Leicestershire's fans will be pleased by the performance of their overseas star for next season (and possible captain) Andrew McDonald in the Champions League T20 today.
McDonald bowled with control to take four wickets and looks a good player. His career average of around 37 with the bat and 28 with the ball doesn't suggest a world class cricketer, but he could do a good job for them.
I'm more surprised by Yorkshire's choice of Ryan Harris as their overseas player for 2010 and the signing is, I think, more indicative of the difficulties counties are going to face in getting a player who wants to come and satisfies the visa regulations. Harris is a decent cricketer, but his record suggests little more than that. He is known as a bowler who bats a little, but five first class fifties and a batting average of 18 doesn't look great. Nor does his bowling record of look spectacular and if I were a Yorkshire fan I'd be a little concerned tonight. They've lost Kruis, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Hoggard from their seam attack for next year and Harris will have a lot thrust onto his shoulders. At least, injuries permitting, they'll have him for the season and sometimes these gambles come off, but his three wickets at 45 each in a brief spell at Surrey doesn't look promising.
Elsewhere, Middlesex have replaced Murali Kartik as left arm spinner with Sussex's Tom Smith, Rob Key has ended speculation about a move to the Oval by signing a long-term deal at Kent, and Glen Chapple has been appointed Lancashire skipper for 2010.
Still no news from the County Ground, but I'm sure John Morris is busy as ever behind the scenes. Sometimes signings and contract extensions take time to organise but I'm sure that all will be revealed in good time. We just need to be patient.
See you soon.
Thursday, 15 October 2009
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
Overseas and over here
I came across an article last night while doing a little web surfing on South African cricket.
Now it's not the theme of this blog, as regular readers will know, but the author of the article was stating that the current South African side was the best they have ever had.
I'll not deny that they are a strong outfit and have some quality players. Graeme Smith, AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis are fine batsmen, while Dale Steyn is a handful with the new ball. They have a lot of good all round cricketers too, guys who can bat steadily, bowl accurately and field with an ability that seems to be lacking in some countries.
Yet "best ever"? I could only assume that the author was a young guy who had never seen the Saffers of the 1960's, Springboks as they were then known.
I remember when I first started watching Derbyshire and it wasn't a pretty sight at times. When the news came in 1969 that we were going to sign an overseas player for the first time and the target was South African, I remember asking my Dad who he thought we should sign. I was only ten, going on eleven and didn't know much about cricket other than the big names.
The two he suggested were Eddie Barlow and Graeme Pollock.
Now Barlow, as it turned out, did eventually come to Derbyshire, but Dad has always said it was five years too late.
"If he'd come in 1970 there'd have been no stopping us" he said, and few would argue. The Barlow of 1975 vintage was still a very fine player but his peak had passed as a batsman. As a bowler he was always dangerous, even when there was nothing in the track. As a skipper he missed little, just as he did at slip.
I cast my mind back to Eddie Barlow last year when we were struggling to break through on a few last days in the Championship. In those situations, Bunter would have taken a wicket with an ambitious and telegraphed off cutter, or a slower ball, or one that somehow moved off the track. He was a partnership breaker par excellence and a world class cricketer.
So was Pollock. He never fancied County cricket yet would have been a huge draw and success. One of the very greatest left handers ever, Pollock hit a ball with West Indian power yet never really seemed to be doing so.
When you consider that Barlow, Pollock, Mike Procter and Barry Richards were in that late 1960's side, I would argue that it was perhaps the best ever. Four great players in a side supported by some very good players.
Chris Wilkins, who arrived as our first overseas player, was a terrific batsman and wonderfully entertaining, yet was a long way from their national side. Hylton Ackerman, who passed away a few weeks ago, Lee Irvine and Trevor Goddard were also around, while Pollock's brother Peter was a very, very good and awkward quickie. When counties brought over a South African professional, you just knew they were going to be good.
They still are and the depth is coming back into South African cricket. They have good batsmen, some lively quicks, handy swing bowlers (many of whom have headed over here on Kolpaks) and some steady and talented spin bowlers.
South Africa has been a happy hunting ground for Derbyshire, which is why I have a soft spot for their national side. As well as Wilkins and Barlow we've had the graceful and talented Peter Kirsten, the dynamic Adrian Kuiper and the enigmatic Daryl Cullinan. OK, the likes of Andrew Gait, Dominic Telo and James Bryant didn't fare so well, but by and large we've had good service out of South Africans at Derby. For a short spell we also had Allan Lamb and Garth Le Roux in the Second XI (yet no one checked Lamb's English credentials.... grrrrr!) and but for injury would have had Jacques Rudolph too.
Our players have done well out there too. Fred Swarbrook, Phil Russell and the late Ashley Harvey-Walker all did well after they retired in coaching or groundsman roles, while Alan Hill was one of a number who went out there to play and became the first man to make a century without hitting a boundary!
Yes, I've a soft spot for South Africa and they've probably given us the best success rate in overseas player of any nation. Australia have given us terrific players like Dean Jones, Michael di Venuto and Chris Rogers, but they've also given us Michael Slater, Travis Birt and Jon Moss.
We did well out of Michael Holding for sure, while Ian Bishop would have done better but for injury, but Lawrence Rowe and Wavell Hinds were only qualified successes. Mohammad Azharuddin and Venkat also did well for us, but Mohammad Kaif showed only flashes of ability. John Wright was a fine servant from New Zealand for a number of years, but....er.....Chris Harris wasn't. Nor was Shahid Afridi in his brief spell with us.
It's a hard job identifying an overseas professional, or indeed a Kolpak. With the overcrowded international calendar it is becoming ever more complex and we should be thankful that we have such a fine player as Chris Rogers at Derby.
Mind you, I'd love to see an Eddie Barlow on a Kolpak.
Now it's not the theme of this blog, as regular readers will know, but the author of the article was stating that the current South African side was the best they have ever had.
I'll not deny that they are a strong outfit and have some quality players. Graeme Smith, AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis are fine batsmen, while Dale Steyn is a handful with the new ball. They have a lot of good all round cricketers too, guys who can bat steadily, bowl accurately and field with an ability that seems to be lacking in some countries.
Yet "best ever"? I could only assume that the author was a young guy who had never seen the Saffers of the 1960's, Springboks as they were then known.
I remember when I first started watching Derbyshire and it wasn't a pretty sight at times. When the news came in 1969 that we were going to sign an overseas player for the first time and the target was South African, I remember asking my Dad who he thought we should sign. I was only ten, going on eleven and didn't know much about cricket other than the big names.
The two he suggested were Eddie Barlow and Graeme Pollock.
Now Barlow, as it turned out, did eventually come to Derbyshire, but Dad has always said it was five years too late.
"If he'd come in 1970 there'd have been no stopping us" he said, and few would argue. The Barlow of 1975 vintage was still a very fine player but his peak had passed as a batsman. As a bowler he was always dangerous, even when there was nothing in the track. As a skipper he missed little, just as he did at slip.
I cast my mind back to Eddie Barlow last year when we were struggling to break through on a few last days in the Championship. In those situations, Bunter would have taken a wicket with an ambitious and telegraphed off cutter, or a slower ball, or one that somehow moved off the track. He was a partnership breaker par excellence and a world class cricketer.
So was Pollock. He never fancied County cricket yet would have been a huge draw and success. One of the very greatest left handers ever, Pollock hit a ball with West Indian power yet never really seemed to be doing so.
When you consider that Barlow, Pollock, Mike Procter and Barry Richards were in that late 1960's side, I would argue that it was perhaps the best ever. Four great players in a side supported by some very good players.
Chris Wilkins, who arrived as our first overseas player, was a terrific batsman and wonderfully entertaining, yet was a long way from their national side. Hylton Ackerman, who passed away a few weeks ago, Lee Irvine and Trevor Goddard were also around, while Pollock's brother Peter was a very, very good and awkward quickie. When counties brought over a South African professional, you just knew they were going to be good.
They still are and the depth is coming back into South African cricket. They have good batsmen, some lively quicks, handy swing bowlers (many of whom have headed over here on Kolpaks) and some steady and talented spin bowlers.
South Africa has been a happy hunting ground for Derbyshire, which is why I have a soft spot for their national side. As well as Wilkins and Barlow we've had the graceful and talented Peter Kirsten, the dynamic Adrian Kuiper and the enigmatic Daryl Cullinan. OK, the likes of Andrew Gait, Dominic Telo and James Bryant didn't fare so well, but by and large we've had good service out of South Africans at Derby. For a short spell we also had Allan Lamb and Garth Le Roux in the Second XI (yet no one checked Lamb's English credentials.... grrrrr!) and but for injury would have had Jacques Rudolph too.
Our players have done well out there too. Fred Swarbrook, Phil Russell and the late Ashley Harvey-Walker all did well after they retired in coaching or groundsman roles, while Alan Hill was one of a number who went out there to play and became the first man to make a century without hitting a boundary!
Yes, I've a soft spot for South Africa and they've probably given us the best success rate in overseas player of any nation. Australia have given us terrific players like Dean Jones, Michael di Venuto and Chris Rogers, but they've also given us Michael Slater, Travis Birt and Jon Moss.
We did well out of Michael Holding for sure, while Ian Bishop would have done better but for injury, but Lawrence Rowe and Wavell Hinds were only qualified successes. Mohammad Azharuddin and Venkat also did well for us, but Mohammad Kaif showed only flashes of ability. John Wright was a fine servant from New Zealand for a number of years, but....er.....Chris Harris wasn't. Nor was Shahid Afridi in his brief spell with us.
It's a hard job identifying an overseas professional, or indeed a Kolpak. With the overcrowded international calendar it is becoming ever more complex and we should be thankful that we have such a fine player as Chris Rogers at Derby.
Mind you, I'd love to see an Eddie Barlow on a Kolpak.
Nice bit of film
One of my favourite web sites is that of British Pathe, which has loads of amazing footage of days gone by from the old Pathe news reels.
