Friday, 5 August 2011
Collingwood stays with Durham
No surprise that eh? As I said the other night, I don't think he ever intended to come and simply used our interest as a stepping stone to a better contract.
Funny how time slips away...
My lovely wife Sylvia, or Mrs P as I like to call her on this blog, came up to me last night when I was typing the blog and put her arms around me.
In her normal, lovely, gorgeous way she kissed my cheek and whispered in my ear.
"Do you remember what happened 25 years ago this weekend?" she asked.
"Of course I do," I replied with a smile, having made sure to check earlier in the evening. I looked into her eyes.
"We lost a three-day game against Sussex at Eastbourne, despite "Bud" Hill scoring an unbeaten century in the first innings..."
She laughed at my little jape. We've been married 25 years on Sunday, so this weekend is a cavalcade of festivities, meals and celebration. Its quite a feat, though still some 33 years behind my parents, who are still going strong after 58 years of marriage.
To be fair, Derbyshire have come out at the other end in better shape than they started our marriage. Barnett, Hill, Morris, Miller and Malcolm were joined by lesser names such as Finney, Roberts (good batsman, poor starter), Warner (steady stalwart) Sharma and Marples. We lost that game by three wickets and I didn't find out until we got home two weeks later to our new house, where the paper boy had thoughtfully left all the papers as I'd forgotten to cancel them...
The intervening years have seen more bad years than good at the cricket, but lots of good times marriage-wise. If the Derbyshire batting line-up had been as reliable as Mrs P we'd have done a lot better. If the side had been as much fun as the kids we'd have 5,000-plus members...
Yet still I follow their fortunes. I'll never love Derbyshire cricket as much as my family, but they come a pretty good second. I don't think any of them will follow in my footsteps of following the county through thick and thin, but it doesn't matter that much.
Here's to the next 25 years of marriage, all being well. If the cricket club manages to give me as much enjoyment and fun over the forthcoming years I reckon it will be a blast!
In her normal, lovely, gorgeous way she kissed my cheek and whispered in my ear.
"Do you remember what happened 25 years ago this weekend?" she asked.
"Of course I do," I replied with a smile, having made sure to check earlier in the evening. I looked into her eyes.
"We lost a three-day game against Sussex at Eastbourne, despite "Bud" Hill scoring an unbeaten century in the first innings..."
She laughed at my little jape. We've been married 25 years on Sunday, so this weekend is a cavalcade of festivities, meals and celebration. Its quite a feat, though still some 33 years behind my parents, who are still going strong after 58 years of marriage.
To be fair, Derbyshire have come out at the other end in better shape than they started our marriage. Barnett, Hill, Morris, Miller and Malcolm were joined by lesser names such as Finney, Roberts (good batsman, poor starter), Warner (steady stalwart) Sharma and Marples. We lost that game by three wickets and I didn't find out until we got home two weeks later to our new house, where the paper boy had thoughtfully left all the papers as I'd forgotten to cancel them...
The intervening years have seen more bad years than good at the cricket, but lots of good times marriage-wise. If the Derbyshire batting line-up had been as reliable as Mrs P we'd have done a lot better. If the side had been as much fun as the kids we'd have 5,000-plus members...
Yet still I follow their fortunes. I'll never love Derbyshire cricket as much as my family, but they come a pretty good second. I don't think any of them will follow in my footsteps of following the county through thick and thin, but it doesn't matter that much.
Here's to the next 25 years of marriage, all being well. If the cricket club manages to give me as much enjoyment and fun over the forthcoming years I reckon it will be a blast!
New contracts for Clare and Durston
Last week I wrote that Derbyshire would be busy offering contracts to players right now. Karl Krikken will have identified players that he wants to retain and those negotiations will be undertaken and concluded by Chris Grant.
Today comes news that Jonathan Clare has signed a three-year deal, while Wes Durston has signed for two years. Both are good news for me. Clare showed last night that his confidence in his shoulder now allows him to bowl at nearly 90mph, while Durston batted and bowled well in the match, as well as fielding with his customary brilliance.
It was just a shame that collectively we lost it last night. As a contributor says below, Mark Turner was again wildly erratic and has a lot of work to do in the winter. Guptill's batting made me wonder why he had such travails in the Championship this year, but the way in which both he and Durston gave it away when they were coasting the game was disappointing.
Greg Smith played a strange shot, Whiteley got one that turned ad bounced and Poynton had too much to do when he came in. Having said that, I thought he kept tidily and held a good catch, while keeping the team on their toes with his encouragement. Clare cold have worked it around, rather than giving it the long handle and the batting showed inexperience and naivety in the closing stages. A well timed and placed shot allows two when the field is back and Wayne Madsen simply had to much to do.
Disappointing, but we move on. More contract news I fully expect in the next week.
Today comes news that Jonathan Clare has signed a three-year deal, while Wes Durston has signed for two years. Both are good news for me. Clare showed last night that his confidence in his shoulder now allows him to bowl at nearly 90mph, while Durston batted and bowled well in the match, as well as fielding with his customary brilliance.
It was just a shame that collectively we lost it last night. As a contributor says below, Mark Turner was again wildly erratic and has a lot of work to do in the winter. Guptill's batting made me wonder why he had such travails in the Championship this year, but the way in which both he and Durston gave it away when they were coasting the game was disappointing.
Greg Smith played a strange shot, Whiteley got one that turned ad bounced and Poynton had too much to do when he came in. Having said that, I thought he kept tidily and held a good catch, while keeping the team on their toes with his encouragement. Clare cold have worked it around, rather than giving it the long handle and the batting showed inexperience and naivety in the closing stages. A well timed and placed shot allows two when the field is back and Wayne Madsen simply had to much to do.
Disappointing, but we move on. More contract news I fully expect in the next week.
Thursday, 4 August 2011
Derbyshire v Worcestershire
You'd have to say that, all things considered, we made a real mess of that tonight.
After fighting back well in the last overs of the visitors innings, then making a good start to our reply, one by one batsmen got themselves out with silly and unnecessary shots. Senior players too, ones who should know better. Well as Guptill and Durston played, they gave it away when they should have used their heads. You can't get away from that, I'm afraid. It was like my club side would do.
The youngsters found things a bit too much for them tonight too, the wiles of the experienced Ajmal too great. It was good to see Wayne Madsen get a few in the middle of the bat again, but this was inescapably a poor show by Derbyshire.
I'm not sure what it is about the visitors, They didn't look a side but we seem to make Moeen Ali look like Jim Laker and it was poor stuff at the end. Listening to the commentators was not the most fun in the world either, especially Bob Willis.
Hope we do better than that tomorrow.
After fighting back well in the last overs of the visitors innings, then making a good start to our reply, one by one batsmen got themselves out with silly and unnecessary shots. Senior players too, ones who should know better. Well as Guptill and Durston played, they gave it away when they should have used their heads. You can't get away from that, I'm afraid. It was like my club side would do.
The youngsters found things a bit too much for them tonight too, the wiles of the experienced Ajmal too great. It was good to see Wayne Madsen get a few in the middle of the bat again, but this was inescapably a poor show by Derbyshire.
I'm not sure what it is about the visitors, They didn't look a side but we seem to make Moeen Ali look like Jim Laker and it was poor stuff at the end. Listening to the commentators was not the most fun in the world either, especially Bob Willis.
Hope we do better than that tomorrow.
Wednesday, 3 August 2011
Random stuff
There was an interesting day at Belper today for the Second XI, with Wayne Madsen, Matt Lineker and Paul Borrington in the Derbyshire line up, all vying for a place in the side against Gloucestershire on Friday.
As it turned out, Lineker top scored between the three with thirty-odd, while Ben Slater grafted hard on an awkward pitch for 47. Had that been Michael, his ex-Aussie Test namesake, he'd have slogged 20 in three overs, then hit one up in the air...
