipper is Wayne Madsen is no great surprise, especially given that he held the role, and made a decent fist of it, in a number of one-day games last season. An intelligent, affable and articulate man, he knows his cricket and is settled locally, having signed a new three-year deal to the end of 2014 fairly recently. A good team man, he will lead by example and will ensure that the team spirit engendered by Luke Sutton last year is maintained.

If you read yesterday's posts you will know he has my vote and I look forward to seeing him grow in the role and encourage a young outfit to express themselves, play positive cricket and get results. Perhaps one of the early decisions is where he will bat in the order. He was a middle order batsman in South Africa and was turned into an opener with success by John Morris. A few challenges last season saw him drop back down to number four and, as the best player of spin in the side, I see that as his best position - especially as we already have Messrs Guptill, Borrington, Lineker and Hughes who can open.

The reaction of players to captaincy can differ. Some thrive on the responsibility, while others find the weight of expectation cramps their natural style and has an adverse effect on their game. I think Madsen will do well and, like all Derbyshire fans, wish him the very best in the role.

May his tenure be a long and successful one. Who knows, maybe Wayne Madsen will be the man who oversees the resurgence in Derbyshire cricket?

PS Up here in Scotland, the term most frequently used for youngsters is "weans", which is pronounced the same way as our new skipper's christian name. I look forward to seeing the progress of Wayne's weans...

Options...

To my knowledge, there are only a handful of seam bowlers who have been released by counties and are currently unattached. Of course, there could be a few more out of contract that I am unaware of, but the likely candidates, should Derbyshire choose such a route for improving the staff after the retirement of Luke Sutton are as follows:

Ben Harmison
Decent cricketer who can bat pretty well, but worryingly barely bowled a ball for Durham Second XI last summer. Has had his injury issues but may thrive, like Will Gidman did at Gloucestershire, in a different environment. Will need to be fitter than he has shown over the last couple of years, however.

Robbie Joseph
Has had sporadic success for Kent and once made the England Performance Squad, but at 29 is still prone to be erratic. Given that Marks Footitt and Turner tend to be the same, I feel we need someone who offers a little more accuracy. Not convinced he would add anything to our squad.

Steven Cheetham
14 wickets in one day games for Lancashire in four years but at 6'5" he has all the necessary attributes. A prolific wicket-taker in Second XI cricket and as a league professional, at 24 Cheetham could be a bowler worth pursuing and shouldn't cost the earth as he needs to impress.

Naqaash Tahir
At 28, Tahir is a good bowler, capable of bowling at good pace. 139 career wickets at 29, with ten four-wicket hauls and two five-wicket ones suggests a bowler who can get men out. Given our success with Messrs Munton, Welch and Wagg from Warwickshire, could we strike it lucky for a fourth time? Another who has had his injuries, but a likely option.

Of course, Karl Krikken may consider he has a big enough squad and much will depend on how much Ross Whiteley improves over the winter, but I feel that five seamers may be insufficient for a long summer.

Still, it's Krikk's call...

Cool hands Luke

Given that we now know he was battling depression, had a hand injury and faced, with his wife, concerns over the health of their daughter, the astonishing fact is that Luke Sutton did as well as he did last season.

Add into the mix the shenanigans around the departure of John Morris and Andrew Brown and that he was still big enough to stand up and take some of the heat and you get some idea of the measure of the man. Yes, Sutton as a batsman was a shadow of the one we saw in his first stint at the County Ground. but he was still good enough to score 500 Championship runs, something few others managed around the country, especially those batting down the order. There was an occasional dropped catch too, but not many and Sutton's glovework remained a solid feature of Derbyshire's improved outcricket that his successor, presumably Tom Poynton, will have to work hard to match.

Keeping wicket, especially at first-class level, is akin to being a goalkeeper at football. Others in the side can make mistakes and few will notice, whereas a wicket-keeper's errors, like the football custodian, tend to be exaggerated and emphasised. That being the case, Sutton did a fine job and when one considers that he also held the captaincy his efforts were extraordinary and deserving of the highest praise.

Most of all we will miss the captain, the old head in the dressing room. As a player with three counties behind him, Sutton had been involved in match situations that undoubtedly helped when things got tight. He led a happy and united squad and was a major factor in an improved Derbyshire side in 2011.

In the light of what we now know, I hope Derbyshire fans, when commenting on our form and fortunes in the future, think twice before being overly vitriolic. You never know what is going on in people's lives and it is patently unfair to make comments such as some of those that were hurled in Sutton's direction last season, especially when he struggled for runs in restricted limited over opportunities. I'm not sure what some expected, to be honest, when he often came in with two overs to go. Anyone who has played the game knows that you're on a hiding to nothing in such circumstances and for every time you blaze 20 from six balls there are plenty when you lob a gentle catch to mid-wicket, victim of the need to hit before you're used to the pace of the wicket and the bowling.

I'd like to thank Luke Sutton for being a very good Derbyshire cricketer in both his stints for the club. Irrespective of anything else he was a role model for his peers, polite with fans and always, always one hundred per cent committed to the cause.

He will be missed. Thanks Luke.

Chris Grant says that his replacement will be announced within days and although I'm sure the club have known of this for some time, my guess is that the successor will be from within. The thinking money would be on either Wes Durston or Wayne Madsen, though with 56 and 63 first-class games behind them respectively they are some way short of extensive experience. Madsen, however, has shown loyalty to the club that perhaps deserves to be rewarded. A player of genuine talent, his dip in form last season will only be temporary and an opportunity to lead the side may be the catalyst to greater things. He would be my choice and I think the players will respond to the promotion of an intelligent and articulate man who has become a vital cog in the side. Durston or Tim Groenewald would make an able deputy and I feel a young side would continue to develop with such men at the helm.

As for the wicket-keeping role, while I have seen suggestions of looking for an experienced replacement, I see no merit in the idea. We have an obviously able young prospect with bat and gloves in Tom Poynton and this is now his time. If we are serious about an Academy side, we need to blood players when the opportunity arises and that is now for TP. I'll accept there is no experienced backup, but Chris Durham is highly thought of and if these lads don't get the opportunities we will never know how good they can be.

For what it is worth, after some thought I'd be inclined to use the money from Sutton's salary for another seamer. While I would be far from unhappy if we moved for Jamie Dalrymple, I feel our greatest need in the squad is for another experienced seam bowler. Quite who is available is unclear, but we only need a couple of injuries to Messrs Groenewald, Palladino, Clare, Footitt and Turner and we have a major problem. The one weakness of the current Academy is that there is no obvious seam bowler ready to burst onto the scene. I'd like to see that change in the coming months.

It will make for an interesting time, that's for sure.

Sutton set to retire?

