Bashir link surfaces

My post bag has been as sizeable as Santa's sack today, after a story appeared in The Daily Mail regarding Shoaib Bashir:

Daily Mail Sport can reveal off-spinner Bashir, whose snubbing for the first three Tests against Australia followed his release by Somerset. Unless there are any last-minute hitches, the 22-year-old will complete his switch to Derbyshire in the coming days.

Derbyshire believe there is potential for growth in Bashir as a bowler within their environment and equally that their squad will benefit from having someone with 68 Test wickets within it.

The only stumbling block has been some concern at board level about the six-figure salary such a player carries, and the prospect of it coming out of the 2027 budget should he lose his central contract next autumn.

Derbyshire’s outlay on him during the 2026 season will be limited to relocation expenses plus bonuses for team performance - whether he is selected by England or not.

Bashir’s 6ft 4in stature and high release point appear to be ideally suited to Derby, now one of the country’s bouncier venues for bowlers. But with competition from Jack Morley, the slow left-armer, highly rated by Arthur, he may have to bide his time to establish himself as the club’s No1 spinner.

My understanding is that things are not quite so clear cut and that this may be another of those stories emanating from the player's agent.

There is interest from Derbyshire and, as I wrote recently, I think he could follow in the footsteps of such luminaries as Tony Palladino, Mark Footitt, Martin Andersson, Luis Reece and Nye Donald in finding a successful home at the club. We have long been seen as welcoming, with the right atmosphere both inside and outside the dressing room. Some people need that, being valued and appreciated to produce their best.

Bashir can clearly play, but he needs the opportunity to rebuild his reputation in a positive environment, with the right coaching support. There also needs to be a touch of realism from the player/agent side, I suspect. Derbyshire has a finite budget and while the cost is minimal for this year under his central contract, they cannot and surely will not over commit for year two. 

By the same token, again as I wrote recently, we have only one recognised senior spinner on the staff. If we can afford to do so, how better to rectify that situation than with the man who has been seen as the best in the country until recently? How nice would it be to have the resources to challenge, regardless of the conditions? How good would it be to see 'Shoaib Bashir - Derbyshire' on an England team sheet? 

What the lad needs is a chance to bowl. Long spells, getting a rhythm, a preferred end and tiredness at the end of the day. Contrary to the current belief in the England set up, you don't get better at anything in life if you don't do a lot of it. Edwin Smith bowled hundreds of overs a summer for Derbyshire, which allowed him to take 1246 wickets. Some were in favourable conditions, but plenty of times he had to work hard for them.

The public perception of Derbyshire has changed. The club's foresight in appointing Mickey Arthur has been a factor, the presence of a world-renowned coach at the club has lifted our image beyond doubt.

There will be dissenters, of course and that's fine. And I must stress my understanding is that things are not yet at the stage expressed by the Daily Mail. Bashir may yet go down as an unfulfilled talent, but in my book if the chance to sign an international player presents itself, surely it is an opportunity to grasp, a risk to take? 

It is something to keep an eye on. I don't foresee a midnight dash to a service station on the M5 to get his signature, nor necessarily expect that it will end with a photo of him in Derbyshire kit.

But...it's intriguing isn't it? 

And if Bashir ended up signing, a few days after Mickey Arthur said that his team building for red ball was complete, he has thrown a curve ball worthy of Sir Brian of Clough...

With that, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and thank you for your input and support in 2025.

I will be back soon!

Weekend warmer

As we approach Christmas, Derbyshire supporters can allow ourselves a smile of satisfaction, because a lot of excellent work has been done since the end of the 2025 season. 

Better than England anyway. I have avoided commenting too much on the Ashes, partly because I have watched very little, partly because the incestuous nature of the national side holds no interest for me. 

The English side will return from Australia with exactly what they deserve. They failed to prepare, having paid lip service only to the format and got absolutely nothing in return. You cannot disrespect the game. It's all very well creating individual and collective reputations built on big scores on flat tracks against average bowlers. When you subsequently come up against the best, you will be found wanting. 

