Arthur interview needs health warning

As a Derbyshire supporter, it was good to see Mickey Arthur in bullish mood on the interview released by the club yesterday.

In that interview, he revealed the reasons for his delayed arrival and that he should be in Derby in the next 7-10 days.

All well and good, though doubtless a couple of months later than he and we all hoped for. His philosophy seems well-aligned to that of the late, great Eddie Barlow, in that Derbyshire have to be fitter and field better as non-negotiables. We can all get on board with that one, even when I am reminded of the words of Mike Hendrick - 'he wants us to be best team in the country at fetching the ball back, if it gets hit for six'..

Hendo was joking of course, but the worry of the interview was that further recruitment is likely to be a season-long seamer from overseas, with 'someone else' for the Vitality Blast.

I am concerned. While it is laudable that he offers opportunity to contracted players, I suspect that Dave Houghton's last acts as HOC may be ones that stymie Arthur this year.

Let's face it, we have lost our leading batsman and spinner, one of our best-averaging batsmen and keeper and a seam-bowling all-rounder of talent in Messrs Critchley, Hosein and Hudson-Prentice respectively. None look like they are being replaced, though two months from the season that was going to be tough anyway.

Factor in that Luis Reece will do little bowling this year and Mikey Cohen is returning from his latest stress fracture, the challenges are clear.

If Arthur's man management is better than that of his predecessor (which it surely will be) will getting an extra ten per cent from his charges be enough to make Derbyshire competitive?

It is a tall order. The batting was woeful last year, but with Godleman, Madsen and du Plooy out of contract at the end of this season, all have incentives for big summers. My guess is that they were alluded to in his reference to 'a couple of contract extensions'.

Either Alex Thomson or Mattie McKiernan needs to step up to prove a worthy first choice spinner, since we appear to be going with what we have. With 29 career first-class wickets between them, they have less wickets than Critchley took last summer alone, so the challenge is clear.

Much seems to rest on the quality of overseas players and my viewing of Shan Masood yesterday suggested a player who will be enjoyed. Nonetheless, a slow Karachi track is somewhat removed from a traditional English April green top and we shouldn't get too carried away at this stage. We have all seen exciting signings kiboshed by injury before arrival too, so I will keep my powder dry for now. 

As for the season-long seamer we are signing, your guess is as good as mine. I think we can rule out South Africans, since they tour here this summer, as do New Zealand. I did wonder about Scott Boland, who ripped through England this winter and a recent article revealed several county approaches for his services. He seemed wary of committing to it, however and suspect if he came the bidding war would put him out of our reach, with the player likely more keen on a shorter stint anyway and seemingly wary of burn out. 

My guess would be someone from Pakistan, where there are numerous good options, or Sri Lanka, where good players rarely get county exposure. None of these would be unduly expensive, as for most it would cement growing reputations and widen their experience.

Finally, he mentioned 'in addition' to the overseas players, someone else for the Vitality Blast. Logically that may mean a Scotland player, or someone at least with a UK passport.

My guess would mean a return for Mark Watt, who only went for six an over in the T20 World Cup and looked a much fitter, equally canny bowler to his previous spell with us. 

He is a very skilled operator in that format and hard to get after, certainly an asset to most sides. Arthur has referenced a need for a slow left arm bowler before and Mark would fit the bill quite nicely. 

So there you have it. I have said before that Arthur has a 'free hit' this year, but members and supporters need to see a more aggressive, purposeful style of cricket than last year.

We will see if the change in ethos and fitness levels alone can bring dividends, or if more sweeping changes are required in due course. 

Arthur arrival 'imminent'

I am using that in the now-approved Quantuma manner, as noted by Derby County fans in recent weeks.

However, I understand that he is now due in the UK to start work shortly, held up only by the now regulation issues of Covid, international travel and work visas post-Brexit.

He will be wanting to get straight into it and meet the staff, though has some additions to make before too many supporters will have serious expectations. 

The acquisition of Shan Masood for the whole summer is a positive, as his record is good in all formats. However, the Dukes ball in April will be a different challenge and how quickly he comes to terms with it may determine how we do. 