If the Daily Mail's assertion that Luke Sutton is set to retire is correct, then Derbyshire will lose a good cricketer, a solid captain and an outstanding man.

There is fair credence to the story, of course. The player did a blog in the newspaper last summer, so they would be as likely as any to break the news first. Similarly, the players extensive interests outside the game suggest he will not be looking around for his next move, nor ending up on the umpire's panel sometime soon.

Of course, until we hear it from the horse's mouth it remains only conjecture. There will be time enough for an appreciation of the player, if required, but my first thought on hearing the news was that it would leave us very short of experience but with the consolation of the budget to bring someone in. We will also need a new captain.

I have no doubts that Tom Poynton is a good enough player to take over behind the stumps, though how well he adapts to week in, week out cricket at the top level we will need to wait and see. I do feel, however, that we need some experience in a side that would otherwise notionally read, from the start of the season:

Guptill
Borrington/Lineker
Durston
Madsen
Redfern/Hughes
Whiteley
Wainwright
Clare
Poynton
Groenewald
Palladino

There's talent a-plenty in that line-up, but no major experience. Given that the 'landmark signing' won't happen for well documented reasons, not least because we've now signed Martin Guptill, any injection of experience is likely to have to come from the domestic market - at least unless we go down the Kolpak route, which I think unlikely.Let's not forget that Sutton's departure will see us shorn of three experienced players from last year, Jones and Smith being the others. I'm all for giving youth its head, but there has to be a balance, unless next year's shirt sponsors are Mothercare and we're renaming our HQ the Bugaboo County Ground...

Does that see a move for Jamie Dalrymple? A solid player of good experience, he offers a lot to a side as a batsman, off-spinner and fine fielder. His departure from Middlesex was because of his leadership aspirations and there are not many counties where such an opportunity might present itself. By the same token, his stint as skipper at Glamorgan was not overly successful, stories of a divided dressing room with strong characters making it into the media. How much the captain could or should have done about it is a moot point and much would depend on his remit within that club.

As for Kolpaks, I don't see any obvious candidates in South Africa, the only qualifying country with enough players of talent. Some might suggest Robin Petersen, but his chances of a Kolpak deal must be marginally better than mine, having walked straight back to the international fold having renounced it to take up a county deal. Again, we don't need another slow-left armer either.

Of course, there are other options. One would be to make Wayne Madsen or Wes Durston captain and use the money from Sutton's salary to bring in another seamer, perhaps one with greater experience than we might otherwise afford. Looking at the team above raises the question of who you omit to hypothetically play Dalrymple. Is there sense, or merit, in bringing him in to take the place in the order of Redfern, Hughes or Whiteley? Had we not signed David Wainwright he would have been a good  - very good - number six or seven, but we have, so...

What I will  say is that whoever picks up Dalrymple will have a good player who, at 30, is coming into his prime. Aside from the fact that his signing would mean three young batsmen outside the team, he would also give great balance. Players good enough to bat in the top five who can also bowl good off spin are not readily available and, should Derbyshire do so, we could then field a balanced side of three/four seamers plus two spinners.

Like I say, it is all conjecture at the moment, but confirmation would mean that Karl Krikken has to make some interesting decisions regarding the future make up of his squad.

We will watch with interest.

Book Review - Golden Mondays by John Shawcroft

The latest book that I have been sent for review requires me to express an immediate interest. Recently I was asked to name my three desert island books and I had no hesitation in the first two, both by the same author. They were John Shawcroft's "History of Derbyshire County Cricket Club" and his masterful "Local Heroes" about the 1936 Championship winning side. Those books are never far from my bedside and they have been read and re-read on numerous occasions. So when I received the latest offering from the author, courtesy of the Association of Cricket Historians and Statisticians, I was naturally excited.

"Golden Mondays: the Story of Cricket's Bank Holiday Matches" is exactly that, an account of the highlights of such fixtures from the earliest days of the County Championship through to their effective swansong in the late 1990s, although occasional quirks of the fixture scheduling allow them to take place to this day. The halcyon days of such traditional fixtures as Nottinghamshire v Surrey, Derbyshire v Warwickshire, Gloucestershire v Somerset and, of course, Yorkshire v Lancashire are long gone, victim of a modern need for revenue over established though declining rivalry, not to mention two-division and one-day county cricket.

When Whit Monday and August Bank Holiday Monday were introduced as part of the Bank Holidays Act of 1871, which regulated public holidays, cricket soon recognised the possibilities. The new holidays, coupled with the emerging Saturday half-day, were of massive social importance and their popularity was reflected in huge attendances at county cricket matches on those days. For people working in factories and coal mines, the opportunity of a day in the sun while watching their sporting heroes  was irresistible.

As one might expect with the author and publisher, it is beautifully researched and produced, with a good number of photographs. For cricket fans of a certain age, among who I now number myself, it is a stroll down memory lane, a reminiscence session on paper. Names and matches leap out from the page and the personal observations from the protagonists are both pertinent and enjoyable.

Criticisms? Well, there are perhaps not enough of the latter. Maybe I have been spoilt by the wonderful books of Stephen Chalke, but the book would have benefited from more personal anecdotes, as a few sections are a little dry, potted match accounts following one another in quick fashion. I also feel, given the likely demographic of the target audience, that the text size of the book is a little on the small side, though I am fully aware of the cost implications in increasing this and subsequently the number of pages.

In short? It is not, unlike the author's previous works, indispensable, but it is well worth the money for an enjoyable stroll down memory lane. For the young cricket fan in your life I would not necessarily recommend it, but for the older afficianado with an interest in the game's rich history and the perennially engaging fixtures and people that have made it so, you will find this well worth the money.

John Shawcroft's "Golden Mondays: the story of Cricket's Bank Holiday Matches" is published by the Association of Cricket Historians and Statisticians, priced £20. It can be purchased by going to their web site via the link below

http://acscricket.com/?page_id=45&category=12

Remember - Christmas is coming...

Something for the weekend

For fans of Derbyshire cricket, there was something fascinating in seeing Martin Guptill bowl to Usman Khawaja in the Test match between their countries the other day. It was a smart bit of captaincy by Ross Taylor just before lunch, knowing that the encounter would be lent a little extra spice by their club loyalties. It may well have been a surprise to some too, considering Guptill never bowled a ball for Derbyshire last summer.

Yet he boasts a Test-best of 3-37, suggesting either that he had one day, against India, where he got lucky, we were unaware of his talents (which I find hard to believe) or he had a bit of an injury that meant we saved him for his more recognised skills. Given that we had many games last year without a recognised front-line spinner, I'm inclined to go with one of the last two options, though the likelihood of him bowling in Derbyshire colours must be less given that we now have David Wainwright and that Wes Durston looked to improve as the season progressed.

