I have no idea where Mickey Arthur will look for next year's overseas replacement for Shan Masood. The reality is that the international calendar is so congested these days that no major cricketing nation has a free English summer next year.
The best bet for Derbyshire and indeed any county, would be to find a player as we did with Suranga Lakmal, who was finishing with international cricket. Such a player offers the greater opportunity of availability, but one can never legislate for injury, as we found this year.
The three countries who have the least international commitments in 2023 between April and September are South Africa, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Has anyone in the current South African setup impressed you? Or might Mickey Arthur go back to the countries he has most recently worked with for another diamond such as Masood?
I can see the merit in a like for like replacement, an opening batsman to set the standard. But I can also see major benefits in perhaps bringing in a spin bowling all rounder, adding depth to the batting and an additional weapon when what looks likely to be a strong seam attack doesn't find conditions in its favour.
Of the three spinners who have played for Derbyshire this year, Alex Thomson started well and offered additional batting support at number 8, but has played little cricket in recent weeks. Mattie McKiernan bowled well in the Vitality Blast and has batted solidly all summer, but hasn't looked a spinner likely to take wickets in the longer format.
Meanwhile, Mark Watt did a very good job in limited overs cricket and may be an option for a full-time contract. However, a Derbyshire side with Watt at number eight, with the greatest of respect, has a long tail. I think that Ben Aitchison has the talent to develop as a batsman, while Zak Chappell has the potential to improve in that area too.
For me, there lies the great dilemma for Mickey Arthur this winter. His engine room between 3 and 7 looks pretty good. But is the opening batting a bigger issue than the need for a spinner? Luis Reece suggested in the fifty over competition that he is rediscovering his best batting form, but will still be disappointed with his figures from the summer as a whole.
Meanwhile, Billy Godleman has had a summer to forget, following one little better last year. No one is more grateful and appreciative of what Billy has done at Derbyshire than I am, but the figures don't stack up. Can we afford an alternative opening batsman, is Harry Came an option for that role? We must assume that education will take up much of Mitch Wagstaffe's time for now and Tom Wood seems an unlikely opener, at least in the 4-day game.
I don't think that we will have a lot of money to spend on team improvement this year, but we either need an opening batsman and/or a spin bowling all rounder in that overseas role for me.
Thoughts?
I'd prefer an opening batsman. Shan Masood has shown what a difference a prolific run scorer can make at the top of the order. Quite apart from Billy Godleman's loss of form, I think that in four day cricket, it makes sense to use Luis Reece as a middle-order batsman and support seam bowler. Luis is a very good cricketer, but in the past he has been overworked. Harry Came has scored two half-centuries in 17 first class innings, so although we hope for his continuing improvement, it would be a risk to rely too heavily on it.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree about the need to find a good opening partnership. That's been one of our major weaknesses this season. Billy's had a shocker and Reece has been patchy in the CC. Harry Came is beginning to develop, with 215 runs in has last six innings, including two scores of 70 plus, but I don't think he has what it takes to open the batting, at least not yet. And Tom Wood has yet to prove himself in the CC.
ReplyDeleteWe need to recruit a couple of players with experience and a good batting average. I've no idea who that might be. I'm pretty sure Mickey will find someone.
The bowling attack , barring any turnover looks strong … Scrimshaw , Chappell, Lakmal, Aitcheson,Connors,Potts,Reece allows for rotation and competition . Middle Order is healthy ,if it was my budget I’d be going after 2 opening batsmen one of whom overseas . Dickson at Durham out of contract this year and might be worth a punt . I agree an experienced overseas player post Test Cricket would be ideal but struggling to think of many ( Khawaja, Guptill, Bancroft ,Kuhn , Tamin..)
ReplyDeleteAccording to Cricinfo Fakhar Zaman injured and out of Pakistan's T20 so Shan Masood called up. Does this mean we have seen the last of him?
ReplyDeleteYes, that's him for this year. What a season, what a player
DeleteInterested in particular in your comments on the spinners. Alex Thomson did, as you say have an excellent start to the season, both with the ball and the bat, though has been largely missing since. I suspect this is due to what seems to be Micky Arthurs horses for courses strategy where there are separate red and white ball specialists, with Thomson the red ball spinner and Watt/McKiernan operating in the white ball game.
