Arthur closing in on overseas target...

I would like to thank Gareth for sending me a link to a piece in the cricketer which suggests that Mickey Arthur is close to the second overseas signing for 2023.

You can see the article here, but the interesting section is:

"I could pull the trigger on a guy tomorrow I've just got to see how it ties in with budgets," Arthur, the former South Africa, Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka head coach, told The Cricketer.

"There is potentially another guy we've got in the loop. We are looking to see how that pans out before I commit totally to this player."

"There are a host of them that want to come here. I've got my eye on one young batter that would be very good for us."

I like the idea of a young batter. Someone with a reputation to make, hopefully available for the full season and with the ability to score heavily across the formats.

It all suggests that we should have some one in place before Christmas and that we can all go into our festive period excited at what the future holds.

I don't know about you, but I can't wait to find out who it is!

County to feature in 'Blast Off'

I'm afraid that time ran away from me yesterday and work took too great a chunk from my available time to comment on the day's big news.

Which was, of course, that Derbyshire will feature in a tournament-opening Vitality Blast 'Blast Off' double header at Edgbaston, which will see us play Lancashire while Birmingham Bears take on Yorkshire, on Saturday 20 May. It is a big occasion for supporters and one which will feature all of the razzmatazz of finals day. Who knows, it may well turn out to be a portent of things to come..

It highlights the tournament in a grandstand way and sees it come very much to the forefront of public consciousness, all this in May, when the county game usually sees its participants jostling for early dominance in the season.

The downside is that Derbyshire are the only side involved who are effectively giving up home advantage. They are the designated home side for their game, while it is Birmingham's home game anyway. The counter arguments that I have seen are that it is one less game for supporters to go to and that we are not really a home side.

But does that matter? We played very well on this ground last year and for me getting this tournament into minds so early in the summer can only be a good thing. It is innovative, it is making people aware that there is a better tournament out there than the one which has been marketed to death, yet still only sees the bulk of its attendance figures through promotional giveaways.

The Blast is a  very good competition. How else would England have become world champions in the format? The players in that side grew up playing in our domestic T20 and honed their skills in it. Derby to Birmingham is not that far and the club have already said that they will lay on coach travel to and from the ground. You get to see two games of cricket and this is in the price of your membership, if you chose to go down that route.

There was a time in my life when I had 40-50 miles in each direction as my daily commute. I didn't find it too difficult at the time and I wouldn't find it an issue to travel to support my favourite sports team, particularly when I could just jump on a luxury coach and relax.

Cricket supporters around the country have spent the last twelve months mobilising in support of the existing county structure. The dangers facing it were clear and the franchise competition is still out there, its supporters still vocal.

I am just pleased to see the counties fighting back with innovation of their own. Perhaps the following season it will be a different four counties involved, a different venue. I would assume so, but I hope that supporters of all four clubs get behind this.

From the perspective of the players, the opportunity to play in front of what should be a large crowd can only be positive for them. Big game experience can only be gained by playing in big games, there is no simulator that can otherwise replicate everything.

I accept that there will be other views and it is, of course the prerogative of the individuals concerned to hold those views.

But I like this. I like to see my county involved in innovation.

Bring it on! And remember, it is Blast Off, not Bake Off...

Weekend warmer

There's not a lot to report on this week, aside from Alex Hughes moving into coaching.

It gives Derbyshire a very solid coaching setup and should ensure that progression from the Academy/Pathway is seamless. His departure from the playing staff does, however leave a gap in resources for T20 cricket, where he played a key role. It may be that Mickey Arthur is looking to recruit someone with all round skills for that competition.

I was surprised last year when Hilton Cartwright joined but then didn't bowl at any point. Someone who can offer a few useful overs in that competition, as well as scoring quick runs, will always be an asset.

It wouldn't surprise me to see the second overseas role split with one player for 4 day and 50 over cricket, the other for the Blast. It just seems unlikely that you would get someone able and willing to commit to a full season, or that a player could stay fit for a full season, given the demands of the current game.

So we must play a waiting game, until individual commitments and international fixtures for 2023 are finalised.

But things are looking good for next year. I think we have already made more signings than I expected, but this coming season will be seen as a watershed, with so many players coming towards the end of their current deals. The winter next year will likely see a few changes, although many have the opportunity to extend their stay at the club with an impressive 2023 season.

It can't come soon enough for me!

Hughes moves into coaching

It is very much the end of an era, with today's announcement that Alex Hughes has retired from the playing side at Derbyshire County Cricket club, to move seamlessly into coaching.

He will take charge of the second team as part of his new role as Analyst and Support Coach, doubtless taking some of the pressure from Daryn Smit in the process.

He is a perfect candidate for the role. It's funny, during the summer just past I stood talking to him for 20 minutes during a rain break in one match. In the course of that conversation I said to him that I thought he would be a good shout for second eleven coach, pretty much an ideal mentor for young players making their way into first class cricket. He didn't say anything, maybe it hadn't been discussed at that point, but I am pleased that we will retain someone of his talents in some capacity. Also that mystic Peakfan retains his powers...

He has been a good, solid county cricketer. Maybe the runs and wickets that I expected, early in his career, didn't quite follow on, but then opportunity seldom knocked for him in recent seasons. He became somewhat pigeonholed as a one-day player, which is understandable, given the all-action nature of his game.

I couldn't see how he could fit into a first choice side in the coming season but the new role seems like a perfect compromise to me. He is very much a thinker and I will always maintain he was a good captain who got away. Those lads coming through the academy have got a supportive, intelligent bloke to look after them, that's for sure.

I will miss, as will many others, his gritty determination and not inconsiderable skill, particularly when backs were against the wall. Yet will also miss his improvisation and powerful stroke play when time was running out and runs were still needed.