There was positive news last week with Luis Reece likely to be available to bat from near the start of the season. That MIGHT sort our issue at number three, as he could slot in there, allowing Wayne Madsen to drop to four and Leus du Plooy to go in at five. He is unlikely to bowl until later season, so has a chance to consolidate a place in what, on paper, looks a decent top order.

There is, as yet, no replacement for Matt Critchley as lead spinner, nor one for Fynn Hudson-Prentice as a seam bowling all rounder. That top five has to find someone to replace the thousand scored by Critchley last year, though all are capable of doing it.

Which makes me think we may split the other overseas role between a seam bowler for early season and a spinner for the second half of the summer. 

South Africa may offer a source of the former, with bowlers keen for experience on English wickets ahead of their tour here from July.

Marco Jansen exploded onto the international scene this year and currently has 19 Test wickets at just 16 each, those in only three Tests against a strong Indian side. At 6'9 he looks a handful and at 21 years old has the world at his feet. I would expect Cricket South Africa to be keen to further his experience, which would likely be more use in England than in the IPL.

I think our seam bowling pretty solid, for all its relative inexperience. With Aitchison, Conners, Scrimshaw, Cohen, Potts and Melton in competition, there is the talent to bowl sides out. Something different would be handy, someone who can bat and bowl especially so. 

A half season might appeal to a few people, however, leaving the T20 and remaining matches to a spinner, or spin-bowling all-rounder.

I haven't yet seen anything in Mattie McKiernan or Alex Thomson to suggest they could win us matches on the last afternoon of a four-day match, though both were underbowled last year, so it probably isn't fair to pass judgement.

Mickey Arthur did say that he thought we were short of a slow left-arm bowler, of which there are a number in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, who he will know well.

One such may be Mohammad Nawaz, a good enough batsman to be just south of 40 with his career batting average and a T20 strike rate of 123. Throw in over 400 all-format wickets and you have a solid player on the edge of the Pakistan national side but with 49 international appearances.

I suspect he will be under consideration, but the new Head of Cricket will be awash with contacts. 

He will also need another wicket-keeping option, unless we go with Brooke Guest alone and utilise the loan market should a replacement be required at any point. There are plenty of good wicket keepers around and that may be an option if we want to make the budget go that bit further..

Decisions, decisions... 

The fixtures are.. out?

Excuse my feeling of being dramatically underwhelmed, but after waiting ages for the fixtures to come out this year, that is what I am left with.

More 'Meh' than 'Yeah' for sure.

Let's face it, if you were doing the preparatory work on proving the new format competition was better attended than the county game, you would schedule it exactly as the ECB have done. 

If you asked a bunch of primary school kids when best to schedule cricket so they could watch it, they would come up with the answer 'at weekends and during school holidays'.

So why do we have TWO full days of home Derbyshire cricket after the middle of May at weekends? Why do we have just FOUR days scheduled in the balmy (barmy?) month of August?

OK, if you include T20 it rises to the giddy heights of four days, all season after May, but T20 isn't a day out, it is an afternoon or evening. 

It is crazy. People with or without families thus have to take their valued annual leave to see much county cricket, or be retired/unemployed. 

Even my annual 'home' game, against Durham at Chester le Street, is scheduled Monday to Thursday. Given I work Monday to Wednesday, my chances of seeing much of that depend on there being a worthwhile fourth day to warrant a 400-mile round trip. 

My holidays had to be in for this year in October, so only an April date works at all for me. While acknowledging the limitations of geography for me are unusual, I would be surprised if many are enthused. Again, after the middle of May there is ONE Saturday of county cricket - and that a T20 at Chesterfield. 

It is all pretty disheartening for yours truly. Were I a conspiracy theorist I would reckon they are starving us of cricket so we watch the Hundred. Truth be told, I would give up cricket rather than watch that. 

But of course, I would love to hear your thoughts, as always. 

My immediate thoughts are that in between times Derby County are saved. 

Fingers crossed on that one. And a better ending than the saga of the fixtures.. 

Weekend catch up

Sorry about the lack of blogging in the past week, but my old Dad needed major surgery at the age of 93 and it was touch and go for a while.

Thankfully he is getting stronger and a shade of normality can resume in my life, at least for now. 

