Team for Warwickshire?

I have had a few messages and comments regarding my team for the first game at Edgbaston.

It is always tough to call these things, because we don't know who is fully fit, who has rhythm in the nets and who will best suit the likely wicket at Edgbaston.

I think the batting largely picks itself, and the good thing about our plethora of all round talent is that we can bat deep and still have plenty of bowling options.

I am putting this team out there now, because for the next three days my long hours will preclude a lengthy blog. They will, however, enable me to watch almost all of the first game on the stream that the weather allows.

So here goes:

Godleman

Reece

Dal

du Plooy

Madsen

Critchley

Hosein

Hudson-Prentice

Cohen

Aitchison

Conners

My understanding is that Billy Stanlake isn't here for this one and I think the three seamers picked have so far shown the best rhythm.

It is a sign of strength that Melton and Scrimshaw are omitted, but their turn will come. Madsen may yet bat three, but hasn't pre-season, which might offer an 'in' to Dal, Hughes or Tom Wood. Tom perhaps needs a big score in the second innings of the current match, while Melton needs to get his lines and rhythm right to change the above eleven.

We will see in due course.

Now let me hear yours! 

Derbyshire v Cardiff UCCE day 1

Derbyshire 321-6 (Hosein 89*, Shaikh 55, Wagstaff 45)

V Cardiff UCCE

The only disappointment for Dave Houghton today will have been that only Harvey Hosein of those around the first team enhanced his claims for a place in a first choice side.

Hosein's steady, unbeaten 89 restored an innings that looked set to run aground on the rocks after a good start.

Tom Wood and Mitch Wagstaff led off with a good opening stand, before Wood was straightened up by a good ball and caught behind. Hughes, McKiernan and Priestley got starts but failed to go on, while Mitch Wagstaff, a 17-year old left hander, looked good at the top of the order. He seems very strong through the covers and it was ironic that he played on, assaying another drive. 

Then came a splendid fifty for Nafis Shaikh. At 16 he has astonishing potential, but was helped by the opposition quicks forgetting that small players are generally strong pullers and cutters. There were nine boundaries in his knock, almost all of them square and he and Hosein steered Derbyshire past 300 with a century stand. 

He eventually went for 55, by which time Derbyshire were rock solid, reaching 321-6 by stumps.

Derbyshire v Cardiff UCCE preview

Dave Houghton has announced a youthful side for the final game of pre-season, a game against Cardiff UCCE which starts at Derby tomorrow.

The only senior players in the squad are Tom Wood, Alex Hughes, Mattie McKiernan and Dustin Melton, with Nils Priestley also likely to start.

All have an opportunity to get runs on the board and stake a claim for senior involvement this summer. My guess is that Melton will play in the season opener at Edgbaston next Thursday, as Billy Stanlake will not be over in time. I expect the giant Aussie to be treated well over here, not least because we will want him firing for the T20.

The rest of the squad is made up of academy players and Daryn Smit will be an interested onlooker to see how his young charges handle opposition that will be a few years older than them.

The rest of the squad includes Nafis Shaikh, Ben Hutchinson, Mitch Wagstaff, Archie Harrison, Chris Lawrence, Johnny Lawrence and Adam Sylvester and I wish them well.

It is a good opportunity to see how the young tyros are developing and there could easily be a county player or two for the future in that eleven.

I can't wait to see how they get on!

Go well, boys. 

Lancashire v Derbyshire day 3

There were a few standout moments in a gritty day of batting by Derbyshire at Old Trafford.

The main one was a fine innings by Wayne Madsen, only ended when he dragged on an attempted cut for 78. One straight drive was sublime, but there were several strokes out of the top drawer. He looks in good nick, which is great to see. 

Then there was further proof of the tenacity of Mikey Cohen, who batted a long time, almost a session and a half, in a gritty and skilled innings. His walk away to square leg between balls could become part of the Derbyshire landscape, as might that of opposition batsmen doing the same when he gets his rhythm right..

It was also evident that Ben Aitchison and Sam Conners can handle a bat too, so the days of nine, ten, jack rolling over seem long gone. It was nice to see.

The earlier batting was sketchy but Harvey Hosein took a nasty blow that might be a problem in the short and medium term. We will likely hear more about that tomorrow, but I would expect Brooke Guest will keep tomorrow.

Finally Lancashire. I have to say I was unimpressed by their animated and aggressive appealing all day. Danny Lamb, who bowled very well, was the main offender, so too Alex Davies. There is no need to be pointing at umpires and sustaining an appeal as they did. It was unnecessary, and I would say exactly the same were Derbyshire the culprits.

If they carry on in that vein, I will be as pleased to see them lose this year as I am Nottinghamshire... 

