We have seen Wayne Madsen, crazily overlooked by the Johannesburg Super Kings, make an important, unbeaten 44 from 29 balls to help them win only their third match of ten, while chasing 204 to win against the Durban Super Giants (no modesty in these names, eh?!)
Then Samit Patel followed a breezy 32 by taking 0-8 in 3 overs in one match, with 2-14 in a second as his team, the Sylhet Strikers, won both of them in the Bangladesh Premier League.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Amir continued an outstanding winter with successive figures of 3-34 and 2-29 for the Desert Vipers in the ILT20 in Abu Dhabi.
When you also consider that the likes of Ross Whitely, Nye Donald, David Lloyd, Luis Reece, Zak Chappell and Brooke Guest will be in the Derbyshire T20 side this summer, we should see some very large crowds and more than our fair share of wins in 2024. It really promises to be special and if those named above live up to their reputations, we should have no reasons for complaint.
I don't think it will be too long before we hear Mickey Arthur's plans for the second overseas role. Will he split it, or has he found someone who would be an asset in all forms, like Mohammad Amir?
Someone I mentioned a few weeks back, who I would love for the T20 was Imad Wasim, now retired from the international game. In the past few days he became only the fifth Pakistan player to go past 300 wickets in the short format.
Interestingly, three of the others have played for Derbyshire. Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir and Shahid Afridi are the players in question, the other being Sohail Tanvir. It is thus fair to say that country has been a fine source of overseas talent for the county.
More from me in the course of the next week. Who knows, perhaps the next piece I write is about that crucial second overseas role...
I don't like this overhyping optimism for next season before a ball has been bowled. We are only too aware of previous examples of this. Whilst being positive,let's see how things develop in the early season matches.
ReplyDeleteWell, better to be an optimist than pessimist! And the squad looks stronger than for some time. If they play to potential and the coach gets the best from them, there is good reason for that optimism.
DeleteI would far sooner look to the positives and they are easier to find than some of my time...
Derbyshire T20 side? Don't you mean the Derbyshire Super Falcons?
ReplyDeleteAgree the picture looks promising in the shortest format. Very excited to see who comes in as second overseas. Aaron Hardie would be my pick, a star of the near future.
What's the story with Amir? I'm reading he's signed for the first half of the season as an overseas. But also that he's applied for British citizenship and may at some point be eligible as a local player rather than overseas. We'll need someone else for the seco d half of the season if he isn't staying behind the Blast.
Yes, Hardie looks a good player but most things point to Pakistan as the source of the overseas.
DeleteNot sure how that works with Amir. He will be a British citizen at some point but may want to retain his right to play lucrative T20 around the globe. It may not go to timescale, of course. And what we do may depend on how the first half of the summer goes. It's a good question..
See Hardie has now gone to Surrey..
DeleteDespite the weather, the season isn't far away. here is my side to start the season, injuries and second overseas permitting;
ReplyDelete1) Came
2) Reece
3) Guest
4) Madsen
5) Lloyd
6) Donald
7) Dal
8) Thomson
9) Chappell
10) Conners
11) Amir
Can't argue with that side, Anon (please use a name though, thanks!)
ReplyDelete