By entering a search term of "cricket" you can see all the greats, right back to WG Grace.
This afternoon I came across footage, albeit brief, of Derbyshire's George Pope bowling for England against South Africa in 1947. You can see it at
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=49133
George's run up and action can be seen around 1 minute 8 seconds in.
Great for those who never saw a true County legend in action. Enjoy!
By entering a search term of "cricket" you can see all the greats, right back to WG Grace.
This afternoon I came across footage, albeit brief, of Derbyshire's George Pope bowling for England against South Africa in 1947. You can see it at
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=49133
George's run up and action can be seen around 1 minute 8 seconds in.
Great for those who never saw a true County legend in action. Enjoy!
Fancy a good read?
I'm basking in the glow of post-decorating today. Having taken the week off I've painted the staircase and am enjoying the thought of the remainder of the week catching up on some reading and pottering about in the garden before the weather changes.
I'm reading a novel at present by Martin Edwards, who as well as being one of the country's very best crime writers is also an avid fan of Derbyshire and collector of club memorabilia. Every club has its "celebrity" fans though many don't like being called by that name. The late Ted Moult was one of ours, while TV personality Nick Owen obviously is. Anybody know any others?
Martin is also one of the top employment lawyers in the country and a regular reader of this blog (sincere thanks!) If you enjoy a good read and more to the point like a good crime novel, he's the man. The eagle-eyed among you will notice that many of his characters are named after former Derbyshire players.
You can find out more about him and his books on his excellent web site at http://www.martinedwardsbooks.com/
If you're reading this Martin, drop me an e mail to either the blog account or my other one as I've somehow lost yours!
I've just finished Duncan Hamilton's brilliant biography of Harold Larwood. It is a very well written account of a man who was effectively ostracised by English cricket and became the scapegoat of Bodyline. If you want a good read, this is one well worth buying, or borrowing from your local library. Mrs Peakfan got it me for my recent birthday and it's added to my signed copy of his autobiography a few years back. Yes, I know he was a Nottinghamshire man but he was also a great cricketer. My parents now live in the town where his statue is on display and it is a terrific piece of work.
I'm now slipping hints that I might get the "Derbyshire CCC 100 Greats" by Derek Carlaw for Christmas. I'll be interested to read it, if only to see how the author has come up with 100 players who are genuinely, if only in the context of Derbyshire cricket, "great". It is a much over used word these days, as is "legend". If I really push myself, I can come up with around 50 whose deeds for us warrant the term, but I'm really stretching things.
One that really disappointed me was Edward Giles "Derbyshire Chronicles", which I eagerly awaited but which I found quite frustrating. The narrative didn't flow as it might have and there were far too many diversions and quirky, but to me somewhat pointless asides. The layout of the book wasn't the best, either, and it isn't high on my list of books to recommend.
THE book on Derbyshire cricket is still John Shawcroft's club history. It could really do with an updated version being produced. I'm not sure if John is still around, but his book is superbly written and a thoroughly readable account of the club's history. Over the years I've managed to get my copy signed by around 70-80 players, so it is very much a family heirloom. Well, I think so...
Anyway, that's pretty much it for now. Not much in the way of news just now, but I'm sure there's a story just around the corner. As soon as it happens, you'll get my thoughts on here.
Back soon.
I'm reading a novel at present by Martin Edwards, who as well as being one of the country's very best crime writers is also an avid fan of Derbyshire and collector of club memorabilia. Every club has its "celebrity" fans though many don't like being called by that name. The late Ted Moult was one of ours, while TV personality Nick Owen obviously is. Anybody know any others?
Martin is also one of the top employment lawyers in the country and a regular reader of this blog (sincere thanks!) If you enjoy a good read and more to the point like a good crime novel, he's the man. The eagle-eyed among you will notice that many of his characters are named after former Derbyshire players.
You can find out more about him and his books on his excellent web site at http://www.martinedwardsbooks.com/
If you're reading this Martin, drop me an e mail to either the blog account or my other one as I've somehow lost yours!
I've just finished Duncan Hamilton's brilliant biography of Harold Larwood. It is a very well written account of a man who was effectively ostracised by English cricket and became the scapegoat of Bodyline. If you want a good read, this is one well worth buying, or borrowing from your local library. Mrs Peakfan got it me for my recent birthday and it's added to my signed copy of his autobiography a few years back. Yes, I know he was a Nottinghamshire man but he was also a great cricketer. My parents now live in the town where his statue is on display and it is a terrific piece of work.
I'm now slipping hints that I might get the "Derbyshire CCC 100 Greats" by Derek Carlaw for Christmas. I'll be interested to read it, if only to see how the author has come up with 100 players who are genuinely, if only in the context of Derbyshire cricket, "great". It is a much over used word these days, as is "legend". If I really push myself, I can come up with around 50 whose deeds for us warrant the term, but I'm really stretching things.
One that really disappointed me was Edward Giles "Derbyshire Chronicles", which I eagerly awaited but which I found quite frustrating. The narrative didn't flow as it might have and there were far too many diversions and quirky, but to me somewhat pointless asides. The layout of the book wasn't the best, either, and it isn't high on my list of books to recommend.
THE book on Derbyshire cricket is still John Shawcroft's club history. It could really do with an updated version being produced. I'm not sure if John is still around, but his book is superbly written and a thoroughly readable account of the club's history. Over the years I've managed to get my copy signed by around 70-80 players, so it is very much a family heirloom. Well, I think so...
Anyway, that's pretty much it for now. Not much in the way of news just now, but I'm sure there's a story just around the corner. As soon as it happens, you'll get my thoughts on here.
Back soon.
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Hoggard conjecture rife
All sorts of stuff flying around the message boards at present as the fans of various counties state the case for their county being the natural home for Matthew Hoggard.
Some are laughable. Somerset? Warwickshire? He'll be shattered by next September if he opts for those counties and more specifically bowling on those tracks. Leicestershire are the first side to declare an interest, but that's a whole world apart from being able to sign him. A contributor on In Morris We Trust suggested that surely we could match a side like Leicestershire, but if we have the lowest playing budget in the country then they have more - bit of a no brainer, that one. Allied to the fact that they essentially have a young squad, on uncapped (in some cases) salaries and they'll have money in hand. They've signed a relatively unknown Aussie (Andrew McDonald) as professional for next year (and probable captain) and also have Will Jefferson lined up.
I could see Hoggard going there, maybe Lancashire, maybe Nottinghamshire (he's over 30 after all and the Trent Bridge Rest Home for the Elderly has a vacancy or two...) but I'd be surprised if he went further south. Money talks, of course. Maybe he'll trade the convenience of not moving house with reduced wage demands, but based on the 100K salary I've read about he's got a fair bit of coming down to do...
Of course, another factor, as pointed out by Derek Pringle in the Telegraph today, is that he only played Championship cricket last year. Such a salary for essentially a part time cricketer is pushing things a tad. Its the same with Monty Panesar, who you can't see being much more than a Championship player given his only average fielding and minimal batting ability.
I am very confident that John Morris will come up with a very good spinner for Derbyshire in 2010. He knows cricket and cricketers and has a lot of contacts in the game. The likelihood is that the man who will come in will be another in the preferred Morris mould - a guy who can contribute with the bat and at least hold his own in the field.
On comments from today, sorry DCCC Forever - I don't see Hoggy as a replacement for Langeveldt. Yes, he's an ex-international bowler but he's not, unlike Langeveldt, a bloke who I would expect to keep it tight in the one dayers. If it was moving, Langers would get wickets. If it wasn't, he'd keep an end tight. You can't ask for more yet I've seen Hoggard get some serious stick in one day cricket.
A name mentioned on In Morris We Trust today is Jason Krejza, an Australian off spinner of Polish descent. I would be very, very surprised if Krejza was in Morris' sights. With 74 wickets in first class cricket at 48, that would be a heck of a gamble and the stats suggest that he's not as good a spinner as James Middlebrook or even Jason Brown!
As I posted on IMWT, another who will attract interest from counties at some stage is Aussie with a Portuguese passport Moises Henriques. A couple of my Aussie pals reckon he's a class act with bat and ball. He is also firmly on the radar of the Australian national selectors and if he continues with his impressive World Twenty/20 performances will have them taking even greater interest.
Anyway, tomorrow is another day, as Scarlett O'Hara once said. Maybe this time tomorrow we'll have some news to get excited about.
If I say it enough I'm sure it will happen...
Some are laughable. Somerset? Warwickshire? He'll be shattered by next September if he opts for those counties and more specifically bowling on those tracks. Leicestershire are the first side to declare an interest, but that's a whole world apart from being able to sign him. A contributor on In Morris We Trust suggested that surely we could match a side like Leicestershire, but if we have the lowest playing budget in the country then they have more - bit of a no brainer, that one. Allied to the fact that they essentially have a young squad, on uncapped (in some cases) salaries and they'll have money in hand. They've signed a relatively unknown Aussie (Andrew McDonald) as professional for next year (and probable captain) and also have Will Jefferson lined up.
I could see Hoggard going there, maybe Lancashire, maybe Nottinghamshire (he's over 30 after all and the Trent Bridge Rest Home for the Elderly has a vacancy or two...) but I'd be surprised if he went further south. Money talks, of course. Maybe he'll trade the convenience of not moving house with reduced wage demands, but based on the 100K salary I've read about he's got a fair bit of coming down to do...
Of course, another factor, as pointed out by Derek Pringle in the Telegraph today, is that he only played Championship cricket last year. Such a salary for essentially a part time cricketer is pushing things a tad. Its the same with Monty Panesar, who you can't see being much more than a Championship player given his only average fielding and minimal batting ability.
I am very confident that John Morris will come up with a very good spinner for Derbyshire in 2010. He knows cricket and cricketers and has a lot of contacts in the game. The likelihood is that the man who will come in will be another in the preferred Morris mould - a guy who can contribute with the bat and at least hold his own in the field.