Usman Khawaja was unluckily run out when called for a sharp single the first ball after tea by Ricky Ponting, suggesting that either Khawaja hadn't "switched on" or that Ponting was a little twitchy. You can make your own mind up on that one. Our man looks more than able at this level though and just needs to go from playing innings that are competent to ones that are match-changing. At any first-class level, twenties, thirties and forties are OK, but by that stage you are seeing it pretty well and should really be going on to bigger scores.

Meanwhile, comments on the Yorkshire CCC forum suggest that Derbyshire's match against Yorkshire in the CB40 on May 20th could well be at Scarborough. Our club site says the venue has yet to be confirmed and there will be plenty of Derbyshire fans who would look forward to a day - and night - at the seaside, myself included. As I've written before, one of my remaining cricket ambitions is to watch Derbyshire there, though I'm starting to realise that playing for or against the club in a charity match is looking increasingly unlikely...at least unless they fancy a pre-season friendly north of the border....

James Taylor has joined Nottinghamshire - surprise, surprise, as Cilla used to say, while there's little other movement in county cricket. In fairness, there were far less players released than in recent seasons, clubs securing their young and productive older talent quite quickly. There will still be some out of contract players looking for better deals, but most will have their futures secured by this stage.

Returning to Usman Khawaja, there was interesting comment as his talents in T20 on the Forum last week and, as I've written previously, I'm not sure it is his natural game. He is in the Sydney Thunder T20 squad for Australia's "Big Bash" but I can't see him opening when they have Dave Warner and Chris Gayle in the squad. Where you would bat Khawaja is a moot point. Opener would be one option, asking him to bat through and the rest play around him, but his style is less suited to capitalising on the early overs when the field is in. Still, that's a decision for if we sign him and confirm him for that competition too.

That's pretty much it for now. I have another book review coming up shortly - in between times, have a great weekend!

So that's the fixtures out...

No doubt a few of you, like me, were disappointed to see Scarborough once more overlooked for the Yorkshire v Derbyshire matches. I suppose it makes sense from a logistical viewpoint - the players are only an hour from home in Leeds - but the thought of the seaside, sea air and a couple of nights away held great appeal. 'tis not to be next season, so we live in hope.

At least we see the return of the fixture to Chesterfield, where a bumper crowd will no doubt be in attendance if the weather is kind. I'm a traditionalist and for me there's nothing to match that fixture in the traditional setting of Queens Park. Shame that Scarborough wasn't there to make my cup run over with joy, but them's the breaks, as they say.

There are a few references over on the Forum to the strength of Derbyshire's squad and a suggestion that we could do with a decent Kolpak to bring it up to genuine promotion-chasing standard. It is hard to disagree, as the inclusion of a Wayne Parnell, Rusty Theron or Ryan McLaren would improve most sides. Yet I see the likelihood as being slim to nil. I don't see how such a move would go hand in hand with Derbyshire's new blueprint, although Chris Grant's assertion that we would field nine English-qualified players from 2013 technically leaves an opening alongside an overseas player. The reality is, however, that the club has to be run on cost-effective grounds and cannot afford to have a player who costs them money every time he appears.

Mind you, if they found someone who could take 50 wickets or score a thousand runs, that would be a fair old trade-off. Such a player is unlikely to be available though, and any hypothetical signing would have to be judged on the highest of criteria - would it bring a trophy? No, nice as the concept is, I simply don't see it happening.

Off now to see how Derby County are faring. 1-0 down already... looks like another long winter. Good job there's one decent team in Derby!

Sunday special

There's a round of applause this morning for the mercurial talent of New Zealand cricket, Jesse Ryder, who equalled the record for sixes in an innings by tonking Australia A for SIXTEEN on his way to an innings of 175. That some came off the part-time bowling of Ed Cowan detracts only slightly from a remarkable effort by a good cricketer. It's just a shame that some of his off-field antics have detracted at times from Ryder's explosive ability with a bat in his hands.

Indeed, with Guptill, McCullum, Taylor and Ryder in their top five, New Zealand have as exciting an array of batting talent as there is in the world. All have played exciting knocks in recent months and the forthcoming series against Australia will be worth keeping an eye on - if for no other reason than to see who does best between Martin Guptill and Usman Khawaja. It will be the first time that two current Derbyshire players have played in the same Test since the halcyon days of Taylor, Miller and Hendrick, though I'm sure that John Wright and Michael Holding may have faced up at some point. I know that Khawaja isn't technically a current Derbyshire player, but I reckon he could well be before too long...

Khawaja did well against South Africa, producing a gritty innings that laid the foundations for their subsequent win. Australia's biggest issue right now is finding a fast bowler who can stay fit. Siddle, Tait, Lee, Johnson and now new boy Patrick Cummins have all had issues and that will always affect their team performance, especially when those left aren't quite up to the standard of the heroes of yesteryear. I still don't see Khawaja making the Aussie one-day setup sometime soon, so think he is still the most likely overseas player for the second half of next summer.

The IPL auction, which comes up soon, will perhaps determine availability of players but I don't see many English stars appearing, as the tournament runs until May 27, by which time the Tests against the West Indies will have taken place.

Meanwhile, Derbyshire's players are back in training ahead of what could be a fascinating and enjoyable 2012 season. We should see the fixtures this week, always an event to shorten the winter a little. Anything that takes the edge off the howling winds and rain that is currently lashing our house is welcome...

See you soon.

Midweek news

Sorry about the lack of blogging this week but one thing I've learned about retail since I changed the course of my career is that the Christmas period is massive. This week, in common with most of my colleagues, I've worked from 9am to 8pm every day, trying to keep up with the massive demands of the great British public as we approach the festivities. There's also been a family bereavement, as well as the death of my wife's car, so one way or another it's been a bit demanding on my time in recent days.

Anyway, I'm back now and catching up on the week's news. Somerset have announced a record profit of £408,000, which should ensure that they keep signing big name players beyond the reach of other counties, while Michael Powell, having left Glamorgan, has washed up at Kent, where he could prove a shrewd acquisition.

Meanwhile David Morgan announced his revolutionary blueprint for the future of the county game, one achieved, to be fair to him, after consultation with over 300 relevant parties throughout the game. The result is not that much of a change, to be honest, with two less Championship matches being replaced by four more T20 games. The latter, condensed into a few mid-season weeks, may make attracting overseas players a little easier, but I still don't think they will head for our shores in droves. Meanwhile, forty-over matches are replaced by fifty overs, so those hoping to ease the workload on players may well be disappointed. There's sense in the latter, bringing the county game into line with the international one, but the 40-over game offers a pleasant afternoon out for the uninitiated, a game you could go to after a good Sunday lunch in the old days.