My county - OUR county - cannot be accused of that and I am hopeful that they will get the rewards that they deserve in 2026. A good squad has been assembled, now it is a case of getting them all to their physical and mental peak. 

With Mickey Arthur pretty much confirming that the red ball squad was complete, the only thing now would appear to be the third overseas player, a specialist for The Blast.

I followed an extraordinary game in The Big Bash yesterday, when the Perth Scorchers failed to defend 257-6 in their twenty overs. Brisbane Heat got the runs with a ball to spare, which was too much of a run-fest for me (I like a more even battle between bat and ball) but appealed to the crowd, who enjoyed 36 sixes. I don't think I saw that many in my first three summers as a Derbyshire fan...

I was a little baffled by the captaincy of Ashton Turner of The Scorchers, soon to become a Leicestershire player. When his bowlers  were going at 15-20 an over, he only gave Cooper Connolly two overs, in which he conceded only twelve runs. I mentioned Connolly a couple of winters ago as one to watch and he earlier made 77 from just 37 deliveries. With counties signing Aussies pretty much every day at present, I am surprised that no one has yet made a move for the 22-year-old. He hits a very long ball, bowls controlled left arm spin and is a fine fielder. He even attracted a 'Wow' from Mickey Arthur on X, which I won't read too much into. 

I suspect Mickey is hoping for a quality spinner who can perhaps hit down the order, but I would expect someone to move for a highly talented young man who has already made his national side. 

Speaking of Mickey, I was asked the other day if I thought he would stay beyond the coming season. My answer was 'yes'. I feel he has a genuine desire to win something at the club and the contracts this winter would not have been signed by players who were uncertain of the future. I very much doubt Mohammad Abbas would sign a two-year deal if he thought Mickey was not going to be there..

That's it for now. I will be back just before Christmas to wish you all the best, but between times enjoy your weekend and stay in one piece if you are finishing the Christmas shopping...

Tomorrow is the winter equinox. After that, the days grow gradually longer and before we know it, county cricket will be back.

With that lovely thought, I bid you adieu...

Chris Wright appointed the new bowling coach

I have no idea of his ability as a coach, but based on his extensive experience as a player, only recently retired, Chris Wright is an excellent choice as the new Derbyshire Men's Assistant Coach - Bowling Lead.

He only stopped playing at the end of last season, at the age of 40, having helped to steer Leicestershire to promotion as champions. In a career that started at Middlesex, then took him to Essex and Warwickshire beforehand, he took over 600 first- class wickets, adding another 200 in List A and T20 cricket.

It is a new voice in the ear of the Derbyshire bowlers, one that will be respected after a career in which he was always reliable, steady and dangerous. He was selected for England Lions and, like several members of the Derbyshire staff, had a stress fracture of his back, so he can relate to the challenges of their roles in the first-class game.

Head of Cricket, Mickey Arthur, said:

We had an unbelievable amount of talent apply for this role, but it was Chris’ energy, enthusiasm and his ideas for how he can drive our project forward which impressed me most.

He’s a very promising coach and, as someone who was playing the game at a high level as recently as last season, he will be able to form a great understanding with our squad and continue the development of our bowling attack.

Our pieces are coming together for nicely for the new season, our red ball squad has been finalised and now our coaching structure is ready to hit the ground running in the new year. I’m very excited for next season and I know our supporters share that optimism.

Wright added: 

I’m immensely excited to be joining Derbyshire. The squad is in a really strong place, and I’m

looking forward to working closely with our bowlers to help them continue developing their games.

I'm very familiar with the quality within this squad and well aware of the skills the players possess. Now it’s about refining our work through the winter and taking that next step towards promotion next season.

This is a fantastic opportunity for me and one I’m eager to embrace. Derbyshire is a club on the up, and the chance to work alongside a coach like Mickey Arthur is something any young coach would relish.

