The story regarding Leus du Plooy moving to Middlesex was doing the rounds for weeks, as has been the move of George Scrimshaw to Northamptonshire, which was finally announced as completed today.
I didn't really understand the move of Leus and certainly don't follow the rationale of George moving to Northamptonshire. I can only assume that they have thrown a substantial amount of cash in his direction, which is fair enough, but from a cricket development perspective I don't think he will have done his career any favours.
The signing of Pat Brown from Worcestershire seemed very much a 'like for like' one, although Brown's interest in playing all formats made him a better option from a Derbyshire viewpoint. I don't really think that we can carry many single format players, given the limitations in our budget. One maybe, at most two, but such players have to be indispensable, for me.
I liked George, his pace and bounce was a handy weapon and he could have days when he looked really special - Taunton last year an excellent example of this. I could see with continued work that he could be a potential England player, but there have been signs that better players have worked him out a little.
Pulling and hooking got you into bother, cutting and upper cutting were the way to go. They carried risk, but the better players minimise risk and could render him expensive. He is fast and gets a lot of bounce, but his game was good for short forms, less viable for the four day game that I don't think is necessarily part of his career plan anyway.
Time will tell, but like any player who leaves Derbyshire, I wish him well. I don't subscribe to the outpouring, wailing and gnashing of teeth on social media this morning, because I am happy to give Mickey Arthur the opportunity to make it HIS Derbyshire. What he does this close season and next year will likely define his era at the club, so I will gladly defer judgement for the time being.
More importantly, let's see what the rest of the season brings, in so far as departures and recruitment are concerned. Change is needed and appears to be underway.
Like everyone else, I expect to read of more in the weeks ahead.
I'm disappointed to see Scrimshaw leave. He's genuinely quick - and he sports the best moustache on the circuit.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that once players at the club start to achieve success on the field, they get noticed and then someone makes a move for them. In recent years, this has happened with Critchley, Hudson-Prentice (although his departure, apparently, was also due to wanting to move back to his home county to be nearer his family), du Plooy, and now Scrimshaw.
But I guess it's always been like this. Madsen is unusual in having played for us for 15 seasons.
Before them Slater, Weston, Blackwell, before them, Barnett, Bowler, Adams, Malcolm, Rollins etc
DeleteIt is the way of things, we need to do what we can to retain them, but I accept it is the way of the modern game. So we need to recruit cleverly and carefully, which will ultimately be the acid test.
These departures are not from a successful side. So can the changes turn it into one? We must wait to see
Wasn't it John Morris who said long ago, when he was coach, that this would be a perennial issue for a club like Derbyshire - talented players in the squad being poached by the wealthier counties, most likely in Division 1 and even more attractive if it's to a test match ground. Can't see that realistically changing unless we become more successful. Will that ever be the case if we are to continually loose talented players...
DeleteIan. South Africa.
DeleteThe same goes for Leicestershire and Worcestershire, though they've probably had it worse (we've poached a Worcester player) the last couple of seasons.
DeleteWorcestershire had a good team not too long, in division 1, won the T20, could even get promoted this season, and half the team has signed with Notts for next season.
Lloyd, Brown, and Amir is a good start for next season. I can see Mckiernan, Aitchison, and Lakmal all going anytime soon
ReplyDeleteOne is a possible, two would be unlikely (contracted and talented) three is certain.
DeleteAitchison has a couple of technical issues that may be causing back problems. The coaches need to sort them to get a good bowler back on track.
I don't begrudge Big George at all if it's for more money. Short career afterall as he'll well know given previous injuries.
ReplyDeleteAttack options for next season:
Pace: Conners, Aitchison, Chappell, Amir, Potts, Brown
Pace All Rounders: Dal, Lloyd, Reece
Spin including all rounders: Watt, McKiernan, Thomson
I think we need another pace bowler given injuries, Potts not really looking ready and some doubts I have as to how useful/how many overs we can get out of the all rounders given Reece will be opening the batting, Lloyd is maybe only just out of the part timer category (avg of 45) and Dal has had a poor season by his standards this year and won't be a given to play with the other two in the side as all rounders/part time options and Lamb in the wings if he doesn't improve. I hope and expect he will but we need a squad competitive enough that he needs to.
Spin bowlers I've no idea on contract statuses but feel they're all much of a muchness and all could be considered "fine". As such no real issue if we perhaps go to 2 of the 3 for next season rather than release 2 or even all 3 as find it hard to imagine there will be better available and I'd prefer we use the overseas slot for a batter like Josh Clarkson.
With Watt on Scotland duty next year, I doubt that he will be engaged. I'm not sure I would keep both existing spinners and McKiernan appears the most vulnerable.
DeleteFor me, a spin bowling all rounder would be top of my overseas list. The issue is there are very few better spinners out there than what we have. Get the tracks sorted, get Aitchison fit and the others back we aren't so bad.
But my big wish for next year is sort the Derby square!
You can't dig up the square re-lay it and expect to play on it next season it would have to be done in stages the answer to getting results at Derby is the same as it has been for decades ie leave some grass on the pitch
DeleteExactly, but authority for that must come from the HOC and needs decided and agreed now
DeleteLeus du Plooy’s move to Middlesex makes more sense to me than Scrimshaw’s to Northamptonshire. The former now has the cachet of Lord’s as a home ground, the prospect of living in London and will probably be playing the First Division of the County Championship, but Scrimshaw to Northants is an odd one. I can’t see that he is any more likely to be challenging for T20 Finals Day with them than he is with us, and I don’t imagine it makes him any more likely to be picked for England. It feels very much like a sideways move for him.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I suspect Worcestershire fans feel much the same way about Pat Brown leaving them for us. There are certain counties that you expect to lose players to, and we probably aren’t one of those. I hope it turns out to be a very fruitful move for him and that he can put his injury problems behind him. It could be just the fresh start that he needs and he should get more opportunities with us across all formats than he has had at New Road.
Regarding Luis du Plooy, while Middlesex appear to be a big club and more glamorous than Derbyshire, the last time they won a major trophy was 23 years ago when they won the T20. Also, they don't own Lord's. They rent it.
ReplyDeleteI don't blame Leus for leaving, but he might well find that he's joined another county that just isn't going to win anything.
Err … they won the County Championship in …. 2016
DeletePaul
They did Paul, but look some way from winning anything again. But I guess even the big counties have a finite number of players they can accommodate..though Notts don't seem to have reached capacity yet...
DeleteI'd join a club which won a competition before it came into existence! Now that's a serious approach to winning...:-)
DeleteDave
Yes, I should have remembered that Middlesex won the CC in 2016.
ReplyDeleteI'd like us to offer Mason Crane 3 years. Be our number one spinner in all formats and show us the form of a few years ago please. Kris
ReplyDeleteUnless he is best mates with Harry Came and will likely take a drop in wages, I can't see it. Sadly...
DeletePersonally, I am pleased with the Lloyd, Brown and Amir signings and not upset by the departure of Scrimshaw. There can be no argument whatsoever that Du Plooy is a significant loss as a batter but not as a Captain. I would be surprised if Lloyd doesn't replace him in the skipper's role and again ,I regard that as a positive development. From where I'm standing ,I feel lessons are being learned from this poor season and a more solid if not maybe spectacular squad is emerging. Thompson and Came have both progressed well this season and I await with anticipation news of further additions. There are areas where we are still very weak but at least it seems to me that consideration is duly being given to them and I am slightly more optimistic than say, a month or two ago.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Ray. And hopefully Lamb is fit next season and will be like another new recruit. Shaping up nicely!
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