As a bowler he was canny. There were plenty of variations of pace and although none of them ventured anywhere close to 'lively' he was a bowler who made opponents work for their runs.

In the field he was excellent. A safe pair of hands at slip, on those increasingly rare occasions when he played four-day cricket, but equally reliable in the deep when the big shots were being unfurled, especially in T20 matches. He was quick across the ground and put down very little that came his way.

I wish him the very best in his new role and I am pleased that we will still see him around the County Ground, hopefully for some time to come.

Thanks for everything Alex.

Weekend warmer

So England are the world champions in T20 cricket. Which suggests to me like they all got a pretty good grounding in the Vitality Blast, that same competition the ECB appear to want to marginalise in favour of a tin pot tournament that bothers very few.

Fair play to the side which looked pretty impressive throughout. With a top seven as good as that (that still doesn't include Root or Bairstow) most can only envy the depth of talent in our game. Produced by eighteen first class counties of course, let's not forget that. We never really needed to see what the rest of them could do, but with Woakes, Curran and Rashid all pretty handy with the bat, this really is a side that will take some beating.

It has been a fairly quiet week on the Derbyshire front, but the players have returned to training and it is good to see our new players involved.

Thanks to all of you for your contributions to my question last week, as to which overseas stars of the past you would bring into the current setup. Hypothetical of course, and there is no right or wrong answer, it comes down purely to personal preference.

For what it is worth, allowing only for the perceived area of greatest weakness in the current squad, I would have brought in either John Wright or Chris Rogers to open the batting in both 4-day and 50 over cricket. Both would be perfect, but if I had to name one I would take Wright, only because I rarely saw him fail. While Rogers was also a run machine, he rarely scored many when I was in attendance, much the same as Michael di Venuto.

That would then enable me to bring in a T20 specialist and I would have to pick Adrian Kuiper. For all that there have been better batters and bowlers at the county - and to be fair, between you all you named them - Kuiper was a 'gun' finisher.

I have seen every Derbyshire overseas player since Chris Wilkins, the first, in 1970. Chris was the only one remotely close to Kuiper as a long hitter. I would have loved to have seen the South African all rounder with one of the modern bats, as the ball went a country mile with the ones available at that time.

Add in his bustling medium pace and his excellent fielding and Kuiper would easily have been a multi-millionaire in the modern game.

I hope you enjoyed the little bit of fun, so here's another one for you for this week.

Which overseas player, or players in the world game currently would you bring in for the season ahead? You can split the role, should you wish, but be realistic as to who we could get. No Indian players for T20, of course, and my guess would be a maximum spend of 150K.

The international future tours programme can be found here

Have fun!

Weekend warmer

It was great to see the bumper crowd that attended the bonfire night celebrations at the Incora County Ground on Friday.

An equally successful festive season will be perfect for Derbyshire, generating the crucial off field income that will allow Mickey Arthur the money required to improve fortunes on the field.

I doubt that anyone is unhappy with the way that the winter has gone so far. Logically, all that remains is the recruitment of the overseas player, or players to replace Shan Masood.

I am not sure if the World Cup has featured those players, but there have been some standout performers. I was less impressed with Sikandar Raza as the tournament went on, his batting looking a little too frenetic against good bowlers. His bowling was more impressive and while I am sure there will still be interest from the county circuit, the recent recruitment of Mark Watt pretty much legislates against him being on Derbyshire's radar. I can't see us needing four spinners, with two then unlikely to play much cricket.

One player who has impressed me has been Suryakumar Yadav of India, who batted well against Derbyshire last year. He seems to have elastic wrists and some of the shots he has played have been quite spectacular. I was surprised to find out that he is 32 and thought him a younger man. Which in its own way speaks volumes both for the sheer quantity of talent in that country, as well as the merits of the later developer.

It is a shame that Indian players cannot play in the Vitality Blast, as most of their stellar line up would be huge draws. It is hard to gauge though whether any would be equally successful, or interested in a contract for longer form matches.

I would be surprised if Mickey Arthur was able to find a player available for most of the season, as Masood was last year. Even more so if that player was as successful. While not in any way meaning to diminish his efforts, he perhaps had the best early season wickets for a decade on which to bat, while Suranga Lakmal probably thought he had arrived in the wrong country, with what he had to bowl on.

It could be that this time next year we are all hailing the latter, if April sees more traditional English wickets. I suspect had he not had the elbow injury, some of the wickets as the season progressed would have been perfect for his talents.

As a bit of fun, here's some nice thoughts to occupy you over the next few days.

Which Derbyshire overseas player of the past would you recruit to enhance the current squad?

I am going to ban the selection of Eddie Barlow, because anyone who saw him would appreciate that him in the side would automatically improve it by 20%, regardless of his individual contribution.

There is no right or wrong answer, but I would be curious and delighted to see everyone's thoughts. I will then tell you my decision next week.

Have a good one!

Mark Watt signs for 2023!

I have two immediate observations regarding today's excellent news, which sees Mark Watt returning to Derbyshire, around his Scotland commitments, for all formats next season.

The first and most obvious is that we have picked up a very canny operator. He is one of those players who seems to have been around for years, which he has, but he is still only 26. My guess would be that although he is the junior of our three spinners, he will start next summer as our first choice.

He has to. His ability was noted and not questioned by any of the commentators at the T20 World Cup. Mickey Arthur speaks of him in glowing terms and his enjoyment of the game and of the individual battles within it are clear every time he steps onto the ground, with or without his notes on individual players...

He is a leader. The sort of player that every captain will want when the chips are down. Someone to who you can throw the ball in expectation that he will make something happen. That might be one of his 24 yard specials or many variants in between, including remarkable swing for a spin bowler at times.