It will be interesting to see if he can get more from an attack that has undeniable talent but struggled at times over the past couple of seasons. The players will know what he can do and that he has been a respected operator in the county game for a long time.

Like all of you, I wish him well.

What a great end to 2025 we have had! 

Matt Stewart hat trick in Australia!

More good news for Derbyshire supporters! 

Matt Stewart is spending his winter playing for Glenelg Cricket Club in South Australia. Arriving in October, he took a lot of wickets in the second team and marked his debut in the first grade last weekend in Adelaide - when he was capped - with four wickets, including a hat trick!

Here is the footage of the talented young man taking his wickets. 

He has looked like one to watch since I first saw him and I am sure that he will continue to develop and hopefully become the next one off the supply line for the club.

Well done Matt! That's what I call making an impression...

Thoughts after the signing of Abbas

Serious question - has there been a more positive winter for Derbyshire supporters in recent, or even more distant memory?

The signings of Caleb Jewell, Mohammad Abbas, Matt Montgomery, Amrit Basra, Rory Haydon & Joe Hawkins, along with long term deals for Martin Andersson, Zak Chappell and Nye Donald will give the Derbyshire staff a leaner, meaner look for 2026 and beyond.

The red ball side, so much improved in 2025, should take on a different, better dimension next summer, with a proven new ball bowler leading the attack. Hopefully the arrival of a new bowling coach will help a few players find their best form and there will be strong competition for places when the action starts.

I suppose the only 'weakness' might be if Jack Morley sustained an injury. With Alex Thomson gone, we don't have another spinner of experience. It would be optimism beyond even my compass to expect Joe Hawkins to bowl teams out at his tender age, but surely the pitches at Derby will now offer additional help to seamers? 

Behind all the experience, the likes of Matt Stewart, Jake Green, Harry Moore, Rory Haydon & Nick Potts will be keen to draw on the expertise of Abbas (and the new bowling coach) to further their development. 

I would love to see the latter position filled by someone with a reputation to build and recent experience of the first-class game. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, keen to work hard with Mickey Arthur and Ben Smith as they aim to build on the summer just past.

After that it would just be the third overseas player, a specialist for the Blast. Surely a spinner, as the balance of the side dictates it? Most would favour a return for Mohammad Ghazanfar, but he will not lack suitors after his efforts last year and it would need another herculean effort to deliver that one.  But a T20 side that included a quality spinner alongside Matt Montgomery and three improved seamers would surely better last summer? 

Let us not forget that Harry Moore should return, his back hopefully strong and able to compete for a place across the formats. News of his immediate availability from April would indeed be the cherry on the icing of the Derbyshire cake...

Over the years I have written this blog, by this stage of the winter I could pretty much call a first choice Derbyshire side. 

I can't this year, so strong should be the competition for places. Especially in the seam department, where the options are many. I suspect that an opening attack of Luis Reece and Mohammad Abbas might cause sleepless nights among opposition batters, but who next? Aitchison? Chappell? Haydon? Moore? Brown, hopefully fit after struggling through last year?

It is pleasing to see so many positive comments on the signing of Abbas. I was surprised to see one referring to him as a 'has been', when his form for Nottinghamshire last summer and this winter in Pakistan suggests anything but. 

In seven matches for Lahore this winter he has 38 wickets at 15 runs each, following on from 32 wickets at 21 for Nottinghamshire last summer, including 3-33 and 3-18 in the final game against Warwickshire, when they clinched the title. 

Of course he could be injured, that can happen to anyone, but as a friend pointed out in a message to me, he has managed more cricket in recent summers than most of Derbyshire's existing attack. He knows what he can do and generally bowls within himself. Les Jackson was 37 when he took 143 wickets at 10.99 in 1958, and for a bowler of his style, 36 is not an issue. I could see him playing until he is 40, with little reduction in his effectiveness.