On comments from today, sorry DCCC Forever - I don't see Hoggy as a replacement for Langeveldt. Yes, he's an ex-international bowler but he's not, unlike Langeveldt, a bloke who I would expect to keep it tight in the one dayers. If it was moving, Langers would get wickets. If it wasn't, he'd keep an end tight. You can't ask for more yet I've seen Hoggard get some serious stick in one day cricket.
A name mentioned on In Morris We Trust today is Jason Krejza, an Australian off spinner of Polish descent. I would be very, very surprised if Krejza was in Morris' sights. With 74 wickets in first class cricket at 48, that would be a heck of a gamble and the stats suggest that he's not as good a spinner as James Middlebrook or even Jason Brown!
As I posted on IMWT, another who will attract interest from counties at some stage is Aussie with a Portuguese passport Moises Henriques. A couple of my Aussie pals reckon he's a class act with bat and ball. He is also firmly on the radar of the Australian national selectors and if he continues with his impressive World Twenty/20 performances will have them taking even greater interest.
Anyway, tomorrow is another day, as Scarlett O'Hara once said. Maybe this time tomorrow we'll have some news to get excited about.
If I say it enough I'm sure it will happen...
Monday, 12 October 2009
Hoggy for.... someone else.
Sorry about the late blog today but I've been painting the staircase. I've now earned enough brownie points from my recent decorating exploits to last me until at least next July, maybe even longer...
So Yorkshire have released Matthew Hoggard who is not at all happy at what has happened.
He's not the first to leave the White Rose county under a cloud, but there was a time when such blood-letting was an annual ritual, celebrated as the clocks changed every year.
There was Brian Close, Ray Illingworth, John Hampshire, Phil Sharpe - the exodus of talent from Yorkshire was extraordinary, many of them players who still had so much to offer.
Hoggard is still a good player and strikes me as the sort of bowler who would prefer to stay up north, which has led Sky Sports to name us as 9-1 favourites to sign him. Thanks to "Anon" for letting me know that, as I've not seen Sky Sports all day!
Such things are often based on a little inside knowledge, which may lend credence to the idea that he will sign, but, sorry to rain on the parade, but I just don't see it.
Maybe I'm doing the guy a disservice, but if Yorkshire reckon he turned down a "very generous" two year deal with an option for a third, I just cannot see how we could afford him in the light of the new regulations on the age make up of sides next year. The idea seems to be that there'll no longer be the "old lags" clogging up the County circuit, but that it will be chock full of lithe young things who will turn our national side into an eleven of super heroes.
Yeah, sure.
There's a lot of top players who have probably peaked once they've passed 30. Think Gooch, Gatting, Ramprakash. How many runs Hick scored after he was 30. Go back further and how many Jack Hobbs scored after he was 40. I know that the game was different then, but this Memorandum of Understanding is well, nuts. Who's the best spinner in England? Robert Croft is still up there for me, at what age? Who's the best batsman? Ramprakash at what age? Why should the cricketing public be deprived of watching top players just because legislation suggests they should be traded in for a younger model, almost certainly inferior.
Matthew Hoggard is a fine bowler. Always has been, in likelihood always will be. He's also an ex-England bowler and as such will be looking for big money, way outside our compass.
The same goes for Monty Panesar. He's a bowler of talent, but, despite some improvement, is still only a tail ender and a very average fielder. He's another who will command a big salary, or at least will ask for one. I think that he'll end up at Edgbaston, where Ashley Giles has made no secret of his interest. Where that leaves Ant Botha is anyone's guess.
So in short, I think that Matthew Hoggard is a fine bowler who would do a job for Derbyshire without doubt.
But unless Rupert Murdoch is going to sponsor him, or Keith Loring has come up on the pools, it ain't gonna happen.
Sorry.
So Yorkshire have released Matthew Hoggard who is not at all happy at what has happened.
He's not the first to leave the White Rose county under a cloud, but there was a time when such blood-letting was an annual ritual, celebrated as the clocks changed every year.
There was Brian Close, Ray Illingworth, John Hampshire, Phil Sharpe - the exodus of talent from Yorkshire was extraordinary, many of them players who still had so much to offer.
Hoggard is still a good player and strikes me as the sort of bowler who would prefer to stay up north, which has led Sky Sports to name us as 9-1 favourites to sign him. Thanks to "Anon" for letting me know that, as I've not seen Sky Sports all day!
Such things are often based on a little inside knowledge, which may lend credence to the idea that he will sign, but, sorry to rain on the parade, but I just don't see it.
Maybe I'm doing the guy a disservice, but if Yorkshire reckon he turned down a "very generous" two year deal with an option for a third, I just cannot see how we could afford him in the light of the new regulations on the age make up of sides next year. The idea seems to be that there'll no longer be the "old lags" clogging up the County circuit, but that it will be chock full of lithe young things who will turn our national side into an eleven of super heroes.
Yeah, sure.
There's a lot of top players who have probably peaked once they've passed 30. Think Gooch, Gatting, Ramprakash. How many runs Hick scored after he was 30. Go back further and how many Jack Hobbs scored after he was 40. I know that the game was different then, but this Memorandum of Understanding is well, nuts. Who's the best spinner in England? Robert Croft is still up there for me, at what age? Who's the best batsman? Ramprakash at what age? Why should the cricketing public be deprived of watching top players just because legislation suggests they should be traded in for a younger model, almost certainly inferior.
Matthew Hoggard is a fine bowler. Always has been, in likelihood always will be. He's also an ex-England bowler and as such will be looking for big money, way outside our compass.
The same goes for Monty Panesar. He's a bowler of talent, but, despite some improvement, is still only a tail ender and a very average fielder. He's another who will command a big salary, or at least will ask for one. I think that he'll end up at Edgbaston, where Ashley Giles has made no secret of his interest. Where that leaves Ant Botha is anyone's guess.
So in short, I think that Matthew Hoggard is a fine bowler who would do a job for Derbyshire without doubt.
But unless Rupert Murdoch is going to sponsor him, or Keith Loring has come up on the pools, it ain't gonna happen.
Sorry.
Sunday, 11 October 2009
Good news on the skipper
I had a day off blogging yesterday as there was little to write about, to be honest. The only news, thankfully good, was that Chris Rogers will now be able to return to Derby next season due to an amendment to the regulations. Having had a visa for the past few years, Buck will qualify for 2010 and I'm sure that Derbyshire fans will rejoice at that news. Whatever else happens this winter, we'll not do a better piece of business.
I had a few e mails from people yesterday who said they'd no idea about the new regulations coming into force from next season, as I highlighted on Friday. All were the same as me - very sympathetic towards John Morris, who will effectively have to select his teams with both cricketing and fiscal matters in mind. A couple suggested that Chesney Hughes could be a batting option for us too in the Under 22 age group, but the reality is that he won't, as he is not yet English-qualified and would cost us more money when he plays until he does. Chesney may well have a big part to play in our future cricketing fortunes, but that won't be until his qualification period ends. Having said that, time is very much on his side at 18.
This week's poll ends in a few hours time and I have to say that the response has been great - thanks to all who voted. Having said that, I'm not going to have a poll for the forseeable future as I can't think of anything worth voting on at this stage. If you've any ideas, please let me know, but "is the water in the gents toilet at the County ground hot enough for you?" isn't one I'd be keen on running - so think on...
I'm astonished at how this blog has taken off over the past year and a half, with growth during the past season up by around 45-50%. Thanks to everyone for your support. It's something that I enjoy doing and I'm just grateful that there's plenty of people out there on a daily basis who keep tuning in. You will tell all your friends won't you? Though maybe not those who don't like cricket - and probably not those who are Nottinghamshire fans...
The findings of this week's poll suggest that the player most would like to see at Derby is Wes Durston, but to a great extent this poll has been overtaken by events. That Daily Telegraph article for me will dictate Derbyshire's signing strategy and if we're going for anyone it may be a young player who many might not have heard of.
For what it's worth, I think that Will Jefferson will end up at Leicester, with rumours suggesting he's been offered the captaincy. I've also read that Scott Newman prefers to stay down south and may well move across to Middlesex. Durston is a decent player but he's 28 and outside his "age of usefulness" if I could put it that way. Cynics could also suggest that what at first glance looks a respectable average of mid-30's is perhaps not THAT impressive when one considers most of his batting has been done at Taunton, where I reckon I might average 20 at my age...
He would have been my choice out of those names before I read that Telegraph piece. Spearman has been a terrific player but is a classic case of an "eye" player who's eye has gone. Shafayat too has been around for some time and has not kicked on, in either stay at Nottingham nor at Northamptonshire in between. A fair player, but would you bring him in to replace Madsen, Park or Smith? I know I wouldn't.
That just leaves Brown at Gloucestershire and I don't think that he's a good enough player for Derbyshire. Nothing he's done so far suggests a mercurial talent and a move for him would be a surprise.
I think we'll hear soon about things moving at Derby but John Morris will, quite rightly, keep his cards close to his chest. I hope that we sign Steffan Jones after his late-season heroics and we obviously, desperately need a quality spinner. We could probably use another seamer too, but the side for next season is likely to bear a more youthful look and be something along the lines of:
Rogers
Madsen
Borrington
Smith
Park
Redfern
Goddard
Wagg
Spinner
Seamer
Seamer
That side is much younger than this year, without the experience of Pipe or Hinds in the middle order. It will put more responsibility on Park and Smith to progress still further while the young guns will have a part to play. We'll see how they all fare when April comes around once more.
Whatever happens, I can't wait!
I had a few e mails from people yesterday who said they'd no idea about the new regulations coming into force from next season, as I highlighted on Friday. All were the same as me - very sympathetic towards John Morris, who will effectively have to select his teams with both cricketing and fiscal matters in mind. A couple suggested that Chesney Hughes could be a batting option for us too in the Under 22 age group, but the reality is that he won't, as he is not yet English-qualified and would cost us more money when he plays until he does. Chesney may well have a big part to play in our future cricketing fortunes, but that won't be until his qualification period ends. Having said that, time is very much on his side at 18.