As next year's captain, Leus du Plooy will know that he can depend on Mark, whose reputation precedes him in the shorter forms of the game.

Is he yet the finished article for 4-day cricket? No, but he hasn't played that much more in that format than I have. In the interview on the club site, Arthur mentioned him 'getting more revs on the ball' 'giving it more flight' and being 'a work in progress'. As are all spinners in their mid-20s, of course.

But let's not focus on any perceived weaknesses, rather enjoy the fact that we have recruited a player who has proven and established his credentials on the world stage. It has been a very good winter so far, exceeding my expectations for players coming in.

The other observation is that his signing almost certainly means that our other overseas player will be either a batsman or a batting all rounder. English wickets are rarely conducive to spin until later summer anyway and it seems very unlikely that we would go into the 2023 season with four spinners on the staff.

Logic thus dictates that the replacement for Shan Masood will be close to like for like, even if the new man is not necessarily an opening bat.

Last week's news that Leicestershire are set to sign Indian batsman Ajinkya Rahane for 2023 was an eye-opener, as was the accompanying news that India are keen to see some of their players gather more experience on English wickets.

The exclusivity contracts held by those who play in the IPL means they couldn't play in the Vitality Blast, but there are a number of players over there who would undoubtedly benefit from a season in English conditions. Just as the county game would benefit from their presence.

Many are simply too well rewarded by the IPL to need county cricket, of course. The biggest stars can simply live off their IPL earnings, if they chose to do so. With Virat Kohli worth an estimated £120 million and even a talented young tyro like Prithvi Shaw worth £2 million, they don't really have to spend their summers in a Derby flat..

But it leaves a lot of outstanding cricketers who would undoubtedly be thrilled to work under an internationally renowned coach. Perhaps, like Shan Masood, keen to get back into the international picture.

Very much something to keep an eye on.

But for now, let's celebrate that we have secured the services of Watty. The man with the regular smile, the many variations and the desire to win that will continue to endear him to Derbyshire supporters.

Ben Aitchison

This is the first in a series I will run over the winter, each focusing on a young Derbyshire player with the potential to go far. Each can be a key member in a side that could see the resurgence of the county fortunes. 

There is no order of merit, nor is it alphabetical. But let's start with A for the sake of convention...

___________________________

Ben Aitchison is my kind of cricketer.

For one thing, in an age when sports stars are increasingly demonstrative, he isn't. In watching him celebrate a wicket, I'm often taken back to the footage of Jim Laker, celebrating each of his 19 wickets against Australia in 1956. Jim's excitement was demonstrated, at best, with a clap of his hands and the hitching up of his trousers. It was a reaction of its age, a man simply doing the job that he was paid to do.

Today's 'celebrappeal' appalls me. Bowler striking the pad, running down the wicket arms aloft, nary a backwards glance to the umpire to see if it is actually out. Then the 'teapot' of indignance when the finger isn't raised. Yes I'm talking about Stuart Broad as a prime example, but there are others and I don't like it. Time enough for that kind of thing when the umpire raises his finger. I guess I am getting old..

Ben will turn to the umpire and if the decision is the one that he wants will look down and clench and shake his fists in celebration as he walks towards the slip cordon. Nowt exaggerated or fancy, just a young man doing his job. In the words of the old disco classic, that's the way, uh huh, uh huh, I like it..He might occasionally 'push the boat out' with an upraised arm, but that is as far as it goes.

He is a bowler of vast potential and Lancashire's loss is very much Derbyshire's gain. A back injury last winter ruled him out of the early part of the summer, a stress fracture thankfully not sustained in bowling and therefore easier to heal.

He still missed the first half of the summer, too much from a Derbyshire perspective. A time when seam bowlers were dropping like flies and a revolving door of less satisfactory replacements were coming in for matches here and there.

Ben will have been pleased to see his team mates, George Scrimshaw and Sam Conners, earn call-ups for England Lions, but will likely have realised that bar for injury that could just as easily have been him.

He is that good. More than any other of the current young crop of Derbyshire bowlers - and there are some talented ones in there - he is the Mr Reliable. There may be an occasional ball that slips down leg side, but more often than not the batman has to play, has to handle the challenge of the moving ball and make a decision. That control has been even better this season, since he cut down his run up. I am unaware of any major difference that it has made to his pace, but as many fine bowlers over the years will tell you,  speed isn't everything and the subtleties of line, length and control are the things that frustrate and ultimately dismiss a batsman. Darren Stevens, Tom Cartwright, Derek Shackleton, Don Shepherd - how many examples do you want? There are plenty in the great Derbyshire lineage.

Were you to compare him to a local hero of yesteryear It would probably be Mike Hendrick. Another bowler capable of long spells, accurate and moving it around to the detriment of opposition batting lineups. Hendo was a good slip fielder too and also had a good arm. It is unusual to see a quick bowler in the slip cordon, but Ben has held some good catches this year and the days of your quick bowler fielding at third man or fine leg, not required to dive around and using their foot to stop the ball are gone forever.

He is no mug with a bat either. I do take issue with those who have asserted that Derbyshire have three number elevens, because Ben is better than that. Supporters will remember his bucolic half century in a losing cause against Nottinghamshire a couple of seasons back, but he has also shown that he can hang in there in support of an established batsman. He favours a whippy stroke off his legs and I think he can improve still further with the bat in his hands. There's a steady number eight in there, with time and hard work 

But it is as a bowler that he will make his name. 60 first class wickets at 26 is a solid start to his career, but the first of those figures will rise rapidly while the second continues to drop. The likely first choice seam quartet for Derbyshire next year is Aitchison, Lakmal, Chappell and Conners. I'm not sure if they will all take the field together, but at their best there will be plenty of batsmen with sleepless nights before facing them. It will be interesting to see who gets the new ball, but Ben rarely wastes it and would be a very strong candidate.