There's a couple of interesting articles 'out there' today, one on Peter Burgoyne, which you can see (and hear) at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/14392215.stm
The other is on a lad I know little about, but who sounds quite promising, Johnny Marsden of Buxton CC.
http://menmedia.co.uk/macclesfieldexpress/sport/cricket/s/1454483_kings-paceman-picked-for-county
Good to see young men attracting media attention from the club, as well as the club's net continuing to be cast far and wide.
On to more serious matters and I have to say that I am introducing a name only policy for comments/posts on the blog. If a post doesn't have a name on it - used consistently from that IP address - I will have to delete it.
Why? Because I am increasingly concerned about the comments from what appears to be two people billing themselves as 'Anon' with regard to John Morris and Andrew Brown, but especially with regard to Derbyshire's chairman, Chris Grant. Not to mention anything to do with the club that doesn't result in a win.
The former is old hat and, unless anything newsworthy arises from that quarter, the issue will not be mentioned again on here. It is yesterday's news, pure and simple.
The latter is of more concern to me. I don't know if Derbyshire's chairman ever reads this blog - I doubt it, to be honest - but if he did he would, I'm sure, be disappointed with some of the comments of people who seem to be either jealous of his success, petty, or both.
I had the pleasure - I use the word advisedly - of twenty minutes with Mr Grant earlier in the season and what struck me was his passion for the game, and for Derbyshire cricket in particular, as well as his enthusiasm and desire to turn things around. It needed little of that time to convince me that he was exactly the right man to take charge of the club and that he would work tirelessly - and well - on our behalf.
He could, of course, have carried on doing what he did in the city, making a lot of money. I asked him that day what exactly he did, and essentially he transformed the fortunes of businesses (my words, not his) with his business acumen and made them successful after a roots and branches overhaul. That is exactly the sort of work he has started to do at Derbyshire, without, it has to be stressed, taking a penny from the club in return. He also did substantial contractual work with young traders and business analysts in the city, something that must have stood him in good stead in recent weeks. Surely it would be remiss of the club not to use the skills of a man with such expertise?
Make no mistake, we are very lucky to have someone with his ability, someone with the club's interests at heart and with the financial know how to ensure that we stay on the right path. I know no more than anyone else what happened with John Morris, but Mr Grant acted with commendable speed to avert what appeared to be an issue. Similarly, the facts about Greg Smith will no doubt come out in due course, when we find out where he is going.
Paul Collingwood? The word from the north east is that the player had little intention in coming to Derbyshire and simply used our interest to better an existing deal at his home county. The figure mentioned, £150,000, also emanated from that area and I have serious doubts that we would offer that kind of money. Again, Mr Grant is a shrewd businessman and I simply cannot see him authorising such a spend on a player of Collingwood's age with our limited budget. It doesn't add up with paying people fair salaries without breaking the bank, which is what he's doing with everyone else.
If we didn't have Chris Grant, a man, don't forget, elected as chairman by a committee itself elected by members, we would be in a difficult situation. He has generously helped the club out on several occasions and no doubt will do so again when it is appropriate to do so, while he has a network of friends and business associates to call on too. Given that the worthy Don Amott is happy to take a back seat now, there are no viable alternatives out there, nor should we want one. As Rod Bransgrove has done for Hampshire, so could our chairman, given time and support, do for us, though following a far more sensible business model.
As the person responsible for this blog, I would hate for it to have any part in him deciding, at some point, that the backbiting was too much. So please, keep your comments on cricket matters and avoid personal ones. Constructive criticism, like many regulars is fine, but perennial moaners do no one any favours.
With a man like Chris Grant at the helm, Derbyshire cricket is in safe hands. It is the obligation of everyone who purports to be a fan to ensure that the current healthy promise within the club flowers in due course.
Get behind them, through thick and thin. And thanks to the vast majority of you for your insightful and interesting comments.
As it turned out, Lineker top scored between the three with thirty-odd, while Ben Slater grafted hard on an awkward pitch for 47. Had that been Michael, his ex-Aussie Test namesake, he'd have slogged 20 in three overs, then hit one up in the air...
There's a couple of interesting articles 'out there' today, one on Peter Burgoyne, which you can see (and hear) at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/14392215.stm
The other is on a lad I know little about, but who sounds quite promising, Johnny Marsden of Buxton CC.
http://menmedia.co.uk/macclesfieldexpress/sport/cricket/s/1454483_kings-paceman-picked-for-county
Good to see young men attracting media attention from the club, as well as the club's net continuing to be cast far and wide.
On to more serious matters and I have to say that I am introducing a name only policy for comments/posts on the blog. If a post doesn't have a name on it - used consistently from that IP address - I will have to delete it.
Why? Because I am increasingly concerned about the comments from what appears to be two people billing themselves as 'Anon' with regard to John Morris and Andrew Brown, but especially with regard to Derbyshire's chairman, Chris Grant. Not to mention anything to do with the club that doesn't result in a win.
The former is old hat and, unless anything newsworthy arises from that quarter, the issue will not be mentioned again on here. It is yesterday's news, pure and simple.
The latter is of more concern to me. I don't know if Derbyshire's chairman ever reads this blog - I doubt it, to be honest - but if he did he would, I'm sure, be disappointed with some of the comments of people who seem to be either jealous of his success, petty, or both.
I had the pleasure - I use the word advisedly - of twenty minutes with Mr Grant earlier in the season and what struck me was his passion for the game, and for Derbyshire cricket in particular, as well as his enthusiasm and desire to turn things around. It needed little of that time to convince me that he was exactly the right man to take charge of the club and that he would work tirelessly - and well - on our behalf.
He could, of course, have carried on doing what he did in the city, making a lot of money. I asked him that day what exactly he did, and essentially he transformed the fortunes of businesses (my words, not his) with his business acumen and made them successful after a roots and branches overhaul. That is exactly the sort of work he has started to do at Derbyshire, without, it has to be stressed, taking a penny from the club in return. He also did substantial contractual work with young traders and business analysts in the city, something that must have stood him in good stead in recent weeks. Surely it would be remiss of the club not to use the skills of a man with such expertise?
Make no mistake, we are very lucky to have someone with his ability, someone with the club's interests at heart and with the financial know how to ensure that we stay on the right path. I know no more than anyone else what happened with John Morris, but Mr Grant acted with commendable speed to avert what appeared to be an issue. Similarly, the facts about Greg Smith will no doubt come out in due course, when we find out where he is going.
Paul Collingwood? The word from the north east is that the player had little intention in coming to Derbyshire and simply used our interest to better an existing deal at his home county. The figure mentioned, £150,000, also emanated from that area and I have serious doubts that we would offer that kind of money. Again, Mr Grant is a shrewd businessman and I simply cannot see him authorising such a spend on a player of Collingwood's age with our limited budget. It doesn't add up with paying people fair salaries without breaking the bank, which is what he's doing with everyone else.
If we didn't have Chris Grant, a man, don't forget, elected as chairman by a committee itself elected by members, we would be in a difficult situation. He has generously helped the club out on several occasions and no doubt will do so again when it is appropriate to do so, while he has a network of friends and business associates to call on too. Given that the worthy Don Amott is happy to take a back seat now, there are no viable alternatives out there, nor should we want one. As Rod Bransgrove has done for Hampshire, so could our chairman, given time and support, do for us, though following a far more sensible business model.
As the person responsible for this blog, I would hate for it to have any part in him deciding, at some point, that the backbiting was too much. So please, keep your comments on cricket matters and avoid personal ones. Constructive criticism, like many regulars is fine, but perennial moaners do no one any favours.
With a man like Chris Grant at the helm, Derbyshire cricket is in safe hands. It is the obligation of everyone who purports to be a fan to ensure that the current healthy promise within the club flowers in due course.
Get behind them, through thick and thin. And thanks to the vast majority of you for your insightful and interesting comments.
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
Greg Smith (continued)
Comments on the Falcons Forum tonight suggested that I made a 'disgraceful personal attack' on Greg Smith last night, which is nonsense.
