Season review - red ball

It is easy to forget, when preparing an end of season review for 2025, that until the Vitality Blast began, everything in the garden was rosy.

Derbyshire were unbeaten and had shown considerable adhesive qualities in holding out for draws in difficult situations. Perhaps this masked inadequacies and the advent of the white ball game saw different fortunes and a team with obvious flaws.

That being the case, any review of the summer should be in two parts, so this one looks at the red ball summer.

Derbyshire finished third, a reward for some good cricket played, yet also recognition that the bowling lacked a certain something to force results. 

The batting was largely fine, apart from a couple of failed run chases and it was once again led by the incomparable Wayne Madsen. As well as skippering the side with flair, Madsen passed his thousand runs and averaged 58 in a season in which he made his 500th appearance for the county. How much longer he can continue is anyone's guess, but there was no evidence of a diminution of his powers and while next season is the last of his present deal, it would be wrong to think it definitely his last. His is still the most valued wicket in the side, which tells its own story.

Caleb Jewell did a fine job after arriving from Tasmania, passing a thousand red ball runs at the first attempt. An average of just under 50 speaks of his consistency, but next year he will want to convert more of his fifties into centuries, to go with the imperious but solitary double ton that he made this year. In full flight he is a joy to watch, but to force his way into the thoughts of Australian selectors he needs to convert more of those starts.

Harry Came had a solid summer too and at times looked a very good player. There are times when he struggles to get his feet going and the scoring rate dries up, but when he is 'in' the strokes are crisp and the aesthetics at a high level. His on drive is a trademark shot and indicative of his game at its best. He will be a big player next year.

Conversely, David Lloyd again struggled to convert many starts into scores of substance. I always enjoyed watching him, as he was usually assertive from the outset, but I feel we never saw the best of him in Derbyshire colours. It was no real surprise when his retirement was announced at the end of the summer, a year before the end of his contract. 

Martin Andersson arrived from Middlesex and exceeded all expectations with three centuries. He looked a very good bat at times, though his bowling was limited by a longstanding injury. A safe pair of hands anywhere, he will feel he has made a point this year and can grow still further in 2026.

Brooke Guest remained a solid bat and his glovework remained at a very high standard. He will be disappointed to have not added to his tally of centuries for the county, but a move down the order offered less opportunity. His wicket keeping is rarely mentioned, merely because he has set expectations to a level from which he rarely drops.

Luis Reece was player of the season. With a red ball average of 64 with the bat, as well as fifty wickets at 19, his all round game was a huge asset to the side. All the more remarkable was that he did this despite an ankle injury that will require winter surgery. He is ideally a stabilising influence in the middle order, as the workload of opening batting and bowling is too much for any man. Yet in the final game he scored a double century and took five wickets in the second innings, doing just that. A very special player.

Anuj Dal wasn't at his best in 2025 and only registered a half century in his final innings of the summer. Injuries didn't help him and his bowling tally was down on previous years too, though still finishing second in the averages. Rumours suggest that he might take up a career outside of the game this winter, but we must await developments on that one.

Zak Chappell continued to improve his batting figures and can now be considered a genuine all-rounder. He will have wanted to take his wickets at lesser cost, however and with young seamers emerging from the Academy he will need to work hard to maintain his place in a first choice side. Yet he stayed fit all summer, which few others managed and remains a key player.

Ben Aitchison returned from around 18 months out with major back surgery and was a highlight of later season. Once he got his rhythm back and realised his body could stand up to the rigours of the game, he was the best red ball seamer after Reece. It will be interesting to see how he goes next year, with the benefit of a full winter of training and perhaps a top overseas alongside him.

Blair Tickner made a big impression on everyone with a bright and engaging personality, together with a whole-hearted approach. Sadly, the wickets didn't come in sufficient numbers for an overseas leader of the attack and the county will look elsewhere for 2026. 

Jack Morley bowled some fine spells, but at other times struggled with line and length. He is young enough to come again, but 27 wickets at 47 confirms a work in progress. With Matt Montgomery offering a potential spin option as well as top level batting next year, he will need to keep working hard.

Meanwhile Alex Thomson slipped out of the picture after an injury and appears likely to be released. With Joe Hawkins emerging from the Pathway and needing opportunity, Alex will likely prove a very handy professional in league cricket, should he choose to go down that path. Another with an engaging personality, he never let the county down and always gave of his best, although hampered by injuries.

Others flitted in and out of the side but it would be unfair to critique their limited opportunities. 

The addition of Matt Montgomery and Amrit Basra should stiffen the batting for 2026, but to improve on this year we need a quality overseas strike bowler and more result pitches at Derby. Glamorgan and Leicestershire, sides not obviously better than Derbyshire, got promoted this year because they forced positive results more often and had pitches to encourage this. While I will not be critical of the excellent ground staff, they need to be encouraged to offer more balanced pitches next year, 

Overall? Improved, undeniably. But needing that extra something to push for promotion another year. But as 'Lancashire Fan' pointed out below yesterday's post, we end the summer in far better shape than most in the division.

While not suggesting that 2025 was a vintage summer, the right overseas signing could make 2026 one that is well worth watching.

All being well, it will be my 60th as a Derbyshire supporter and my 19th writing this blog. This summer saw first five and then five and a half million views reached, a clear indication that plenty of people are interested in Derbyshire - and indeed county - cricket.

Durham's capitulation against Yorkshire today means I might even get a relatively 'local' red ball game to attend...

Anyway, thank you once again for sticking with me over the season-long journey. 

Your support and kind words are always very much appreciated.