An affable lad from a lovely and successful sporting family, he won't get carried away by success, nor get too down on the occasional bad days that affect all sports people. 

But if I am any judge of a cricketer, I reckon there will be many more of the former over the next decade.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

Guest signs contract extension!

Piece by piece, Mickey Arthur's jigsaw for revamping Derbyshire cricket is taking shape.

Today came news that wicketkeeper batter Brooke Guest has signed an extension to his existing deal, which will keep him at the club until the end of 2025 at this stage.

There were stories a few weeks back that he might not be here next season, but to be honest, I was always firmly of the conviction that such stories were nonsense. My understanding was then and is now - as today's announcement has shown - that Brooke is very happy at Derbyshire.

Indeed, all I hear are positive things emanating from the dressing room, positive comments about the culture that has been developed and an environment where there are no egos.

Brooke is a diamond of a cricketer and I have every expectation that at some point in the future he will earn representative selection. There are good wicketkeepers about, and there are good batters about, but those who keep to a high standard and score heavily at number 3 are in very short supply.

I have liked him since I first saw him at the club and needed no one to tell me that he had a bright future. I am delighted to see that he has shown the world of cricket - and certainly Derbyshire supporters - just what he is capable of in 2022.

With his hard work ethic, his positive attitude and a grounded upbringing, I am sure that he will go from strength to strength.

And we are all going to enjoy watching that.

Weekend warmer

It has been a fairly quiet week from a Derbyshire perspective, although the news that Sam Conners has been selected for England Lions was widely welcomed.

He fully deserved it after an excellent season and I hope that this is just a start, for a fine young cricketer.

Further afield, I have enjoyed watching some of the Cricket World Cup and I thought that the qualifying competition was very good indeed. It was a shame that Scotland missed out, but they just seem to lack that one batsman of proven quality that some of the others had.

Mark Watt earned lavish praise from the commentators as a 'canny operator' and I think he was as good as any spinner that I saw in the past week. You can tell that he thinks about the game, but his side couldn't scrape together the extra few runs in each innings that would have made a difference.

The best player I saw in the week was Sikandar Raza of Zimbabwe. He has had a fascinating background, which included doing his degree in Glasgow and playing cricket in Scotland before moving to Zimbabwe and qualifying to play for that country after a number of years in Pakistan.

Over the past 12 months he has probably become as effective a player as any in the world game, scoring a lot of runs and taking wickets with his clever and varied spin bowling. I like the way that he conceals the ball behind him as he runs into bowl, then baffling batters with a combination of accurate off, leg and topspin. His stock ball seems to be the off spinner, but he is talent, for sure.

A blistering 48-ball 82, followed by one for 17 in three overs won them the game against Ireland, while his 40 from 23 balls saw him the only man to come to terms with conditions against Scotland and turned the match. Add in his 3-19 against the West Indies and his has been a standout performance.

I look forward to seeing how he gets on now that they are mixing it with the big guns. I suspect there will be a few people looking at him. With Zimbabwe's relatively few international commitments in the next year he would be a good option, at least for the Vitality Blast.

Should we read anything into Mickey Arthur congratulating him on his performances on Twitter? Probably not, perhaps just a man with his finger on the pulse of the world game.

But I would be very happy if Raza shipped up at the Incora County Ground.

Just what the doctor ordered, for me.

Wagstaff and Harrison sign Rookie deals

Yesterday was way too busy for me to comment at the time and by the time I finished at 8:00 p.m. I was too tired to pen a few thoughts.

But in their own way, the signings announced of Mitch Wagstaff and Archie Harrison are as important as others so far this winter.

Both are products of the county academy pathway. Both have suggested in their short experience of senior cricket so far, that they have something to offer as their experience broadens and they develop.

They have each had success at age group international level and while this is no guarantee of continued success as mature cricketers, it suggests that the raw talent is there.

Wagstaff looks a compact opening batsman and it has been a while since one of those has come through our own system. It may be that his education sees his availability limited in the immediate future, but Derbyshire have to look to a future post Godleman and Reece. He will get opportunities in the summer ahead and like any other player. It is up to him to take them when they occur.

There is also a buzz about Harrison, who appears to have the natural assets of a genuine all rounder. He has scored heavily at Repton School and has done the same for the academy and on occasion for the second team.

A lot of hard work lies ahead for him, but it will be interesting to keep an eye on their development. Equally, it is important to remember that many players take time to handle both the physical and mental demands of the first class game. As we are now seeing from Anuj Dal, Brooke Guest, Sam Conners and a few more, patience brings its rewards.

How nice will it be to see a successful Derbyshire side with more than a sprinkling of homegrown talent within its ranks?

With the continued efforts of Daryn Smit and other Pathway coaches, as well as the efforts of youngsters and their parents, the future looks bright.

Weekend warmer

I have to admit to raising a quizzical eyebrow, perhaps in the style of Roger Moore, at news emanating from Trent Bridge this week.

Two very good cricketers, Toby Pettman and Dane Schadendorff, signed renewed contracts with Nottinghamshire, while Tom Loten joined them from Yorkshire.

It surprised me, to be honest. Pettman spent most of 2022 on loan around the country, doing quite well in those appearances. He looked a very good bowler for us on the first morning against Middlesex at Chesterfield, bowling accurate lines and troubling good batsmen. I was sufficiently impressed to think him worth a punt for next year at Derbyshire, though the subsequent signing of Zak Chappell rendered that redundant.

Besides the prospect of working full time with Mickey Arthur, Chappell must have got fed up at being second choice at Trent Bridge, when he is actually a very good bowler. Let that be a salutary lesson for Pettman, whose chances of regular first team action, especially in the light of Nottinghamshire signing. Olly Stone, seems slight.