Nor do I see similarities with the signings of Suranga Lakmal and Mohammad Amir. I had concerns with the former at that time, because he had hardly played regular cricket in his career. He had never played in England and ended his career having played less than Abbas. As for Amir, he was poorly managed and advised, my enthusiasm at his 'signing' tempered by knowledge of circumstance. That isn't the case here. 

Genuinely, I cannot think of a better, more suitable player that we could REALISTICALLY have signed, who crucially wanted to commit to the next two summers in Derbyshire. 

These are exciting times and I can only applaud the club board for backing Mickey Arthur and giving him the resources to develop a keen squad.

It is over to him and his coaches now, to get them producing their best form across the summer and to get the best eleven onto the pitch at all times.

However it pans out, I reckon the slip cordon and Brooke Guest will be in for a busy summer!

Derbyshire sign Mohammad Abbas!

Wow. 

There are certain headlines that stick with you through your life. I clearly recall, as a youngster, reading the Derby Telegraph back page that said in big letters 'Rams Sign Dave Mackay'. Fast forward a few years, I remember the goosebumps when I was able to write on this blog  'Derbyshire sign Chanderpaul'. 

Today I can add to that, with the new headline. 

What a signing that is, what a statement of intent. What a fantastic piece of work by the Derbyshire off-field team, not just Mickey Arthur, but also Tom Poynton, the Non-Executive Director (Cricket) on the club board, Ryan Duckett, Dan Wheeldon and others. A signing of this magnitude happens infrequently, certainly in Derbyshire circles, definitely in this modern age when season-long availability is increasingly a challenge. This has taken weeks of work to bring to fulfilment and they deserve every credit.

It probably wouldn't have happened without Mickey Arthur, who gave the bowler his international debut when in charge of Pakistan and maintains a close relationship with the player. But this is a major coup for the county.

A high class international bowler with well over 800 first-class wickets at twenty apiece? For the next two red ball summers? That'll do nicely, thank you. Mohammad Abbas has taken wickets for fun throughout his county career, for Leicestershire, Hampshire and Nottinghamshire. He will keep taking them, because his style is eminently suited to English pitches. He isn't especially fast, but doesn't need to be. He nips it around at medium fast and is a handful for batters at any level. He hasn't played as much international cricket as he should have done, but has one hundred Test wickets at just 23 runs each. 

Derbyshire needed an attack leader for next year, the leader of the pack (vroom, vroom, for those of a certain age). With Abbas, they have it in spades. I would think the other seamers will be itching to play alongside him, work with him and learn from his skills. Other counties in division two will doubtless be sitting up at this news, because we have landed a genuine international star for the next two summers of red ball cricket. 

To quote the player: 

It’s exciting for me to join Derbyshire and work with Mickey Arthur again, he’s a fantastic coach and hearing his plans for Derbyshire, we share the same ambitions for the Club: to be in Division One. 

The team only just missed out on promotion in 2025, so I’m hoping I can come in and perform to win a few more games and give our supporters a trophy to celebrate.

Derbyshire did extraordinarily well to see off strong competition for the services of the player. Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and Hampshire were all interested and the competing offers will have given Abbas and his agent some food for thought. I have no doubt there might have been more lucrative ones, given that those three counties play in division one and on Test grounds. 

Yet the bowler has chosen Derbyshire. He has a sports coaching business in the city and perhaps wants to lay down roots. I don't worry about the cost, because the club will be confident they can handle this, even at the level that was rumoured a few weeks back, figures of £110K plus £400 a wicket being mentioned. It may or may not be accurate, but even if it is, with inflation taken into account, those figures are similar to what was paid, back in the 1970s, to Eddie Barlow. 

Abbas has the potential to be an equal talisman. Not as a captain, certainly not as an all-rounder, but as that all-important man that they can throw the ball to if a wicket is needed, or the opposition are getting away. He will give confidence to everyone in the side. Such players always do. Risks will be taken at the other end, because he gives little away, so others will benefit.