I simply pointed out the inaccuracies of the player's account of recent events in comparison to what actually happened. It was not 'personal' because I don't 'do' personal. I am a fan of the club and by extension the players within it - and that includes Greg Smith.
I have seen Greg bat brilliantly on occasions. Against Kent at Derby in a Sunday fixture in 2007 he made a superb 88 and repeatedly hit the bowlers over their heads, bisecting long off and long on and keeping us in a match that we seemed set to lose until he ran out of partners. His strokeplay around the wicket was brilliant, by any standards. At that point he looked set for the big time, but such innings have been too sporadic for the player to make the next step, at least as far as I'm concerned. Four years later, it remains his highest score in List A matches.
If I heard that Smith had a change of heart and was staying I would be delighted. As someone pointed out last night, he may be a late developer, like Paul Collingwood. His versatility as a bowler is useful, although wickets have not come his way, especially in one day cricket, as often as they perhaps should for a player of his undoubted talent.
He IS capable of scoring a thousand runs a season, but after six seasons has not done so. He started this year like a train, but has, to continue the metaphor, run out of steam lately. The Middlesex game was a microcosm of the player - two sparkling knocks, the second given away when the innings cried out for someone to keep their head down. Maybe batting him higher might give him additional responsibility or then again might expose fallibilities in his technique. Dropping him down to seven is, in my opinion, too low.
One of last nights comments suggested he was a fine one day player, which got me on the research trail.
His 68 last weekend against Kent was his first List A fifty since 2009, which was itself his first since 2007, when he made two. That's five half centuries in six seasons for a top six batsman. As for bowling, in 2009 he took 21 wickets at 25, his best, but last year had 7 wickets at 47 and this year three at 56. Only once in six years has he taken four wickets in an innings.
What about T20? There was that century at Headingley, which we all remember, though it was in 2008. Apart from that there have been four fifties, none since 2009. Last year he averaged 16, this year just under eight.
Bowling? He took 13 wickets last season and did OK with the ball, but has otherwise taken seven wickets in his career at the club in T20.
My point is that he has not yet produced the statistics to justify a serious salary hike. If, like Paul Collingwood, he is a late developer, then his next contract at 30-31 could well be the biggie he craves. One thing is for sure though - he will have to get himself qualified for England, or he will struggle to find anyone to take him on. That is not criticism of the player but a comment on a system that doubles the pressure to perform after a player is 26 and no longer earns his club ECB money, let alone costs them a fair amount.
Whether there are yet more twists in this saga I don't know. A fit and in form Greg Smith, registered for England, is undoubtedly better than we'll pick up elsewhere this winter and would be an asset to the side - as long as he was realistic in his demands. It is, after all, a team game and the team, for me, is all important.
Keep your eyes on this one.
On a different tack, in answer to another comment, Karl Krikken does the coaching at the club and Chris Grant, a man with a strong financial background, does the contracts. That's a logical way of handling things for me and undoubtedly the right way forward. Krikk identifies who he wants, the Chairman does the deal. No problems.
Finally, Mark Eklid today has suggested that Matt Lineker and/or Paul Borrington may make the team later in the week for the Championship match. Much will depend on the televised game on Thursday night, when runs for both Wayne Madsen and Martin Guptill might earn them a reprieve.
We'll doubtless see soon enough.
I simply pointed out the inaccuracies of the player's account of recent events in comparison to what actually happened. It was not 'personal' because I don't 'do' personal. I am a fan of the club and by extension the players within it - and that includes Greg Smith.
I have seen Greg bat brilliantly on occasions. Against Kent at Derby in a Sunday fixture in 2007 he made a superb 88 and repeatedly hit the bowlers over their heads, bisecting long off and long on and keeping us in a match that we seemed set to lose until he ran out of partners. His strokeplay around the wicket was brilliant, by any standards. At that point he looked set for the big time, but such innings have been too sporadic for the player to make the next step, at least as far as I'm concerned. Four years later, it remains his highest score in List A matches.
If I heard that Smith had a change of heart and was staying I would be delighted. As someone pointed out last night, he may be a late developer, like Paul Collingwood. His versatility as a bowler is useful, although wickets have not come his way, especially in one day cricket, as often as they perhaps should for a player of his undoubted talent.
He IS capable of scoring a thousand runs a season, but after six seasons has not done so. He started this year like a train, but has, to continue the metaphor, run out of steam lately. The Middlesex game was a microcosm of the player - two sparkling knocks, the second given away when the innings cried out for someone to keep their head down. Maybe batting him higher might give him additional responsibility or then again might expose fallibilities in his technique. Dropping him down to seven is, in my opinion, too low.
One of last nights comments suggested he was a fine one day player, which got me on the research trail.
His 68 last weekend against Kent was his first List A fifty since 2009, which was itself his first since 2007, when he made two. That's five half centuries in six seasons for a top six batsman. As for bowling, in 2009 he took 21 wickets at 25, his best, but last year had 7 wickets at 47 and this year three at 56. Only once in six years has he taken four wickets in an innings.
What about T20? There was that century at Headingley, which we all remember, though it was in 2008. Apart from that there have been four fifties, none since 2009. Last year he averaged 16, this year just under eight.
Bowling? He took 13 wickets last season and did OK with the ball, but has otherwise taken seven wickets in his career at the club in T20.
My point is that he has not yet produced the statistics to justify a serious salary hike. If, like Paul Collingwood, he is a late developer, then his next contract at 30-31 could well be the biggie he craves. One thing is for sure though - he will have to get himself qualified for England, or he will struggle to find anyone to take him on. That is not criticism of the player but a comment on a system that doubles the pressure to perform after a player is 26 and no longer earns his club ECB money, let alone costs them a fair amount.
Whether there are yet more twists in this saga I don't know. A fit and in form Greg Smith, registered for England, is undoubtedly better than we'll pick up elsewhere this winter and would be an asset to the side - as long as he was realistic in his demands. It is, after all, a team game and the team, for me, is all important.
Keep your eyes on this one.
On a different tack, in answer to another comment, Karl Krikken does the coaching at the club and Chris Grant, a man with a strong financial background, does the contracts. That's a logical way of handling things for me and undoubtedly the right way forward. Krikk identifies who he wants, the Chairman does the deal. No problems.
Finally, Mark Eklid today has suggested that Matt Lineker and/or Paul Borrington may make the team later in the week for the Championship match. Much will depend on the televised game on Thursday night, when runs for both Wayne Madsen and Martin Guptill might earn them a reprieve.
We'll doubtless see soon enough.
Monday, 1 August 2011
A funny old day...
I sat at my desk at work today and almost burst out laughing.
I was reading the DET account of Greg Smith's departure from Derbyshire and read the following:
""I was looking to stay and I told them I wanted to stay but they have told me they are not going to renew my contract," said Smith.
They said the money I was looking for was too much, which I don't think was the case because I know what other people have signed for.
I've had a few counties interested. I made no secret that people wanted to talk to me but I kept them on hold because I told them I wanted to stay at Derby and see how things were going here but it hasn't worked out that way.
They are looking at people like Collingwood, who are coming to the end of their careers and would be on a lot more money than me, but I'm just coming to my peak.
Fair enough, if that's the way they want to go but it's disappointing because the chairman has said the club is trying to keep its best players and I consider myself one of the best players in the side for the last couple or three years. I haven't asked for any more money than the contract I was offered by John."
There's a strange old rationale in the argument there. For one thing, I'm not sure Smith is one of the best players in the side. If you asked me about least expendable players and who I'd be sad to see go, Smith wouldn't be in the top eight. As I've said before, he rarely influences games, scores quick thirties/forties then gives it away and can be infuriatingly erratic in his bowling at times. Yes, he can score quickly, yes he can take wickets, but he doesn't do either in sufficient quantities to make a real contribution.