I suspect that he will need to have his car ready for some more miles next summer, when he is likely to be heading out on loan again, the route to the first team seemingly some distance away.

So too Schadendorff. A thousand runs in the second team this year confirms him as a very good wicket keeper-batsman, but he is behind a pretty competent first choice in Tom Moores, who also happens to be the son of the Nottinghamshire Head of Cricket. That the Zimbabwean-born player appears good enough for first-class level seems beyond dispute, but with his rival only 26, I would suggest his best chance would be to ply his trade elsewhere.

Then there is Loten. A talented all rounder, he was surprisingly released by Yorkshire, yet has racked up at a county where his best chance of first team action - maybe only chance - is in the Royal London Cup. He would appear to be a similar sort of player to Joey Evison, who left Nottinghamshire due to a lack of opportunity and has done well for Kent.

I accept that with Alex Hales and Ben Duckett being back in the England fold there are batting opportunities to be had at that county, but the likeliest beneficiary of that, Sol Budinger, decided to up sticks and head to Leicestershire. Revolving doors indeed...

I would make two observations on this. One is that some of these players seem to be poorly advised, though they will doubtless be well paid at Nottinghamshire. It can't be a lot of fun to play second team cricket all the time if you are showing on a regular basis that you are good enough for the next stage.

Remember Mark Footitt? When he left Derbyshire he made a huge career mistake and moved to Surrey. It didn't work out down there for various reasons, then he had the choice of moving back up north. Go back to Derbyshire, where he had become a hero, or return to his roots at Nottingham, where he had struggled for opportunity.

Mark chose the latter and was rarely seen again.

Ross Whiteley is another classic example of this. For all of his talent and his match winning ability, it must be dull to play in front of a handful of spectators for much of the summer, only being brought out for T20 matches.

The other observation is that there are so many players of talent in this country. Those who wish to reduce  to eight sides at top level will be denying opportunity to many more than those that I have named.

I am looking forward already to watching Zak Chapell and Matt Lamb next season.

In a parallel, lesser universe, what might their plans be, having left one of eight 'big' Test ground clubs?

It makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Cohen leaves Derbyshire

It is always a shame to write about a Derbyshire player leaving. In all the years that I have written this blog, I have never found it easy to do.

It is especially difficult when the player had everything you could wish for in a cricketer, apart from a body resilient enough to handle the demands of first class cricket.

So it was with Mikey Cohen, whose release has been announced today. It came as no real surprise, as he missed a lot of 2021 with injury and barely played, for the same reason, in 2022. Given that he is from South Africa, there was additional pressure for him to perform every single time, as his name on a team sheet meant that the club lost ECB money for fielding a non-domestic player.

The frustration was that Mikey had it. Still has it, if that body will allow him to get out onto a pitch on a regular basis. Stress fractures have been the problem, the worst enemy of any fast bowler and perhaps a period of rest might enable his body to recover properly, before he perhaps tries again.

Because he is quick. Seriously quick, as he looked on his debut for Derbyshire when wicketkeeper and slips looked to be standing back a little further than we were used to. He took good wickets too, but sometimes the line wasn't quite right and his figures could suffer accordingly.

He took five wickets in an innings against Warwickshire last year and we all hoped that might be the start of something special. It was not to be, as those injuries returned.

We will miss his ready smile, his obvious enjoyment of what he did and his all action style in the field. He could handle a bat too, probably covering more distance than most in between balls as he walked away to square leg to 'recalibrate' between deliveries.

It is with the bat that most will remember him.THAT win at Trent Bridge in the Bob Willis trophy of 2020. He followed five wickets in the home side's two innings with a crucial and calm unbeaten 30, as he and Fynn Hudson-Prentice added 66 together and steered us to a winning run chase of 365. 

When Mikey played the shot off his legs for two runs from the bowling of Jake Ball to win the game, he became an instant hero. When I think back over 50 years of watching the county, that will always be in my top six moments and I suspect it will be for many more too.

It would have been great to have seen more of him as he had serious potential with bat and ball, but it was not to be.

I wish him all the best in the future and like most of you, I am sure, will continue to watch his fortunes, on and off the pitch, in the future. From what I have seen on his Twitter account, he is certainly one of the best guitarists ever to play for Derbyshire.

One of the nicest guys too.

Thank you, Mikey.

Godleman steps down, du Plooy steps up

This morning's announcement that Derbyshire will have a change of captain next season came as no real surprise.

Billy Godleman has held the role for the past seven seasons, for much of which he has led from the front with his unique, distinctive style of batting. He has been a run machine, not to put too fine a point on it, until the past two summers.

They have made for awkward watching. When Billy is in his best form, you would never hold him up as an example to others, never see him in the MCC coaching manual. But it works, for him and for the side. The slash through the offside, the rapier like square cut, the jumping pull and a hook that is remarkably effective, if ungainly.

Yet too often in these past two seasons his feet, head and hands haven't worked together and the result has been an early dismissal. The averages don't lie and the bottom line is that he would have struggled to hold on to his place were he not the club's captain.

That role and the commensurate responsibilities must have weighed heavily on him and it is to the benefit of both the player and the team that he now steps down, back into the ranks and hopefully back into the form that have made him into a modern county hero. 

Captaincy is not easy at any level of the game and I speak having been club captain for 9 successive seasons. It takes a lot out of you and the pressure at county level will be considerably more than that  I faced.

As he goes into the final year of his contract, Billy will have enough on his plate. My Dad has told me several times about the consternation among supporters when Arnold Hamer was finally released by the county after a decade of stellar service. Time waits for no man and regardless of his many great feats as a Derbyshire player, it was time for Arnold to go. It comes to all in the end, as it may have done for even so great a county player as Darren Stevens this year.