Lancashire v Derbyshire day 2

I didn't see as much of today's play as I would have liked, but I thought our bowlers did well in less favourable conditions than yesterday.

I wasn't especially sure why Davies wanted to keep batting after reaching a hundred in a friendly match, but he played well. In the post - tea session I thought Aitchison and Potts bowled with good rhythm and induced a number of false strokes. Aitchison is best bowling within himself and got good movement, while Potts looks a terrific talent at 18. 

Scrimshaw wasn't bowling flat out (why would he, in March?) but got good overs under his belt that he will be pleased with. On the occasions he put a little more in he got good bounce and looks a shrewd signing. 

Meanwhile Cohen bowled excellent lines and appeared to be getting the old ball to swing quite nicely at pace. In a varied attack that contained neither Melton nor Stanlake, plenty got good overs in their legs. 

While Lancashire took the lead in a game where the scores don't really matter, the bowling was tidy all day and Dave Houghton would appear to have plenty of options available to him when the serious stuff starts. 

Lancashire v Derbyshire friendly day1

Dave Houghton will, I think, be less bothered about the score today than by how too many gave their wickets away.

Godleman and Dal were the pick of the batsmen, though the skipper gave it away with an ugly attempted carve through the covers. Dal looked comfortable and stylish at three and I wonder if this signals Madsen dropping to five when the season proper opens? The latter got one that kept horribly low when he eventually batted and Critchley, after batting stylishly, overestimated his powers of acceleration and was run out by a fine throw from the deep.

FHP also batted well but this was largely early season batting against a strong attack, on a wicket the bowlers enjoyed all day. Mikey Cohen surprises me in the middle, arriving with little reputation but batting calmly and stylishly whenever I have seen him. There is potential with the bat, for sure. 

Neither keeper got going and they may perhaps each get an innings with the gloves to stake a claim for being first choice. Runs for either would be welcome before the proper business starts.

Godleman and Dal again looked in decent touch when we batted a second time, by which time they had stopped showing the score.

We bowl tomorrow and it will be good to see who gets early rhythm. 

What purpose Derbyshire?

I read those words every now and again in the media and social media. Every time it annoys me (there are serial offenders) and although they don't just refer to us, it has the same effect each time.

Well, for one thing, like it or not, we are one of the best run clubs in the country. 'On course to be debt free by 2024' was what I took from the announcement of another profit this year. That is quite staggering, not just in cricket, but in professional sport. We cut our cloth to suit, but we wear it well. While the past twelve months have presented challenges, prudent house keeping has seen the bottom line in the black ink, rather than red. That without the vast majority of off-field income from concerts and events, though the 'bubble' that allowed overseas teams to stay and work at the Incora County Ground was a fair substitute and helped immensely.

Compare that to some bigger counties, reportedly millions in debt. These are worrying times around the shires, but the best sleeping patterns are likely to be found in the Peak District.

Then there's the academy. We haven't produced enough in recent years, but there are signs that the tide is turning. Alex Hughes, Harvey Hosein, Tom Wood, Nick Potts, Sam Conners and Nils Priestley are on the current staff and have emerged through the academy and/or local league system. There will be more, under the shrewd tutelage of Daryn Smit and Dave Houghton has got the balance right between recruiting locally and picking up unpolished diamonds elsewhere.

For example, Luis Reece, Wayne Madsen and Matt Critchley have all earned selection for teams in the new 'elite' competition. Would any of them have done so without Derbyshire? Luis was released by Lancashire and may well have drifted out of the game, while Matt may never have had the opportunities at that county that have seen him emerge as a potential England player. Meanwhile Wayne may or may not ever have played county cricket, without John Morris giving him a trial all those years ago.

Brooke Guest, Mattie McKiernan and Ben Aitchison were largely overlooked in Lancashire too and could yet become established county players. Good players all and how sweet would it be to see them mature and be successful in Derbyshire colours. The same goes for George Scrimshaw, released by Worcestershire, but who is to say that he might not become a classic late developer? One who bowls at 90mph...

Let's not forget Billy Godleman. After leaving Middlesex, his subsequent release by Essex might have seen him too drift from the County game. Instead, he has been county captain for five years and is respected across the country as a tough competitor, one who has made Derbyshire his home. For Godleman read Fynn Hudson-Prentice and Anuj Dal, good cricketers who lacked opportunity at the clubs where they learned their craft. Both have shown already that they can score runs and take wickets against good sides - and they will only get better.