There's some common sense in aiming to start Championship matches on Fridays at the start of the season, but none whatsoever in their commencing on a Monday by season-end. Of course, no one would want to see the cricket at the business end of the season, would they?

Anyway, closer to home, Derbyshire are once more swapping Derbados for Barbados pre-season, which is a sensible move. Cricket in the middle is crucial in allowing them to hit the ground running and the odds on getting that here in late March and early April are somewhat slim. Full credit to all involved in a sensible idea.

Back at the weekend, have a good one

Weekly roundup

I've seen a few critical comments around the web about the decision made by Martin van Jaarsveld to pull out of his contract with Leicestershire. Most of them centre around the premise that he "let them down".

I disagree. For me, van Jaarsveld has shown himself a man of some integrity. It would have been easy for him to turn up, take the money and run, but he knew in his heart that he was no longer up to it. He struggled, like a lot of batsmen, against the Tiflex ball last year for Kent, but those struggles have continued since his return to South Africa, where he has barely made a run.

The South African, who has been one of the best imports of the last ten years, was brought to Grace Road by the Foxes as a direct replacement for James Taylor, who always appeared likely to leave this winter once Leicestershire had accepted the inevitable. The prime form van Jaarsveld would have been a more than adequate replacement, but like all players he has had to bow to the inevitability of time. Maybe he is younger than some, but I remember Craig Spearman at Gloucestershire a season or two back, who after a bad blow on the head lost his footwork and was not the same player.

For me, Martin van Jaarsveld can leave the county game with his head held high and has at least given Leicestershire a lot of time in which to seek a replacement. I wonder whether this might open a door for Usman Afzaal to return to the county game? He is, after all, pretty much on the doorstep.

The sad news this week was the death of Basil D'Oliveira at the age of 80. He was one of the giants of the game in the period when I first started watching cricket and I saw him on a number of occasions. Having struggled when he first arrived in the country, D'Oliveira became a fine batsman who bowled gentle medium pace cutters that often broke partnerships for club and country. He will be sorely missed.

There is little on the county front at present, but as I have written previously, I don't see many more signings this winter outwith the overseas berths. I hope we sign another seamer from somewhere, because unless we have one ready to burst, like Tom Knight, from the Academy I feel we are light in this area. Groenewald, Palladino and Clare are a strong trio and with support from Messrs Turner and Footitt look pretty good. Yet two injuries puts us in trouble, with no obvious back up from within the side, as we had with Greg Smith, nor outside it as far as I can see.

By the same token, our spin resources look distinctly rosy, with plenty of part timers to back up David Wainwright and with Tom Knight and Peter Burgoyne coming through.

I'm sure such thoughts will occupy the minds of Karl Krikken and Chris Grant over the coming months.

Follow up

There's perhaps a partial answer to yesterday's piece in the Derby Evening Telegraph this morning, when Mark Eklid suggests that Usman Khawaja may be back when Martin Guptill finishes and that the club are seeking "a high-class T20 specialist fast bowler". You can see the article at:

http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/County-adjust-sights-Grant-admits-landmark-deal/story-13883867-detail/story.html

I have no problems with Usman Khawaja as the overseas player. He made a decent fist of a first overseas season last year and would, I would think, be anxious to build on that, to cement his growing reputation and extablish himself in the Australian side. My only concern is that he has only played six T20 matches in his career thus far, so could not be deemed an expert at the format. With one fifty in those innings and an average of 19, he would have to establish a reputation, that's for sure. He has the ability, without doubt, but I see him as a more classical batsman, perhaps in the John Wright or Chris Rogers mode, than as someone who will find T20 a natural game.

As regular readers will know, I have espoused the idea of a return to Guptill/Khawaja for weeks now, so am pleased that the first half has come through. If the second does too, I will be delighted. I think Khawaja will score heavily after the T20 - I'm just less sure of his credentials in the smack and giggle format at this stage of his career. By the same token, I wouldn't say no to Phil Hughes...

As for a fast bowler, there are a few obvious names we would all be pleased to see. Morne Morkel, Lasith Malinga, Brett Lee and Umar Gul are obvious names of the highest quality, but I have doubts over all of them. Morkel, like Dale Steyn, may be urged to rest before the England Test series post-IPL, while Malinga should earn a million in the IPL and may not need it, much the same as Brett Lee. Gul and his foot-crunching yorkers has appeal, but may well have his own international commitments.

I think it could be in the next tier down where our target lies. Perhaps "Rusty" Theron of South Africa would be worthwhile, a player who has established a reputation for accuracy and parsimony in the T20. He bowls tight lines, mixes it up and is difficult to hit in the closing stages of innings. He might also be tempted at the thought of a bowl in English conditions prior to the South African tour, as may Vernon Philander. Both can also hit hard lower down the order, so have appeal. Again, though, their cricket masters in the Cape may want them fit and firing for the England tour.

The other "name" player, I suppose is Australian Shaun Tait, who has his fans and whose career is built around T20 around the globe. I have to say I'm not really one of them. I've seen him bowl very quickly and dangerously, but have also seen him produce some shockingly inaccurate spells that have tested his side's wicket-keeper and the patience of his skipper.

For me, Tait is a higher profile Mark Turner or Mark Footitt. We all know the pace is there and at times it can be devastatingly productive. Yet it can be frustrating in equal measure and the player has suffered many injuries in his quest for lightning pace.

Peakfan's preference? Because I think the first four I named will not be available, I'd opt for Theron, but have the feeling that Chris Grant's phone bill will increase due to the increasing difficulty of convincing a top fast bowler that England in June is the place to be after you've had a nice little earner on the sub-continent.

I suspect we'll know more after the IPL auction next month.

Guptill class to be seen once more

On any level, the announcement of Martin Guptill's return to Derbyshire next season is excellent news.

Without doubt, the player is a class act and, in my humble opinion, will be seen as one of the game's premier batsmen in the next couple of years, if he isn't already. There are not many international sides that he wouldn't get into at present, certainly not on his form of the past few months.

The runs flowed from his bat over the last few weeks of the English season, he toyed with Zimbabwe's attack and, since his return home to New Zealand, he has maintained his sparkling form. They are clear signs of a player who has come to terms with the demands of the international game and has worked out his own. Encouragingly, he is only going to get better.

His averages don't yet fully reflect his ability, but that will come. Guptill is like a few others who find themselves elevated through their precocious raw talent to a senior level before their mental and physical development fully justifies it. In such cases, as we have seen on a more local basis with Dan Redfern and Paul Borrington, there are more early troughs than peaks, as players struggle to adjust. Yet class will always see through.

What is impressive is that Guptill has forsaken the obvious greater rewards of IPL in favour of playing with his mates at Derbyshire, something that sets him apart from many of his contemporaries. I'm not privy to the niceties of his contract, but would guess that he could have earned more from a few weeks in India than he will do in England. The reality is that his game will improve more from the additional responsibility of a county stint, while the lure of playing in a positive, enjoyable environment was presumably a major factor in his return to the County Ground.