Truth be told, I haven't missed much. If Ryan Duckett was correct in the recent press release, then Mickey Arthur will be starting sometime next week, and will need to hit the ground running, with plenty to do. 

He won't be signing Ben Brown from Sussex, who as widely expected has moved to Hampshire. They now have three good keepers (McManus and Alsop the others) and might be worth a call for our second one, though there are plenty of others out there.

It was good to see that Daryn Smit referred to opportunities for Academy Pathway players under Mickey Arthur. We certainly need to see them in the second team when studies allow. I saw no point in having lots of trialists last year, with one even captaining the side for a while. By all means bring them in to make up numbers, but not taking opportunity from our own development squad. 

There should always be a staff player who is captain and available. In the grand scheme of things, results don't matter at that level, but opportunities certainly do. I have no doubt that Smit will identify and develop young talent, but there needs to be a pathway, to use that word, into senior cricket.

Fingers crossed this is a step in the right direction. 

Finally tonight, I saw a tweet today that whetted my appetite for the summer that is coming up. It read:

Shan Masood, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser, Peter Handscomb, Shaheen Afridi, James Pattinson, Travis Head, Mohammad Rizwan and Matthew Wade will all be playing in County Championship Division 2 next season

Should be worth a watch, eh? 

Postbag catch up

I have had a few mails in recent days regarding who I think we might target as our 'other' T20 overseas player. The name on most people's wish list seems to Wanindu Hasaranga.

Hasaranga bowled brilliantly in the T20 World Cup and also hits powerfully in the lower middle order. I also watched him in the Dubai T10, where he seemed the only bowler not to get collared. 

He isn't a huge spinner, but he does enough to miss the middle of the bat and take the edge. As Wilfred Rhodes once said, anything more than that is just showing off and few seem to read the googly well from his hand. 

He would be a HUGE signing for Derbyshire, but I suspect a lot of counties fancy his services and those with most money usually, like the Mounties, get their man. If we have an ace in the pack it is Mickey Arthur and he may want to work again with his old national coach. Few Sri Lankans come to these shores and he would certainly enhance the Vitality Blast were he to be persuaded.

We may look again to Pakistan, following on from the signing of Shan Masood, and my wildcard pick would be Mohammad Wasim. There are bigger names out there, but there are good reasons to go for him. 

At 19 he is raw and largely unknown, but he can play. He bowls between 80 and 90mph, hits a long ball and wouldn't cost the earth, as exposure would be key for him at this stage.

Last month he looked very impressive against the West Indies, bowling some searing yorkers, while his ability with the bat can also be seen in the other video. 

With Derbyshire needing to strengthen in several areas, Wasim could be a value for money pick who would capture the imagination, especially of the local Pakistani population. 

I will leave these videos for your comments! Either way, a player to keep an eye on.. 

Bowling

Batting

Happy New Year!

I hope you all enjoyed your new year celebrations and that 2022 is a good one for all of you.

Apologies for the delayed new piece, but things have been a little hectic on the domestic front. 

I have, however been looking back and it is now 50 days since Mickey Arthur was appointed Head of Cricket at the club, to a huge fanfare. Yet there is still no sign of his arrival. 

So what is going on? The silence from the club is deafening. Surely he should have been here by now? Even allowing for him finishing in Sri Lanka, time is passing. He noted on 19 December, on his Twitter account, that it was his last day in Sri Lanka, so 18 days have passed since then.

Is there a problem in his getting a work permit? Or has he changed his mind? I think either way that the club's supporters deserve some kind of update. I would like to think that application for a work permit started well before 19 December. The lead time for such things is usually three weeks. 

The fixtures aren't yet out, but if matches start in late March  the season is fast approaching. The time for he and players to get to know one another is getting shorter, as is the time for additional recruits.

I am sure supporters would like to know where he is, if he is still expected and the reason for the hold up. 

I don't think that too much to ask, is it?

Postscript : the club finally made an announcement this afternoon.

Club statement

County numbers surface AGAIN..

Isn't it funny how, as soon as they start doing badly, the usual suspects start to blame the English system for national failings. 'We don't need eighteen counties' is the battle cry from Kevin Pietersen, keen to extend the franchises to four - day cricket.