Let's not forget a few factual issues either. We offered him a long term contract at the end of last season which he refused. It was then felt that we could not give him the captaincy if he was going to be looking elsewhere this season and he went public to the DET about his ambitions, putting in 28 days notice on the club two months ago.
After SIX seasons he is still not English qualified and costs us money every time he plays. Having made his debut for us at age 22, he struggled badly for two or three seasons but we stuck with him, despite nigh-annual stories that he was off to Kent/Surrey/Essex - wherever. Since 2006 he has scored one century a season, taken forty wickets once and thirty once. Twice he has taken five in an innings. See what I mean about influencing matches?
He said that he was not asking for any more money than the contract offered by John Morris, which poses the question as to why he turned that down. He had the opportunity of an extended contract AND the captaincy, yet still said no. One is left with the impression, rightly or wrongly, that he turned it down because he wanted to use Derbyshire as leverage to get a better offer elsewhere.
Turning it on its head, you could read into it that he now "really wants to stay" because other counties have cooled their interest in him, feeling that in this economic climate his record doesn't justify such an outlay, one that I understand is in the same bracket as that sought by Graham Wagg last year.
If anyone out there thinks that Glamorgan did well out of signing Wagg - and previously Jim Allenby - on such money, look at the state of the Welsh county, who we hammered twice. Morale is supposedly poor because of the disparity in salaries there and it can be little coincidence that their chairman, Paul Russell, has retired through ill-health. The club spent big in the hope that they would coin it in from staging international cricket and it hasn't come off at all.
For what its worth, I think Chris Grant has played a stormer in retracting Derbyshire contract offer. If a potential suitor is having second thoughts, Smith could be left without a county and feel that Derbyshire's best offer remains his preference. Having been messed about, we then end up paying over the score ourselves, having tried our best to make a deal. If Smith comes back - which I don't think will happen - it should be on our terms, not his.
I have said before and will do so again. No player is bigger than a club. Boycott, perhaps the closest I saw in my lifetime, wasn't bigger than Yorkshire, Botham wasn't bigger than Somerset. Smith isn't in the same league as a player, so as far as I am concerned, the club have done exactly the right thing.
Greg Smith may be right. Perhaps he is coming to his peak. Maybe a move will galvanise him into scoring a thousand runs, the benchmark of a good player and still to be attained by him. Maybe he will go on to better things, playing a prominent role in success at another club.
Or maybe he could go the way of plenty of others who thought the grass would be greener elsewhere. Matt Cassar, Adrian Rollins, Robin Weston and Graham Wagg will vouch for the fact that isn't always the case.
Time will tell, but no tears from me on this one.
PS We lost today, despite a fighting finish. Credit to the boys for that. But as Scarlett O'Hara said, tomorrow is another day.
PPS Those less expendable players? Try Redfern, Madsen, Whiteley, Knight, Groenewald, Palladino, Hughes, Clare, Durston. That's nine for starters...
I was reading the DET account of Greg Smith's departure from Derbyshire and read the following:
""I was looking to stay and I told them I wanted to stay but they have told me they are not going to renew my contract," said Smith.
They said the money I was looking for was too much, which I don't think was the case because I know what other people have signed for.
I've had a few counties interested. I made no secret that people wanted to talk to me but I kept them on hold because I told them I wanted to stay at Derby and see how things were going here but it hasn't worked out that way.
They are looking at people like Collingwood, who are coming to the end of their careers and would be on a lot more money than me, but I'm just coming to my peak.
Fair enough, if that's the way they want to go but it's disappointing because the chairman has said the club is trying to keep its best players and I consider myself one of the best players in the side for the last couple or three years. I haven't asked for any more money than the contract I was offered by John."
There's a strange old rationale in the argument there. For one thing, I'm not sure Smith is one of the best players in the side. If you asked me about least expendable players and who I'd be sad to see go, Smith wouldn't be in the top eight. As I've said before, he rarely influences games, scores quick thirties/forties then gives it away and can be infuriatingly erratic in his bowling at times. Yes, he can score quickly, yes he can take wickets, but he doesn't do either in sufficient quantities to make a real contribution.
Let's not forget a few factual issues either. We offered him a long term contract at the end of last season which he refused. It was then felt that we could not give him the captaincy if he was going to be looking elsewhere this season and he went public to the DET about his ambitions, putting in 28 days notice on the club two months ago.
After SIX seasons he is still not English qualified and costs us money every time he plays. Having made his debut for us at age 22, he struggled badly for two or three seasons but we stuck with him, despite nigh-annual stories that he was off to Kent/Surrey/Essex - wherever. Since 2006 he has scored one century a season, taken forty wickets once and thirty once. Twice he has taken five in an innings. See what I mean about influencing matches?
He said that he was not asking for any more money than the contract offered by John Morris, which poses the question as to why he turned that down. He had the opportunity of an extended contract AND the captaincy, yet still said no. One is left with the impression, rightly or wrongly, that he turned it down because he wanted to use Derbyshire as leverage to get a better offer elsewhere.
Turning it on its head, you could read into it that he now "really wants to stay" because other counties have cooled their interest in him, feeling that in this economic climate his record doesn't justify such an outlay, one that I understand is in the same bracket as that sought by Graham Wagg last year.
If anyone out there thinks that Glamorgan did well out of signing Wagg - and previously Jim Allenby - on such money, look at the state of the Welsh county, who we hammered twice. Morale is supposedly poor because of the disparity in salaries there and it can be little coincidence that their chairman, Paul Russell, has retired through ill-health. The club spent big in the hope that they would coin it in from staging international cricket and it hasn't come off at all.
For what its worth, I think Chris Grant has played a stormer in retracting Derbyshire contract offer. If a potential suitor is having second thoughts, Smith could be left without a county and feel that Derbyshire's best offer remains his preference. Having been messed about, we then end up paying over the score ourselves, having tried our best to make a deal. If Smith comes back - which I don't think will happen - it should be on our terms, not his.
I have said before and will do so again. No player is bigger than a club. Boycott, perhaps the closest I saw in my lifetime, wasn't bigger than Yorkshire, Botham wasn't bigger than Somerset. Smith isn't in the same league as a player, so as far as I am concerned, the club have done exactly the right thing.
Greg Smith may be right. Perhaps he is coming to his peak. Maybe a move will galvanise him into scoring a thousand runs, the benchmark of a good player and still to be attained by him. Maybe he will go on to better things, playing a prominent role in success at another club.
Or maybe he could go the way of plenty of others who thought the grass would be greener elsewhere. Matt Cassar, Adrian Rollins, Robin Weston and Graham Wagg will vouch for the fact that isn't always the case.
Time will tell, but no tears from me on this one.
PS We lost today, despite a fighting finish. Credit to the boys for that. But as Scarlett O'Hara said, tomorrow is another day.
PPS Those less expendable players? Try Redfern, Madsen, Whiteley, Knight, Groenewald, Palladino, Hughes, Clare, Durston. That's nine for starters...
Smith to leave
What most people have suspected will happen at the end of the season - Greg Smith will leave Derbyshire to pursue a career elsewhere, almost certainly in the south.
I've heard suggestions that the player's agent was looking for around 90-100K for next season. The veracity of those figures I'm unsure about, but if true I fail to see how anyone could feel the player justified it on performances over the past seasons.
A batting average of 31 and bowling equivalent of 36 simply doesn't justify such a sum. If anyone out there thinks it does that's fine, but I'd sooner sign four of our young players on worthwhile deals than pay over the odds for a player of average ability and commitment.
Good luck to Smith. For what its worth, unless Karl Krikken thinks we can still progress in the Championship, I'd let him go now. As I said last week, Dan Redfern could and should do more off spin bowling, Peter Burgoyne may well push for the side next year and we have plenty of seam options.
Had Tim Groenewald left, which I never thought would happen, I would have been disappointed. Smith leaves with my good wishes for the future, but there was such an air of inevitability about it that, quite frankly, I'm past the point of caring.