For that, of course, tribute needs to be paid to Karl Krikken and Luke Sutton. As the men at the helm, they have set the standard and have dictated the way the game is played and the environment that enables it to flourish. Such an environment, reported back by Azeem Rafiq, was a factor in David Wainwright choosing Derbyshire over other suitors and will doubtless help with the recruitment of others for overseas positions during the winter.

What we now know, rather than suspect, of course,  is that there will be a second overseas player from June onwards. My guess would still be Usman Khawaja, currently involved in the second Test against South Africa, but there may be others in the frame. There is also the question of the T20 to resolve. Guptill's June 12th departure will almost certainly be before the commencement of that competition. Whether that means one, or two players we'll have to wait and see.

A batsman and bowler, or two players who can do a bit of both, would do very nicely and would make Derbyshire a side to be reckoned with.

Guptill returns

Martin Guptill has opted to return to Derbyshire for a second stint as overseas player, rather than go for an IPL berth.

The hugely talented opener will return to the County Ground from the start of the season through to June 12, a signing that will surely be welcomed by everyone connected to the club.

More later, but on a cold day that ranks as a winter warmer!

You may not have noticed...

a brilliant innings by Martin Guptill in New Zealand for Auckland.

Replying to  the Canterbury innings of 491, Auckland quickly slipped to 42-4, then 72-5 before Guptill and Zimbabwean Colin de Grandhomme (now THAT's a name...) added 211 for the sixth wicket. After Grandhomme's dismissal for 117, Guptill steered the tail to an all out total of 381, ending up on a magnificent career-best unbeaten 195, with 22 fours and 2 sixes after seven and a quarter hours of batting.

The next highest score, astonishingly, was 15....

Killing the fattened calf.

Maybe it's just me, but there's an element of the above in the way international cricket is going  at present.

"Oooh, there's a four week window with no cricket, let's fly England to India for a series of utterly pointless one-day games." That was bad enough, for me. The two sides met on an even footing -  in cricket that mattered -  in the English summer and the result was patently clear. Then we whip a weakened English side out for a quick slogfest in India and India win a series that I can't remember a thing about a few short weeks later.

Now we have Australia touring South Africa in - wait for it - a TWO Test series. Two of the strongest sides in the world game and we can't even afford to cram three matches in, let alone the five that such a series deserves. In all honesty I'm not that fussed at seeing Bangladesh or Zimbabwe at this stage in their development. Both have two or three decent players but little else, so a mini series makes sense for them. Surely two strong sides deserve more than two matches though?

I hope the county game watches and learns from such mistakes. We don't need wall to wall matches with less intensity and nothing worth writing about. There needs to be enough to make a membership worthwhile, but for me the current level in the county game is about right. Dropping some of the T20 games is the right way forward and we simply need to guard against going too far.

On to county news, and Nottinghamshire look like signing James Taylor from Leicestershire. There's a surprise eh? Not like our near-neighbours to step in after other clubs have done the hard work in bringing the players on....

Meanwhile Charl Willoughby isn't retiring and heading back to South Africa, but heading to what is becoming the new Saffer enclave at Essex. Meanwhile, Yorkshire have signed Phil Jaques for next season, a solid signing who, despite his travails in his last stint at Worcestershire remains a decent batsman and solid bet for a thousand runs.

In closing tonight, I got a lovely story last night from a regular reader about Alf Pope, one of the stars of Derbyshire's championship side. He was part of a post-first class career tour in Germany, when he was in his sixties but still able to make the ball "talk".

One evening the team visited what could be best called a "seedy night club" in downtown Hamburg. The place was heaving and all sorts of...er...action was going on. Loud music, strippers, beer being thrown, people dancing on tables - the works. There was a sudden, unexpected and momentary silence and all that could be heard was one solitary voice, emanating from a seat by the nigh-deserted bar.

"And this is the grip that I use for the leg-cutter" came the voice of Alf Pope, disinterested in the shenanigans elsewhere but passionate about his cricket!

Sad news about Roebuck

Like most of you I was saddened to hear of the death of cricket writer Peter Roebuck this morning.

Roebuck was a very good batsman who almost made the England reckoning after ten times making a thousand runs in a twelve-year period. He skippered Somerset at a difficult time, when the club was falling apart post-Garner, Botham and Richards and conducted himself well.

Tales of eccentricities and personal problems were well documented, but no one could have expected the man to take his own life as he appears to have done, in doing so joining a long list of cricket suicides.

Whatever his skills as a player, they were dwarfed by his writing, which at times touched greatness.

He will be sadly missed.

Champions 1936

With apologies for missing this at the time...

 Derbyshire began August 1936 with one of the most remarkable wins in their history, one which sent shockwaves through the opposition in the leading pack. On the first morning, a Saturday, we were bowled out in just two hours and with the hosts, Essex, taking the lead with only two men out a heavy defeat looked likely. They eventually led by 139 and when Derbyshire managed only 240 in their second innings, leading only by 101, there appeared no way back.

At 51-3 they were coasting to victory when Arthur Richardson tossed the ball to Tommy Mitchell. In an extraordinary five over spell, the leg-spinner took 6-25, four of his victims lbw, as Derbyshire won an extraordinary match by 20 runs.

A draw at the Oval saw things remain tight at the top, but Derbyshire then returned to winning ways at Derby against Leicestershire, in front of a crowd of around seven thousand. Mitchell and Bill Copson took five wickets each as the visitors were bowled out for 117, before we had our own struggles on the way to 159, the thirties of Alderman and skipper Richardson being crucial. Mitchell then took five more and Copson four as Leicestershire subsided to 94 all out, the target being knocked off easily for a nine-wicket win.

The win left us needing 51 points from five matches to be guaranteed the title, but a draw at Worksop against Nottinghamshire did neither side any real good, though Copson and Mitchell ensured that we took the important first innings lead points. Worse was to come at Eastbourne, where Charlie Elliot and Arthur Richardson had to bat out time to ensure three more precious points and a draw in a match that could easily have been lost with a side of less character.

The action moved to Chesterfield and a game that should have been an easy win. The visitors, Northamptonshire, didn't win a match between 1935 and 1939 and, after bowling them out for 144 and taking a 65-run lead Derbyshire will have fancied their chances. Mitchell sustained a broken thumb that prevented him from playing again at the end of the Derbyshire innings, however and the visitors racked up 411-6 in their second innings, "Freddie" Bakewell making an unbeaten 241 in what turned out to be his last first-class innings. On the way home after the game he suffered a broken arm in a car accident that saw his team mate R.P. Northway killed, a tragic end to two careers.

