Postscript to Chanderpaul story

The statement issued by Derbyshire CCC on their website tonight suggests that any move for Shivnarine Chanderpaul, or any other player of international pedigree, is far from a done deal.

They will have several irons in the fire and the problem with stories of this nature breaking, of course, is that it can, in some cases, alert other counties to the availability of certain players.

We all know that Derbyshire are a long way from being the most affluent county on the circuit, though we are definitely among the best run. It would be a tragedy if a move for any player of international standing was hijacked because of a news report.

I've heard another couple of names mentioned in relation to the club, as well as that of the brilliant West Indian, in recent weeks, but it was not my place to put those names in a public forum, nor that of anyone else, for that matter.

This winter will have seen a monumental amount of work to secure the services of a world-class player and when the club have a signature to a contract it is only fair that they - and only they - have the right to break the news first. It's called fairness. I guess I'd never have made a journalist...

Once the news of a signing is out there, you will read my thoughts on it soon afterwards.

Until then, I'm saying nowt.