The case for Mickey Arthur

Regular readers of this blog will already know this, but I disagree with the comments of those suggesting that there should be a parting of the ways with Mickey Arthur.

For one thing, the club could not afford to pay off a coach of that stature. Someone of international reputation seldom becomes available, very rarely does so with Derbyshire in mind and even less frequently opts to join the county.

By the time his contract is up, Arthur will have been at Derbyshire for four seasons, assuming that he doesn't decide combining the role with his position in Pakistan is too much in between times. But I expect him to honour that deal and preserve his reputation as a coach in doing so.

Season one, by general consensus, held considerable promise. The batting improved, we were harder to beat, one of the overseas recruits was outstanding and several players made positive steps forward. There was a very good T20 campaign, the only black mark being the final 'display' at Somerset, when we didn't really turn up.

Season two, this year, has been a disappointment. I will not deny that and for me the wheels started to come off when Arthur was allowed to job share the role with the one in Pakistan. I do not think there can be any doubt that this had a negative impact on morale at the club, even if no one has openly made such a comment.

Perhaps the Head of Cricket is one of those rare people who can combine two high profile roles with success. It may be that next season we're all sitting in front of our computers and waxing lyrical over a summer of great enjoyment and progress. 

But to ensure balance, it doesn't look that way right now. Poor decisions were made last season, with regard to the retention of some players in the hope they might progress further, but perhaps we were limited by the availability of those who might improve things.

One of the overseas recruits for the first two seasons, Suranga Lakmal, has been a disaster. There is no other way to put it, given that he has missed at least half of his time with the county through injury, and looked anything but a cricketer of high international pedigree in the rest. There has been the occasional flicker, but a man brought over to lead an otherwise young attack has been unable to do so. The averages do not lie and eight wickets at 54 each is a meagre return on a sizeable investment.

Yet Shan Masood was a resounding success. So too was Zaman Khan this year, whose variations in pace and toe crushing yorkers were wonderful to watch, unless you were 22 yards away. While the jury is out on Haider Ali, who found unusual ways of getting out and never learned the benefits of playing straight early on, no one could deny that he entertained royally. A century at Chesterfield was a season highlight for me and he had an excellent attitude from start to finish.

So what about season three? I have said all along that this will be the season by which Mickey Arthur would be judged. He has assessed his staff, realised that some of them were not quite of the requisite standard and put plans in place to improve things. 

Both Zak Chappell and Matt Lamb have improved the overall quality of the side, although the latter has found his season sadly truncated by a back injury that may require winter surgery. David Lloyd looks like he will do the same, while Pat Brown is a trade up on George Scrimshaw and certainly more likely to play different formats.

Mohammad Amir's reputation precedes him and has said that he would play for any Mickey Arthur team, anywhere in the world. He is a world class operator and in a 2024 season where competition for the best will be severe, the Derbyshire supremo has got a head start on the opposition in his overseas recruitment.

I understand additional signings are not too far away and Arthur is a major reason in people being willing to come to the county. How would Amir feel now, were Derbyshire to change tack? Or the others for that matter? 

Mistakes have been made, on and off the pitch. The Godleman situation has been an unnecessary distraction, perhaps Arthur's style of man management has not always been what was needed at this level. Certainly blameless pitches at Derby have seen us hard to beat, but if the groundstaff are given leeway to leave more grass on next year, there is talent in the squad to make the third year a special one.

If the remaining three signings (after all, he said there would be six) are up to the standard of the first three, our squad in 2024 should be the strongest for years. With players of such quality to add to the likes of Madsen, Guest, Reece and Dal, Derbyshire SHOULD challenge in all formats next summer.

Get the pitches right and manage the group properly. The results should follow. If they do, we can all acknowledge a slow build done well. 

If they don't, then questions should and will be asked.

I am hopeful and will keep my fingers crossed that optimism is justified.