Team strengthening

There are a surprising amount of good county cricketers still seemingly out of contract as we get to the end of November.

Certainly there are some in the names below whose apparent availability is a surprise, but with Derbyshire in the market for players, a couple of these, maybe more, may hold considerable appeal. Nor should we discount potential signings of players who are still in contract, but want to be playing more senior cricket at this stage of their careers, or be given greater opportunity.

In highlighting the two names below I am not suggesting we are moving for them, nor indeed that they would come to Derbyshire. But nor should we discount the appeal of working with a coach of international renown,  which we now have in Mickey Arthur. That either would enhance our squad is, I think, beyond dispute. 

Danny Lamb

I am a big fan of the aggressive Lancashire all-rounder, a bustling right arm seamer and batsman. At 26 he should have played more than 19 first-class matches, but he always seems to take wickets and is a good enough batsman to have a century and three fifties to his name.

Economical in one-day cricket, might he be the latest from that county to move south, following Luis Reece, Ben Aitchison, Brooke Guest and Mattie McKiernan? Having Karl Krikken up there is no bad thing. There may well be a new deal for him, but is he happy to be merely a bit-part player? 

Paul Walter

The giant (6'7) Essex all rounder is similar to Lamb. 27 years old, he has only played 28 first-class matches but averages over 36, while striking at over 130 in T20.

As a bowler, he hits the deck hard and from that height will always be a handful, even if only offering occasional overs. He might have hoped for more cricket with the retirement of Ryan ten Doeschate, but the arrival of Matt Critchley takes that place. If there is interest, Andre Nel, his former coach and fellow Protea will be able to give Mickey Arthur chapter and verse on his merits.

There are others, like Shane Snater at Essex, Ned Eckersley at Durham and Tom Bailey at Lancashire, but I find it hard to believe they will not be offered and sign new deals. All are fine players with proven track records - indeed Eckersley seems to have amassed much of his career tally against us. 

Our need is for a younger, more affordable back up keeper, I think, with Brooke Guest one of those to shine in a poor 2021 and worthy of being first choice for now. There will be plenty around the circuit who would jump at the chance of fighting for the gloves. 

There are a few spinners around and seemingly available, like Aron Nijjar, Jack Shutt and Amar Virdi, but their career records suggest little major improvement on Alex Thomson and Mattie McKiernan. Maybe greater opportunity could be the making of them all, but our two simply have to play some cricket to find that out and make worthwhile the award of two and one-year deals respectively. . 

Were we to pick up either Lamb or Walter, one of our overseas roles could go to a spinner, or spin bowling all rounder. Sri Lanka have one or two, as do Pakistan and Mickey Arthur will know them all well from his previous roles. 

That would perhaps leave the other role (for four day cricket) ideally going to a top order batsman.

Getting the right man in would make such a difference, as well as giving additional confidence to those whose struggles in 2021 were a puzzle after erstwhile glories.

I suspect, as most counties do, that four and one-day recruitment will differ in personnel. The congested International calendar largely makes it so and fewer players want to condemn themselves to a full English summer. So while we would likely be thrilled at Dimuth Karunaratne, the Sri Lankan Test skipper, for four - day cricket, we might fancy Wanindu Hasaranga for the T20. Who wouldn't, eh?! 

As always, I welcome your thoughts and suggestions. I should point out I have erred on the side of affordability in the names above, so try to do the same if throwing a few names in the ring!