Smit double century as seconds draw

It must have been a jolly old morning at Belper today, as Derbyshire Seconds advanced their overnight 364-6 to 519-7 by the interval.

Full marks to the talented Rob Hemmings, who made a splendid 85 from 127 balls, but the star of the show was again South African Daryn Smit (pictured), who advanced his overnight 110 to an unbeaten 200 from 281 balls, with seventeen fours and four sixes. The pair added 211 in 43 overs, in what must have been something quite special to watch.

The game ended in a draw, with Ben Cotton picking up two and Hemmings one wicket before Neil Brand saw Glamorgan to a comfortable draw. Brand sounds like a player of talent and potential, but from a Derbyshire perspective, so does Smit.

It is hard to think he could have done more in two trial matches, keeping wicket tidily and recording scores of 59, 10 not and 200 not. It echoed the feats of Peter Kirsten when he arrived forty years ago and turned out for our second team and Smit could be an equally important player, if given the opportunity.

I fail to see how he couldn't be engaged on the back of his efforts, though of course am no more privy to the winter team-building plans than any of you. For me, it would be better to sign a player of established reputation back home, with one to build here, rather than one of a handful of keepers here who would be perhaps coming for one last pay day.

Unless we have AB de Villiers lined up as overseas ( a man can dream, huh?), Smit would do me very nicely and would doubtless be an asset in all forms of the game. I'd have liked to see him bowl a few overs today, as others have commented, but you need someone competent behind the timbers and maybe no one was up to that role.

Here's hoping there will be appropriate conversations in the next few days. If he turned out half as good as Wayne Madsen we'd have few complaints and I suspect he would be much more than that. Nor do I fear another Dominic Telo, a player of talent but one who played most of his domestic cricket at a lower level than the county game and struggled here. One doesn't skipper a South African franchise side, as Smit has, without having something special to offer.

Anyway, that's it from me for now. As I mentioned earlier in the week, hand surgery awaits tomorrow and a little enforced down time. Should any news break, I'll be back courtesy of my daughter, be assured of that.

Meantime, enjoy your weekend!

PS Thanks to those who were at Belper for their informed and well-expressed comments. Very much appreciated