We have also lost players to other clubs. Ben Slater, Will Davis, the Taylor brothers and Callum Parkinson have all gone on elsewhere, something that will always happen. It is why it is important to have eighteen counties. The cream will rise to the top, but greater opportunity creates a larger talent pool, which can only improve standards. Look how Billy Root has prospered at Glamorgan, after barely getting a game down the A52. Sometimes an environment just fits for a player and their development flourishes within it. Ryan Higgins at Gloucestershire is another example, as might be Tom Lace, erstwhile of this parish, in due course. 

Of course detractors will also point to the likes of Leus du Plooy, Michael Cohen and Dustin Melton and ask what they offer the English game?

The answer is simple. They improve standards, quality and entertainment. How could you not thrill at du Plooy's wonderful century at Nottingham last year, or his assault on Olivier at Headingley? Is there much more thrilling than two bowlers of genuine pace and aggression running in hard and unleashing thunderbolts, unless you are at the business end, of course? When laws and regulations allow them to qualify and play in this country, why shouldn't they? And why shouldn't it be Derbyshire - and Dave Houghton with his extensive contacts - who reap the benefits?

Finally, let's not ignore history. The success of the county streams over the past two summers have highlighted that many people support and follow a county, even if their lifestyle and location means they can rarely attend in person. It makes you no less a supporter, but that support is based on decades old rivalries before mobility of labour created a county diaspora.

Imagine football, if it was decided there would only be a Premiership and no other sides. This is what some want to happen in county cricket, eight or twelve sides who supposedly represent the best the game has to offer. 

The trouble is that I can think of dozens of players at counties who might then be overlooked that I consider very good cricketers. Some of them likely better than ones who have had national call ups in recent years. 

There may be trouble brewing, if the big counties want bigger slices of the 'Hundred' pie. But don't let anyone tell you that they want to do it for anything other than greed. 

As we go into Derbyshire's 150th season, we are in rude health and have a great deal to offer to the wider English game.

Enjoy it, as I do. 

Especially when we stick it to one of the so-called bigger sides...

Cohen and du Plooy - how they qualify

I have already had a few texts, emails and DMs on Twitter regarding the 'status' of Mikey Cohen and Leus du Plooy. 

Specifically, how they are both able to play here post-Brexit, when a number of cricketers of South African origin had to return home? 

The answer is simple. 

Cohen has 'pre-settled status' acquired through a French passport. Under the post-Brexit regulations, pre-settled status gives an individual the ability to work and live as a UK national for a period of five years, after which point they are able to acquire British citizenship. 

Leus is in a similar position as a result of a Hungarian passport, although his earlier arrival means he will qualify a year earlier. It is my understanding that by 26 years old Cohen will be British qualified (in another four seasons) while du Plooy will be the same when he is 29, in three seasons. 

I hope that clears it up! 

More valuable time in the middle

Sadly, rain allowed little time at Leicester, where the overnight batsmen retired and there was only time for Harvey Hosein to get a first-baller and Fynn Hudson-Prentice to play a couple of tidy strokes.

Meanwhile at Derby, Anuj Dal played the innings of the day, an unbeaten 72 with plenty of those wrist strokes we have come to enjoy.

There is a really good cricketer in Nuj. I saw him two or three years ago in the second team at Belper and he looked the best batsman on show. He can play all round the wicket, has fast hands (and feet) and scores quickly. Add in his handy, but too often neglected seam and his brilliant fielding and there is a serious player.

I fancy this year could be a breakthrough for him. He may struggle to bat higher than eight in a long lineup, but at 24 he knows his game and will be a fine addition to the side.

In the limited clips I saw, I was also impressed by 16-year old Nafis Shaikh, who looked a very compact, diminutive batsman. Astonishingly, he only picked up a bat for the first time three years ago, when he asked a team practicing in Normanton Park if he 'could have a go'.

He now plays his cricket at Swarkestone and Derbyshire arranged a scholarship for him to Repton School, where his cricket education will doubtless be accelerated. He didn't look fazed in making 25 against a decent Yorkshire attack and looks a player to keep an eye on.

Next stop Old Trafford, where a four-day friendly begins on Monday. With each passing game we will get closer to the season's opening eleven and competition for places is hotting up nicely.. 

Sincere thanks to Mark Allen

I would like to thank Mark Allen, a regular contributor to the blog under the name 'Clay Cross Mark' for a generous donation/sponsorship. 

Mark has various business interests but is happy to be merely acknowledged, which I am delighted to do. 

I aim to start a donor/sponsors 'roll of honour' in the sidebar and Mark will be the first name on the list. 

If you, your company or the one you work for are interested in sponsoring the blog, or linking to it as it approaches 2.5 million views, please DM me on Twitter or email me at peakfan36@yahoo.co.uk

Those who have been involved in recent years have found it a very effective way of advertising and getting themselves out there and it is relatively inexpensive. 