This week's poll ends in a few hours time and I have to say that the response has been great - thanks to all who voted. Having said that, I'm not going to have a poll for the forseeable future as I can't think of anything worth voting on at this stage. If you've any ideas, please let me know, but "is the water in the gents toilet at the County ground hot enough for you?" isn't one I'd be keen on running - so think on...
I'm astonished at how this blog has taken off over the past year and a half, with growth during the past season up by around 45-50%. Thanks to everyone for your support. It's something that I enjoy doing and I'm just grateful that there's plenty of people out there on a daily basis who keep tuning in. You will tell all your friends won't you? Though maybe not those who don't like cricket - and probably not those who are Nottinghamshire fans...
The findings of this week's poll suggest that the player most would like to see at Derby is Wes Durston, but to a great extent this poll has been overtaken by events. That Daily Telegraph article for me will dictate Derbyshire's signing strategy and if we're going for anyone it may be a young player who many might not have heard of.
For what it's worth, I think that Will Jefferson will end up at Leicester, with rumours suggesting he's been offered the captaincy. I've also read that Scott Newman prefers to stay down south and may well move across to Middlesex. Durston is a decent player but he's 28 and outside his "age of usefulness" if I could put it that way. Cynics could also suggest that what at first glance looks a respectable average of mid-30's is perhaps not THAT impressive when one considers most of his batting has been done at Taunton, where I reckon I might average 20 at my age...
He would have been my choice out of those names before I read that Telegraph piece. Spearman has been a terrific player but is a classic case of an "eye" player who's eye has gone. Shafayat too has been around for some time and has not kicked on, in either stay at Nottingham nor at Northamptonshire in between. A fair player, but would you bring him in to replace Madsen, Park or Smith? I know I wouldn't.
That just leaves Brown at Gloucestershire and I don't think that he's a good enough player for Derbyshire. Nothing he's done so far suggests a mercurial talent and a move for him would be a surprise.
I think we'll hear soon about things moving at Derby but John Morris will, quite rightly, keep his cards close to his chest. I hope that we sign Steffan Jones after his late-season heroics and we obviously, desperately need a quality spinner. We could probably use another seamer too, but the side for next season is likely to bear a more youthful look and be something along the lines of:
Rogers
Madsen
Borrington
Smith
Park
Redfern
Goddard
Wagg
Spinner
Seamer
Seamer
That side is much younger than this year, without the experience of Pipe or Hinds in the middle order. It will put more responsibility on Park and Smith to progress still further while the young guns will have a part to play. We'll see how they all fare when April comes around once more.
Whatever happens, I can't wait!
Friday, 9 October 2009
Favourite cricketers - John Wright
John Wright will not go down in history as one of the game’s greatestbatsmen, but he will be remembered as a batsman of strong technique, a decent range of strokes and immense courage.
For Derbyshire fans used to years of attritional batting, the Wright and Kirsten era is and will forever be recalled with a great deal of fondness. South African Peter Kirsten was the real run machine and an average of 60 at the end of each summer was par for the course. Wright was less prolific yet there were similarities between the two. Both liked to take their time in “getting in”, yet possessed an innate ability to keep the scoreboard moving while doing so. Once set, Kirsten could be a destroyer and simply take attacks apart. With his baggy cap and build he was likened to the great Donald Bradman, but the fans knew that once Wright was set he would bat and bat and bat.
In some ways he suffered in batting with his great friend as the solid technique of Wright could suffer in comparison to the more elegant, flamboyant Kirsten. Yet “Shake” as he was known (for the poor state of his cricket gear, which they reckoned he’d just shake out of his bag) was a very fine player. Not as good a left-hander as Chris Rogers, but thoroughly dependable. A record of 59 centuries and 126 fifties doesn’t lie. His average of 42 (37 in Tests) suggests a very good, rather than great player, but Wright was a fine servant to Derbyshire cricket.
His autobiography “Christmas in Rarotanga” was one of the more enjoyable cricket books in my experience and he wrote extensively on his time at Derby. Having trialled with Kent, he had a few games for our Second XI before being taken on by Eddie Barlow. For a while we had to perm one from Kirsten and Wright until Barlow retired when the two graced – no other word for it – our batting for some years of bliss. Later on he suffered from the changing regulations on overseas players and the choice became either Wright or Michael Holding. He wryly commented on the fact that many opponents seemed pleased to see him and it took a while for the penny to drop that it was because his presence meant Michael wasn’t in the side!
Added to his cricket ability, Wright was a singularly approachable man, who always had time for a word. He has since become a highly respected coach at international level, where again his humour came to the fore. Asked the most demanding part of coaching India, he replied “making sure all the practice balls are there at the end of the session”.
John Wright's greatest innings (and there was plenty of choice) was against the West Indies at Chesterfield on a real green top. Andy Roberts and co pinging them down at the speed of light and good players of fast bowling like Barry Wood and David Steele getting hit and hurt. Yet Wright batted stoically - maybe astonishingly - for 96 runs that was worth double that.
Yes, a good player was John Wright. It was my great pleasure to see him.
The answer, my friends, is blowing in the wind of change...
I came across an interesting article earlier today from the Daily Telegraph. It's a few weeks old, but may have considerable bearing on our plans for next season. It is reproduced below, and I acknowledge the Telegraph as the author of the following:
"Plans by the England and Wales Cricket Board to introduce age-related payments to counties for next season have been opposed by 96 per cent of county players.
The ECB hopes to encourage counties to play more young English players and make them less dependent upon Kolpak or European-qualified imports by changing the system of central funding.
The new payment system, included in a Memorandum of Understanding that has been circulated to counties, would change the emphasis of Performance Related Fee Payments. Instead of penalising counties for playing non-England-qualified players, they would be rewarded for selecting up to two players under the age of 22, three under 26 and a maximum of four over 28 with a sliding scale of payments.
More money will also be invested by the ECB in county academies, second XI cricket and the development of level three and four-qualified coaches. But the ECB proposals are not popular with players, as 283 of the 296 county cricketers who responded to a survey conducted by the Professional Cricketers' Association said that team selection should be based on merit and not on age bands.
Only six players who responded to the survey, which was answered by all but 60 of the PCA's playing membership, supported the age-related system proposed by the ECB.
"While we believe that the intention of the MOU to encourage England-qualified cricketers is sound, there are very strong cricketing reasons why the age-related PRFP should not go ahead," said PCA chairman Vikram Solanki.
"This is nothing short of a quota system and quota systems have not worked in other parts of the world.
"We believe that if teams are not selected solely on merit it will lead to a lowering in the standards of county cricket."
Though counties are not obliged to comply with the memorandum of understanding, the PCA is concerned that financial pressures - counties who fully comply will receive more than £206,000 next season, those who do not will receive £82,000 less - will make it difficult for most counties not to.
"In the current economic climate you can see why clubs might adopt the policy of playing players of a certain age when there might be players more deserving of a place," Solanki said.
Despite PCA concerns, the age-related payment scheme looks set to go ahead. Some counties have already signed and returned the memorandum of understanding to Lord's and the issue was not even discussed at a recent ECB cricket committee meeting, despite attempts by the PCA to have it included as an agenda item.
"Ideally we would like the age-related payments to be scrapped totally, but at the very least we would like them to be put on hold while proper consultation takes place," Solanki said.
"The ECB feel that proper consultation has already taken place with the PCA and the cricketing world in general, but we do not agree with that."
ENDS
Given that Derbyshire have by some distance the smallest playing budget of the first class counties, the comments in the middle of this article, which I have both italicised and put in bold, may have been written about us. We have done well, extraordinarily well, to make a small profit in recent seasons and those at the club who have worked to ensure this deserve our congratulations. It is clear, however, that we could not afford to take the financial "hit" suggested here by non-compliance.
Solanki is right. It is a quota system and players are rightly opposed to it. It is little different to when South African sides were expected to pick a given number of non-white players in their sides, irrespective of merit.
The likelihood is that the wealthy counties at the Test grounds will wave two fingers at the system and carry on regardless. They can afford to, but we can't. So what happens if we have to play two players under 22? Dan Redfern would get in OK, and Paul Borrington is close to the first team. Yet what happens if one of them is injured? Do we then pull in Tom Poynton and drop our new keeper? Or play Atif Sheikh and drop Steffan (if he signs) or Tim Groenewald? I can understand players concerns as this is tinkering with their careers and dictating that sides will not be selected on merit.
It is the same with the under-26 category. It might mean that Jon Clare HAD to play, even if out of form like this year.
It is, in short, ludicrous and given the track record of cricket administrators will almost certainly go through. That 283 of 296 players oppose it suggests a depth of feeling, but the "suits" at Lords know best, of course. We all know that the game is not about the players....
On a different tack, and taking into account the story above, I think that I, in common with a number of fans, may have been getting carried away in recent days or weeks. I've read a few stories about the salaries being demanded for players by agents in the light of the new legislation on visas and quite honestly think a lot of them are outside our compass.
Players that I would deem as ordinary are looking for substantial - maybe ridiculous - salaries, some of them in this week's poll. We can't afford them, in my humble opinion. What I forgot in my calculations last night on money available, was the improved contracts for the likes of Park and Smith, probably Rogers, maybe others, contracts that will keep them at Derby. I also hope that Steffan Jones signs, which will be more money.
John Morris went on record when Wavell Hinds was released to say we were going in a different direction. That could mean he's not going to go the Kolpak route, or he's going to sign a bowler. He also needs to find, ideally, another Twenty/20 player for the second overseas berth, someone who will put a few bums on the seats that Keith Loring is having installed this winter.
All things considered, we haven't got THAT much money available, so here's a pledge from Peakfan.
