Weekend warmer

It's been a good week.

It started with media news that Shoaib Bashir has been awarded an England central contract, which has yet to be confirmed by the ECB. This would be good news for Derbyshire, if true, because they have doubtless been keeping money aside to cover the cost of his deal, 'just in case'. 

One assumes that Cricinfo wouldn't go public if there was any doubt, but until the puffs of smoke come from the ECB offices, we will hold our horses on the celebratory lap of honour...

In other news, both Martin Andersson and Nye Donald have enjoyed success in the Canadian T10. Sixes rained from their bats, although to be fair they rained from everyone's bats on football grounds, where the straight boundaries, playing across the pitch, were minimalist. It reminded of Heanor, back in the day, although the mid wicket boundaries, to the ends of the football pitch, were bigger. Anyway, it is good to see them playing on the world stage and I wish them continued good. fortune. I wouldn't want to be a bowler, on those grounds, that's for sure!

Vancouver Anchors, coached by Mickey Arthur and featuring Andersson and Donald, lost in the final to the Toronto Sixers, despite scoring 164-3 in their ten overs. Their opponents lived up to their name by scoring nineteen of them, in winning off the final ball. Doesn't sound like my kind of game, but each to their own...

There's been a little to-ing and fro-ing in cricket, with the most surprising departure being Ben Cox leaving Leicestershire. He had a very good summer with bat and gloves for them and apparently didn't miss a chance in red ball cricket. I had assumed he would go to Nottingham, where he has played for the Trent Rockets, but they have signed John Simpson from Sussex and the other likely option, Warwickshire, have the highly-rated Kai Smith behind the stumps. 

I would be surprised if Cox, a multi-format player, dropped out of the first-class game, because I've always rated him highly. It is worth keeping an eye on that one.

Moving on, I have enjoyed your comments this week and the standard remains very high, so thank you. I have to say that whether paid early, on a discounted scheme, or at the usual rate cricket membership at Derbyshire, for me, represents very good value. 

If you compare what you get for it with a season ticket for the football, for example, the value becomes clear. I do understand the reluctance in some quarters to shell out, after the comments made by Mickey Arthur, but what you get for your outlay is pretty good value. 

Having said that, they do need to do something about the food offer on the ground. I was disappointed on my visit to Derby this year, to find you couldn't buy a sandwich on the ground. This would seem a very basic need for people who will be at the cricket all day, as well as being something easily sorted. Not everyone wants an industrial-sized sausage roll and when these, or pasties, were the only visible options, the club is hardly catering for the healthy eating agenda...

Yesterday I was thrilled to enjoy a lengthy chat with Daryn Smit,  on his coaching career, his work with Derbyshire and his hopes for the future. 

We covered a lot of ground, so much so that we will finish things off this week, before I start to write it up. I can say with great confidence that you are going to love this and I am grateful to Daryn for giving up his time to talk to me. 

In closing tonight, I'm thrilled to announce that the blog has now gone past nine million views. I remain both humbled and flattered by the continued interest of so many people and I really do value both your comments and also the emails that I get on a regular basis. 

Thank you all so much for your support. I WILL continue with the blog, at least until this time next year, when I will review things after what will have been twenty seasons of coverage. 

Where did that time go? 

Enjoy your weekends!