Some might churlishly say he's too old. My reply would be simple. At 35, he has a good few years in him yet. Barlow was 35 when he came to the county, while Mitchell Starc has been bowling out England, at 36. Then there's Jimmy Anderson...

There is, I suppose, a chance he could miss some county cricket this summer, if selected for the Pakistan touring side on a 'horses for courses' basis. Yet he is likely to take more wickets in 2/3 of a season than many in the full season.

You have to be excited at this. You have to applaud the initiative, the dogged pursuit and the eventual capture of the man who could see Derbyshire go one better than they did this year, in red ball cricket.

I can't wait to see him in action. It is as if the winter has already shortened and Spring is already here.

Ashes to ashes

Dust to dust

If Abbas don't get ya

You'll be doing well...

Mohammad Abbas. Of Derbyshire. 

Merry Christmas, everyone! 

Postscript: there is a terrific recent article about our new man here

And you can watch him taking ten Australian wickets here

Weekend thoughts

Christmas is fast approaching and all Derbyshire supporters will doubtless be hoping for news of an overseas signing as an early festive gift. 

Will it happen? Who knows, but I hope so. There is a talented squad shaping up for next season and it only seems to require a talisman to lead on the pitch. 

It is evident, however, that the overseas market is a challenge. Quite simply, most of the big names simply don't need the graft of the county game, when they can make more money in less time with the many franchise opportunities around the globe. 

This week, Gloucestershire announced the signing of Australian all-rounder Liam Scott. He seems a decent player, but a batting average of 27 and bowling one of 30 is hardly spectacular. Meanwhile Hampshire picked up Jake Lehmann on a two-year deal as a 'local' player. Again a fair player, but in his early thirties he averages the same. I'm not sure what it says to the domestic players on their staff. Both signings could turn out to be brilliant, but on the face of it they are solid, rather than spectacular.

The ever more congested calendar makes overseas recruitment a real challenge. Derbyshire also need a third overseas player for the Blast and my guess is still a spinner, which seems our greatest need, especially with Alex Thomson and Samit Patel gone and Jack Morley not likely to play that format. 

Speaking of overseas players, Blair Tickner continue to take wickets for New Zealand, but picked up a nasty shoulder injury in their last game, which looks set to rule him out for some time. 

I wish him well, as I'm sure you all do.

Chris Rushworth, so often the bane of Derbyshire lives in his time leading the Durham attack, has announced his retirement from first class cricket. He has been an outstanding county bowler and I am sure will be equally effective as a coach at Warwickshire. 

Were I to select a team of players who would scare our side, Rushworth opening the bowling and Nick Browne, of Essex, the batting would be the first names on the team sheet!

Finally today, Lancashire announced this week that Sir Jimmy Anderson will be their red ball captain in 2026. Unless anyone can tell me different, I assume that is the first time a knight of the realm has been a standing county captain.

At 43 he will also be the oldest skipper in the current county game. Wayne Madsen, two years younger, will simply need to keep playing to catch up...

He has the Cricket World Cup to look forward to before the next county season.

We're all Italy, aren't we? 

See you soon! 

Book Review: Bedtime Tales For Cricket Tragics by Geoff Lemon and Adam Collins

This is an interesting little book, based on the popular The Final Word podcast.

It has a strong Australian bias, given both the authors are from that country, but there are some interesting tales within its 191 pages.

Some of them will be known to you, others less so. Bobby Peel allegedly urinating on the pitch is in here, so too the unrelated Charles Palmer taking advantage of a wet patch. The chapters are short and so it is a good book in which to dip when a few spare minutes become available. I enjoyed reading about the man who *could* have challenged Larwood, Laurie Nash, who sounds a character par excellence, as well as Jack Marsh, an indigenous player from the previous century.

There are tales from the UK, including Harold Heygate's one appearance for Sussex and Glamorgan's Frank Ryan, whose excesses with beer and women made Derbyshire's Bill Bestwick seem a paragon of virtue. He still managed over a thousand career wickets at 21. 