The blog will, from now on, be a conjecture-free zone. There's loads of it on 606 and In Morris We Trust and I'll happily contribute to both fora. I'll only write about new signings as and when we make them though. Yes, I think we need a spinner and perhaps another seamer. Yet the story at the top of this article suggests that Rogers, Madsen, Park and Smith will HAVE to be joined by Redfern and Borrington next year. That's no bad thing as they're good young players, but there's no point Morris signing a Durston, Shafayat et al if we can't play them and I don't rate any of the names in this week's poll as better than our top four.
Finally tonight, I queried yesterday why Charl Langeveldt didn't bowl his full allocation last night. The answer is that his shoulder has gone again, a real shame. I wrote at the start of the season that I didn't see Charl playing for us again and with a dodgy shoulder, approaching his 36th birthday, I am afraid that I was right. I hope he recovers, but I'd be very surprised if we see Langers at Derby again.
See you over the weekend!
"Plans by the England and Wales Cricket Board to introduce age-related payments to counties for next season have been opposed by 96 per cent of county players.
The ECB hopes to encourage counties to play more young English players and make them less dependent upon Kolpak or European-qualified imports by changing the system of central funding.
The new payment system, included in a Memorandum of Understanding that has been circulated to counties, would change the emphasis of Performance Related Fee Payments. Instead of penalising counties for playing non-England-qualified players, they would be rewarded for selecting up to two players under the age of 22, three under 26 and a maximum of four over 28 with a sliding scale of payments.
More money will also be invested by the ECB in county academies, second XI cricket and the development of level three and four-qualified coaches. But the ECB proposals are not popular with players, as 283 of the 296 county cricketers who responded to a survey conducted by the Professional Cricketers' Association said that team selection should be based on merit and not on age bands.
Only six players who responded to the survey, which was answered by all but 60 of the PCA's playing membership, supported the age-related system proposed by the ECB.
"While we believe that the intention of the MOU to encourage England-qualified cricketers is sound, there are very strong cricketing reasons why the age-related PRFP should not go ahead," said PCA chairman Vikram Solanki.
"This is nothing short of a quota system and quota systems have not worked in other parts of the world.
"We believe that if teams are not selected solely on merit it will lead to a lowering in the standards of county cricket."
Though counties are not obliged to comply with the memorandum of understanding, the PCA is concerned that financial pressures - counties who fully comply will receive more than £206,000 next season, those who do not will receive £82,000 less - will make it difficult for most counties not to.
"In the current economic climate you can see why clubs might adopt the policy of playing players of a certain age when there might be players more deserving of a place," Solanki said.
Despite PCA concerns, the age-related payment scheme looks set to go ahead. Some counties have already signed and returned the memorandum of understanding to Lord's and the issue was not even discussed at a recent ECB cricket committee meeting, despite attempts by the PCA to have it included as an agenda item.
"Ideally we would like the age-related payments to be scrapped totally, but at the very least we would like them to be put on hold while proper consultation takes place," Solanki said.
"The ECB feel that proper consultation has already taken place with the PCA and the cricketing world in general, but we do not agree with that."
ENDS
Given that Derbyshire have by some distance the smallest playing budget of the first class counties, the comments in the middle of this article, which I have both italicised and put in bold, may have been written about us. We have done well, extraordinarily well, to make a small profit in recent seasons and those at the club who have worked to ensure this deserve our congratulations. It is clear, however, that we could not afford to take the financial "hit" suggested here by non-compliance.
Solanki is right. It is a quota system and players are rightly opposed to it. It is little different to when South African sides were expected to pick a given number of non-white players in their sides, irrespective of merit.
The likelihood is that the wealthy counties at the Test grounds will wave two fingers at the system and carry on regardless. They can afford to, but we can't. So what happens if we have to play two players under 22? Dan Redfern would get in OK, and Paul Borrington is close to the first team. Yet what happens if one of them is injured? Do we then pull in Tom Poynton and drop our new keeper? Or play Atif Sheikh and drop Steffan (if he signs) or Tim Groenewald? I can understand players concerns as this is tinkering with their careers and dictating that sides will not be selected on merit.
It is the same with the under-26 category. It might mean that Jon Clare HAD to play, even if out of form like this year.
It is, in short, ludicrous and given the track record of cricket administrators will almost certainly go through. That 283 of 296 players oppose it suggests a depth of feeling, but the "suits" at Lords know best, of course. We all know that the game is not about the players....
On a different tack, and taking into account the story above, I think that I, in common with a number of fans, may have been getting carried away in recent days or weeks. I've read a few stories about the salaries being demanded for players by agents in the light of the new legislation on visas and quite honestly think a lot of them are outside our compass.
Players that I would deem as ordinary are looking for substantial - maybe ridiculous - salaries, some of them in this week's poll. We can't afford them, in my humble opinion. What I forgot in my calculations last night on money available, was the improved contracts for the likes of Park and Smith, probably Rogers, maybe others, contracts that will keep them at Derby. I also hope that Steffan Jones signs, which will be more money.
John Morris went on record when Wavell Hinds was released to say we were going in a different direction. That could mean he's not going to go the Kolpak route, or he's going to sign a bowler. He also needs to find, ideally, another Twenty/20 player for the second overseas berth, someone who will put a few bums on the seats that Keith Loring is having installed this winter.
All things considered, we haven't got THAT much money available, so here's a pledge from Peakfan.
The blog will, from now on, be a conjecture-free zone. There's loads of it on 606 and In Morris We Trust and I'll happily contribute to both fora. I'll only write about new signings as and when we make them though. Yes, I think we need a spinner and perhaps another seamer. Yet the story at the top of this article suggests that Rogers, Madsen, Park and Smith will HAVE to be joined by Redfern and Borrington next year. That's no bad thing as they're good young players, but there's no point Morris signing a Durston, Shafayat et al if we can't play them and I don't rate any of the names in this week's poll as better than our top four.
Finally tonight, I queried yesterday why Charl Langeveldt didn't bowl his full allocation last night. The answer is that his shoulder has gone again, a real shame. I wrote at the start of the season that I didn't see Charl playing for us again and with a dodgy shoulder, approaching his 36th birthday, I am afraid that I was right. I hope he recovers, but I'd be very surprised if we see Langers at Derby again.
See you over the weekend!
Thursday, 8 October 2009
Bit baffled...
One or two comments on the blog yesterday I can't agree with.
One said that Groenewald "had a couple of good spells and scored a fifty but didn't set the world alight". Actually, I think he did very well. In first class matches he averaged 20 with the bat, usually coming in at nine or ten, while he was top of the bowling averages with 34 wickets at 27 from only nine matches. He took 12 wickets in one day games and a further 7 in Twenty/20, where he was our second most economical regular bowler. That's a little more than "a couple of good spells" and he can be proud of his efforts.
Similarly, there are calls for John Sadler to be released after averaging 35 from just four one day innings and 71 from four Championship innings. On top of that he averaged 41 in the Twenty/20. OK, those averages were partly the result of a lot of not outs, but the fact is that Sads let no one down in 2009. In one day games he got in with 2-3 overs to go and in the Championship he was in at 483-4 against Kent, 350-4 against Middlesex and 400-4 and 143-4 against Essex. What's a man to do? It smacks of the comment made by the old Yorkshire wicket keeper Arthur Wood, when he came in during England's 903-7 against Australia with the score reading something like 730-5 and said "I allus was a man for a crisis"...
Sads scored a number of centuries for the Seconds and did well in his League appearances too. He could have done no more from his limited appearances in 2009. Yes, I'll agree that next year is a biggie for him, but I think that talk of releasing him after his summer's efforts are unfair.
Steffan Jones? Yes, I'd like to see us sign him too, but he's playing in India with Somerset just now so nothing can be done until he returns as he's still contracted to them. I think we will sign him after his efforts, but patience is the key guys.
Tom Lungley? With eight first class wickets at 49 and none in the one day matches he had a poor year. He took eight wickets in the Twenty/20 but was also our most expensive bowler based on runs conceded per over. I think he has an option for another year which he is yet to sign, but cannot think he'll have many other offers on those figures. He is another with a massive 2010 ahead if he stays, but whether he is here is up in the air at present.
One said that Groenewald "had a couple of good spells and scored a fifty but didn't set the world alight". Actually, I think he did very well. In first class matches he averaged 20 with the bat, usually coming in at nine or ten, while he was top of the bowling averages with 34 wickets at 27 from only nine matches. He took 12 wickets in one day games and a further 7 in Twenty/20, where he was our second most economical regular bowler. That's a little more than "a couple of good spells" and he can be proud of his efforts.
Similarly, there are calls for John Sadler to be released after averaging 35 from just four one day innings and 71 from four Championship innings. On top of that he averaged 41 in the Twenty/20. OK, those averages were partly the result of a lot of not outs, but the fact is that Sads let no one down in 2009. In one day games he got in with 2-3 overs to go and in the Championship he was in at 483-4 against Kent, 350-4 against Middlesex and 400-4 and 143-4 against Essex. What's a man to do? It smacks of the comment made by the old Yorkshire wicket keeper Arthur Wood, when he came in during England's 903-7 against Australia with the score reading something like 730-5 and said "I allus was a man for a crisis"...
Sads scored a number of centuries for the Seconds and did well in his League appearances too. He could have done no more from his limited appearances in 2009. Yes, I'll agree that next year is a biggie for him, but I think that talk of releasing him after his summer's efforts are unfair.
Steffan Jones? Yes, I'd like to see us sign him too, but he's playing in India with Somerset just now so nothing can be done until he returns as he's still contracted to them. I think we will sign him after his efforts, but patience is the key guys.
Tom Lungley? With eight first class wickets at 49 and none in the one day matches he had a poor year. He took eight wickets in the Twenty/20 but was also our most expensive bowler based on runs conceded per over. I think he has an option for another year which he is yet to sign, but cannot think he'll have many other offers on those figures. He is another with a massive 2010 ahead if he stays, but whether he is here is up in the air at present.
Sign on the dotted line...
Yorkshire sign on five players today, Kent sign on 4. Shahzad is going nowhere, Garry Ballance has signed on for three years. There's a hint of panic in ensuring good young players don't get plucked from the nourishing tree.