I've heard suggestions that the player's agent was looking for around 90-100K for next season. The veracity of those figures I'm unsure about, but if true I fail to see how anyone could feel the player justified it on performances over the past seasons.
A batting average of 31 and bowling equivalent of 36 simply doesn't justify such a sum. If anyone out there thinks it does that's fine, but I'd sooner sign four of our young players on worthwhile deals than pay over the odds for a player of average ability and commitment.
Good luck to Smith. For what its worth, unless Karl Krikken thinks we can still progress in the Championship, I'd let him go now. As I said last week, Dan Redfern could and should do more off spin bowling, Peter Burgoyne may well push for the side next year and we have plenty of seam options.
Had Tim Groenewald left, which I never thought would happen, I would have been disappointed. Smith leaves with my good wishes for the future, but there was such an air of inevitability about it that, quite frankly, I'm past the point of caring.
Sunday, 31 July 2011
Middlesex v Derbyshire day 3
Unless Derbyshire come out tomorrow like men inspired, or alternatively it hoses down all day, we should lose this match sometime before lunch.
There was plenty of laudable fight from the middle order, but at 21-3 we were looking down a barrel with three experienced men gone. Hughes, Smith, Whiteley, Clare and skipper Luke Sutton fought hard, but it was not enough and even my optimism cannot see anything other than early and heavy defeat tomorrow.
Then it is time to regroup before the televised CB40 this week (ironic as the game doesn't really matter) and the next Championship match.
There's plenty to occupy the thoughts of Karl Krikken after this one.
There was plenty of laudable fight from the middle order, but at 21-3 we were looking down a barrel with three experienced men gone. Hughes, Smith, Whiteley, Clare and skipper Luke Sutton fought hard, but it was not enough and even my optimism cannot see anything other than early and heavy defeat tomorrow.
Then it is time to regroup before the televised CB40 this week (ironic as the game doesn't really matter) and the next Championship match.
There's plenty to occupy the thoughts of Karl Krikken after this one.
Middlesex v Derbyshire update
At 80-3 Derbyshire are rebuilding after early disasters but still face an uphill task to take this game into a final day.
I know a few people who have had bad weekends in London but this has been pretty poor thus far. I have to say it gives me no pleasure to see my earlier expressed fears about Madsen and Guptill confirmed. I'd have loved to see them put on 150 to make me eat my words but it doesn't really look like happening for either at present in four-day cricket.
For what its worth, I'm getting to the point where bringing in both Lineker and Borrington to open, giving them valuable experience, begins to look a good idea. Madsen will come again, but maybe Guptill should play the CB40 matches and let two young players with a potential role in our long term future open for the rest of the season? Lineker scored 142 for Ockbrook yesterday, adding to his recent run glut.
Certainly it can be little fun for the genial Guptill to look at averages where only our number eleven is lower than him. Maybe he relishes the challenge of improving, and there's obvious awkwardness in omitting your overseas player, but surely there comes a point where that is in everyone interests? If we lose this, as looks likely, promotion is surely something for another year - which realistically it was always likely to be.
I'd welcome your comments, as always.
I know a few people who have had bad weekends in London but this has been pretty poor thus far. I have to say it gives me no pleasure to see my earlier expressed fears about Madsen and Guptill confirmed. I'd have loved to see them put on 150 to make me eat my words but it doesn't really look like happening for either at present in four-day cricket.
For what its worth, I'm getting to the point where bringing in both Lineker and Borrington to open, giving them valuable experience, begins to look a good idea. Madsen will come again, but maybe Guptill should play the CB40 matches and let two young players with a potential role in our long term future open for the rest of the season? Lineker scored 142 for Ockbrook yesterday, adding to his recent run glut.
Certainly it can be little fun for the genial Guptill to look at averages where only our number eleven is lower than him. Maybe he relishes the challenge of improving, and there's obvious awkwardness in omitting your overseas player, but surely there comes a point where that is in everyone interests? If we lose this, as looks likely, promotion is surely something for another year - which realistically it was always likely to be.
I'd welcome your comments, as always.
Middlesex v Derbyshire day 2
Busy day chez Peakfan yesterday so I flitted in an out of the match, which was perhaps as well given the score.
To be fair, we seem to have stuck to our task quite well, but 145 behind on first innings, even assuming they don't add to that today, leaves us with a mountain to climb. No doubt we're well equipped with grappling hooks ...
Of course, the team has shown on many occasions this season that they can fight and have turned matches on their head a time or two. Realistically, we need to score 350 as a minimum in the second innings - difficult but not impossible. I know they have Steve Finn, but he's not Glenn McGrath. They have a specialist spinner and a useful one in Dalrymple, but we need to get our heads down.
I'd love to see Wayne Madsen get a score, while Martin Guptill can show his international class when it is needed. There's enough talent in this side to give them a fourth innings chase they may not fancy, but it will need a massive team effort.
Yesterday 'Anon' said that fans haven't taken to Smith as they might, as he has always seemed to be leaving, or on the verge of it. That is a fair comment as most late seasons have seen suggestions he was on his way to another county. The fact that he has not pursued as he might his English 'qualification' is another factor. Without doubt, at his best he is a fine player but against Kent last weekend and here I rightly or wrongly had the impression he was trying hard to impress prospective employers.
I think he will end up with a southern county, where wickets may suit his attacking style. He put in a good bowling stint yesterday and played another cameo on the first day, but that's what it was - a cameo. A player with his experience needs to influence and win more games with scores that make a real difference.
At the end of the day, as I've said before, the club has a limited budget that has to finance a squad. Groenewald's financial demands were presumably realistic and commensurate to his value to the side. If Smith's were like Graham Wagg's last year, they aren't. If you're asking for 80K a season (I stress this is a guess) you need to be able to offer pretty good value for money. I suspect that you would get three or four young players - Whiteley, Borrrington, Poynton, Knight perhaps - for that outlay.
Last year Glamorgan felt Graham Wagg was worth £90K plus benefits and lured him from us. A batting average of 19 and a bowling one of 45 this season suggests that we were right not to pay such a sum. Time will tell if Smith goes and justifies whatever salary entices him away, but I don't think his performances for us justifies that.
Good player, but he ain't Sobers or Barlow.
To be fair, we seem to have stuck to our task quite well, but 145 behind on first innings, even assuming they don't add to that today, leaves us with a mountain to climb. No doubt we're well equipped with grappling hooks ...
Of course, the team has shown on many occasions this season that they can fight and have turned matches on their head a time or two. Realistically, we need to score 350 as a minimum in the second innings - difficult but not impossible. I know they have Steve Finn, but he's not Glenn McGrath. They have a specialist spinner and a useful one in Dalrymple, but we need to get our heads down.
I'd love to see Wayne Madsen get a score, while Martin Guptill can show his international class when it is needed. There's enough talent in this side to give them a fourth innings chase they may not fancy, but it will need a massive team effort.
Yesterday 'Anon' said that fans haven't taken to Smith as they might, as he has always seemed to be leaving, or on the verge of it. That is a fair comment as most late seasons have seen suggestions he was on his way to another county. The fact that he has not pursued as he might his English 'qualification' is another factor. Without doubt, at his best he is a fine player but against Kent last weekend and here I rightly or wrongly had the impression he was trying hard to impress prospective employers.
I think he will end up with a southern county, where wickets may suit his attacking style. He put in a good bowling stint yesterday and played another cameo on the first day, but that's what it was - a cameo. A player with his experience needs to influence and win more games with scores that make a real difference.
At the end of the day, as I've said before, the club has a limited budget that has to finance a squad. Groenewald's financial demands were presumably realistic and commensurate to his value to the side. If Smith's were like Graham Wagg's last year, they aren't. If you're asking for 80K a season (I stress this is a guess) you need to be able to offer pretty good value for money. I suspect that you would get three or four young players - Whiteley, Borrrington, Poynton, Knight perhaps - for that outlay.