ReplyDeleteI disagree slightly in your assessment of Mark Watt. It depends on whether you count success in terms of economy, where he has been very good, or in terms of wickets taken, where he has the lowest strike rate of any of the main bowlers. Mattie McKiernan has been much better at making key breakthroughs.
One problem with Watt is he'll miss games due to Scotland commitments.
ReplyDeleteRecently on a Leicestershire fans forum someone mentioned Derbyshire have offered a contract to Azad.
I had heard that Stuart, but not from a source I could verify. Rumours abound at this time of year and probably only 5% are true.
DeleteIt would make sense though. Averages top 30s and although a four day option only at Leicestershire, likely fits our area of need. And is out of contract..
One more thought, specifically on what we may require next year.
ReplyDeleteWe have been exceptionally fortunate this year that Brooke Guest has maintained fitness and form all season. To have played every single game is a very significant shift to have put in.
If we were able to source a batsman that could also keep wicket in at least some of the white ball matches would reduce the burden on Brooke.
Fair point, David. He has done very well to get through as he has and is a supremely fit lad. Strong contender for player of the year, for me. But a back up would be useful, though Brooke will want to play as many games as he can!
ReplyDeleteThe Derbyshire commentator on YouTube was hinting the other week that Brooke Guest won't be playing for Derbyshire next season
ReplyDeleteWell, he signed a contract for next year and in common with much of the squad, has it all to play for in 2023. MA will then reshape the squad as he sees fit. Another summer like this one he will be in demand, but there are plenty of players out there and the side of 2024 will, I suspect, be very different.
DeleteI just hope that our finance team can match MA’s ambition. I am sure he appreciates our limitations but to find someone of his calibre willing to take on a budget restricted project is rare. His enthusiasm is sure to be blunted if we continually lose our best talent. I feel that next year will be a make or break one - a success in any competition will help convince players and management we are the “club of choice”
DeleteCraig
Must have missed this somewhere peakfan, but I've only just read that Shan Masood will don Yorkshire colours next season, disappointed in that but not surprised in the slightest
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'm missing something, but the overseas player seems to me to be staring you in the face--especially with Mickey Arthur's coaching history. Abdullah Shafique, surely? He's an exact fit for both Masood and your strategic needs (opening batter), he's probably the most exciting young batting talent in the world at the moment, and--as someone not wanted in the IPL nor, seemingly, in Pakistan's white-ball team--he's going to be available for five months of the season unless the FTP changes. Frankly, I'm amazed that no county signed him this season.
ReplyDeleteAs you hint Steve, the issue sounds like it's partly that the players you most need to release to make the team more competitive (Thomson, Godleman and Hughes to me) are still under contract for next season. Ideally I would have thought you'd release all three and replace them with a better red-ball spinner (Amar Virdi would be a prime target surely; he hasn't played a single Championship game for Surrey this year), a long-term replacement for Madsen (Fell? Lace? Thurston? Robbie White? Can't see anyone higher profile than that likely to be available...) and a second opener (because you seem to need two openers not one!)
Of the openers mentioned, Dickson would be a much better bet I think than Azad, who gets a LOT of low scores and whose average is unbalanced by one very good year. But there are a couple of other established openers who might be worth enquiring after because one seems to be treading water at his current county and the other seems to have been shafted by his county's recent recruitment policy, namely Ryan Patel and Nick Browne.
Dave
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DeleteWe definitely do not need to release Thomson.
DeleteShafique is a good call and Browne would be a good option too. Much depends on the available budget, of course. One would assume Shafique would cost less than Masood.
DeleteI agree on Thomson but he is one of several players who need to produce figures next year to illustrate they are better than bits and pieces men.
There is a solid nucleus in place and others need to kick on around them
Is Scrimshaw injured? He wasn't in our squad v Durham and he's missing again for the Glamorgan match.
ReplyDeleteI don't think George necessarily sees his future in 4 day cricket. By the same token I don't see us affording many single format players. Hopefully next year he can offer in other than T20
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