And rightly so. It is frustrating that a county spends years on coaching, developing and nurturing young players and then another with more money but nothing in the way of a coaching set up pounces to make them an offer they can't refuse. Maybe those who have advocated a transfer market in cricket have something after all. You want the next Stuart Broad? That'll be £250,000...
One poster on 606 tonight suggests that Tim Murtagh is available from Middlesex. If that's the case I hope we're in for him as he always gets wickets. It may be that his brother Chris is available from Surrey, or it may be that neither of them are, but Tim is a fine bowler and just the sort that we need. I've asked the question on the Middlesex board and will see what they say.
During the meanwhilst, as was once said on Monty Python, Sir Charl of Langeveldt was up to his old parsimonious tricks in the Champions League Twenty/20. 3-0-12-1 in a score of 180-4 raises a few questions, the biggest being why he didn't bowl his fourth over. It also makes you wonder how South Africa can overlook him for one day cricket as their recent one day matches have suggested they've no one as accurate in the ranks. Even so, the Cape Cobras (fantastic name!) still won thanks to an outrageous knock 99 not out from just 52 balls by JP Duminy.
Elsewhere in India, Steffan took two wickets for Somerset as they won a warm up match tonight, which shows that the old magic is still there...
See you tomorrow.
And rightly so. It is frustrating that a county spends years on coaching, developing and nurturing young players and then another with more money but nothing in the way of a coaching set up pounces to make them an offer they can't refuse. Maybe those who have advocated a transfer market in cricket have something after all. You want the next Stuart Broad? That'll be £250,000...
One poster on 606 tonight suggests that Tim Murtagh is available from Middlesex. If that's the case I hope we're in for him as he always gets wickets. It may be that his brother Chris is available from Surrey, or it may be that neither of them are, but Tim is a fine bowler and just the sort that we need. I've asked the question on the Middlesex board and will see what they say.
During the meanwhilst, as was once said on Monty Python, Sir Charl of Langeveldt was up to his old parsimonious tricks in the Champions League Twenty/20. 3-0-12-1 in a score of 180-4 raises a few questions, the biggest being why he didn't bowl his fourth over. It also makes you wonder how South Africa can overlook him for one day cricket as their recent one day matches have suggested they've no one as accurate in the ranks. Even so, the Cape Cobras (fantastic name!) still won thanks to an outrageous knock 99 not out from just 52 balls by JP Duminy.
Elsewhere in India, Steffan took two wickets for Somerset as they won a warm up match tonight, which shows that the old magic is still there...
See you tomorrow.
News around the country
I don’t know about you, but I think there’s going to be some seriously fierce competition for players this winter.
Faced with greater issues in signing from overseas, counties are scouring out of contract lists and I’ve now seen five/six county cricket supremos stating that they’re looking for a top batsman, spinner and seam bowler.
Warwickshire are the latest with Ashley Giles, the “King of Spain”, bemoaning the fact that he’s had a knock back from Stephen Moore.
He’s one of several people after Yorkshire seamer Ajmal Shahzad, while Matthew Hoggard doesn’t lack for suitors by all accounts.
If the tightening up of visas is extended to the players counties can sign for that second overseas berth in the Twenty/20, I’d be amazed if there’ll be enough to go around. It crossed my mind that a county could look at someone like Adam Gilchrist, Matt Hayden or Glenn McGrath for that role, who may qualify under the “five Tests in five years” regulation.
Whether these guys want a county stint is a different matter. McGrath is now the carer to his two children after the tragic death of his wife, while Hayden has a burgeoning media (and cookery) career. What is sure is that with Chris Rogers in Australia we have a foot in the door with such players if that was the route we decided to take.
What is clear is that we have to be patient. We all want to hear news of new signings and for some, anything less than a name – a Hoggard, maybe a Shafayat – will be a disappointment. The likelihood is that we may sign a younger, less-known player with something to prove but who won’t have the fans getting too excited.
I don’t recall many getting worked up by the signings of Tim Groenewald or Garry Park last winter, but both had a splendid first season. I’m convinced that Lee Goddard will also do well, as Wayne Madsen did when he came into the side last season.
As I’ve said before, we have money available having released four batsmen (Stubbings, Birch, Telo and Hinds) while we’ll also have the money from Langeveldt/Hayward/Law as well as Mark Lawson. Logic suggests there’ll be a saving on the wicket-keeping position too, with the experienced, established and capped James Pipe on a higher salary than Lee Goddard.
How it is spent is down to John Morris. When there’s any news, you’ll read about it on here!
Faced with greater issues in signing from overseas, counties are scouring out of contract lists and I’ve now seen five/six county cricket supremos stating that they’re looking for a top batsman, spinner and seam bowler.
Warwickshire are the latest with Ashley Giles, the “King of Spain”, bemoaning the fact that he’s had a knock back from Stephen Moore.
He’s one of several people after Yorkshire seamer Ajmal Shahzad, while Matthew Hoggard doesn’t lack for suitors by all accounts.
If the tightening up of visas is extended to the players counties can sign for that second overseas berth in the Twenty/20, I’d be amazed if there’ll be enough to go around. It crossed my mind that a county could look at someone like Adam Gilchrist, Matt Hayden or Glenn McGrath for that role, who may qualify under the “five Tests in five years” regulation.
Whether these guys want a county stint is a different matter. McGrath is now the carer to his two children after the tragic death of his wife, while Hayden has a burgeoning media (and cookery) career. What is sure is that with Chris Rogers in Australia we have a foot in the door with such players if that was the route we decided to take.
What is clear is that we have to be patient. We all want to hear news of new signings and for some, anything less than a name – a Hoggard, maybe a Shafayat – will be a disappointment. The likelihood is that we may sign a younger, less-known player with something to prove but who won’t have the fans getting too excited.
I don’t recall many getting worked up by the signings of Tim Groenewald or Garry Park last winter, but both had a splendid first season. I’m convinced that Lee Goddard will also do well, as Wayne Madsen did when he came into the side last season.
As I’ve said before, we have money available having released four batsmen (Stubbings, Birch, Telo and Hinds) while we’ll also have the money from Langeveldt/Hayward/Law as well as Mark Lawson. Logic suggests there’ll be a saving on the wicket-keeping position too, with the experienced, established and capped James Pipe on a higher salary than Lee Goddard.
How it is spent is down to John Morris. When there’s any news, you’ll read about it on here!
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
Quick snippets
OK, I lied.
Hot from seeing the best little musical in town, I'm back to dash off a quick piece before bed time.
What a great show at school tonight. Those who continuously chunter about teenagers should have been there to see a whole host of really talented kids putting on a terrific show. I've paid £20 for a ticket to something and not enjoyed it so much. But enough of watching our Twenty/20 campaign...
Yes, Hairspray was excellent and even contained a song for Leicestershire - "You can't stop (getting) beat...
On to cricket matters and there's a nice piece on In Morris We Trust that highlights the gulf between Minor Counties and First Class cricket. Hassan Adnan finished top of the averages, with 76 runs per innings, while Ben Spendlove was second, with Ben France tenth.
The latter two never really cut it at top level, though I had high hopes of Adnan when he first came on the scene. He looked a good accumulator of runs, yet never kicked on and seemed to grind to a halt mid-innings, as well as being one of the worst runners between the wickets I've seen at Derbyshire. If he didn't run himself out he managed to do it to a team mate and he was no Garry Park in the field either.
"Just wondering" the correspondent is absolutely right. Every step up in cricket is huge, but between that level and first class must be the biggest of them all. I was a decent club player in my prime (settle back and listen to granddad now...) and played for my Polytechnic 1st XI. I did OK there, but we were drawn in a cup match against a side who had several players with County 2nd XI experience. The bowlers were better than I'd faced before and while I could stay in, I could hardly get the ball off the square. Our Minor Counties player made a lovely 50 in no time, but my 14 runs was the second top score. It highlighted to me how good these top players must be, when the lads we played looked pretty good when you were at the business end...
There I suppose is the difficulty of taking a player with minimal experience from one county and hoping they can cut it at top level. In spotting the talent in Garry Park, Tim Groenewald and Wayne Madsen at lower levels, John Morris did a good job, but an even better one in nurturing them to be good, or very good county players. Madsen, the scorer of all those runs at club level took Second and then First Eleven in his stride. Maybe next year he'll be found out a little, but I think he's set for a good career.
Elsewhere, Stephen Moore has left Worcestershire and is looking for another county. I'm with a contributor on here today in thinking he's a good player, but his hopes of serious money from another county haven't been helped by his only averaging 27 this year in Division One. Quite a few will fancy him, but in answer to your unspoken question - no, I don't think he'll come to Derbyshire. We're in Division Two - albeit only for one season.... I reckon he'll be at Lancashire before long.
Meanwhile Simon Jones has joined Hampshire, as Kabir Ali hopes to. If they get them both fit they'll have a potent attack as Worcestershire did, but they may well need a good reserve attack just in case.
Finally, there'll be a few eyes on India as Somerset start their World Twenty/20 campaign. With Steffan Jones set to play for them, as well as the hoped-for Derbyshire target Wes Durston, a few of us will hope they do well. Mind you, not too well. I'd like to see both at Derby and if they did well out there the Somerset team may rethink their strategy...
Until tomorrow, adieu.
Hot from seeing the best little musical in town, I'm back to dash off a quick piece before bed time.
What a great show at school tonight. Those who continuously chunter about teenagers should have been there to see a whole host of really talented kids putting on a terrific show. I've paid £20 for a ticket to something and not enjoyed it so much. But enough of watching our Twenty/20 campaign...
Yes, Hairspray was excellent and even contained a song for Leicestershire - "You can't stop (getting) beat...
On to cricket matters and there's a nice piece on In Morris We Trust that highlights the gulf between Minor Counties and First Class cricket. Hassan Adnan finished top of the averages, with 76 runs per innings, while Ben Spendlove was second, with Ben France tenth.