I especially enjoyed the chapter on 'Father' Marriott, whose eleven Test wickets cost only eight runs each and whose 711 first-class wickets exceeded his career runs by well over a hundred. A school teacher, he only played in the holidays, but after surviving both Ypres and the Somme, probably counted himself fortunate to play cricket at all. 

Stylistically, it is written as if listening to a podcast, but in this instance it perhaps adds to the charm. 

It is an entertaining and fairly inexpensive read. 

Bedtime Tales For Cricket Tragics is written by Geoff Lemon and Adam Collins and is published by Fairfield Books

Book Review: Lester And The Deckchair Revolution - The Life And Times Of Tony Pigott by Tony Pigott and Andrew Murtagh

Tony Pigott was a journeyman professional who was good enough (and crucially nearby) to help out England for his one Test match appearance, when he did better than most. He even postponed his wedding (sadly, later doomed to fail) in order to do so.

He gave excellent service to Sussex and latterly to Surrey on the field. The book contains some telling comments on his playing contemporaries and it is in its honesty where it scores over similar books that I have read over many years. 

Perhaps his greatest service to Sussex was when he attempted to get them back on an even keel and did so in a way that saw them become county champions, albeit after his somewhat acrimonious departure. 

His comments on the challenges faced as CEO of the club are refreshingly honest, including an 'inept' marketing officer and the groundsman's wife who ran and pilfered from the club shop.

His has been a far from easy life, with tales of divorce, custody battles for his son and battling through treatment for oesophogeal cancer. He tells of the challenges of injury throughout his cricket career and at times the book is far from an easy read.

Nor is it one of the longer books I have read, but much is packed into its 143 pages, including a useful statistical section. 

I have long held the view that many of the best cricket books are not necessarily about the biggest names.

This one, written with Andy Murtagh, reinforces that assertion and is well worth anyone's time.

Lester And The Deckchair Revolution: The Life And Times of Tony Pigott is written by Tony Pigott with Andrew Murtagh and published by Fairfield Books

Weekend warmer

I remember a few years ago, when the competition that many of us have come to loathe first started (it begins with an H...) I was on speaking tour of Lancashire.

How do you feel about the team for your area being the Manchester Originals, I asked in Southport, Liverpool and at Old Trafford. Somewhat unsurprisingly, given the parochial nature of sports support, there were very few in favour. None in the first two places, which should have come as a surprise to no one, given the long rivalry between the football teams of Liverpool and those in Manchester. More surprisingly, there weren't that many people in favour in the large audience at Old Trafford. Manchester doesn't represent Stockport or Salford either, to give a couple of examples. 

So it was no surprise to see Warwickshire this week deciding to do away with the moniker of Birmingham Bears, for the Vitality Blast. Plenty of people in that county are not Brummies and a few will have voted with their feet when the name was changed.

It is why people around God's Own County get annoyed when commentators (and an occasional player) refer to 'Derby'. Had we opted at any point to go down that route, I would have had plenty to say about it. I am from Ripley, from the county of Derbyshire, but not from the city. There are many more in the same situation, plenty in the north of the county, a good few from the south. Sports teams depend on supporters and it is not the wisest of moves to antagonise a large section of the fan base. It is different for football, when there are more teams and many major towns and cities have their own that people can get behind. Whenever I hear anyone refer to 'my' cricket team as 'Derby', I feel the hackles going up and my teeth clenching...

A similar thing happened this week, when Nottinghamshire announced that they would be playing one of their 50 over games at Chesterfield. They cited Queen's Park hosting The Blaze as the rationale, but looking around social media, the move to play Northamptonshire there on August 7 has not been well received. Lancashire fans are never happy when they play an occasional game at Sedbergh, outwith the county boundaries in Cumbria. Even less so when it usually rains there on the day of the game..