So when England win 50 and 20-over trophies it is fine then?

I don't get this argument that reducing down to eight or ten franchises would make our game stronger. For one thing you are halving the talent pool, and removing the possibility of a player overlooked for franchises developing elsewhere.

Would Ben Aitchison be thriving in the county game, but for Derbyshire? Would Sam Conners be a regular elsewhere? Both could become international bowlers, but they need to play cricket. 

People mention us, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire as targets, forgetting that 'big' counties poach our best talent once developed. Would that happen? I doubt it.. What about the late developers, of which there are many? 

For another thing, the crucial established fan base of the game would be lost. I couldn't care less about England, broadly speaking. I feel no 'connect' with the side and would always watch Derbyshire over them. The likely 5-0 whitewash in the Ashes can be laid squarely at the door of the ECB, not the players. I have watched about thirty minutes of the series, so far. 

The ECB decided to consign the four-day game to the bookends of the season. They promoted 100 - ball cricket to the detriment of the purest form. They ensured that we went into the biggest and oldest international series with next to no relevant practice.They ploughed crazy resources into a tournament few people want. They hand out central contracts, so international players don't need to play cricket..

Part of the issue is that the jump from county to Test is now too big. If international players had to play at least half of their county matches it would be a start. Who gets better at anything by not doing it? Two quality overseas per side helps too - just ask those who plied their trade in the 70s, 80s and 90s, often facing attacks better than international ones. When you had faced Imran Khan and Garth le Roux at Hove, or Clive Rice and Richard Hadlee at Trent Bridge, there were no worries at international level. So too if you could handle Holding, Mortensen, Malcolm, Bishop, Cork and De Freitas at Derby.. there was little much stronger on the international stage. 

Sport is cyclical. Look at the West Indies, Sri Lanka, Pakistan. They had rich periods of success and they will come again, but they had their poor spells too. 

We have gone from asking Buttler. Bairstow, Malan and others to go from 50 off 20 balls to five-hour tons. It is no surprise that the only consistent player is Joe Root, who rarely plays in the short form.

I think Chris Silverwood will go, but so should Tom Harrison, who I am ashamed to say played for Derbyshire. The organisation needs an overhaul, as quite simply it isn't fit for purpose.

What price, as someone pointed out on the previous post, Mickey Arthur being seen as an option to replace him?

Not that we have seen anything of him yet and I confess to being a little concerned over not just the delay, but the massive silence from the club as to when he will be here.

I would have thought that an obvious PR win to let supporters and members know. 

Unless they don't know, and if that is the case they should tell us why that is. 

Merry Christmas

It is getting to a busy time of year for all of us, so I would just like to take this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful Christmas

I will be back before the new year, but I hope you all have the festive period that you wish for. 

Have a great time! 

Congratulations!

Well done to Mark Allen whose name has been pulled from the hat for the autobiography of Tony Pope.

Congratulations also to Mark Beresford and Denis Eardley, who can each select two Derbyshire yearbooks from the list on my previous blog.

If each of the winners could email me with their choice of yearbooks and address, I will get them off as soon as possible.

Mark gets first pick, in the event of both wanting the same year(s), as his name was pulled out first.

Well done to all of you!

And thanks to all blog sponsors.. Competitions will resume in the new year. 

Weekend warmer

Boy, do we need it! Cold and foggy up here today, though a hint of sunshine on the afternoon dog walk suggested that the winter solstice and shortest day in three days time may herald better things to come. 

Shan Masood seems to be scoring runs for fun in Pakistan at present, his 190 today being his third ton in four innings. It also represented 62% of his team's score and Mickey Arthur's subsequent tweet made for good viewing:

Don't worry guys @shani_official is coming to a good home, where he will be backed to the hilt and will make a massive contribution to our new journey.

I don't expect any more signings until the new year, as things are gradually closing down. My guess is that Arthur will arrive in early January and work will crank up then, with new players coming in and players and coach getting to know each other. There are still plenty of out of contract players who may be good options to reinforce a small squad and a few trialists will doubtless arrive. 