Yet Billy is young enough, at 33, to entertain and to contribute for several more seasons, if his game can get back into the groove that saw him score so many runs. To score ten thousand at this level you need to be a pretty good player..

His replacement as captain is Leus du Plooy. While some, myself included, might have favoured the claims of Anuj Dal, Leus is a good cricketer who might move on to the next level with the responsibility of captaincy.

It is equally a strong bargaining tool when his own contract negotiations are up for renewal next season. There may well be no lack of suitors for his services, but few of them will be in a position to offer him the captaincy as well. He will have to bed into the role, learn on the job, but he is an intelligent and thoughtful young man who will likely do so.

I understand he is very happy at Derbyshire and if an appropriate offer was made, when the time comes, will be prepared to extend his time with us.

I wish him well and while that learning curve is ahead, there is no shortage of experienced support inside the dressing room.

In closing, I would like to thank Billy for seven years of sterling effort. Only five men have captained Derbyshire in more matches, only five have held the captaincy for longer in terms of years. In itself, that speaks volumes.

Now let's get that run machine back. Because we all know that if it does return, our chances of success are all the greater.

Matt Lamb signs two-year deal

' I want to make this the county of choice'.

Those were the words of Mickey Arthur, soon after, he signed as Head of Cricket at Derbyshire last winter.

Today on Twitter he welcomed new County signing, Matt Lamb, to that same county of choice, in what is likely to be the first of several signings over the next couple of seasons that will galvanise and transform the club.

Historically, good cricketers don't move from 'big' Test match ground counties to 'little' clubs like Derbyshire. Matt Lamb is a very good, very talented player.

His absence from the Warwickshire side had been noted, though I had put it down to injury, rather than the player's desire to experience pastures new. Let's face it, his average suggests a player of above average talent, while the manner in which he scores his runs is indicative of someone who supporters will enjoy watching.

At 26 he has served his apprenticeship and the Staffordshire-born batsman has a chance to develop his game under the tutelage of one of the game's finest coaches. It may well be that Ian Bell, who worked with the county last year, tipped them off as to the player's unease at Edgbaston, but it is an impressive signing and a statement of intent.

Lamb averaged a shade under 50 in his first team appearances last year, over 40 in List A cricket so far. Such figures are indicative of his talent, but I suspect he has the potential to kick on still further with increased opportunity.

He is also a useful medium pace bowler and no captain can have too many bowling options to choose from. At a time when the club have announced next year's membership rates, it is a timely signing, as well as being an astute one.

If this is what the winter holds in store, then bring it on. There is now additional competition in what is already a strong Derbyshire middle order and, following on from the signing of Zak Chappell, the Mickey Arthur revolution is starting to take shape at the Incora County Ground.

Welcome to Derbyshire, Matt. We look forward to watching you and welcoming you to one of the most friendly clubs on the circuit.

Here he is in action. 6'3 and imposing at the crease, one to watch for sure.

link

Season-closing thoughts

And so the dust has settled on another cricket season. A better one, enjoyed by most Derbyshire supporters, I would think.

I will be honest, I don't expect major changes to the playing staff this winter. The rumours about potential interest in Hassan Azad, oddly released by Leicestershire, continue but I don't see interest in many other domestic players. Not because they wouldn't improve the side, but because at this stage the budget isn't there.

With four existing players awarded their county caps, their salary would have had to increase commensurate with that. That may or may not have taken up a little slack in the budget. But no one would argue against those awards and if it helps to retain the services of the players concerned then it gets my vote.

I am curious, very curious about the way that Mickey Arthur will go in his search for an overseas player. It may be that this year he splits it, bringing in one man for the county championship cricket and Royal London cup, another - a 'rock star' as he calls it - for the T20.

I have seen and heard various comments about replacing Masood on a like for like basis, but I am not so sure that we will. Having been contracted for next year, Billy Godleman will almost certainly start it and will open. Having returned to the form that we have come to know and love, I expect Luis Reece to be his opening partner. He is a far more effective player in that role and with a strong seam bowling staff next year will not have to do so much in that line.

The reality under Mickey Arthur is the same as it was under Dave Houghton. We cannot afford to carry senior players in the second eleven. The two men named above, like a number of others next year, will be playing for their Derbyshire futures. My understanding is that the current staff is very happy and only a major sea change in that respect would see many of them, or any of them, wishing to leave next season.

With Yorkshire replacing Nottinghamshire, I genuinely think we could be well placed to challenge for four day promotion next year. But I also think an overseas spin bowler, ideally one who can handle a bat, would be a better option for us than replacing Masood like for like.

To throw in an example, someone like Imad Wasim might be a good option. Good enough with the bat to average over 40, talented with the ball in all formats. He did well for Nottinghamshire in a T20 stint and more recently has done an excellent job in the Caribbean T20. At 33 he is probably not going to interest the Pakistan selectors any more, but might just see a county stint as a last throw of the dice from that perspective. Mohammad Nawaz would be a similar option, good in both skills.

It is all conjecture, of course. But we need to be wary of a Derbyshire side where the tail starts at number 8. I think that Harry Came is deserving of a run at number six next year, which probably keeps Anuj Dal at seven, even though his batting talent probably warrants being at least one place higher. Someone like Wasim at eight would give him the support that is required to rebuild innings, while also giving Derbyshire a very strong option as either a stock or strike bowler, depending on conditions.

Anyway, we will see. Next year will be the 15th of this blog and I won't pretend that this year has been especially easy to keep it going. Hopefully things calm down a little in the coming months and for your interest over that period I will be doing pieces on some of our key players.