Hope to hear from you soon! 

Leicestershire v Derbyshire pre-season day 1

Leicestershire 202-12 (Dearden 75, Hudson-Prentice 3-16, Critchley 3-32, Conners 3-48)

Derbyshire 121-3 (Critchley 38* Madsen 29*)

It was a pleasure to watch cricket once more today, on Leicestershire'excellent live stream. Even if the match was of a friendly nature and more about time in the middle than anything else.

Indeed, towards the end of the home innings, I was reminded of watching Zulu, the classic film with Michael Caine, at home with Mum and Dad. Specifically Dad's immortal words, that may well have been used at Rorke's Drift 'how many more of the buggers are there?'

Batting conditions weren't easy this morning and the Derbyshire steamers bowled pretty well, getting the rust from their run ups to a great extent. I thought FHP was excellent, so too Luis Reece, while Matt Critchley will be delighted with his first bowl on a March day. One or two looked more in need of time, but these are early days.

Derbyshire lost early wickets when they batted, but Critchley played beautifully straight and looked in lovely touch off his legs. Meanwhile our hardy perennial, Wayne Madsen, had his feet moving and unfurled the on drive and sweep for the first time this summer. It was, as always, a joy to watch and summer won't be the same when he eventually retires. Let's hope it isn't for years..

Meanwhile, at Derby a largely academy side worked hard against a strong Yorkshire XI. The visitors made 250-7, before we replied with 61-1, Wood the man out and Guest at the crease with du Plooy.

All in all, a good day and workout for all concerned.

Lovely stuff! 

Season preview

Whisper it quietly, but there is a buzz around Derbyshire, ahead of the 2021 season.

There are reasons to be cheerful in a batting line up that SHOULD be full of runs. Billy Godleman will again lead from the front, his sixth season in charge. At 32, he knows his game and while it may not satisfy the purists, in Derbyshire we know. On his day he will carve, nurdle, dab and block his way to a score in the finest county tradition, solid yet capable of awakening supporters from their reverie with a carve through the covers, or over mid-wicket. As a skipper he has improved steadily and will appreciate added firepower this year from his attack.

He will again be accompanied by Luis Reece at the top, whose astonishing ability to open both batting and bowling makes him nigh unique in the world game, past or present. Were he able to focus on one or the other he might be valued higher outside the county, but again, we know what he offers and this was recognised in being picked up for one of the sides in the new competition. In full flow he is a joy to watch with the bat, while his nippy seam and swing will continue to get its share of wickets.

The engine room looks solid, with Wayne Madsen, Leus du Plooy and Matt Critchley likely to bat three to five. There is little more to say about Madsen than I have written over previous summers. He is firmly established as a county legend and deservedly so. At 37 he remains the most sought after wicket and we should all enjoy him while we can. Meanwhile du Plooy can build on a very positive start to his county career and has the potential to play international cricket, beyond doubt. 

As for Critchley, it is a big summer. England have not yet a confirmed first choice spinner and one who can purvey increasingly accurate and skilled leg spin is a bonus. Throw in batting that looked more correct yet no less destructive last year, plus good hands in the field and there is a strong argument for further honours in due course. 

Thereafter the batting can be lengthened by an array of candidates. Alex Hughes seems to have been around forever and will be a key member of at least the one-day sides again, yet in four-day cricket my guess is that Harvey Hosein or Brooke Guest will take number six. Both wicket-keepers are fine batsmen and I expect Dave Houghton to give both opportunity in the course of the summer, especially with the pounding their hands will take from a potent pace attack. Tom Wood will also stake a claim for a place in the order and I expect (and hope) to see him as part of the one-day side, later in the summer. So too Anuj Dal, one of those players beloved by county supporters, brilliant in the field, talented with the bat and useful with the ball.

I am looking forward to seeing the return to fitness of Fynn Hudson-Prentice, who missed a lot of last year's truncated season and was a big loss. His superb, match-winning knock at Trent Bridge showed his value to the side as a punishing batsman, but his bowling was restricted by a thigh injury and was sorely missed, especially in the one-day game.

Yet for all of the above, the key to success this summer will be in the bowling. On the one hand, we have lost the experience of Ravi Rampaul and Tony Palladino and someone needs to step up and take their place and wickets. Detractors will also say that there are fitness questions over two of the new recruits and they will struggle to get through the summer.

And yet...

IF Billy Stanlake comes over from Australia and handles a long county season, after years of injury-frustrated promise in Australia, there will be some nervous opening batsmen around the circuit. It is unusual to find an overseas player available for the whole summer these days, but the giant Aussie is a proven wicket-taker, certainly in the short forms of the game. Aside from an excellent photo opportunity with the much shorter Michael Cohen, they will be a strong contender for the fastest opening attack in the country. Cohen looked sensational at times last season and if that raw pace can be harnessed to improved and more consistent direction, few will look forward to playing us. 