We need a wicket-keeper to challenge Brooke Guest and with the rumoured signing of Ben Brown from Sussex, Hampshire appear to have one too many.

They have the talented Lewis McManus and equally able Tom Alsop already, so three of quality does seem a little like overkill. They may play Brown as a specialist batsman, but it may be worth keeping an eye on that situation.

Finally today, I will be doing the draw for the last two months sponsor/subscriber draws on Monday. The first out gets to choose between Tony Pope's fascinating autobiography of his life in cricket and memories of his father Alf and uncle George, or any two Derbyshire yearbooks from 1978, 1983 and 1986-97 inclusive. Second out chooses from what is then left. 

Please email your interest in the prizes to peakfan36@yahoo.co.uk as I would like them to go to those who can fill gaps in their collection, rather than provide duplicates.

Remember this is for blog sponsors only and you can get involved by clicking the 'donate' button viewable on the blog via a PC, laptop or kindle. 

David Smith

It is a sure sign of your own advancing age when your childhood heroes pass. So it is my sadness in todays news of the death of David (DHK) Smith, who played for the County between 1965 and 1970.

Born in Shipley, West Yorkshire, he came from a tough school in the northern leagues and one usually felt that boundaries were grudgingly hit. He slotted smoothly into the lineage of John Kelly, Charlie Lee, Ian Hall and Alan Hill, players who, it might be said, all batted against the sundial, rather than the clock.

Yet every side needs such a player and watching the travails of England in Australia one pines for sound defensive technique, knowledge of the ball to leave and the one to play quietly away. Nudging and nurdling worked well for those players, thirty a session, a hundred by the close if it was their day, making opponents work if it wasn't. 

David Smith had plenty of good days and in the late '60s and 1970 his opening partnership with Peter Gibbs was one of contrasts. Peter was all about classical drives and sound clips off the legs, while David was more functional, substance over style. The two became a sound pairing, paving the way neatly, in my favourite cricket summer of 1970, for the more expansive play of Mike Page and Chris Wilkins. 

He really became established between 1967 and 1970 and scored a thousand runs in three of those four years. There was rarely anything flashy, as it wasn't his way, but his role in the side was clear and he did it very well indeed. His was a wicket seldom given away. 

Edwin Smith told me a lovely story about a typically gritty, unbeaten 91 in 120 overs of graft against Glamorgan at Chesterfield in 1967. The visiting side's batsman, Peter Walker, later a television commentator, was unimpressed and vocal at the lack of aggression, especially when his namesake Edwin later scored an unbeaten 60 in no time, as Derbyshire made 'only' 221-7 declared in their first innings 

Yet the visitors made only 119 all out in 93 overs, Smith and Morgan taking 8-47 between them in 57 overs!  David almost had the last laugh, the visitors hanging on for grim life on the last afternoon, the last pair together when time was called. 

I said rarely flashy, but there was a Sunday game at Ilkeston in 1970, when we were chasing a tricky (in those days) score of 155. Barry Richards had breezed 40-odd, but runs hadn't come easy and visitors Hampshire had three international bowlers in 'Butch' White, Bob Cottam and Derek Shackleton, as well as two wily ones in Peter Sainsbury and Trevor Jesty. 

That afternoon, it didn't matter. Smith slog swept and pulled his way to an exhilarating, swashbuckling 85, as Derbyshire won in a canter with more than ten overs to spare. It was one of those rare days of total domination, Chris Wilkins finishing it in his usual style with a four and six from the only two balls he faced. 

At the end of that season David left the county game, bar for a one-day game in 1971. He played a couple more in the late 1970s for Orange Free State in South Africa, but like a few others at that time, he left the county far too soon, a career outside the game more lucrative and reliable. 

He will be remembered as a friendly man, one with a fund of stories and soundly appreciated by his team mates, as both a dogged, reliable bat and a good slip, as befits a man who kept wicket. 

Rest in Peace, David. You always gave of your best. 

Apologies

Apologies for the lack of communication in recent days, but an urgent trip south took up most of my time.

I haven't yet had chance to do the prize draw among sponsors, but anyone who would like to be in with a chance of a Derbyshire yearbook or two, or a copy of Tony Pope's autobiography, please email me at peakfan36@yahoo.co.uk. Tony was son of Alf and nephew of George, with many extraordinary tales of cricket around the globe. 