Do please keep in touch, with your comments and your emails. Your support is also appreciated with a donation, using the button on the blog for that purpose. I will be doing a few prize draws over the winter with some excellent cricket books as prizes.

But thank you to all of you for your support, your comments and your interest over the summer months.

May the current feeling of optimism continue to buoy us all over the winter!

Season Review 2022

When considering the appropriate words for this end of season review, it is important to remember where we were at this time last year.

Quite frankly, the same exercise at the end of 2021 was painful. For the first time I was pleased to see the end of a cricket season and at that point could not see a way forward for the county I have supported for well over 50 years. It was patently clear that we needed a reset, a new head of cricket and a different mentality at the club.

Then came Mickey Arthur. He didn't start until the new year, but in a relatively short space of time has galvanised what was effectively the same squad into a team that competed in almost every game.

It wasn't perfect, how could it be? As he said himself before the season, first, we need to become hard to beat, then learn to win matches. The latter is still very much a work in progress, but all fans of the county would have taken, pre-season, the knockout stages in the Vitality Blast and interest in promotion, until the second last round of matches, in four-day cricket.

Overall the batting did well. Only later in the season did Luis Reece rediscover his mojo but he missed the early summer after major winter surgery on both his shoulder and knee. I have every expectation that he will return to former glories next year, when it appears he will be a batsman and occasional bowler, rather than the overworked all-rounder of recent seasons.

Billy Godleman sadly had a wretched campaign. Only a century in the final, largely academic game made his average semi respectable, but he will know as well as anyone that it simply wasn't enough for someone heading the batting and leading the side. Next year is a massive one for him, as we simply cannot accommodate a player who isn't offering what is required at this level. Can he return to former glories? I hope so, but I honestly don't know.

Shan Masood had a wonderful summer and was everything that could be wished for from an overseas player. There was palpable disappointment when he was dismissed, exceeded only by the news that he wasn't going to stay next year, instead taking up an option from Yorkshire. His stroke play, timing, placement and easy personality will be missed, but will live long in the memory. The irony that he will be back as captain of a now-relegated side next year is not lost on many.

Brooke Guest took on the massive challenge of batting at number 3 while being wicketkeeper and did an astonishing job. He reeled off four centuries and is a delightful player to watch when he gets into his stride, as well as an excellent runner between the wickets. His level of fitness is astonishing and he is to be commended for not missing a day of cricket throughout a long summer. 

His wicket keeping too maintained a very high standard and we have a high-class performer on our hands. What summed up his work ethic for me was when he came out as a runner for Ben Aitchison at Cardiff. If anyone was entitled to put his feet up, it was the genial Guest, whose smile barely left his face all summer.

Wayne Madsen enjoyed an Indian summer in his career. I don't think I was alone in thinking that the innings-builder, the run machine had gone and been replaced by a slightly inferior, yet still eminently watchable player of one-day cameos. He finished the season as the highest scorer in the country in four-day cricket, playing some magnificent innings, while his displays is in the Blast were breathtaking in their brilliance. We must enjoy him while we can, as it will be many years before we see his like again.

Leus du Plooy had a solid summer. To be honest, I think he is a better player than an average of 40 suggests and he is capable of much more. When he is in the mood, the ball flies from his bat with the minimum of contact and no bowler can keep him quiet. Yet there are also times when he looks ponderous and awkward, which can be a frustration. There is a sense of expectation when he walks out to bat, however, something given to very few. If he can step up next summer, the absence of Masood will not be so keenly felt.

Anuj Dal is my player of the year. For several seasons he has looked a player of talent, yet possibly one who might not go on to realise it. At the end of last summer, with the departure of Fynn Hudson- Prentice, the opening of an all-rounder role allowed him to find his niche in the side and how he responded! Almost 1,000 runs at an average over 70, as well as over 30 wickets was a remarkable return for an intelligent, articulate and engaging man. He has the opportunity to cement himself as a county legend and I really hope that he does so. He is another who looks like he enjoys every minute and is a firm fan favourite, quite possibly the next captain.

As Dal and Guest kicked on this summer, I think Harry Came may do in 2023. This year he played several fine innings in different styles and started to look at home at this level. His stroke play, when he gets in, is a joy. His defensive technique improved immeasurably and he may be one to watch next year. I had concerns he was just a twenty-over biffer, but he showed himself as much more than that this summer.

Sadly, Tom Wood played little cricket and we didn't really get to see the player that we know is in there. Hopefully he will get back to being the run machine we know from local cricket next season, as there is strong competition for places in this Derbyshire side and there are others well ahead of him at this stage.

As for the bowling, there was a big difference between pace and spin. None of the spinners made a strong case for regular inclusion. Mattie McKiernan did well in the T20 until the quarter final, but rarely bowled in 4-day cricket. He did play some important and fine innings, but seems unlikely to force his way into this side as a batsman who bowls a bit. Alex Thomson started the season well, but faded as it went on and his averages with bat and ball are not strong enough to stake a claim for a regular place.

 Meanwhile Mark Watt, like McKiernon, was a major factor in the T20 success, but looked less of a threat in the longer form. Nor did his batting suggest him the number eight that he ended up in that format. In short, a canny bowler when the batsmen have to score quickly, less threatening when he has to wheedle them out. 

By contrast the seam attack did well, despite its relative inexperience. Sam Conners was the pick of the bunch, taking fifty first-class wickets and doing remarkably well to stay fit and play most matches in all formats. An England Lions call up was his reward and if he can tighten up a little over the winter, curbing the tendency to leak runs with the new ball, the sky is the limit for a very talented bowler.

