New contracts for three as Priestley leaves

I didn't have time yesterday to comment on the contracts awarded at Derbyshire, but I have a few minutes now.

I have no real issue with the award of two year contracts to Alex Hughes and Tom Wood, nor the one-year one to Mattie McKiernan. It was something of an inevitability for the latter two, after the awards they won at the club's annual dinner last weekend.

With Wood having been 'poster boy' for the club Twitter feed in recent weeks, it would have looked pretty silly to then announce his release. His century against Nottinghamshire will live long in the collective memory and his power and  stroke play in one day cricket will prove a potent weapon.

He has work to do on his technique for the four-day game and the defence isn't as secure as it could be, but the talent is there for the new Head of Cricket to work on. 

Similarly, McKiernan was voted Second XI player of the year, so to then announce his departure would have made the club a laughing stock.

I like him as a cricketer, but he needs to make the most of his opportunities next year under a new Head of Cricket. He also needs to be given more at senior level, because his bowling seems to be seen as a 'last resort'. I think it is better than that and perhaps he, like Anuj Dal, could benefit from greater responsibility.

Long time readers will know I am a big fan of Alex Hughes  and so I am pleased to see him get a new deal. Coming in from left field, he will be a strong contender for the captaincy if they don't look to Matt Critchley, certainly in the one-day games. A change is needed, in my opinion, with fresh eyes and enthusiasm. 

Yet my concern is that Dave Houghton has made, or been allowed to make, decisions on contracts when he won't be at the club.

Unless the new Head of Cricket is to be given a pot of money as yet undeclared, he looks set to go with the same squad for next year, as he has been presented with a fait accompli.

I just find it very odd. So whoever comes in cannot be fairly judged next year, unless he turns us into a mid-table side, because there would appear to be only money for the overseas players.

It makes the appointment of the right man absolutely critical, because we desperately need someone with a track record of motivation, capable of getting the best from what we have.

Nils Priestley won't be part of the new regime, his release having been announced yesterday.

A talented cricketer, capable of useful left arm spin and clean hitting, his development was not sufficient, at this stage, to earn a new deal.

It could come again, if he goes away and works on his game, or his future could be outside cricket.

Either way, I wish him well. 

Durham v Derbyshire T20

Durham 176-9 (Thomson 3-23)

Derbyshire 180-4 (du Plooy 47, Guest 34*, Critchley 33*, Wood 32)

Derbyshire won by six wickets

That was a good effort tonight by Derbyshire.

It was our highest winning run chase against Durham and the first time ever we have won a match off the final ball batting second (stat courtesy of David Griffin).

It came with a professional performance, the kind that frustrates a little. We KNOW the team has that in them, but too often this year they have lapsed into mediocrity.

I was impressed by how they dragged the home side back from a flying start, mainly thanks to an excellent spell from Alex Thomson, who mixed his pace and flight to get good figures. The skipper again bowled well and so too did FHP, but there were too many wayward and poor balls from the other seamers for comfort. Good catches were held though, which made the difference in the end.

The early loss of Luis Reece was a blow and when Came went after a couple of fine shots, Tom Wood and Leus du Plooy put on a record third wicket stand against Durham of 68 runs. They ran well and found the boundary regularly enough for us to be up with the required rate at half way.

When they both went in quick succession I was not overly confident, a state of mind that continued until the third last over. But Matt Critchley accumulated well and together with Brooke Guest brought the winning total down. 

A huge six over mid wicket by Guest was a game-changer, as the four overs of Potts went for 50. Eight were needed off the last, from the wily Ben Raine and it went to the last ball, when, with one required, Guest pulled him behind square for the winning four. 

Critchley and Guest showed no little skill and a lot of common sense in their stand of 64 from the last six overs. It was a fine captain's effort and another example of why Guest is a player who has emerged from this competition with his reputation enhanced. 

Well done guys. It doesn't change anything, but it shows what can be done when common sense and skill are harnessed together. 

Worcestershire v Derbyshire day 1

Worcestershire 336-7 (Haynes 97, D'Oliveira 71, Cox 49, Barnard 48* Conners 2-56)

v Derbyshire

Sam Conners took a wicket with the first ball of the innings for Derbyshire today, but after the first hour it was a day of graft for the bowlers in what became good batting conditions.

Conners bowled well in his first spell and should have had three wickets, but Leus du Plooy put down two catches at first slip, neither especially difficult and Fell and Libby survived, at least briefly.

A fine throw from Matt Critchley ran out Libby, who looked in good touch, but the only wicket in the afternoon was that of Ross Whiteley, who batted in unaccustomed dogged style before going at one that cut across him from Melton and being well caught at second slip by Madsen.

That was it for a long time as Haynes survived a sketchy start and a tough low chance to Guest to make his highest first-class score. He will be kicking himself all night after slapping an awful long hop from Critchley to deep square leg, where Melton held on to a really good catch. A century was three nudges away.. 

D'Oliveira also looked in little trouble before playing a shot from the Schoolboy Book of Slogging and hitting it straight up in the air. Thereafter Cox and Barnard hit merrily and it suggested the wicket now holds few alarms. It was a surprise when Cox nicked one to Guest in the day's final over, but fair reward for Aitchison, who kept line and length well all day.

It wasn't a great day for Matt Critchley, whose early spell was erratic, nor for Dustin Melton besides his catch. Both will have better days but the seven bowlers used all grafted on a lovely sunny day.