Derbyshire batted out time with some difficulty for five more precious points and at the end of the game found that the other results had gone their way despite recent stumbles. With two games to go they were assured of at least a share in the title and needed just three points from their last two matches to win it outright, something that will have occupied their minds as they moved down to Wells and the penultimate match against Somerset.

Even without Mitchell they will have fancied their chances, though only Denis Smith's 93 saw us to a decent 216. Pope and Copson shared eight wickets and Derbyshire took a seventy run lead, before late important hitting from Richardson and Pope set Somerset an unlikely 271 on the final day. At 140-5 the win looked likely, but big-hitting Arthur Wellard hammered 86, with seven sixes. Copson took two quick wickets with six needed and one wicket left, but Somerset edged home to deprive Derbyshire of a crucial victory.

It was a disappointment, at least until the news came through that Yorkshire had failed to beat Sussex and Derbyshire could not be overtaken. We were champions!!

Though nerves had played a part in the failure to win four successive matches, the shackles were off for the final game against Leicestershire at Oakham School. There were four more wickets for Copson as the home side were bowled out for 151 on the first day, before Smith (169) and Worthington (102) added 209 for the second wicket. Then came a collapse to 338 all out, before the wickets were shared out between the bowlers as we ran out victors by an innings and 66 runs, the final wicket of the season going to Alf Pope when he clean bowled the Leicestershire keeper Paddy Corrall.

It was a triumph made possible by an attack at the height of its powers. Copson's 140 wickets cost just 12 each, while Mitchell had 121 at 21 and Pope 99 at 18. Les Townsend's off spin brought 63 wickets at 20 and one can only guess at how well they would have done had George Pope stayed fit for the campaign.

The batting was sketchy, though led by Townsend and Worthington. The key was in scoring enough runs at a pace to enable the attack to go to work. There were contributions down the order and the win was well deserved, even if the players themselves felt they had played better in the two previous seasons.

Seventy-five years on it remains Derbyshire's only championship triumph and with a side effectively home-reared from a structure put in place in the middle of the previous decade. Can history repeat itself with the current exciting crop of young talent at the County Ground? Who knows, but with a couple of seamers coming through to add to a number of young batsmen and spinners, you never can tell.

Watch this space...

Something for the weekend

You'd have to say that if Usman Khawaja can't get into that Australian line up after yesterday's debacle, there is something more horribly wrong with Australian cricket than it appeared.

It is hard to conceive of this great nation's once-great cricket team making such an appalling fist of a day's cricket as they did yesterday. Their first innings lead should have been a springboard to victory, yet it went wrong with a couple of hours of madcap batting that owed less to technique than it did to Fred Karno. While I can accept the Saffer attack is a good one, they were helped by some very ordinary batting, worse than was ever seen in the bad old days at Derbyshire.

I mentioned Vernon Philander as a good bowler in helpful conditions the other day and he came up with the goods for the home side. Mind you, I'd fancy a few wickets bowling at the other end to Morkel and Steyn. At the same time, the depth of their cricket was emphasised by some impressive scores in the fifty-over Franchise Cup. Loots Bosman, erstwhile of this parish, scored a century as the Dolphins chased 317 to beat the Titans, for who the immensely talented Faf du Plessis scored a dazzling 120. He is one of a number of South Africans who will be interesting counties for 2012, though any recruitment will depend on the final squad selected to tour England. Put it another way - if my country was touring England and the chance arose to play county cricket, be on the spot and hopefully in form if an injury occurred, I'd be asking where to sign rather quickly. Breaking into that batting line-up is a thankless task and there might be a few interested parties once the final selection is known.

Another of our old players, Shahid Afridi, was man of the match as Pakistan easily beat Sri Lanka. Afridi, who makes more comebacks than Frank Sinatra ever did, is an enigmatic cricketer but a hughely influential bowler in one-day cricket.  Any resemblance to the erratic young tyro we saw at Derbyshire is coincidental, but I still wouldn't want him to bat for my life...

Finally tonight, and returning to the Aussies, their young fast bowling hope Pat Cummins is tipped to make his Test debut in the next match. Hopefully his selection is less contentious than that which saw his namesake, the former West Indian quickie Anderson, overlooked in favour of Kenny Benjamin in 1992. The local crowd were unimpressed and boycotted the match, two of them carrying the now legendary banner "No Cummins, No Going"...

Priceless stuff. Enjoy your weekend.

Midweek bloggery

I understand that Chris Grant was on Radio Derby this evening talking about a landmark signing for the T20 in 2012. There were no names mentioned and I heard that we are still "actively looking" but it is good to hear, as well as being a more realistic option than such a player for the full campaign.

As I suggested in my previous county post, that is essential for the club to move forward, on and off the pitch . While there are many who see T20 as being the Pot Noodle at the gourmet feast of cricket (myself included) there are a lot of people who enjoy their dessicated snack and their laugh and giggle matches. The reality is that it is still the game's cash cow and to maximise income streams you need to do well. That will bring in crowds and generate money that can be ploughed back into the club in whatever way is decided. By extension, to do well you need a good class of player and, as Leicestershire found last season, two decent all-rounders can make a huge difference.

I don't know who Derbyshire will end up with, but my guess is that there will be more potential takers for a short T20 stint than there would be for a season-long grind. I wouldn't be surprised if a few South Africans entered the fray for a bat or bowl ahead of the massive Test series next summer and such players will be sure to be in demand.

They had a good first day against Australia today and the seam attack of Morkel, Steyn and Philander offers something for all conditions. Vernon Philander bowls good swing and can also hit a ball cleanly, his only county stint for Middlesex being truncated by a bad injury. He is a regular wicket-taker in a good class of cricket and could well become a fixture in their side.

More soon, but a week of 8pm finishes at work aren't leaving me much time this week...

Book Review - Bill Copson: More Than Miner Interest by Kit Bartlett

The latest book I have been sent for review is not new. Kit Bartlett's book on Derbyshire fast-bowling legend Bill Copson was first published in 2008, but it perhaps slipped under the radar of many Derbyshire fans.

The Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians do great work within the game, especially with their publications programme, which often sees books produced on players who would never capture the imagination of the big players in world publishing. Nonetheless, their tales are worth the telling, more so than the ten-a-penny big name autobiographies which often are too formulaic for my taste.

Bill Copson was a very fine bowler, albeit one too often troubled by injury for some. He got three Test caps, two in 1939 and the other in 1947, when he was 39 years old. That those Tests produced 15 wickets was no mean feat, but the feeling remains that Copson's sketchy fitness record was a factor in him getting limited recognition. Only in 1936 and 1939 did he remain injury-free, but those two years saw him take 160 and 146 wickets at 15 and 13 respectively. He was not quite fast, but hostile and awkward, like Les Jackson later, obtaining extravagant movement from a whippy action. Of his 1094 first-class victims, the major percentage were bowled, an unusual state of affairs, while his season average never exceeded 19.81 per wicket prior to the Second World War.

