It is safe to say that this has not been a good week for Derbyshire County Cricket Club.
Soon after the news broke of the club's caution after the Queen's Park abandonment of the Kent game, we hear that Shiv Thakor has been found guilty of exposure charges after two offences in June.
While I think that the club has been lucky to get away with just a warning over the abandonment, I am sure that their preemptive strike in admitting they will not play at Queens Park at that time of year again will have worked in their favour.
They are not daft at the club and we doubtless enjoyed a 'good earner' from the concert, but it is important not to lose sight of the fact we are a cricket club, not merely an outdoor concert venue. They will be aware of that and while the bulk of the money raised from the off-field activities goes into strengthening the playing squad, these activities must be around, and not at the expense of, the club's main function.
Of course, we all know that Chesterfield has drainage that, while improved, could be a whole lot better. We also know that the British climate is such that they could arrange their matches for Chesterfield in June and July, then still struggle to play.
Such is the situation at an outground and the club would be criticised if they spent 50K on improving the drainage on a ground they used for less than ten days a year. Truth be told, many of us, myself included, would love to see more cricket at Chesterfield, but the reality is that this won't happen, any more than Middlesex would play half their games at Uxbridge. Nor is there another ground of sufficient standard for more than very occasional cricket. While the romance of returning to Buxton, Ilkeston and Burton is there, it isn't going to happen unless there is a Derbyshire Getty who develops a local Wormsley Park and the requisite infrastructure for first-class cricket.
As for Thakor, the club quickly issued a statement last night to say that they will review the case, following its conclusion.
The time for further comment will come when they have done so, but it is safe to say that the whole episode has been hugely disappointing, for both player and club.
I will be back soon, but I hope that I am soon able to post news of something more positive from the club's perspective.
It has been a wretched few days.
The club were chancing it when they moved the game for the reasons they did and they made a mistake doing so. As for Thakor, my hope is that he turns out next season and rewards the loyalty of the club.
ReplyDeleteWhat he's done is unacceptable but not incompatible with a return to professional sport.
Sacked. Fair play Derbyshire. Someone else will get a good cricketer in a year or so.
ReplyDelete