Merry Christmas!

There is just time before the festivities and excitement start to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and the best for 2021.

If has been a challenging year for all of us. Many have lost loved ones and the changes to our lives have presented fresh challenges. 

I apologise for the comparative lack of winter blogging, but while I escapes the worst ravages of Covid-19, I have had the issue of what doctors think is 'long Covid' to deal with. It saw me off work for four months in the summer and struggling with chronic fatigue since. Writing has been more of a challenge than it ever has been, or should be, so I have been putting out what was required, when I was able to do so.

Hopefully the passing of time will aid recovery and by the time April comes around I will be more like my normal self. 

I haven't said anything up to now, but I know there are others in a similar situation and I hope it reassures you that you aren't alone. Thankfully my family are fine and we have a lovely Christmas to look forward to. I will get there too, but I just wanted to assure you that I haven't lost interest in the blog! 

Thank you all for your support in 2020 and here's to a 2021 that is full of exciting cricket and a Derbyshire side that, while young, can compete with the best.

I look forward to seeing them, hopefully in person, at various parts of the summer. 

Keep well and have a lovely Christmas and New Year! 

Kirby leaves for Somerset

There is a big appointment coming up for Derbyshire at the end of January, as Steve Kirby leaves his role as county bowling coach to take on a similar position at one of his old counties, Somerset.

He has made a big impression in the last two years and been a major factor in the development of young bowlers. He helped Mikey Cohen settle in this country by having him lodge with him and is credited for his role in their development by several young bowlers.

It was always likely to be a short term role for a highly regarded coach. He has made a big impression and the key for Derbyshire is now in the appointment of the successor. 

Having lost the services of Ravi Rampaul with the fall out from Brexit, then decided against offering a new deal to Tony Palladino, the club has thrown all its eggs into the youth basket where bowling is concerned.

Of the current bowlers on the staff, only Luis Reece can be considered experienced at this level, with Messrs Conners, Aitchison, Cohen, Melton and Hudson-Prentice all having much less than a full season of the first - class game behind them. They will hope that Sean Abbott is able to become the attack's spearhead, assuming he is allowed to play by the Australian cricket authorities, but the new bowling coach will have an obvious key role at the club.

Many will look to Tony Palladino as an option, which I would be happy with. Yet I understand he is starting a new role outside the game in the new year and he may or may not wish to return to county cricket. 

Perhaps former county favourite Graham Wagg could be another option, though whether he is ready to call time on his playing career is a big question. There was a time when Steffan Jones would have been perfect, but he has a globe-trotting niche as a fast bowling expert now and we would be unlikely to be able to afford him.

There will be other options and plenty of interest, for sure. 

The importance of the appointment cannot be underestimated. 

First round of four day fixtures out

The fixtures are out and we can start planning annual leave, days in the sun and watching Derbyshire play some cricket.

Theoretically, at least. 

Covid-19 notwithstanding, I would like to think that at least socially distanced cricket watching may be possible next summer. We have a strong group with reigning champions Essex in it (playing at Chesterfield too!) while Durham, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Nottinghamshire make up the numbers.

It is always Nottinghamshire, of course and would be if we were having a karaoke competition. But we showed last year, in that most memorable of games at Trent Bridge, that we can beat them. There is no one to be frightened of and Dave Houghton, on the club site today, has reason to be bullish about our chances.

I am most excited about the away game against Durham. The scheduling of this means I  could see at least three days of the game and not need to take annual leave, so I will keep an eye on that one, for sure.

Mind you, it is in April. The Riverside is pretty chilly at the best of times and I will need to ensure plenty of layers of clothing for that one!

Playing each side home and away in the first conference makes sense and here's hoping for plenty of dry weather, an end to Covid and some fine cricket from the Derbyshire side...

Melton signs on as overseas player

With no disrespect intended to an extremely likeable bloke, today's announcement of Dustin Melton as one of Derbyshire's overseas players for 2021 will have raised a few eyebrows.

I cannot think of another player who has been given such a 'gig' after a short first-class career in which he has taken just ten first-class wickets at 38 runs each.

It is a leap of faith in some eyes and undoubtedly a surprise.

And yet, if you give the subject due consideration, it makes a lot of sense. In limited appearances last season, Dustin took eight first-class wickets at 29, bowling with pace and hostility, not unlike a latter-day Ole Mortensen in his aggressive style. He ran in hard, zipped it about and got good wickets with a high level of fitness that let him bowl for long spells. He showed, in bowling the successful final over against Leicestershire in the T20, that he handles pressure well. 

I liked him when I first saw him in the second team, his pace disconcerting a few at that level, though his wayward, nervy debut against Australia was not fully indicative of his talent.

He can still be prone to a wayward spell, as in the second innings against Lancashire at Liverpool last year, but there is potential there. His progress under Steve Kirby is marked and another winter of work should see further development.

Dustin will take a place in a young seam attack featuring Ben Aitchison, Michael Cohen, Sam Conners and possibly an overseas seamer, with good support from a plethora of all rounders.

I suspect that the challenges of finding overseas players for next year played a part. No one knows what the global impact of Covid-19 will continue to be, or how much cricket will be played at this stage. A limited number of players will want to commit to such a role, especially in a slog around the county circuit for several months. Finances will also play a part, with the club's income streams reduced this year and potentially next.

Engaging Melton while he qualifies to play in this country by residence makes sense in the long-term. The experience may benefit us for years to come and I have no doubt that he will work very hard to continue his improvement. By 2022 he should be English-qualified. 

I wish him well. With Ben McDermott also engaged for one-day cricket, one assumes the third permitted overseas player (two can play in any match) will be a seam bowler or an all rounder. No doubt close tabs are being kept on Sean Abbott, but a player who will offer with bat and ball, especially in the one-day game, will be highly prized. A spinner would be nice for late season, but there aren't too many in the world game who are willing or able to come. 

In closing, congratulations to Dustin. He is a lovely bloke, unless he is 22 yards away with a ball in his hand. The club's social media today highlighted what it means to him and how grateful he is for the opportunity. 

It could turn out to be an inspired bit of work by Dave Houghton and is worth keeping an eye on.

With decent luck and continued hard work, Dustin will get his share of wickets next season. 

And beyond.