Likewise, Ben Aitchison. He missed the first half of the season with a stress fracture, but quickly made up for lost time with a reduced run up and looked a bowler of high talent. I suspect he is the best of them all and, with increased support next year, could also be interesting the national selectors. His batting could also develop and there is a bright future ahead for the undemonstrative giant. A great asset for both of these bowlers is their commitment and skill in the field.

Because of injuries Nick Potts was thrown in perhaps before he was ready, but showed that he was capable of good spells and high class deliveries. Like Conners his effectiveness would increase with greater accuracy, but the potential is definitely there for a young man only just out of his teens.

George Scrimshaw bowled effectively in the Blast and also earned an England Lions call. He was rarely seen outwith that format and I suspect that he will become the latest England bowler to limit himself to the short form in due course. His fast, whippy style is well suited to when batsmen have to get after him, but I am unsure as to whether the variations are there to make him a wicket-taking force in the longer form.

Suranga Lakmal arrived as the second overseas player and was unlucky. Firstly, the country was blessed with the best early season wickets for several years, then he picked up a serious elbow injury which ruled him out of most of the summer. I understand that he will be back next year, restored to full health and his experience will be of great value to an otherwise young attack.

Others flitted in and out, but had little opportunity for sustained success. Alex Hughes let no one down in the T20 but played little outside it, while Hayden Kerr replaced Lakmal as overseas and did OK, without pulling up any trees. When he in turn was injured, Hylton Cartwright replaced him but failed to impress.

Toby Pettman was the best of several players who came in on loan, but none of them seem likely to move here over the winter. Ryan Sidebottom bowled some good spells, but returned to Warwickshire injured and his track record is not good from that perspective.

Nonetheless, as we go into the winter, Derbyshire fans can reflect on a summer that was far more enjoyable than many in the recent past. There was a smile on the face of the players, suggesting that they both enjoyed and bought into the ethic introduced by Mickey Arthur. It contrasted considerably with the look and body language at the end of the previous season.

If the club's perennial budgetary situation allows it, another opening batsman and a spin bowling all rounder of quality should be the winter goal. With Zak Chappell already added, the seam attack will be a dangerous proposition next season, assuming full fitness for all concerned. 

A job well done then. With five players rewarded for their efforts with county caps, but most of the existing staff coming to the end of their contracts next season, there is plenty to play for and reasons to impress.

Some will fall by the wayside, as Mikey Cohen looks like doing, having played little cricket this summer with his latest injury. But as a collective, the players did supporters proud this season. If this becomes the county standard, there will be few complaints.

What is exciting is that a number of these players are some way from their peaks and have much more to offer.

We all look forward to what the future holds.

Five receive county caps

It is a sure and healthy sign of a season of progress when the end of it sees five players awarded their county caps.

Such was the case at Derbyshire yesterday as Anuj Dal, Brooke Guest, Sam Conners and Leus du Plooy, as well as the departed Shan Masood received theirs.

All five enjoyed outstanding seasons and it is fitting that this was recognised in the time honoured manner.

Over the winter months, I intend to do pieces on the players who can play a massive role in Derbyshire's future development. In an ideal world, the first four named above will stay at the county for a long time and I hope that is the case.

They have each got to the stage where you see their name on the team sheet and know that the opposition is going to have a tough game. We will progress and start to win things as a county when there are two-thirds of a team of such players as a minimum.

We're getting closer to that and if we can recruit wisely over the winter months, I think that promotion in 4-day cricket is certainly within our compass next year.

I will also recognise their contributions in the end of season review, which should be coming over the weekend.

For now I would just like to applaud their efforts and thank them for a job well done this summer.

Winter well guys. Next year might be the start of something really special.

Derbyshire v. Leicestershire day 4

Despite the expectation from your correspondent, Derbyshire's attempt to win their final game of the season came to naught. A fabulous innings by Rehan Ahmed, in which he blazed his way to a super century was a major factor  in Leicestershire saving the game, as well as gritty, battling performances down the order.

After his five wickets yesterday Ahmed looks a fine talent and is set for a glittering career. Our bowlers ran out of steam, understandable after a long season in which injuries played a part.

Special mention today goes to Sam Conners, who reached 50 wickets for the first time. He has rocked up to play pretty much every match this year and the fitness and commitment that he has shown has been especially noteworthy.

A mention also to Wayne Madsen, who finished the season as top scorer. It has been a real Indian summer for the modern legend and we must all hope that he has a few more of those in his locker before the time comes to hang up his boots, bat and pads.

This weekend I will be preparing my end of season review but for the first time in a long while I go into the winter with far greater confidence. We're still short in a couple of areas and I suspect that next year will be the last for some players, but we have improved beyond doubt.

At the start of the season. Mickey Arthur said that before you can become a winning team you have to become one that is hard to beat.

He managed that this year. There are very obvious signs of improvement and although we need additional bowlers to finish teams off, there were far more days when we gained the ascendancy with positive, aggressive cricket.

More from me over the weekend. But hey, the Yorkies are down and we don't have to play Nottinghamshire in four day cricket next year.

Double bonus for me!

Derbyshire v Leicestershire day 3

Leicestershire 249 and 131-2 (Evans 59*)

Derbyshire 568-9d (Godleman 158, Reece 116, Madsen 92)

Derbyshire lead by 188 runs

All things being equal, Derbyshire should wrap up a win in their final game of the season tomorrow, tomorrow.

Leicestershire resisted well in their second innings, but the tail appears to be a long one and early wickets tomorrow could well see an afternoon finish.

This morning Billy failed to add to his overnight score, but Madsen and du Plooy batted nicely before the latter rather gave his wicket away. After that it was a case of whether Wayne could reach his century and if Dal could reach his thousand runs for the season.

As it turned out neither happened, but that doesn't change what have been tremendous seasons for both players.

I will be back tomorrow hopefully with news of a season-ending victory.