Brooke Guest

It is only a short time since there were grumblings in some quarters about our signing a young wicketkeeper from Lancashire, presumably as understudy to local hero, Harvey Hosein. 'Waste of money when we haven't got much' was the most common comment.

For that first summer, Harvey and Brooke Guest shared the role and between them did OK. The former was an organised batter and solid wicketkeeper, the latter something of an unknown quantity and perhaps less experienced behind the sticks. With Hosein not really an aggressive batsman, he tended to play the long format, with the new man performing solidly, if not, spectacularly, in the shorter game.

Fast forward two years and Hosein is sadly out of first-class cricket after episodes of concussion, while Guest is established as a wicket-keeper bat of genuine talent. He maintains a high standard with the gloves, not yet Bob Taylor or Karl Krikken, but getting better all the time. He is not an especially demonstrative  player and doesn't often have to put in the dives that others do, tribute both to his fitness and his footwork.

I liked him from the start and especially enjoy how he martials the field, keeps people on their toes and is as energetic in the final session of a long day as the first. 

I have no idea how he handles batting three, after sometimes keeping for several sessions. Quite often he has come in early and effectively been an opener, yet he is a calming and reassuring presence at the crease.

He hasn't been as prolific in four day cricket this year as last, but has made up for it with punishing displays and a position at the top of the averages in the Vitality Blast. He was missed when a strain ruled him out at the start of the tournament and welcomed back with open arms on his return to fitness. After playing every game last season, the surprise was that a seemingly indestructible could pick up an injury, tribute to how well he takes the ball from a lively (and not always accurate) set of seam bowlers.

Some supporters might have been surprised at how easily he finds and clears the boundary, as he is not powerfully built like Tom Wood. His timing is key, however and while he can have a tendency to perish on the hook and pull, he also scores a lot of runs with those strokes.

With respect to Harvey, he wasn't a player who could play the type of knock that Brooke has produced this year. The only county keeper that could in my memory was James Pipe, though he was not as prolific. 

He averages just under thirty in all formats, figures that will likely head northwards in the years ahead. I would prefer to see him bat lower in the longer form, higher in the T20, where his speed between the wickets would be especially valuable. Certainly his partnerships with Anuj Dal are akin to Speedy Gonzalez meeting the Road Runner and such ability can frustrate any fielding side.

One of our successful imports from Lancashire, he is one of the few players in the eleven whose place is under no debate. He could easily be first choice for the next decade, the reassurance for Derbyshire being that counties can only have one wicket keeper and most have at least one good one.

Time will tell if Brooke is good enough to play for England, but he has the talent and the mental toughness to do so.

He is also an engaging young man with a ready smile and a friendly chirpiness that will serve him well through life. 

If Karl Krikken can recommend another two or three to Derbyshire of similar standard from Lancashire, no one will have any complaints.