We didn't see him play in 2026 and we saw a very limited version of him in 2025. Anyone who has had a bad shoulder injury will know how debilitating it is and Pat's affected both his ability to bowl and to throw.
The club must be confident that the operations he has had on the shoulder - and a further one to tidy things up - will have the desired effect and allow him to play in 2027. It is important that comments on that contract reflect the bowler that we saw in 2024, when his variations, much as they did when he first burst onto the scene, caused consternation among batters. Back then, he was quick, yet with no discernible change to his action he had several variants. He could also nail the yorker with greater frequency than most and that was missed this year.
You don't make international standard without having something going for you and at his best both his bowling and fielding are of the highest class.
My understanding is that he is available for all formats, yet the likelihood is that Derbyshire will focus on getting him fit for white ball cricket, where where it is clear that his strength lies.
I hope he returns to his best. If he doesn't, I would think it unlikely the contract will be renewed again, but if he can return to the player that we saw in his first season, he offers something special to the bowling line up. He needs only to look at how Ben Aitchison has recovered so well from major injury for inspiration.
There's a lot of work ahead, but I wish him well, as I'm sure you all do.
Hopefully we can see Pat, Zak Chappell, Rory Haydon and Harry Moore all fully fit in 2027.
It would make a considerable difference to our prospects.
Oh dear. Not the right decision IMO
ReplyDeleteJohn Life Member
Not for me. I would rather spend our limited budget elsewhere. Grant from Telford
ReplyDeleteBut on who, Grant? It is a very uninspiring list of players technically available this year. Whoever we were going to sign has to potentially offer more than Brown and it speaks volumes that even with the concern over his fitness, he is deemed a better option.
DeleteA year from now it may turn out to be inspired, or a mistake. I hope for his sake that it works out, because he undoubtedly has talent
We need a death bowler in white ball cricket and Pat has done it well enough in the past to get selected for England.
ReplyDeleteAssuming he is going to be over his fitness problems before the white ball season next year ,this has to be a good decision. Martin