Throw in the newest recruit, George Scrimshaw (has Dave Houghton got an online subscription to giantquickbowlers.com?) and there are three bowlers capable of hitting 90mph. Some hard, bouncy wickets will be the order of the day, for sure. Then there's Dustin Melton, who showed himself to be a prospective 'Ole Mortensen for the Millennium generation' last year, with pace, hostility and a strong work ethic, all accompanied by a positive aggression that was a delight to see. He and Stanlake will share the overseas role, pending Dustin qualifying through residence for another summer, both offering plenty to the attack. 

Yet it isn't all about pace. Neither Sam Conners nor Ben Aitchison are speed merchants, though both have a good quicker ball, but showed in limited displays last year that they can take good wickets at this level. I have high hopes for both and again, their height enables them to get bounce as well as movement both ways. They will both have learned a lot last summer and I look forward to seeing them progress in the months ahead.

Nor should we forget those who might at this stage be seen as more peripheral members of the squad. Nils Priestley hits a clean ball and is working hard on his bowling, while Mattie McKiernan is a leg-spin option, a handy bat and brilliant fielder anywhere. Meanwhile Nick Potts, another young seamer of talent, has done well for England Lions. Don't be surprised to see opportunity for all of them through the summer, nor to see them push for inclusion.

So how will we do? Well, as always it is how it translates from paper to grass. If that attack stays fit, it should take wickets and with a batting line-up that offers greater solidity than in some years past, there is potential to win matches. They need also to hold their catches and a disappointment in the T20 last year was how poorly we fielded at times. A return to the form of 2019 would be welcome and enable us to challenge. It is good to see Dominic Cork return to coach that squad and he will demand better displays than last year.

We are in strong groups, with the county champions in our four-day group and the north section perennially strong in the Vitality Blast. The explosive Ben McDermott will join us for the one-day competitions - and presumably will take the gloves - and we seem well able to mount another good summer of challenge on all fronts. Winning a trophy is a different matter, but if this squad gets on a roll..

At this stage it is just impossible to tell. But every year there is a surprise team, who get off to a good start and then surprise everyone by keeping it going. The naysayers will again expect us to prop up the tables and be nowhere, of course.

I disagree. With good luck (not least on the weather front, which has wrecked many a team's summer) and a squad that plays to its potential, there are enough surprise elements to this Derbyshire squad to do well.

At the very least, I expect exciting, purposeful, competitive cricket.

At best? 

We might have changed a few perceptions when September comes.

New look for new season - and sponsors sought!

 Hello again everyone.

There's a new look to the blog for my 13th season of running it. I have to admit that in 2008, when I started it, I had no idea I would still be doing it thirteen years later, nor that viewing figures would close in on two and a half million.

Please let me know if you have any issues in viewing the blog on any platform, as I have tinkered a little with colours and settings.

What I would really like, ahead of the season, is a new blog sponsor and some line sponsors to link to their business websites. This is negotiable and I would love to hear from anyone who is interested at the usual address, peakfan36@yahoo.co.uk

These are tough times and I appreciate that they are for everyone, but in the absence of sponsors I may need to reintroduce Google Ads to the site to keep some income coming in for the writing over the next six months. I will also be changing one or two links, so that the site becomes your first port of call for all things Derbyshire cricket. 

More immediately I will be producing my season preview. I have seen some odd ones so far, where there are inaccuracies over who our overseas players are and who is still on the staff. I would hope that mine will be accurate and I would love to hear your comments in due course.

If you would like to do a preview yourself (credited, of course) then please let me know.

Scrimshaw signing offers more pace..

The one-year contract announced this morning for George Scrimshaw is very interesting for Derbyshire supporters, though the name may mean little to some supporters.

At 6'7 is in Billy Stanlake territory from a height perspective. Crucially he is in the same bracket pace-wise too.

He burst on to the scene playing T20 for Worcestershire and looked a serious talent, seen in the clip below hurrying Billy Godleman and Wayne Madsen with his pace. He had several good displays, but then injuries saw him drop out of the first class game, stress fractures to that long back proving a bugbear.

But.. and this is important.. he is now at a stage where his body has filled out and he knows what he can and can't do. Like Stanlake there is an element of risk and he will need to be looked after, but if the club strength and conditioning staff can keep him fit, there is another potent weapon available to Derbyshire.