That injury-free season in 1936 was a major factor in the only Championship win, together with the similarly impressive form of Tommy Mitchell. Their "brimstone and treacle" saw Derbyshire to eventual triumph and the latter would be another worthy subject of an ACS publication. Indeed, it is in that area where the book has its only failing. There are a number of stories about Mitchell as a "character" non-pareil, something that enlivens any read. While this book has been well researched and is as well annotated as all of the ACS series, by the end of it I felt I knew little more of Copson the man than when it started. He was lugubrious and by all accounts a private individual, yet even the input of his son reveals little of his personality.

Perhaps the most enlightening section is that covering the war years. Copson spent those in the leagues with considerable success, though not enough for the secretary of Shipley CC, who referred to him as either "very brilliant or very poor" at the same time that he slated other players at the club, including Les Ames, Denis Smith, Alf Pope and Learie Constantine. Nothing about Copson the bowler was poor and even when the 'nip' had gone post-war, he retained an ability to make scoring difficult and, like all Derbyshire's best seamers, "gave nowt away".

At 92 pages it is not a weighty tome, but for those who, like me, enjoy reading about the greats of the past it is well worth buying. There are some interesting photographs and statistics and - let's be honest - books on Derbyshire cricketers are not overly abundant. Cliff Gladwin, George Pope and Tommy Mitchell would be worthy future subjects for the series.

Hopefully there's someone out there of similar opinion...

Bill Copson: More Than Miner Interest is written by Kit Bartlett and published by the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. It can be purchased for £10 from the ACSH at

http://acscricket.com/?page_id=68

Something for the weekend

Full marks to Derbyshire County Cricket Club for their excellent membership promotion for 2012. They have pretty much covered the angles on it, whether you are primarily a fan of one-day or four-day cricket, or whether you live near to the County Ground or further away.

Those involved are to be applauded for the considerable research that has gone into the work, which richly deserves to succeed and result in a higher membership level than has been the case over the club's history. With car parking included at various rates, membership of the cricket club represents extraordinary value in a time of recession, certainly compared to football. When one also considers that your heroes are more accessible than their footballing counterparts it is, for me, a no-brainer as to which one represents the better deal.

The only angle that was missed, for me, was the one that was available a few years back for distant fans like me who could only get to two or three days of cricket a season. It used to give access to a one-day game and a couple of other days cricket of your choice and enabled you to make a contribution to the club, as well as boosting membership figures. It may have been worthy of consideration, but perhaps was and deemed uneconomic. I know from my mailbag that there are a lot of such people out there who might have been willing to pay £20/25 for a distant membership.

The reality is that fans will be convinced to part with their money by signs of improvement, like we saw last season. The telling factor will be who arrives in the overseas role or roles in 2012. I still feel we will see Martin Guptill, but the IPL auction and his potential involvement may well dictate we hear nothing for some time yet.

I have no doubt that many phone calls have been made to agents and player representatives in recent weeks and that they will continue to be made until signatures have been obtained. We may or may not get big names in 2012, but I hope that people realise just how much work goes into getting those all-important autographs.

We booked next year's holidays yesterday, which is almost certainly tempting providence ahead of the announcement of fixtures for 2012. I can now see all too clearly that Yorkshire v Derbyshire at Scarborough will coincide with my being away with the family in late June and early July to coincide with our son's 21st birthday. At the same time, a memorable birthday for him was even more important than a last remaining cricket ambition. The limited availability and competitive price of flights meant that we had to book early, a phrase that always reminds me of the late Fred Pontin's old TV campaigns...

A couple of weeks back I suggested that Zimbabwe skipper Brendan Taylor would be worth a look for a county needing an overseas player for 2012 and his brilliant century against New Zealand took his country close to what would have been a remarkable win. At 25 he is only going to get better and for my money a county will get a good reward for giving him an opportunity when his international commitments allow.

See you soon!

Midweek musings

Thought I'd do a short blog tonight to celebrate the attainment of 200,000 hits. I have to say that I never expected to get to that stage, certainly not in three and a half years and thanks to all of you for helping to make it a success.

Since I last wrote Martin Guptill has scored another century against Zimbabwe, an attack he must wish he could carry around in a bucket. Genuine Test quality or not, runs are runs and they all look the same on the career record. At the end of the day, there'll be days when batting against Morkel and Steyn isn't quite so easy, so Guptill is wise to cash in when opportunities arise. By the same token, he is a batsman of increasing presence and I genuinely expect him to become one of the world's best over the next three years.

On the county scene, I was pleased to see ex-Glamorgan man Michael Powell linked with a move to Kent, at the same time as an array of players are supposedly leaving as there's no money to pay them. I haven't a clue what sort of side they will field next season, but there's a fair chance that the word 'transitional' will be used fairly often.

In South Africa, seam bowling hope Marchant de Lange took five wickets against Australia and I know from a couple of Saffer mates that there are high hopes that he will become their next genuine quick bowler. He and Vernon Philander did pretty well and a good finish is in prospect if the Saffer A tail, marshalled by Robin Peterson, can add another 50 or so runs tomorrow.

Somerset have lost and will miss Charl Willoughby, but there's little other news on the county circuit as we enter November.

 In closing tonight, it is impossible to not comment on the completion of the spot-fixing trial. A guilty verdict, even from this distance, looked a certainty and I feel especially sorry for Mohammad Amir, a bowler of particular talent. What happens to his career from here is anyone's guess, but I'm left thinking he exchanged considerable long-term success and wealth for a fast buck. At 19 he was the best young fast bowler in the world with it at his feet. Time alone will tell if he ever realises enormous potential.

More soon, have a good one.

Something for the weekend

There was a classic case of "every dog has his day" in Australia today, as New South Wales wicket-keeper Daniel Smith, a teammate of Usman Khawaja, made his first century at the age of 29.

And what a century! 185 not out from 123 balls as his team chased down 323 to win in 50 overs and won with ten overs to spare. It was a remarkable effort and I mention it merely because it appealed to my love of the underdog. Smith only plays when Brad Haddin is unavailable and I love to see such people flourish when opportunities arise.

I got a delightful e mail the other day from a Derbyshire fan in Romania and was interested to see that he started to support the club for a similar reason, the club being seen as perennial underdogs. I think that is starting to change and is perhaps the greatest benchmark of progress at the club. For a long time we have been seen as minnows, but I firmly believe that we are moving forward, confirmation of that hopefully coming next season.