Maybe the Chesterfield game will be a great success, but I do think administrators need to take greater cognisance of the views, real or anticipated, of supporters. Sometimes the wiser choice is to go with what you know will work and will be the path of least resistance. Surely they could have played a second game at Welbeck? Equally there has to be a second club ground within their own county borders that would have been suitable. What about Lady Bay, where they play a lot of second team cricket? 

I have got to a certain stage in life where I realise problems will come and find you, without necessarily having to look too far. I just think these examples are classic ones of shooting oneself in the foot.

I hope that Derbyshire are never sufficiently naive to think supporters would accept such actions. 

I certainly wouldn't. While I understood the rationale of moving a T20 game to Edgbaston for a couple of years for the so-called 'Blast Off' (which it wasn't, last year) I would certainly struggle to accept playing a home game outside of my county in the normal run of things.

What do you think? 

Fixtures are out!

The fixtures are out, in full. All is well in the world..

I have had a quick look at them and the Blast looks fun. 

We are in group A, with Durham, Lancashire Lightning, Leicestershire Foxes, Notts Outlaws and Yorkshire. We play each of them home and away, and in addition, we play Essex at Chelmsford and Somerset at home, which will be a fine game! 

I don't see myself making any of these in person, purely because of the distance involved. Yet there are other good options in the 50 over and 4-day fixtures, released today.

I especially fancied in the 50-over competition the Yorkshire game, to be played at Scarborough. Then I realised it was on the date of my wife and I's fortieth wedding anniversary. Unless she fancies a trip to the seaside, I had probably best not head off to that one...

The two 50 over games at Derby on 31 July and 2 August might work for me, so too the four-day games at Durham and Lancashire. A trip to Derby in September will be nice, maybe earlier if things work out.

Of course I fancy the Chesterfield Festival for a few days (who doesn't?) but at this stage I need to hold fire, as my wife may or may not need double hip surgery. It would be just the thing to book up and then get those dates through...

Anyway, which ones are you looking forward to? Repton should prove popular, I think...

Donald signs two-year extension

I have no doubt that after his heroics in last year's Blast, a few teams showed an interest in the services of Nye Donald. I am surprised that more winter franchise offers haven't come his way, because players who can hit as cleanly as he are not common. 

Yet a Derbyshire player he remains, for which we all give thanks, until the end of 2028. That top five of Donald, Jewell, Montgomery, Madsen and Basra looks mighty dangerous for the Blast, with plenty of talent to follow.

I suspect that in due course he will be announced as captain for that competition. The responsibility could be the making of him and see him turn some of these glittering fifties into match-defining knocks, with greater frequency. He is an intelligent, articulate lad and my only concern would be if opening the batting, keeping wicket and skippering the side might not be too much. You don't know until you give it a try and I would be more surprised if he was NOT the captain in 2026. 

Derbyshire's winter business has been conducted professionally and efficiently. At this stage we look to have a good, strong squad for next summer, regardless of the format. 

Things are moving in the right direction. If we can nail those two key overseas places - and get the new bowling coach in - I fancy a very enjoyable summer for my 60th as a county supporter.

Great work, by everyone involved.

Weekend thoughts

A couple of weeks back I was asked why I am less interested in the England national side than I used to be. 

The last couple of days have given an eloquent answer. They were ahead in the first Test, yet squandered a strong position by inept batting. I'm sorry, but if you choose to try and win five-day cricket by playing T20 style, or hope to win 50- over cricket by not having your best players involved domestically, you reap as you sow. 

Only three English innings in the match exceeded 42 balls. In a Test match...

Time was when tea on the second day often saw a declaration, the opposition put in for a tricky session before the close. You might get away with playing Bazball against lesser lights, but there has to be an understanding that a gung-ho approach has to be tempered with a modicum of common sense. Not to mention a lot less arrogance...real or perceived.