The latter two never really cut it at top level, though I had high hopes of Adnan when he first came on the scene. He looked a good accumulator of runs, yet never kicked on and seemed to grind to a halt mid-innings, as well as being one of the worst runners between the wickets I've seen at Derbyshire. If he didn't run himself out he managed to do it to a team mate and he was no Garry Park in the field either.
"Just wondering" the correspondent is absolutely right. Every step up in cricket is huge, but between that level and first class must be the biggest of them all. I was a decent club player in my prime (settle back and listen to granddad now...) and played for my Polytechnic 1st XI. I did OK there, but we were drawn in a cup match against a side who had several players with County 2nd XI experience. The bowlers were better than I'd faced before and while I could stay in, I could hardly get the ball off the square. Our Minor Counties player made a lovely 50 in no time, but my 14 runs was the second top score. It highlighted to me how good these top players must be, when the lads we played looked pretty good when you were at the business end...
There I suppose is the difficulty of taking a player with minimal experience from one county and hoping they can cut it at top level. In spotting the talent in Garry Park, Tim Groenewald and Wayne Madsen at lower levels, John Morris did a good job, but an even better one in nurturing them to be good, or very good county players. Madsen, the scorer of all those runs at club level took Second and then First Eleven in his stride. Maybe next year he'll be found out a little, but I think he's set for a good career.
Elsewhere, Stephen Moore has left Worcestershire and is looking for another county. I'm with a contributor on here today in thinking he's a good player, but his hopes of serious money from another county haven't been helped by his only averaging 27 this year in Division One. Quite a few will fancy him, but in answer to your unspoken question - no, I don't think he'll come to Derbyshire. We're in Division Two - albeit only for one season.... I reckon he'll be at Lancashire before long.
Meanwhile Simon Jones has joined Hampshire, as Kabir Ali hopes to. If they get them both fit they'll have a potent attack as Worcestershire did, but they may well need a good reserve attack just in case.
Finally, there'll be a few eyes on India as Somerset start their World Twenty/20 campaign. With Steffan Jones set to play for them, as well as the hoped-for Derbyshire target Wes Durston, a few of us will hope they do well. Mind you, not too well. I'd like to see both at Derby and if they did well out there the Somerset team may rethink their strategy...
Until tomorrow, adieu.
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
One down...
So Steve Mullaney has gone to Nottinghamshire.
I'm not sure if my greatest surprise is the fact that Nottinghamshire have signed a budding, rather than established cricketer, or the fact that a man who has had "offers" (note the plural) chose to move to a county where he'll start off as a one day player who might become something more.
There are four or five counties who I could think of who may have fancied him as a player and who might have given him greater opportunities. I haven't a clue if we were in for him, but I hope the lad has thought his decision through.
Anyway, there's other fish in the sea. I've seen references to Bilal Shafayat going to Surrey and also him going to Essex. At this stage in proceedings there'll be contractual offers whizzing through the ether like post day at Hogwarts (bit of a literary reference slipped in there!)
While we're all impatient to hear of new players, we all have to realise that these things take time. Some players will be waiting to hear if they'll get another contract, some agents will be hawking their clients around and some clubs will have to decide where their greatest need is for next year.
John Morris and Chris Rogers have agreed that our greatest need is a strike bowler and spinner. As I said last night, I think we'll sign another batsman too, but we'll all just need to be patient and wait for developments. Grrrr....
Nice piece on the club site today about Lee Goddard. I think we've signed a good 'un in this lad and look forward to seeing him back at the County Ground.
No blog tomorrow as our daughter is making her stage debut in the school musical "Hairspray". Mrs Peakfan and I, together with Man Mountain son will be sitting in the audience, proud as punch and hoping that it all goes well and wiping tears of pride away.
See you Thursday!
I'm not sure if my greatest surprise is the fact that Nottinghamshire have signed a budding, rather than established cricketer, or the fact that a man who has had "offers" (note the plural) chose to move to a county where he'll start off as a one day player who might become something more.
There are four or five counties who I could think of who may have fancied him as a player and who might have given him greater opportunities. I haven't a clue if we were in for him, but I hope the lad has thought his decision through.
Anyway, there's other fish in the sea. I've seen references to Bilal Shafayat going to Surrey and also him going to Essex. At this stage in proceedings there'll be contractual offers whizzing through the ether like post day at Hogwarts (bit of a literary reference slipped in there!)
While we're all impatient to hear of new players, we all have to realise that these things take time. Some players will be waiting to hear if they'll get another contract, some agents will be hawking their clients around and some clubs will have to decide where their greatest need is for next year.
John Morris and Chris Rogers have agreed that our greatest need is a strike bowler and spinner. As I said last night, I think we'll sign another batsman too, but we'll all just need to be patient and wait for developments. Grrrr....
Nice piece on the club site today about Lee Goddard. I think we've signed a good 'un in this lad and look forward to seeing him back at the County Ground.
No blog tomorrow as our daughter is making her stage debut in the school musical "Hairspray". Mrs Peakfan and I, together with Man Mountain son will be sitting in the audience, proud as punch and hoping that it all goes well and wiping tears of pride away.
See you Thursday!
Monday, 5 October 2009
Just a thought...
According to a couple of reports I've read tonight, Steven Mullaney has left Lancashire and is considering "offers" from elsewhere.
Nottinghamshire have declared their interest.
I just wonder whether we might be in for him as well.
Stick with me on this. Mullaney is young, talented and would be affordable for Derbyshire. He is an aggressive batsman (his career best 165 contained ten sixes!) and he bowls aggressive medium pace.
He would give us decent balance in the middle order and would be more likely to get a regular game at Derby than at Trent Bridge, where Mike Newell has even said today that he will be a good one day player.
I may be way off the mark, but if I was a peripheral figure at Old Trafford I wouldn't want to become one elsewhere. Mullaney has a double century and a couple of big hundreds for their seconds this year and at 22 will only get better.
I'd see our hunting ground as being more likely to be "oop north" than "dahn sarf" and so a move for Mullaney or Shafayat, the more I think about it, makes more sense than a move for Newman or Durston (talented though I think the latter is).
I've thrown a lot of potential names into the mix over recent weeks. All of them have something in common - they're available, or appear likely to be. We'll not be in for all of them, we may not get any of them, but I think we'll hear some news in the next couple of weeks about the second of our close season signings (I'm regarding Lee Goddard as the first, just in case you thought you'd missed one!)
Exciting, innit?
Nottinghamshire have declared their interest.
I just wonder whether we might be in for him as well.
Stick with me on this. Mullaney is young, talented and would be affordable for Derbyshire. He is an aggressive batsman (his career best 165 contained ten sixes!) and he bowls aggressive medium pace.
He would give us decent balance in the middle order and would be more likely to get a regular game at Derby than at Trent Bridge, where Mike Newell has even said today that he will be a good one day player.
I may be way off the mark, but if I was a peripheral figure at Old Trafford I wouldn't want to become one elsewhere. Mullaney has a double century and a couple of big hundreds for their seconds this year and at 22 will only get better.
I'd see our hunting ground as being more likely to be "oop north" than "dahn sarf" and so a move for Mullaney or Shafayat, the more I think about it, makes more sense than a move for Newman or Durston (talented though I think the latter is).
I've thrown a lot of potential names into the mix over recent weeks. All of them have something in common - they're available, or appear likely to be. We'll not be in for all of them, we may not get any of them, but I think we'll hear some news in the next couple of weeks about the second of our close season signings (I'm regarding Lee Goddard as the first, just in case you thought you'd missed one!)
Exciting, innit?
Bits and pieces
There are a few titbits of news around the game today.
First of all, the Nottingham Post reports that Nottinghamshire have offered a contract to Lancashire’s talented all-rounder Steve Mullaney. An aggressive batsman and seam bowler, Mullaney is in his mid-twenties and at an age where he needs to be playing regular first team cricket. Whether Lancashire can afford to let him go is debatable, especially as he’s scored a lot of runs in their Seconds this year. He’s a good player.
They also report that Nottinghamshire have yet to decide whether to offer another contract to Bilal Shafayat, so if the all rounder is a part of John Morris’ plans we should not expect something to happen sometime soon. If they were to release him, I’m sure that there would be several counties interested in securing his services.
Our local rivals also seem wary of entering into a bidding war for Stephen Moore of Worcestershire, who may, reading between the lines, find the options of a move from the Pears limited by his demands. A better season might have helped him, but he may find himself at the scenic ground for at least another year.
Some might wonder (including DCCC Forever) why Neil McKenzie wasn’t part of my poll on the site at present. The answer is quite simple. McKenzie would need to play as a Kolpak and if we assume that John Morris will not be signing Kolpaks, a deal is a non-starter. If we do sign one, my guess is that the player concerned would be a bowler or all-rounder. I have no doubts that McKenzie would strengthen our batting and would score more heavily than Wavell Hinds, but I’m not the man with the budget nor the task to improve our cricketing fortunes. I genuinely feel that with the return of Chris Rogers and continued progress of younger players that the batting will take care of itself. The addition of another middle order player might be useful, with only John Sadler, Dan Redfern and Paul Borrington competing for two batting places. It may be, of course, that Chesney Hughes is expected to battle for a batting berth next year.
First of all, the Nottingham Post reports that Nottinghamshire have offered a contract to Lancashire’s talented all-rounder Steve Mullaney. An aggressive batsman and seam bowler, Mullaney is in his mid-twenties and at an age where he needs to be playing regular first team cricket. Whether Lancashire can afford to let him go is debatable, especially as he’s scored a lot of runs in their Seconds this year. He’s a good player.
They also report that Nottinghamshire have yet to decide whether to offer another contract to Bilal Shafayat, so if the all rounder is a part of John Morris’ plans we should not expect something to happen sometime soon. If they were to release him, I’m sure that there would be several counties interested in securing his services.