Following on from my last article, I would just like to confirm that I have the greatest respect for Martin Guptill and Usman Khawaja and would be delighted if we confirmed them in overseas roles for 2012. I think they both did OK last year and would expect greater returns if we confirmed them for next year in the light of their experiences.

What I do feel is that a modification to the qualification rules for overseas players might be of benefit across the counties. With virtually the entire top tier of international talent removed through IPL and the international calendar, maybe the cricket authorities need to work with immigration and return to the days when counties could bring in an overseas player of their choice, irrespective of international experience. Chris Wilkins would never have played for Derbyshire under such regulations and what an entertainer we would have missed. Keith Boyce could likewise never have entertained Essex fans, while most counties have similar success stories over the years.

Looking at some of those names in the previous piece, I feel quite strongly that there are counties who would enjoy greater benefit from an overseas player keen to make a name, than from a fair to middling overseas player who gets an opportunity by dint of playing in a weak side.

Examples? At 29, Stephen Cook, (pictured) son of former South African batsman Jimmy, has been a run machine in South Africa for years. A top score of 390 and 22 centuries in 111 innings suggests a very fine player, yet one out of the international reckoning because of the strength of their domestic cricket. Compatriot Rilee Rossouw is another fine player, as is Dean Elgar and I'd venture that all of them would score heavily in England - certainly more than a few of the "have passport, will travel" brigade I have mentioned. There might be greater appeal for fans too, seeing a few unknown entities for the first time. Similarly, Australian Michael Klinger is a good player who would have scored good runs in England had the opportunity been there for him. These are but a few examples and there are others.

Such players would, like many before them, offer something new to the county game and wouldn't cost the earth. The opportunity to showcase their skills to their national selectors would be a massive incentive to them and there would be considerable benefit to clubs and fans alike.

Surely more than there currently is when having to choose from players who qualify, but only by dint of being, in some cases, an average player in a mediocre side, one that has enabled them, through that mediocrity to make the requisite qualifying international appearances?

As always I welcome your comments...

Because they're (not) worth it?

There was good news about the signing of Peter Burgoyne on a two-year deal this morning. The youngster, whose season in 2012 will see him complete his school education before becoming a full-time professional in 2013, is the latest to put pen to paper over the last couple of months as Karl Krikken and Chris Grant have tied up the signatures of all the major members of playing staff who were coming into the final years of contracts or had come to the end ofan existing deal.

That being the case, it amused me that a contributor on the Falcons Forum had posted "Give Us More Signings." To be fair it was a piece on our winter signings over the last fifteen years which was well-researched and illustrated that we had got a lot better over recent years in picking up players of decent quality. That had a lot to do with John Morris' eye for a player and ability to convince them Derbyshire was the land of opportunity, but I don't see us spending winters looking for announcements of new signings in the years ahead. Rather, we will ensure that our own young talent is tied to the club as far as possible and their skills will be augmented by picking up an occasional player of proven quality.

A few days ago I suggested that counties might eventually sacrifice signing an overseas player of minimal experience for an older professional of ability if there were people around with the right talent. Jamie Dalrymple is a worthy example and I could see a lot of merit in picking up such a proven all-rounder on perhaps a three-year deal over a second or even third tier player from overseas. Many of these can only play for three months between tours, before handing over the role to another nomad from warmer climes and most are simply not here long enough to make a worthwhile contribution.

Take a look at these Championship stats from last year:

Derbyshire - Guptill 537 at 38, Khawaja 319 at 39
Durham - None apart from T20
Essex - Tsotsobe 5 wkts at 77
Glamorgan - Petersen 1069 at 42
Gloucestershire - Williamson 831 at 36
Hampshire - Tahir 28 wkts at 24
Kent - Riaz 13 wkts at 34
Lancashire -  Maharoof 281 at 31, 14 wkts at 50
Leicestershire - McDonald 312 at 39 and 8 wkts at 38
Middlesex - Rogers 1300 at 54
Northamptonshire - Vaas 403 at 26 and 70 wkts at 21
Nottinghamshire - Voges 845 at 44, Bravo 248 at 35
Somerset - Kartik 285 at 28 and 26 wkts at 35
Surrey - Ojha 24 wkts at 12, Arafat 20 wkts at 48
Sussex - Naved 180 at 15 and 27 wkts at 34, Parnell 15 wkts at 41
Warwickshire - Chanderpaul 539 at 89 Yousuf 353 at 32
Worcestershire - Shakib 7 wkts at 18 Wright 31 wkts at 27 Ajmal 17 wkts at 28 Roach 14 wkts at 40
Yorkshire -  Rudolph 318 at 45

Dalrymple averaged 36 with the bat in a truncated year and took ten wickets at 44, not suffering in comparison to some very average figures above. There were successes, of course.Vaas was a standout for Northamptonshire as Rogers was at Middlesex, while Ojha's late season wickets were crucial for Surrey but no more so than the 1300 runs scored by Zander de Bruyn as a Kolpak. Likewise, Neil McKenzie exceeded a thousand for Hampshire but they were still relegated and others like de Wet and Myburgh were singularly unimpressive.

T20? Another mix and match to be honest...

Derbyshire - Guptill 476 at 34
Durham - Miller 212 at 26
Essex - Styris 220 at 37 and 7 wkts at 23, Southee 130 at 15 and 22 wkts at 19
Glamorgan - Petersen 423 at 32, Cosgrove 293 at 20
Gloucestershire - Williamson 248 at 17, 9 wkts at 25, Muralitharan 12 wkts at 31
Hampshire - Afridi 180 at 20, 17 wkts at 11, Tahir 17 wkts at 16
Kent - Riaz 20 wkts at 20, Langeveldt 15 wkts at 31
Lancashire - Maharoof 59 at 11 and 10 wkts at 23, Junaid 12 wkts at 11
Leicestershire - MacDonald 600 at 52 Razzaq 300 at 30 and 19 wkts at 24
Middlesex - Rogers 154 at 22, McLaren 136 at 13 and 14 wkts at 33
Northamptonshire - Botha 245 at 20, 12 wkts at 24, Vaas 2 wkts at 44
Nottinghamshire - Hussey 357 at 39, Voges 434 at 30
Somerset - Van der Merwe 169 at 56 and 4 wkts at 31, Pollard 234 at 39 and 12 wkts at 27, Kartik 17 wkts at 21
Surrey - Arafat 71 at 23 Nannes 19 wkts at 20
Sussex - Naved 118 at 23 and 16 wkts at 15, Gul 12 wkts at 21, Parnell 6 wkts at 33
Warwickshire - Patel 11 wkts at 31
Worcestershire - Shakib 110 at 9 and 19 wkts at 16, Ajmal 16 wkts at 11
Yorkshire - None

Again, some decent performances but a lot that are nothing to write home about as far as I'm concerned.

Thoughts?