Meanwhile at Belper, there was a morale-boosting win for the Seconds against a strong Lancashire side in a T20 match.

Bowling first, they had the visitors out for 96, with Mattie McKiernan returning the excellent figures of 4-0-7-2 and Australian trialist Bailey Wightman 4-0-10-4.

The chase wasn't easy against a side featuring  Gleeson, Hartley, Hurt, Balderson and Blatherwick, but McKiernan made 45 from 29 balls as Derbyshire won with time to spare and six wickets in hand.

It stakes a T20 claim for McKiernan, who might well offer additional variety for Dominic Cork in the very near future.

We should see Ben McDermott bat tomorrow.

Let's hope it is worth the wait. 

Worcestershire v Derbyshire day 1

Worcestershire 336-7 (Haynes 97, D'Oliveira 71, Cox 49, Barnard 48* Conners 2-56)

v Derbyshire

Sam Conners took a wicket with the first ball of the innings for Derbyshire today, but after the first hour it was a day of graft for the bowlers in what became good batting conditions.

Conners bowled well in his first spell and should have had three wickets, but Leus du Plooy put down two catches at first slip, neither especially difficult and Fell and Libby survived, at least briefly.

A fine throw from Matt Critchley ran out Libby, who looked in good touch, but the only wicket in the afternoon was that of Ross Whiteley, who batted in unaccustomed dogged style before going at one that cut across him from Melton and being well caught at second slip by Madsen.

That was it for a long time as Haynes survived a sketchy start and a tough low chance to Guest to make his highest first-class score. He will be kicking himself all night after slapping an awful long hop from Critchley to deep square leg, where Melton held on to a really good catch. A century was three nudges away.. 

D'Oliveira also looked in little trouble before playing a shot from the Schoolboy Book of Slogging and hitting it straight up in the air. Thereafter Cox and Barnard hit merrily and it suggested the wicket now holds few alarms. It was a surprise when Cox nicked one to Guest in the day's final over, but fair reward for Aitchison, who kept line and length well all day.

It wasn't a great day for Matt Critchley, whose early spell was erratic, nor for Dustin Melton besides his catch. Both will have better days but the seven bowlers used all grafted on a lovely sunny day.

Meanwhile at Belper, there was a morale-boosting win for the Seconds against a strong Lancashire side in a T20 match.

Bowling first, they had the visitors out for 96, with Mattie McKiernan returning the excellent figures of 4-0-7-2 and Australian trialist Bailey Wightman 4-0-10-4.

The chase wasn't easy against a side featuring  Gleeson, Hartley, Hurt, Balderson and Blatherwick, but McKiernan made 45 from 29 balls as Derbyshire won with time to spare and six wickets in hand.

It stakes a T20 claim for McKiernan, who might well offer additional variety for Dominic Cork in the very near future.

We should see Ben McDermott bat tomorrow.

Let's hope it is worth the wait. 

Essex v Derbyshire day 2

Essex 412-3 (Lawrence 152*, Westley 106, Browne 59, Cook 58, Stanlake 2-91)

Derbyshire 35-3

Derbyshire trail by 377 runs

It was all very underwhelming from Derbyshire in the field today, as they were hammered to all parts by Essex.

Equally underwhelming was the first sight of Billy Stanlake. Call me old-fashioned, but I like my overseas professionals to know their run ups by that stage of their career. I fully appreciate that at 6'8 your strides are lengthy. I also acknowledge he hasn't played in England before, but he looked undercooked this morning.

As one former professional messaged me at one point, he will need to sort his length pretty quickly, as few balls endangered the stumps. By extension, two modes of dismissal are ruled out for him, which may be fine in T20, but amply illustrated his lack of four-day experience.

The wayward start seemed to disillusion the side and the body language wasn't great. It doesn't take away from some sparkling home batting, in which Lawrence shone, but there was too much poor bowling with no one exempt.

The only control was at the start of the first changes by Melton and Hudson - Prentice, but Essex were away by then. Two wickets for Stanlake in the early afternoon hinted at better, but the carnage started when Lawrence and Westley came together in a fine stand of 221.

Essex batted like it was an RLODC game, but it was all too different when our turn came. Opening with spinners Harmer and Lawrence because of the light, they quickly removed the Derbyshire openers and looked to be bowling on a different wicket. When du Plooy, badly out of touch at present, soon followed, we were in big trouble. 

It was all too depressing to watch and promises to be a tough weekend. 

Sponsors sought

Less than a month until the cricket season starts (less if you count friendly matches) and I hope your excitement is building by the day, as mine is.

With the signing of Billy Stanlake I am quite enthused. The batting should take care of itself, but the pace of Stanlake, Cohen and Melton, the potential of Aitchison, Conners and Potts and a raft of all round talent makes our bowling an intriguing and potentially potent mix. So good, in fact that I couldn't name a first choice eleven right now, always a good sign!

To matters in hand and I am keen to secure a few sponsors for the blog for the coming summer. There is a vacancy for a company (or individual) to sponsor the entire blog and have their logo as a click through in both the header and the side bar, while fairly inexpensive line adverts are also available. These can be for six or twelve-month periods and are a good way to promote your business and support the blog at the same time.

I am also happy to write a feature on your business and publicise through social media.

Do please get in touch by email peakfan36@yahoo.uk or by sending me a direct message on Twitter, where I can be found @Peakfanblog.

Thank you in advance for your interest!