Last year Glamorgan felt Graham Wagg was worth £90K plus benefits and lured him from us. A batting average of 19 and a bowling one of 45 this season suggests that we were right not to pay such a sum. Time will tell if Smith goes and justifies whatever salary entices him away, but I don't think his performances for us justifies that.
Good player, but he ain't Sobers or Barlow.
Saturday, 30 July 2011
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...
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...
1300 and counting
This week I wrote blog piece number 1300 in just over three years and the visit counter went past 170,000. Last year's 80,000 hits is already under threat from 30,000 more in just three months as interest continues to grow in Derbyshire cricket. Thanks to all of you for your continued interest, which keeps me out of the pub, and for your comments and e mails, which are always appreciated, whether agreeing or disagreeing with what I write.
You may or may not have picked up an article on Derbyshire's young players in the DET the other day. If not, here is the link to it
http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/County-youngsters-gaining-momentum-celebrating/story-13031729-detail/story.html
At both age groups we seem to have some very talented young players and the net is cast wide by the excellent Academy staff to pick up young boys (and girls) who have potential.
What's in a name? It was good to read in this article of continued success for Harry White (brother of Wayne) and Greg Cork (son of Dominic), both of who appear to be youngsters with considerable ability and a lot to offer.
It was another name that caught my eye though. No relation, but to see a lad named Eddie Barlow playing for the county under-12s is enough, as they say round these parts, to bring a tear to a glass eye.
Many factors come into play between the ages of these boys and their making an impression on the first-class game, but it is reassuring to realise that talent is being spotted so early, given proper coaching and mentoring, then taken through to the various county squads as deemed appropriate by their talent.
It augurs well.
You may or may not have picked up an article on Derbyshire's young players in the DET the other day. If not, here is the link to it
http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/County-youngsters-gaining-momentum-celebrating/story-13031729-detail/story.html
At both age groups we seem to have some very talented young players and the net is cast wide by the excellent Academy staff to pick up young boys (and girls) who have potential.
What's in a name? It was good to read in this article of continued success for Harry White (brother of Wayne) and Greg Cork (son of Dominic), both of who appear to be youngsters with considerable ability and a lot to offer.
It was another name that caught my eye though. No relation, but to see a lad named Eddie Barlow playing for the county under-12s is enough, as they say round these parts, to bring a tear to a glass eye.
Many factors come into play between the ages of these boys and their making an impression on the first-class game, but it is reassuring to realise that talent is being spotted so early, given proper coaching and mentoring, then taken through to the various county squads as deemed appropriate by their talent.
It augurs well.
Friday, 29 July 2011
Middlesex v Derbyshire day 1
As regular readers will know, I have a lot of time for Karl Krikken.
He has done a terrific job with the young players at the Academy and has taken them on to new heights since becoming head coach. The signs are that he will be outstanding in that role and we will see a talented crop of young players develop into talented professionals, serving the county with distinction for some years to come.
Having said that, I think he got his selection wrong today.
In his last thirteen innings in all competitions, Wayne Madsen has scored 14, 10, 12, 30, 1, 4, 0, 29, 0, 4, 1, 20 and 0. In the Championship those scores are 4, 0, 0, 48 and 0. On the other hand, Matt Lineker has scored 393 runs in three knocks for the Second XI.
I'm a big fan of Madsen, as a player and a man. I spent a pleasant half hour chatting to him at the County Ground earlier in the season and he is one of the nicest blokes you could wish to meet. He's also been our best batsman in the last couple of years or so, after Chris Rogers. Having said that, he needs time in the middle and a chance to get the ball in the middle of the bat again. Today should have been breather time, not an admission of weakness but an acceptance that every player hits a bad trot and needs to recharge batteries. With an in form batsman with the party, today should have been the day.
I know it is a big game, but big games need form players, something Madsen patently isn't right now. He'll come again, he's too good a player not to, but right now he must wonder where his next run is coming from. Look at it from another angle - had that recent record been that of a young player, a rest would have been essential. Experienced or not, Madsen needs the same.
To compound the problem, Martin Guptill now averages less than 17 in the Championship, 135 runs in nine innings, better than only Tony Palladino of regular players. 70 of those came in an important win at Cardiff, so his eight other innings have brought just 65 runs, way below expectations for an overseas player. Guptill did well in the T20 and scored a good hundred last weekend at Derby, but he will be disappointed with his contribution to the Championship campaign so far, as I'm sure fans are. Like Madsen, he's had his share of awkward deliveries, as he did today, but that's what happens when you open the innings.
The result, of course, was both of them back in the pavilion inside three overs.
There were decent efforts from Merssrs Durston and Smith, while Ross Whiteley played a good hand until he ran out of partners. Yet 252 after deciding to bat was only an average effort, quickly put into perspective by Middlesex's reply of 105-0.
At the end of day one we're tied to the railway tracks with the onrushing train yards away, the villain twirling his waxed moustache while cackling insanely.
In trouble? You bet. There's a lot of work to do from here.
He has done a terrific job with the young players at the Academy and has taken them on to new heights since becoming head coach. The signs are that he will be outstanding in that role and we will see a talented crop of young players develop into talented professionals, serving the county with distinction for some years to come.
Having said that, I think he got his selection wrong today.
In his last thirteen innings in all competitions, Wayne Madsen has scored 14, 10, 12, 30, 1, 4, 0, 29, 0, 4, 1, 20 and 0. In the Championship those scores are 4, 0, 0, 48 and 0. On the other hand, Matt Lineker has scored 393 runs in three knocks for the Second XI.
I'm a big fan of Madsen, as a player and a man. I spent a pleasant half hour chatting to him at the County Ground earlier in the season and he is one of the nicest blokes you could wish to meet. He's also been our best batsman in the last couple of years or so, after Chris Rogers. Having said that, he needs time in the middle and a chance to get the ball in the middle of the bat again. Today should have been breather time, not an admission of weakness but an acceptance that every player hits a bad trot and needs to recharge batteries. With an in form batsman with the party, today should have been the day.
I know it is a big game, but big games need form players, something Madsen patently isn't right now. He'll come again, he's too good a player not to, but right now he must wonder where his next run is coming from. Look at it from another angle - had that recent record been that of a young player, a rest would have been essential. Experienced or not, Madsen needs the same.
To compound the problem, Martin Guptill now averages less than 17 in the Championship, 135 runs in nine innings, better than only Tony Palladino of regular players. 70 of those came in an important win at Cardiff, so his eight other innings have brought just 65 runs, way below expectations for an overseas player. Guptill did well in the T20 and scored a good hundred last weekend at Derby, but he will be disappointed with his contribution to the Championship campaign so far, as I'm sure fans are. Like Madsen, he's had his share of awkward deliveries, as he did today, but that's what happens when you open the innings.
The result, of course, was both of them back in the pavilion inside three overs.
There were decent efforts from Merssrs Durston and Smith, while Ross Whiteley played a good hand until he ran out of partners. Yet 252 after deciding to bat was only an average effort, quickly put into perspective by Middlesex's reply of 105-0.
At the end of day one we're tied to the railway tracks with the onrushing train yards away, the villain twirling his waxed moustache while cackling insanely.
In trouble? You bet. There's a lot of work to do from here.
Bozza signs for three years
Call me Psychic Peakie, but after writing about Paul Borrington and a likely contract last night, it was today announced that he has signed a new three-year deal.
Borrington has suffered from being introduced to county cricket at 17 when he was marginally wider across the shoulders than a garden cane and with roughly the same strength. He got a chance because we were a poor side and there was simply no one else. Gradually he has filled out and this season has been desperately unlucky to miss out on first team chances after an early season injury. Compare him, if you will, with Ben Slater, another batsman of talent who could get a first team chance in the next couple of years at 21/22. Five years older, without a burden of expectation to weigh him down, physically stronger and emotionally ready.