Our local rivals also seem wary of entering into a bidding war for Stephen Moore of Worcestershire, who may, reading between the lines, find the options of a move from the Pears limited by his demands. A better season might have helped him, but he may find himself at the scenic ground for at least another year.
Some might wonder (including DCCC Forever) why Neil McKenzie wasn’t part of my poll on the site at present. The answer is quite simple. McKenzie would need to play as a Kolpak and if we assume that John Morris will not be signing Kolpaks, a deal is a non-starter. If we do sign one, my guess is that the player concerned would be a bowler or all-rounder. I have no doubts that McKenzie would strengthen our batting and would score more heavily than Wavell Hinds, but I’m not the man with the budget nor the task to improve our cricketing fortunes. I genuinely feel that with the return of Chris Rogers and continued progress of younger players that the batting will take care of itself. The addition of another middle order player might be useful, with only John Sadler, Dan Redfern and Paul Borrington competing for two batting places. It may be, of course, that Chesney Hughes is expected to battle for a batting berth next year.
Sunday, 4 October 2009
Youtube watch
I've spent an idle half hour this afternoon looking around Youtube and came across one of the best 5 minutes you'll ever spend watching cricket.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyHvFArouAM
This is the truly great Barry Richards in full flight for Hampshire against Lancashire, scoring 129 of the most regal runs you will ever see. For those who saw him, it is a nostalgic reminder of one of the game's greats, while for those who didn't, this is a man of unbelievable class. Ex-Derbyshire skipper Barry Wood is one of those suffering at the hands of Richards.
For something even more guaranteed to raise the nostalgia quotient, have a look at this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhYnYbvF9fo&feature=PlayList&p=8E55D533AF3AD452&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=35
The sublime, lissom Michael Holding in full flight. If we'd had this fella last year we'd have been in Division One next season. While not this fast when he bowled for us, he could still bowl a ball faster than anyone else I've seen in Derbyshire colours and is a true great.
Sadly, nothing on there featuring Eddie Barlow, but I'll console myself with video footage of Bunter that I have from when he ran through the England side at Headingley in 1970 for the Rest of the World.
Richards, Holding and Barlow. You could take on Mars with those three in your side!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyHvFArouAM
This is the truly great Barry Richards in full flight for Hampshire against Lancashire, scoring 129 of the most regal runs you will ever see. For those who saw him, it is a nostalgic reminder of one of the game's greats, while for those who didn't, this is a man of unbelievable class. Ex-Derbyshire skipper Barry Wood is one of those suffering at the hands of Richards.
For something even more guaranteed to raise the nostalgia quotient, have a look at this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhYnYbvF9fo&feature=PlayList&p=8E55D533AF3AD452&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=35
The sublime, lissom Michael Holding in full flight. If we'd had this fella last year we'd have been in Division One next season. While not this fast when he bowled for us, he could still bowl a ball faster than anyone else I've seen in Derbyshire colours and is a true great.
Sadly, nothing on there featuring Eddie Barlow, but I'll console myself with video footage of Bunter that I have from when he ran through the England side at Headingley in 1970 for the Rest of the World.
Richards, Holding and Barlow. You could take on Mars with those three in your side!
Latest poll
So 69% of those voting would sooner see John Morris spend any spare money on another bowler, rather than hiring in a bowling coach.
I'd sooner see that too, although the feeling remains that we might benefit from someone with a little experience explaining to the younger bowlers where they should be bowling in certain situations, especially in one day games.
Someone like Charl Langeveldt would have been ideal to combine the two roles, experienced enough to pass on the acquired skills and secure enough in his own abilities to be able to set an example on the pitch.
Time will tell what John Morris' plans are, but there's no doubt that we need a strike bowler from somewhere.
As for this week's poll, there's been various batsmen mentioned in despatches in recent days. My guess is that we'll sign only one batsman this winter. Which one of those named would you like to see most at Derby?
I'd sooner see that too, although the feeling remains that we might benefit from someone with a little experience explaining to the younger bowlers where they should be bowling in certain situations, especially in one day games.
Someone like Charl Langeveldt would have been ideal to combine the two roles, experienced enough to pass on the acquired skills and secure enough in his own abilities to be able to set an example on the pitch.
Time will tell what John Morris' plans are, but there's no doubt that we need a strike bowler from somewhere.
As for this week's poll, there's been various batsmen mentioned in despatches in recent days. My guess is that we'll sign only one batsman this winter. Which one of those named would you like to see most at Derby?
Friday, 2 October 2009
I'm not so sure about this one
I've seen a few suggestions that we try to sign former Kiwi ace Craig Spearman, who has been released by Gloucestershire today.
Under normal circumstances I'd have snatched your hand off to sign him. He's been one of the most destructive batsmen on the circuit in the past few years and has given them an explosive start in one day cricket.
At 37 he's much younger than Stuart Law, who we signed last year, but over the past couple of years the signs have been there that Spearman, an eye player, has past his best. That has especially been the case this season, when a blow on the head while batting seems to have set him back and resulted in a major loss of confidence.
It's said that he's not playing the booming shots in front of the wicket for which he is famed and that is a pity. If he still had those shots, and if it was felt that work in the nets would restore his confidence, then yes, he'd be worth a shot, especially when he is English-qualified through his wife.
But if he was OK, Gloucestershire would have held him to the final year of his contract. Nor are we really in the hunt for an opening batsman in my book, so I think we'll consign that one to the "nice idea, but no" pile.
I've also seen South African all rounder Justin Ontong mentioned as a possibility, but he'd not get a visa and his batting/bowling averages of mid-30s/mid 40s are the wrong way round. He'd be worth signing so I could headline a good performance with "Ontong on song" but little else. Anyway, I remember seeing his Dad play and that makes me feel old...
The only name I've seen mentioned as a Kolpak worth interest would be Saffer batsman Neil McKenzie, but I don't think we really need a Kolpak batsman. If there's a bowler out there who could take 50 wickets next year I'm up for it, but at this stage I can't think of anyone available. Maybe someone like Fidel Edwards if the West Indies dispute isn't ended, but I can't see that lasting long-term.
There's a few fans of Lancashire and Somerset expressing an interest in Wavell Hinds, one of the latter suggesting we get Omari Banks in return. Thanks guys, but ...
Otherwise it has been a fairly quiet day. No movers or shakers out there that I can see, so unless John Morris is putting in a weekend stint, it's a case of wait until next week.
If there is any news, you'll find it on here!
Under normal circumstances I'd have snatched your hand off to sign him. He's been one of the most destructive batsmen on the circuit in the past few years and has given them an explosive start in one day cricket.
At 37 he's much younger than Stuart Law, who we signed last year, but over the past couple of years the signs have been there that Spearman, an eye player, has past his best. That has especially been the case this season, when a blow on the head while batting seems to have set him back and resulted in a major loss of confidence.
It's said that he's not playing the booming shots in front of the wicket for which he is famed and that is a pity. If he still had those shots, and if it was felt that work in the nets would restore his confidence, then yes, he'd be worth a shot, especially when he is English-qualified through his wife.
But if he was OK, Gloucestershire would have held him to the final year of his contract. Nor are we really in the hunt for an opening batsman in my book, so I think we'll consign that one to the "nice idea, but no" pile.
I've also seen South African all rounder Justin Ontong mentioned as a possibility, but he'd not get a visa and his batting/bowling averages of mid-30s/mid 40s are the wrong way round. He'd be worth signing so I could headline a good performance with "Ontong on song" but little else. Anyway, I remember seeing his Dad play and that makes me feel old...
The only name I've seen mentioned as a Kolpak worth interest would be Saffer batsman Neil McKenzie, but I don't think we really need a Kolpak batsman. If there's a bowler out there who could take 50 wickets next year I'm up for it, but at this stage I can't think of anyone available. Maybe someone like Fidel Edwards if the West Indies dispute isn't ended, but I can't see that lasting long-term.
There's a few fans of Lancashire and Somerset expressing an interest in Wavell Hinds, one of the latter suggesting we get Omari Banks in return. Thanks guys, but ...
Otherwise it has been a fairly quiet day. No movers or shakers out there that I can see, so unless John Morris is putting in a weekend stint, it's a case of wait until next week.
If there is any news, you'll find it on here!
Thursday, 1 October 2009
And another one...
David Brown.
He's been given permission to leave Gloucestershire a year early and is quite a talented young all rounder.
He's never really cemented a place in their side yet is a hard hitting batsman and a good swing bowler. I think he's a player with talent, probably better than a batting average of 28 and bowling average of just over 40 suggests.
He hits a ball very hard, as evidenced by a 26 ball innings of 63 not out he made against Surrey in a one day game, with seven fours and five sixes.
At 26 his best days are ahead of him and I think he'll be snapped up by someone fairly quickly. Indeed, he said that he hoped to be playing against Gloucestershire in the very near future.
I think he will do a decent job for someone, though wouldn't necessarily be near the top of my list for Derbyshire at this stage.
Meanwhile Scott Newman returns to Surrey for the last year of his deal after failing to impress at Nottinghamshire. Mind you, most people fail to impress me at Nottinghamshire... droll, huh?
He's been given permission to leave Gloucestershire a year early and is quite a talented young all rounder.
He's never really cemented a place in their side yet is a hard hitting batsman and a good swing bowler. I think he's a player with talent, probably better than a batting average of 28 and bowling average of just over 40 suggests.
He hits a ball very hard, as evidenced by a 26 ball innings of 63 not out he made against Surrey in a one day game, with seven fours and five sixes.
At 26 his best days are ahead of him and I think he'll be snapped up by someone fairly quickly. Indeed, he said that he hoped to be playing against Gloucestershire in the very near future.
I think he will do a decent job for someone, though wouldn't necessarily be near the top of my list for Derbyshire at this stage.
Meanwhile Scott Newman returns to Surrey for the last year of his deal after failing to impress at Nottinghamshire. Mind you, most people fail to impress me at Nottinghamshire... droll, huh?
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