Weekend news roundup

So Simon Hughes is the latest former player to decide to have a pop at Derbyshire, in a column in The Times this weekend.

He has made a good career in the media after playing for a number of years as a bit-part player at Middlesex. He had his days in the sun but never established himself as a regular and moved to Durham before slipping into the media.

This weekend he said: 

You question the raison d'etre of a club like Derbyshire... with a perennial position in the nether regions of Division Two and who haven't produced an England cricketer since Dominic Cork in 1995

For Hughes read Atherton and Pietersen. They were all happy enough to earn a crust in the first class game, but are now happy to question the existence of the member clubs who made their career.

I do get it, but it still annoys me. This is why I am so keen to see Derbyshire promote their own. Why I want to see the Pathway more obviously assimilated into the grand plan. Why I see no point in giving a short-term deal to a player who learned his skills elsewhere, rather than that opportunity going to one who has come through our age groups. You know who I am talking about..

But Hughes, like the others, neglects the fact that there is another side. Having more clubs ensures that late developers can sometimes throw themselves into contention for national selection. Mark Footitt came close, Nye Donald, George Scrimshaw and Shoaib Bashir made it, thanks to the experience and exposure that they got in Derbyshire colours. 

There were no takers for Bashir when he left Somerset. Had Derbyshire not taken him on, we would potentially have seen England 's number one spin bowler without a club. Of course, we don't know what happens with his central contract for the year ahead and a new decision will need to be made at the end of 2027, regardless of whether he retains it or not. I suspect he will need better figures than 2026, but we will see.

He is a young man with obvious talent yet needing the opportunity to bowl and keep bowling. The same with Nye Donald, who could easily be outside the game now, were it not for the opportunity he got in the East Midlands.

It isn't JUST about bringing through youngsters, but for Derbyshire to retain their relevance, it is imperative that we do more than merely pay lip service to the Pathway.

There is the quandary. In Mickey Arthur, we have a man who sits at the top table of English cricket and is well-placed to state the case of players like Bashir, Donald, maybe even Martin Andersson, if his upward trajectory continues. 

But his background shows zero evidence of the development of young players. You look at Glamorgan, Leicestershire, Worcestershire and even Gloucestershire and see counties who have had recent success with teams largely reared by themselves. Yet Derbyshire can't match that and until we have a Head of Cricket who is prepared to offer opportunity, my concerns will still be there. 

Of course, you can't just throw them in. You couldn't pluck Theo Brown out of school and expect him to flourish, any more than you could play Matt Stewart and expect him to take five wickets a match. To succeed, they need to come into a side where they can play a part and learn at the same time. But it is crucial that Arthur - assuming he remains after recent events - is seen to consider them for senior action. 

Yousaf Bin Naeem will only develop if he gets regular cricket at a higher level. And I will die on the hill on which I argue Matt Stewart being around the first team squad would have had greater value long term than Will Rogers providing 'a different angle'. 

When Arthur goes, it is crucial that he is replaced by someone who has clear evidence of being able to work with young players, get the best from them and encourage them into a senior side where they are surrounded by seasoned pros of quality. Like Barnett, Adams and Morris, when they joined people like Steele, Hampshire, Wright and Kirsten.

Hughes' article goes on to say that counties earn 'on average' £1.25 million a year on membership fees. I think it is fair to say that Derbyshire would love to earn that...

In other news, The Cricket Paper reported:

Wayne Madsen's retirement from T20 cricket was followed by his departure from the professional game, closing a 17-year Derbyshire association 

Thank you to Simon for alerting me to this. I can confirm that there is no truth in it at this stage and any development will be announced by the club when they are ready to do so. 

For what it is worth, I fully expect Wayne to play the red ball season next summer, which may well be an extended farewell around the country. 

But that old saying 'you're a long time retired' still holds true and if he showed that the old magic is still there, you never know. Just like Old Man River, he might just keep rolling along.

I am sure that he will want to join his family in South Africa before too long, but while the body is willing and the returns are good...

Anyway, enjoy your weeks and I will see you soon.