Eight centuries in the Premier League, a new record, suggest that Borrington is scoring more quickly these days. Less Paul the Prodder than the Ticknall Tornado, Bozza the Blaster. He'll probably never be mistaken for Gordon Greenidge, but you take my point. Only time will tell if he can translate a very sound technique and increasing power to the county game, but if he does so it HAS to be at Derbyshire. We should never have released Wayne White and he continues to thrive at Leicester - it would be galling if he had done the same elsewhere.
Now we will see what he can do at Derbyshire. Next season could be for him what this year has been for Redfern, Whiteley and Knight. I'm delighted for the lad and remain confident that he can be a good county cricketer, a key component of a Derbyshire side that is effectively Academy-reared.
Funnily enough, last night I went into the garden and enjoyed half an hour after the game on a garden bench with Mrs P. We enjoyed hearing a lone blackbird sing and the sight of a plant that has done relatively little for the past five years flourishing and in full bloom. It has had plenty of encouraging foliage in the past, but the flowers we expected failed to appear.
This spring we dug out a load of soil that was holding it back and replaced it with fresh stuff; compost and plenty of feed to encourage it, which seems to have given it a new lease of life. Even the small flowers and plants around its base have a new lease of life and seem to be more vibrant than we have known them before.
When you think about it, the comparisons with the County Ground and Academy are quite remarkable...
Borrington has suffered from being introduced to county cricket at 17 when he was marginally wider across the shoulders than a garden cane and with roughly the same strength. He got a chance because we were a poor side and there was simply no one else. Gradually he has filled out and this season has been desperately unlucky to miss out on first team chances after an early season injury. Compare him, if you will, with Ben Slater, another batsman of talent who could get a first team chance in the next couple of years at 21/22. Five years older, without a burden of expectation to weigh him down, physically stronger and emotionally ready. Eight centuries in the Premier League, a new record, suggest that Borrington is scoring more quickly these days. Less Paul the Prodder than the Ticknall Tornado, Bozza the Blaster. He'll probably never be mistaken for Gordon Greenidge, but you take my point. Only time will tell if he can translate a very sound technique and increasing power to the county game, but if he does so it HAS to be at Derbyshire. We should never have released Wayne White and he continues to thrive at Leicester - it would be galling if he had done the same elsewhere.
Now we will see what he can do at Derbyshire. Next season could be for him what this year has been for Redfern, Whiteley and Knight. I'm delighted for the lad and remain confident that he can be a good county cricketer, a key component of a Derbyshire side that is effectively Academy-reared.
Funnily enough, last night I went into the garden and enjoyed half an hour after the game on a garden bench with Mrs P. We enjoyed hearing a lone blackbird sing and the sight of a plant that has done relatively little for the past five years flourishing and in full bloom. It has had plenty of encouraging foliage in the past, but the flowers we expected failed to appear.
This spring we dug out a load of soil that was holding it back and replaced it with fresh stuff; compost and plenty of feed to encourage it, which seems to have given it a new lease of life. Even the small flowers and plants around its base have a new lease of life and seem to be more vibrant than we have known them before.
When you think about it, the comparisons with the County Ground and Academy are quite remarkable...
Thursday, 28 July 2011
Contract talk...
It is the time of year when counties across the land are trying to sort out who they wish to retain for next year and who they will release to raise money for proposed additions to the staff.
Derbyshire are certainly at the forefront of this. We have already seen Ross Whiteley, Tom Poynton, Tom Knight and Tim Groenewald sign new contracts and I think they will be the first of many. Having scrutinised the clubs finances, Chris Grant will have a very good idea of what we can afford and will, as a very canny and successful businessman, ensure that we pay the going rate for a talented player within our budget.
Of course, the order in which signings are announced bears little significance to the importance of the player, nor the order in which the contracts were offered. Young players are less likely to have an agent, so contractual discussions with them are likely to be relatively short. They may run the offer by parents, but they are likely to sign a decent offer quickly, as we saw with the lads named above. When agents are involved such discussions are likely to be more protracted, but we should hopefully hear more good news from the club on this front in the next couple of weeks.
For young players, the key date in the calendar is April 1, the qualifying date for ECB payments. A young player of talent aged 23 (or less), free of university commitments, would be a sensible investment for a county on a three-year deal, as he would earn them money on each and every appearance. That being the case, I fully expect to see both Dan Redfern and Paul Borrington sign new contracts in the near future. Others, like Ben Slater and Hamza Siddique, may well do so in the future if they continue to progress, but the university commitments of both at this stage mean that summer contracts are more likely for them over the next couple of years.
Something I discovered today was that the ECB payments continue for the county that develops a player for as long as they play the county game. I recently mentioned Michael Thorneley as a potential player for a county and several people suggested he would be worthwhile for Derbyshire. If we did so, Thorneley at 23 would earn us £1600 a match at this year's rates, but HALF of that money would go to Sussex, even though they released him. Similarly, Somerset get half the money for Wes Durston, Essex for Tony Palladino and so on.
By the same token, every time that Wayne White plays for Leicestershire, or Ian Blackwell for Durham, half of the appearance money they earn as an English-qualified player comes to us. Now here's where it gets interesting...
If Derbyshire were to offer a contract for next year to Matt Lineker (which I hope they will), he would earn £800 a match (at this year's rates) as an English-qualified player discovered by Derbyshire - exactly what we'd get from the younger Thorneley when Sussex took their half of the cash. That being the case, I'd be inclined to give the opportunity to the local man.
I hope that Lineker, who could be seen on the Lords balcony this evening on the TV coverage, makes his debut for the county tomorrow. On the basis that players in form should be picked, he thoroughly deserves an opportunity. At the end of the day, we'll never know if he's good enough until he's given a chance at county level.
Of course, it is not and should not be all about money, but in the current economic climate all counties will need to consider such things. Our current ripening crop of young players might transform both our playing fortunes and finances in the years ahead.
By the same token, if Greg Smith doesn't sign a new deal in the near future I would now omit him for the remainder of the season, especially in the CB40, in which our interest effectively ended tonight. Dan Redfern will be fit soon and could be given more bowling to add to his increasingly impressive batting. I have always thought he could be used more, as a bowler who flights and turns the ball pretty well.
This season he's done less bowling than me.
And when I bowled my first overs last night that's rather a shame...
Derbyshire are certainly at the forefront of this. We have already seen Ross Whiteley, Tom Poynton, Tom Knight and Tim Groenewald sign new contracts and I think they will be the first of many. Having scrutinised the clubs finances, Chris Grant will have a very good idea of what we can afford and will, as a very canny and successful businessman, ensure that we pay the going rate for a talented player within our budget.
Of course, the order in which signings are announced bears little significance to the importance of the player, nor the order in which the contracts were offered. Young players are less likely to have an agent, so contractual discussions with them are likely to be relatively short. They may run the offer by parents, but they are likely to sign a decent offer quickly, as we saw with the lads named above. When agents are involved such discussions are likely to be more protracted, but we should hopefully hear more good news from the club on this front in the next couple of weeks.
For young players, the key date in the calendar is April 1, the qualifying date for ECB payments. A young player of talent aged 23 (or less), free of university commitments, would be a sensible investment for a county on a three-year deal, as he would earn them money on each and every appearance. That being the case, I fully expect to see both Dan Redfern and Paul Borrington sign new contracts in the near future. Others, like Ben Slater and Hamza Siddique, may well do so in the future if they continue to progress, but the university commitments of both at this stage mean that summer contracts are more likely for them over the next couple of years.
Something I discovered today was that the ECB payments continue for the county that develops a player for as long as they play the county game. I recently mentioned Michael Thorneley as a potential player for a county and several people suggested he would be worthwhile for Derbyshire. If we did so, Thorneley at 23 would earn us £1600 a match at this year's rates, but HALF of that money would go to Sussex, even though they released him. Similarly, Somerset get half the money for Wes Durston, Essex for Tony Palladino and so on.