The fine Derbyshire side under Kim Barnett was successful because he was able to rotate a very lively pace attack and keep them fresh. Scrimshaw, a Staffordshire lad  from Burton-on- Trent who bowls at around 90mph, gives them another option to go with already good ones on the staff.

With the season just around the corner, one thing seems evident.

It will not be dull, watching Derbyshire this summer...

Finally today, the news on Twitter earlier in the week that the club had announced a small profit for last year is astonishing. Following one of £0.4 million the previous year, to announce one of £0.668 million in a year when off field income was seriously hit is extraordinary.

It is indicative of a club extremely well run, with Ryan Duckett and his team deserving congratulations for their efforts.

It is a model that other counties, losing money hand over fist and spending beyond their means, would do well to emulate. 

Congratulations to everyone involved, on a job well done. 

And welcome to Derbyshire, George Scrimshaw. Good luck! 

Have a look at his pace in the short video below. 

https://youtu.be/a7Q9uDMDFiU

Book Review: Not Out At Close Of Play - Dennis Amiss with James Graham-Brown

It took several years of hard work for Dennis Amiss to cement a place in the Warwickshire side, yet he ended his career with 102 centuries and 212 fifties.

It took him many years to be seen as an international player, yet he ended his Test career with an average of 46, having played some memorable knocks along the way. The highlight was his mammoth, unbeaten 262 against the West Indies at Kingston, yet there was another double hundred against the keenest, nastiest attack in the world game to savour too. The latter came after he had been written off as someone who 'couldn't play fast bowling', rather making a mockery of the statement.

Like any other sportsman there were periods of famine, of course, but Amiss had enough high points to be regarded as one of England's finest post-war batsmen. Certainly, to his great pride, he ended his international career with a higher average than Colin Cowdrey or Tom Graveney, something which most would savour as an accomplishment.

This book was due for publication last year but Covid-19 saw it deferred to this one. I am grateful to The History Press for sending me a copy, as I love their cricket output and the subject's story was long overdue, despite an autobiography in the 1970s.

He was a player I enjoyed watching in my youth and what shines through from this excellent book, well-written by former Kent and Derbyshire all-rounder James Graham-Brown, is his innate modesty and humility. It wasn't easy to become a county player, nor to make it in Test cricket. Although he hinted at talent in his middle order days, it was only when he moved to open the innings that his career kicked into overdrive.

Maybe the nerves kicked in as he waited his turn to bat in a strong Warwickshire side, but moving to open alongside the burly John Jameson served the player and his county well. Perhaps an understatement, when one considers a career total in excess of 43,000 runs. 

The psychological side of cricket is nicely explored in this book. The transition of levels was not easy and like many others before and since he gave his wicket away too easily in his youth. When it clicked, he became a run machine, yet constantly worked at his technique to counter fresh challenges. 

He played in the Packer World Series against the greatest and fastest in the world, becoming a pioneer in the use of helmets in the process. He also went to South Africa on a 'rebel' tour, but again the rationale for doing so is clearly explained. The money on offer was too good to turn down and anyone with a family to support would likely have done the same.

Post-career Amiss has given many years of service to his beloved Warwickshire in off-field roles, including a long spell as Chief Executive Officer. He has served them admirably and is rightly revered as a county legend. He oversaw a period of county domination under Dermot Reeve, and covers subsequent drug scandals without ducking them. His insight into the signing of Brian Lara is fascinating, the signature on paper a day before he plundered England for 375 runs in Antigua. 

Amiss comes across as thoughtful, knowledgeable and witty, with a self-deprecating and dry sense of humour which makes reading it a joy. I especially loved the story of Indian spin legends Bedi, Prasanna and Venkat bowling to him on the edge of the square on the tour of that country in 1972-73, just to give him some practice. Not something one would see today! 

I would recommend this without question. It even comes with a foreword by Sir Geoffrey Boycott, a sign of respect if there ever was one.

Not Out At Close Of Play: A Life in Cricket by Dennis Amiss with James Graham-Brown is published by The History Press and available from all good book shops. 

Billy Stanlake signs for full season

If he stays fit, the signing of Billy Stanlake for the whole of 2021 by Derbyshire could go down as an inspired piece of work.

There is no doubt that the giant (6'8") bowler can generate serious pace and he has looked a player of raw talent for a few years. Dave Houghton has pursued him for a while and he was due to come in 2019, but injury ruled him out.

He has been unlucky in his career so far, with three stress fractures to his back, another to his pelvis and one to his foot at different stages. Maybe the hard Australian tracks don't help and perhaps it may be easier on his body over here. At his height, a long back is going to face stresses and strains, the question mark against the signing being whether he can, properly nursed and alternated with Dustin Melton, get through a long English summer.