Remember the draw is for blog sponsors only. 

I would like the prizes to go to those who want them and will offer a range of yearbooks to choose from.

Finally, in the only news of note, Graham van Buuren is staying with Gloucestershire having got his local qualification through.

Our quest for players will continue.. 

Keith Loring

I am sorry that the many things I have going on at present prevented me from noting the passing, last weekend, of Keith Loring, who was well-known to supporters of both Derby County and Derbyshire County Cricket Club.

Indeed he was liked and respected wherever he went, a hard-working and conscientious man who was always happy to have a word and had a regular smile on his face.

In eight years as CEO at Derby County he oversaw the move to Pride Park from the Baseball Ground and a promotion to the Premier League. He was later in the same role at Derbyshire, where he saw 1800 seats added to the ground, between 2004 and 2012 and the installation of the marquee.

He was professional and efficient and I was always grateful for his courtesy and prompt answers to any questions I asked in the early years of this blog. 

He was respected throughout the county and beyond and played a very important and appreciated role in the development of its sports teams, big and small.

Rest in Peace, Keith. 

Shan Masood joins as overseas player

Thank you to Mickey Arthur for showing, from the outset, that old-fashioned county cricket overseas recruitment IS possible with knowledge of the world game.

I had mentioned before that Pakistan would be a rich picking-ground for overseas players. How could it not be, as the main sport in a country with a population of over 200 million? Throw in the appeal of these players to the local Pakistani community, now able to see them on their doorstep and the merit is obvious. That's even before considering the many who will tune in to the excellent streams from the county circuit. 

Thus the signing of 32-year old Shan Masood makes very good sense and the side looks immediately stronger. Not least because he can and will play all formats and is available for the entire season.

What's not to like in a solid, experienced left-handed opener who models his game on Alastair Cook, yet averages well over 50 in fifty-over cricket, as well as having a T20 century to his name? He knows our wickets too, having been prolific for Stamford School and then playing for Durham University.

English supporters will know him best for that brilliant 156 against England at Old Trafford in 2020, while 31 career centuries and the captaincy of Multan Sultans in the PSL confirm a rounded, experienced player. Exactly the sort to give ballast to a batting line up that too often misfired last season.

Here he is in blistering T20 form for the Multan Sultans, where he skippered Wayne Madsen. 

If this doesn't whet your appetite ahead of the season, nothing will

Blistering T20 knock

Welcome to Derbyshire, Shan. 

We look forward to welcoming you to a friendly club where your talents will be appreciated.

2022? Bring it on... and we haven't finished yet. 

Book giveaways

I am conscious that my book giveaways have slipped in the last few weeks, post-surgery.

I have a number of highly collectable duplicates from my complete set of Derbyshire yearbooks to give away to blog sponsors, which I aim to do before Christmas. 

To be eligible for this prize, simply sponsor the blog via the 'donate' button in the top left of the screen, which can be viewed on a PC, laptop or kindle.

All support appreciated and I will be drawing three lucky winners next weekend from those who have donated by that stage. You can choose from a number of available volumes. 

Thank you in advance for your support, which encourages me to create content when there are a number of other things competing for my time. 

I am grateful to all of you. Please note you can make a one-off donation, or pay an amount each month. In the absence of a blog sponsor, it encourages me to keep the blog going. 

Thank you. 

Dal deal makes sense for both parties

More good news on the contract front from Derbyshire today, with Anuj Dal signing a one-year deal.

It is one that makes sense from both perspectives. 

Dal has a chance to build on his powerful finish to 2021 and put himself in line for an improved deal next year, or be free to discuss one with other clubs. He has every incentive to do well. 

At the same time, the club and specifically Mickey Arthur can see if that late-season form was evidence of a player who has come to terms with the first-class game, or was just one of those golden spells that most experience from time to time.

The new Head of Cricket HAS to be able to shape the squad as he wants and the deals already given to the likes of Came, Wood, Thomson and McKiernan may or may not have been what he would have chosen to do.

