Going to be tricky...

By that, I mean this landmark signing.

Like a good few of you I've given it considerable thought over recent weeks since Chris Grant first announced his plan and I struggle to come up with many names.

I don't think for a minute that Paul Collingwood will come. For what its worth, I think that he probably went public with Derbyshire's interest to local radio to secure a better deal on his own patch in Durham. Call my cynical, but I don't see him making a move down the A1 sometime soon.

Ricky Ponting will, I think, be more likely to move into a media career after he finishes playing, so I don't see him being interested in a coaching/playing role, especially one where he has to commit to six months in England. He's previously said that the county circuit is hard work and it will be harder for him now than a few years back when he had a month at Somerset.

South Africa tour England next summer and I don't see Kallis, de Villiers, Smith et al opting for a county stint instead of the national side. In any case, all of them can make a lot of money in IPL, so don't really need county cricket. Given the Indian slogfest runs until May, they would miss the opening month at least, hardly what we would want.

If Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, New Zealand or Bangladesh have a supremo in their midst I can't think of one. India? I might have said someone like Rahul Dravid as a real wildcard, but he doesn't need county cricket and is revitalised this summer, so will be a fixture in the side once more. Fine player that he is, he doesn't strike me as a Barlow-type player. The West Indies are also here and their players are too laid back to galvanise a team too, so it pretty much leaves Australia for me.

To further complicate things, Australia play one-day games here too next summer, so you're looking at a player who may retire in the near future, or is now out of the international reckoning.

Which pretty much leaves me with only two names. Michael Hussey and Simon Katich. Hussey is still in the national side, but for how long is anyone's guess. He is also a successful IPL player, so could again be unavailable for the early season.

Which then leaves Katich. A first class average of 55 and Test one of 45 indicates a fine player, as we know full well from his season at Derby when he averaged over 70. He's not a one day player in my opinion and he wouldn't automatically be seen as another Eddie Barlow, but if I'm honest he's the only player, apart from Marcus North, who would appear to be free at this stage and experienced enough to lead by example to a young team.

North is less reliable as a batsman, but does offer a useful off-spin element as a player, He is another to enjoy a successful (albeit short) stint with the county and with five Test centuries hardly qualifies as a mug. Like Katich, North is a very good, experienced cricketer who more likely than not would be available for a full season.

What I'm less sure about would be two things. I'm not convinced either has much to offer for T20, so would prefer to see others in that competition. A top batsman and bowler for next season, if we really aim to compete, is a must. Otherwise it will be much the same as this year and last - plenty of promise but nothing to get overly excited about.

Secondly, I'm not convinced that North or Katich are necessarily players of a 'landmark' status, especially when they've already played for us. Having said that, I think they would be more successful than this year's overseas players, worthy as they have been and the signing of one of them might just leave scope in the budget for a T20 signing, maybe two.

Landmark? Probably not, but we've had our fair share of Primark over the years. If Chris Grant pulls off something more spectacular than that I will be seriously impressed.

As always, I welcome your thoughts and other suggestions. Bear in mind though, that the Saffers are here next summer so that will rule them out...