I hope he can. If he does, he could be a game-changer. Concentrating on the positives, which I like to do, his height and pace will see few enjoy batting against him. If he gets his rhythm, then an attack with him at one end and Michael Cohen at the other will be comfortably our fastest since the halcyon days of Bishop, Holding and Malcolm.

Let's hope that the gods are kind to Billy. He deserves a break and this signing COULD be very special. 

The season cannot come fast enough now!

Here he is in T20 action. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/5jdGQesqE7Q

Pace appears to be key

It looks like opening batsmen will need to be on their toes this summer, with the news yesterday that several counties have secured the services of quick bowlers for part of the summer.

Kemar Roach will be playing at the start of the summer for Surrey, while Lockie Ferguson, erstwhile of this parish, will be playing for Yorkshire in the T20 Blast.

With Mohammad Abbas signing for Hampshire, where he will make a lively partner for Kyle Abbott, the quicks of the world game are securing gainful employment. While neither Roach nor Abbas are outright fast, both are very skilled operators. 

As for Derbyshire, I understand that Sean Abbott will not be playing this summer and attention has turned to another bowler 'with a bit of pace about him'. News of the signing should be announced in the next week or two and will be welcome after a quiet period.

I wouldn't have said no to Riley Meredith, who has broken into the Australian T20 side and took a lot of wickets in the Big Bash this year. He also secured a deal for the IPL and, playing alongside Ben McDermott for Tasmania, would have been a good signing. I suspect he doesn't yet qualify for the county game, but is certainly one to watch for the future.

Meanwhile the county has announced pre-season matches against Yorkshire and Cardiff MCCU at the Incora County Ground, with another against Lancashire at Old Trafford. With the county season opening in just over a month, preparations will be cranking up nicely.

An exciting summer is in prospect! 

Cork back for T20!

The return of Dominic Cork as specialist T20 coach is welcome news for Derbyshire supporters this morning.

And indeed playing staff. 

The success of the 2019 summer will live in the minds of county supporters and while the team failed to perform at Finals Day, there were some special displays on the way there. That the success came without major overseas input spoke volumes, and made fans wonder what they might do with a couple of quality specialists from overseas. 

We didn't find out last year. With few overseas players, injuries to key bowlers and a batting line up that simultaneously lost form, Cork was battling against the tide in 2020. The top four of Godleman, Reece, Madsen and du Plooy carried all before them the previous summer, so much so that few others had a chance to impress with the bat. Last year they struggled, for reasons that weren't immediately obvious.

The lack of real preparation didn't help, but opponents strangled the top of the innings with spin, Billy Godleman finding this especially challenging. Starts were too slow and when Leus du Plooy got in he was either left with too little time or with three down inside the Powerplay. Maybe the awareness that the bowling was struggling didn't help either, the absence of Ravi Rampaul keenly felt, while the fielding, so good the year before, was at times hapless (Durham away a prime example.)

Perhaps an indicator for this year came at the end, when Tom Wood played a fine knock at Headingley. Were I Dominic Cork, the role for skipper Godleman may be better served lower down, when the steamers largely bowl at the death and a man who has gorged on them for years is around to handle them. Certainly the thought of Ben McDermott and Tom Wood at the top is mouth-watering, while consideration may be given to Madsen, one of the best players of spin in the country, joining the Aussies to tackle the Powerplay, with du Plooy at three.

I am a big believer in your best batsmen having the most time in which to bat and with Reece, Wood, Hughes, Critchley and Godleman to follow, runs should not be an issue this year. 

Cork, like all county supporters, will hope for one more seam bowler from overseas, to share duties with the improving Dustin Melton. Hopefully  Sean Abbott, who is not only a fine bowler in all formats but also a hard-hitting bat. He averaged 94 in the Sheffield Shield this winter, as well as taking 16 wickets at just eighteen runs each. 

If Dave Houghton can deliver that final piece of the jigsaw, reasons to be cheerful could be amended to 'ecstatic'. Michael Cohen and Ben Aitchison could also be potent components of a keen bowling attack. 

Welcome back to Derbyshire, Dominic. 

None of us can wait. 

Book Review: Bill Bestwick, Rough Diamond by Mick Pope

Bill Bestwick is a Derbyshire cricket legend and deservedly so. Emerging from the coalfields at Heanor he was for a long time the club's greatest wicket-taker, only since surpassed by Les Jackson and Cliff Gladwin.

To be fair to the great post-war duo, they were able to help each other and, in Derek Morgan and Edwin Smith had fine bowlers to help dismantle the opposition batting. With the exception of a few years when he bowled opposite Arnold Warren, Bestwick WAS the Derbyshire attack. He bowled unchanged for hour after hour, keeping up a remarkable hostility when ordinary men would have tired.