By the same token, every time that Wayne White plays for Leicestershire, or Ian Blackwell for Durham, half of the appearance money they earn as an English-qualified player comes to us. Now here's where it gets interesting...
If Derbyshire were to offer a contract for next year to Matt Lineker (which I hope they will), he would earn £800 a match (at this year's rates) as an English-qualified player discovered by Derbyshire - exactly what we'd get from the younger Thorneley when Sussex took their half of the cash. That being the case, I'd be inclined to give the opportunity to the local man.
I hope that Lineker, who could be seen on the Lords balcony this evening on the TV coverage, makes his debut for the county tomorrow. On the basis that players in form should be picked, he thoroughly deserves an opportunity. At the end of the day, we'll never know if he's good enough until he's given a chance at county level.
Of course, it is not and should not be all about money, but in the current economic climate all counties will need to consider such things. Our current ripening crop of young players might transform both our playing fortunes and finances in the years ahead.
By the same token, if Greg Smith doesn't sign a new deal in the near future I would now omit him for the remainder of the season, especially in the CB40, in which our interest effectively ended tonight. Dan Redfern will be fit soon and could be given more bowling to add to his increasingly impressive batting. I have always thought he could be used more, as a bowler who flights and turns the ball pretty well.
This season he's done less bowling than me.
And when I bowled my first overs last night that's rather a shame...
Middlesex v Derbyshire CB40
The long and short of it is that we played poorly tonight. The batting was, Durston apart, fairly average, although Steve Finn bowled a good spell for Middlesex.
The bowling was also lacking, especially at the start of the innings. Steffan Jones did OK, but I shared the commentators thoughts that we went on to the defensive too soon in the field. The only way to win the game was to take regular wickets and removing the slips early was maybe not the right method. At the same time, I thought we had the right field for Newman, who tends to play in the air at midwicket and gets frustrated when his route through there is blocked - hence the thrash to Madsen for the first wicket.
The commentators waxed lyrical about Paul Stirling, who can hit a ball, but he's a tonker, not necessarily blessed with a textbook technique for me. A long way to go for him, but a potential one-day player for England in the future if he doesn't over-complicate things along the way. His knock took the game away from us, so good luck to the lad.
Tomorrow we start the Championship match, apparently on the same track, and the way that one or two balls straightened today suggested that batting last might not be a breeze. Not that we have a regular spinner in the side...
Sad to relate, we didn't show up on a biggish occasion again this evening.
Tomorrow will hopefully be better. Maybe Steve Finn will be in the Test side....
The bowling was also lacking, especially at the start of the innings. Steffan Jones did OK, but I shared the commentators thoughts that we went on to the defensive too soon in the field. The only way to win the game was to take regular wickets and removing the slips early was maybe not the right method. At the same time, I thought we had the right field for Newman, who tends to play in the air at midwicket and gets frustrated when his route through there is blocked - hence the thrash to Madsen for the first wicket.
The commentators waxed lyrical about Paul Stirling, who can hit a ball, but he's a tonker, not necessarily blessed with a textbook technique for me. A long way to go for him, but a potential one-day player for England in the future if he doesn't over-complicate things along the way. His knock took the game away from us, so good luck to the lad.
Tomorrow we start the Championship match, apparently on the same track, and the way that one or two balls straightened today suggested that batting last might not be a breeze. Not that we have a regular spinner in the side...
Sad to relate, we didn't show up on a biggish occasion again this evening.
Tomorrow will hopefully be better. Maybe Steve Finn will be in the Test side....
Seconds win and five for Jake
A great win for the Seconds today, bowling out Leicestershire to win by a good distance.
I don't yet know the full scores but there were five wickets for Jake Needham.
Very welcome news on both counts!
In addition, 4-8 in six overs by Peter Burgoyne today for England Under-19s.
Well done Peter!
I don't yet know the full scores but there were five wickets for Jake Needham.
Very welcome news on both counts!
In addition, 4-8 in six overs by Peter Burgoyne today for England Under-19s.
Well done Peter!
Groenewald signs three year deal
Regular readers will know that I was more hopeful of Tim Groenewald staying at Derbyshire than Greg Smith and I am delighted to see that he has signed on for another three seasons.I understand that the player is very happy in the area and he is a key component of our team. As a bowler is is rarely injured, totally committed and usually penetrative. As a batsman he sells his wicket dearly but can hit the ball hard when required.
He is, in short, a model professional, the sort of player that a team of young Derbyshire-reared players can learn from, respect and work with.
I am thrilled that we will see him in our colours for the next three seasons.
Take a bow Timmy G - its nice to see that loyalty is still in the game and I look forward to many more wickets and runs in the years ahead.
Wednesday, 27 July 2011
Lineker follow up
Sorry about the lateness of the blog tonight but I've had my first game of the season tonight and showed the old magic was still there with second top score and a tight bowling spell. Just a shame that tomorrow my hamstrings will sound like a badly played violin and my shoulder could well detach in mid-morning...
We won too, which made for a nice evening on a glorious summer day. All is well in the cricketing world.
Thanks for your comments on Matt Lineker, which are appreciated as always. For what its worth, after scores of 125, 197 and 101 in four innings I think that Lineker has to be in with a shout of a first team appearance sometime soon. While I'm not disputing the talent and ability of Wayne Madsen and Wes Durston, Lineker's form has to put them under pressure as a man in prime form. I would expect him to travel to Lords for the four day game and he may yet play - though that's Krikk's call.
For what its worth, I think we should reward Lineker with a year's deal. He will be 27 by then and next year we should see whether he has what it takes. His recent form is making a very good case for retention...
Tomorrow is the biggie then, and Middlesex have announced a strong squad for the game, namely:
Neil Dexter (captain)
Corey Collymore
Steven Crook
Jamie Dalrymple
Steven Finn
Dawid Malan
Tim Murtagh
Scott Newman
Sam Robson
Chris Rogers
John Simpson
Tom Smith
Paul Stirling
A good squad, but not unbeatable. As we've shown on many occasions this summer, on our day we can take on anyone and win. Tomorrow may or may not be one of those days, but I expect them to compete and when that happens the opposition can crumble.
Our side for tomorrow? I'd guess the following and probably won't be far away
Hughes
Guptill
Durston
Madsen
Smith
Park
Whiteley
Sutton
Clare
Jones
Groenewald
Should be well worth a watch and I will be commenting on it later tomorrow - assuming that my fingers haven't also seized up by then...
We won too, which made for a nice evening on a glorious summer day. All is well in the cricketing world.
Thanks for your comments on Matt Lineker, which are appreciated as always. For what its worth, after scores of 125, 197 and 101 in four innings I think that Lineker has to be in with a shout of a first team appearance sometime soon. While I'm not disputing the talent and ability of Wayne Madsen and Wes Durston, Lineker's form has to put them under pressure as a man in prime form. I would expect him to travel to Lords for the four day game and he may yet play - though that's Krikk's call.
For what its worth, I think we should reward Lineker with a year's deal. He will be 27 by then and next year we should see whether he has what it takes. His recent form is making a very good case for retention...
Tomorrow is the biggie then, and Middlesex have announced a strong squad for the game, namely:
Neil Dexter (captain)
Corey Collymore
Steven Crook
Jamie Dalrymple
Steven Finn
Dawid Malan
Tim Murtagh
Scott Newman
Sam Robson
Chris Rogers
John Simpson
Tom Smith
Paul Stirling
A good squad, but not unbeatable. As we've shown on many occasions this summer, on our day we can take on anyone and win. Tomorrow may or may not be one of those days, but I expect them to compete and when that happens the opposition can crumble.
Our side for tomorrow? I'd guess the following and probably won't be far away
Hughes
Guptill
Durston
Madsen
Smith
Park
Whiteley
Sutton
Clare
Jones
Groenewald
Should be well worth a watch and I will be commenting on it later tomorrow - assuming that my fingers haven't also seized up by then...
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