Like all supporters, I hope all four go on to stellar careers in our colours and the deal for McKiernan is for for one year only. The others have two-year deals, as does Alex Hughes, though his record suggests he will offer good value in that time, especially in the one-day game.

There are positive signs from the other three, but their being contracted for two years will limit any team development plans that the new HOC has if they don't.

Here's hoping all kick on in 2022!

Either way, Arthur wraps up his spell in Sri Lanka on Friday and will hopefully arrive in Derbados in the near future. Pre-season work is already underway and I am sure excitement is building among the players.

Finally tonight, news today that the 2022 fixtures will not be out until January is disappointing, but understandable.

With more four-day cricket planned for high summer (Hallelujah!) and grounds for matches around the 'Hindered' to be finalised, there is much to do.

That's before any decision is made on penalties for the recent travails at Yorkshire, which may yet include their being relegated to division two. 

To be honest, that makes sense on purely cricketing grounds. Yorkshire without their international names are an average side, while Nottinghamshire, like them or not, clearly aren't.

They SHOULD, as things stand, walk division two. 

Not being defeatist, just realistic.. 

More from me soon. 

Weekend roundup: a clarification

At the weekend I reported briefly on an article in The Guardian newspaper, which it transpires was neither fully researched nor accurate. 

The Guardian article suggested that 'every first-class county' had been the subject of a complaint on grounds of racism.

The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) has been setup as an independent and confidential body to which anyone who has been involved with cricket at any level - from schools and recreational, to professional and international - can register their experiences and/or concerns. It is not exclusive to county cricket.

I have now read that the figures being reported in the media were speculation only. As a confidential body, the ICEC has not and will not publish details of any specific cases and any figures may or may not be accurate. They also may or may not refer to the first-class game. 

I am happy to publish this clarification in the interests of fairness to all concerned. 

Weekend roundup

Perhaps this week will bring some of the news that Derbyshire supporters have been craving, that of new players coming into the club.

Last week's announcement that George Scrimshaw was staying was welcome, if not exactly a surprise. He was still listed on the club website as being on the staff and since no one had announced him as THEIR new signing, logic suggested he might stay. While he bowled well in a handful of T20 appearances, there was perhaps not enough of them at this stage to start a clamour for his services.

I can confirm that there WAS interest from along the A52, but it was not pursued, for whatever reason.

Mickey Arthur starts his last match in charge of Sri Lanka tomorrow and will hope for a winning finale against the West Indies. I think he will get it and the home side's bowlers (Lasith Embuldeniya is a canny bowler) will be too clever on their home turf.

Off the pitch there were two bits of news that may have passed you by. Apparently every first-class county has been the subject of a complaint to the ECB on grounds of racism, which means that Derbyshire are one of them and they will need to investigate.

It doesn't automatically mean that there have been wrong-doings, but it is another reason why employment and recruitment policies and processes must be robust and thorough. We have made mistakes in the past year and the Tony Palladino case still needs to be resolved, but hopefully we can soon focus more attention on matters on the pitch.

On the upside, an article I saw an article on diversity in county cricket in the Guardian which said:

The Guardian found that of 158 current board members at the 18 first-class counties, according to the counties’ own websites or their most recently published reports or accounts, only 28 are women – less than 18%. Only Derbyshire, who have three women on a nine-person board, have unequivocally met the target, with Lancashire closest to joining them – six of the 16 attendees at their board meetings are women, but only two of eight are full members of the board

Fair play to the club for doing the right thing here. After appointing a good Head of Cricket after a robust interview process, things appear to be moving in the right direction.

Now for some players... 

Team strengthening

There are a surprising amount of good county cricketers still seemingly out of contract as we get to the end of November.

Certainly there are some in the names below whose apparent availability is a surprise, but with Derbyshire in the market for players, a couple of these, maybe more, may hold considerable appeal. Nor should we discount potential signings of players who are still in contract, but want to be playing more senior cricket at this stage of their careers, or be given greater opportunity.

In highlighting the two names below I am not suggesting we are moving for them, nor indeed that they would come to Derbyshire. But nor should we discount the appeal of working with a coach of international renown,  which we now have in Mickey Arthur. That either would enhance our squad is, I think, beyond dispute. 