He was used to hard work down the pit, of course, where he returned each winter. The hard work forged broad shoulders, great strength, strong legs and a willingness to bowl, which he generally did without complaint from April to September. 

For a captain he was a dream, though he didn't always turn up and sometimes, when he did, alcohol had done him no favours. Because Bill liked a drink, undoubtedly a little too much, and it was his achilles heel. As Arnold Warren's one impressive Test appearance was never repeated after over-zealous celebration, so Bill's chances of Test selection when the country had few better bowlers were wrecked by being simply too unreliable around alcohol.

Mick Pope's outstanding book is a 'warts and all' look at a player who appeared too often in front of the magistrates and in newspapers for the wrong reasons. Plenty would tell you he was a lovely, generous man much of the time, but he was an aggressive drunk who could be his own worst enemy. As long-time club secretary, Will Taylor put it 'he was a very pleasant individual but gave us, through his thirst, some very difficult moments.'

It is all in here. The rise to county stardom from nowhere, the loss of his wife, then the fight (one of many) that led to a charge of manslaughter. His sackings by Derbyshire and a Lancashire League club, a move to Wales and then his re-emergence in one of the county's darkest hours to take 147 wickets in 1921 at the age of 46. Forty-six.. 

He bowled over 900 overs that summer, at an age when most are long - retired. Those who saw him in action are long gone, but a short run up and those strong shoulders saw him surprisingly quick with a devastating break back and one that cut away sharply. He was a very ordinary fielder and no batsman has recorded more ducks for the county, but Bill Bestwick could certainly bowl. 

It is far from a conventional cricket biography, but then Bill Bestwick was far from a conventional man, one who polarised opinion and yet was a key member of his county side for almost a quarter century. 

He was one of three Derbyshire players not yet fully documented in print whose life and career was always worthy of exploration. I had considered doing it, but I don't think anyone could have brought him to life as well, or as thoroughly, as Mick Pope has here. 

He isn't a Derbyshire man, as he notes in the book, but that doesn't matter. He considered dropping the project after the direct family line descendants didn't want to be involved, but for cricket history and literature it is a good job that he didn't. 

I have read hundreds, maybe thousands of cricket books, but not many of them twice. I can pay no greater tribute to the author than that I will be starting this again, soon. 

It is that good. If you are a fan of cricket, social history, a character who is both hero and villain and a lover of a damn good read, this is the book for you. 

Well done Mick. You played a blinder. 

Bill Bestwick: Rough Diamond is written by Mick Pope and published by ACS Publications as part of their Lives in Cricket series. 

It is priced £16 and can be ordered herelink

Shahzad becomes new bowling coach

There was many a time in my 54 years of supporting Derbyshire that I would scratch my head at a signing, or the recruitment of a coach who didn't seem the best fit. Indeed there have been many summers in the time I have written this blog where things didn't seem right and attempting to explain the goings on needed considered use of words.

I have to say that in recent years my writing has become easier, because we get most things right, on and off the field. In particular, the appointment of Dave Houghton as Head of Cricket has lent a gravitas and common sense approach that has not always been the county's way of working.

Thus the appointment of Ajmal Shahzad as bowling coach, following in the footsteps of his fellow county man Steve Kirby, makes eminent sense. 

As a player he was good enough to play for  England. Just the once, but a Test bowling average of under 16 is pretty good on a CV. At county level his career was truncated by injury, but he was a lively, skilled bowler of fast medium who gave good service to Yorkshire, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Sussex. He played in all formats and so will be well aware of the lengths to bowl in them, together with the skill sets required to be successful. Equally he will know the mental and physical challenges of county cricket, ideal for a coach who has a young attack to work with.

After finishing his career at the too-young age of 31, he became coach at Ampleforth, before becoming Head Coach at the MCC.

Steve Kirby held that position too and did a sterling job when he moved back north. Kirbs made a big impression on everyone with his cheery disposition, as well as being a coach of considerable ability. 

His move to Somerset has seen Ajmal follow him once more  and I am sure all of us hope he can get the best out of an exciting crop of young bowlers. As he said on his 'welcome' video this afternoon, there is variety to the attack, with right and left-armers,  tall and smaller ones. Each offering different challenges to batsmen and good options for Billy Godleman. 

There is a nice air of positivity in the Derbyshire camp as we get to within sixty days of a new season. The batting should take care of itself, but if the young bowlers have learned from their short 2020 and a winter in the nets, 2021 could be memorable, for all the right reasons.

Just need our other overseas recruit signed up now and we will be good to go. 

Welcome to Derbyshire, Ajmal. 

We all wish you well.