Danny Lamb

I am a big fan of the aggressive Lancashire all-rounder, a bustling right arm seamer and batsman. At 26 he should have played more than 19 first-class matches, but he always seems to take wickets and is a good enough batsman to have a century and three fifties to his name.

Economical in one-day cricket, might he be the latest from that county to move south, following Luis Reece, Ben Aitchison, Brooke Guest and Mattie McKiernan? Having Karl Krikken up there is no bad thing. There may well be a new deal for him, but is he happy to be merely a bit-part player? 

Paul Walter

The giant (6'7) Essex all rounder is similar to Lamb. 27 years old, he has only played 28 first-class matches but averages over 36, while striking at over 130 in T20.

As a bowler, he hits the deck hard and from that height will always be a handful, even if only offering occasional overs. He might have hoped for more cricket with the retirement of Ryan ten Doeschate, but the arrival of Matt Critchley takes that place. If there is interest, Andre Nel, his former coach and fellow Protea will be able to give Mickey Arthur chapter and verse on his merits.

There are others, like Shane Snater at Essex, Ned Eckersley at Durham and Tom Bailey at Lancashire, but I find it hard to believe they will not be offered and sign new deals. All are fine players with proven track records - indeed Eckersley seems to have amassed much of his career tally against us. 

Our need is for a younger, more affordable back up keeper, I think, with Brooke Guest one of those to shine in a poor 2021 and worthy of being first choice for now. There will be plenty around the circuit who would jump at the chance of fighting for the gloves. 

There are a few spinners around and seemingly available, like Aron Nijjar, Jack Shutt and Amar Virdi, but their career records suggest little major improvement on Alex Thomson and Mattie McKiernan. Maybe greater opportunity could be the making of them all, but our two simply have to play some cricket to find that out and make worthwhile the award of two and one-year deals respectively. . 

Were we to pick up either Lamb or Walter, one of our overseas roles could go to a spinner, or spin bowling all rounder. Sri Lanka have one or two, as do Pakistan and Mickey Arthur will know them all well from his previous roles. 

That would perhaps leave the other role (for four day cricket) ideally going to a top order batsman.

Getting the right man in would make such a difference, as well as giving additional confidence to those whose struggles in 2021 were a puzzle after erstwhile glories.

I suspect, as most counties do, that four and one-day recruitment will differ in personnel. The congested International calendar largely makes it so and fewer players want to condemn themselves to a full English summer. So while we would likely be thrilled at Dimuth Karunaratne, the Sri Lankan Test skipper, for four - day cricket, we might fancy Wanindu Hasaranga for the T20. Who wouldn't, eh?! 

As always, I welcome your thoughts and suggestions. I should point out I have erred on the side of affordability in the names above, so try to do the same if throwing a few names in the ring! 

Scrimshaw signs new deal

The influx of players for the Arthur revolution began today, with the return of a familiar one in George Scrimshaw, who has signed a two - year deal.

To be fair, most could have been excused for thinking he was on his way, as there have been as many sightings of Lord Lucan as there have been mentions of him on the club's social media accounts since the end of the Vitality Blast.

There was interest from elsewhere, but somewhat sensibly George has opted to cement his future at the club that gave him a chance to resurrect a career that appeared to be gone, when he left Worcestershire after years of injuries.

I think he is wise. Ajmal Shahzad has worked well with him and can get him better still. Until he proves he can last the rigours of a lot of cricket there will always be concerns over his back, BUT when he gets it right he is a potent weapon.

Nottinghamshire and others found that out last year in the Blast, with middle over bowling of pace and hostility suggesting to batsmen that stepping away and wafting was the best approach. There were times he got it wrong and he is not yet a reliable four - day bowler, but the good days suggested he could be a serious bowler in time.

It further reinforces young seam bowling stocks and that he is from our happy hunting grounds of Staffordshire makes the signing more apposite still. 

Working under Mickey Arthur will have been an inducement too, as it will be for others, home and away, this winter.

The T20 World Cup showed the route to success as fast bowlers and leg spin. With the signing of George we have the former.

We await with interest the overseas choices to add to the Mattie McKiernan option.

Welcome back, George. In every sense, big news today...