I mentioned that I felt the England side was a gentleman's club, an 'elite' group that was harder to drop from than should be the case.  Zak Crawley, for example - is an average just north of 30 acceptable for a bloke who has played (checks notes) 59 Tests? Harry Brook is a great talent, but you can't play as he does against all opposition. It is disrespectful to opponents - not to mention supporters - to just think you can smack everything out of sight. No one is that good. None of this England team is in the same league as Barry and Viv Richards, the two best I have seen, yet even they didn't attempt to hit everything.

Unless there is a restraining order placed on the batting lineup, I suspect the loss today will not be the last of this tour. I feel for those who have spent a lot of money to go and support their team. You would hope for more than two days play in a scheduled five and to watch their team being bowled out in 33 then 34 overs is a disgrace. At least in that they are consistent...

Moving on, I was asked if I saw Derbyshire making a move for Dawid Malan, who has been released from his Yorkshire contract to take up an opportunity elsewhere. 

My short answer is no. I doubt we could match what he was earning there and he seems to have wanted only to play T20 in recent summers. I am not a fan of single format cricketers and while he is a fine player and theoretically could have been a short term replacement for Wayne Madsen, the timing is wrong. 

Logically he will be moving to the franchise circuit and earning himself a few last hefty pay days, because that's where the money lies, whether we like it or not.

Anyway, the Derbyshire squad for 2026 has been shaped quite nicely and I am happy with the look of it, as it stands.

Just need those overseas roles confirmed...

Chappell commits future to Derbyshire

Zak Chappell is the latest player to commit his future to Derbyshire and I am sure that everyone is delighted with that. He has signed a three-year deal until the end of 2028.

At 29, he is probably committing his peak years to the club and will undoubtedly reinforce his position as one of the attack leaders. 

I suspect that he will benefit from a new voice in his ear as bowling coach and will go into 2026 with fresh enthusiasm, especially if he can get the support of a quality overseas bowler to work alongside.

When Zak came to the club in 2022, I was sure that we had landed a seam bowler of talent, but also a useful tail end bat. In the intervening period he has become, in my opinion, a genuine all-rounder. Last season he again played some important, punishing innings while being one of the few bowlers to get through the summer largely unscathed, playing all of the red ball matches and missing few white ones. That is far from an easy thing to do and speaks volumes for his fitness, as well as a well-grooved, repeatable action.

I expect him to be back to his best in 2026 and if others progress, to take their part in a keen seam attack, it will be very much to the side's benefit.

More great news. Let's hope that it keeps coming.

I also applaud the club in securing the futures of players whose availability would undoubtedly interest other counties. Gloucestershire slipped up badly in allowing too many contracts to expire at the same time and basically have to replace their attack for 2026.

Mickey Arthur has been canny in this regard and deserves credit. Zak follows Martin Andersson, Nick Potts, Ben Aitchison, Joe Hawkins and Yousaf Bin Naeem in committing his future to the club this winter.

Weekend warmer

I think that for me this is the most difficult part of the winter. The dark nights are upon us and the rain has been incessant over the past few days. Cricket seems as far away as possible. 

Yet the Ashes are due to start soon, for those who are interested (me, less than I used to be). The Derbyshire players have reported back for fitness training and we still eagerly await any news on additional winter signings. 

Specifically, in our case, overseas players. Nottinghamshire has announced the signing of both wicket keeper Kyle Verreyne, for the entire summer and seamer Fergus O'Neill, for the period between April and June. One could be excused for thinking that leaves the door open for Derbyshire to complete the signing of Mohammad Abbas, but it rather depends on what the player wants to do. 

Perhaps he sees his future as a part-time county player, so covering later summer might suit him. But you are a long time retired in professional sport and if the rumoured Derbyshire offer is correct, he has a chance to continue his glittering career and still further heighten his reputation in a move to the county.

Yorkshire are also keen and Peter Graves told a forum last week that they are pursuing an overseas quick bowler who is available for the full season. Having told the gathering that they are now debt-free and have twenty million in the bank, they could blow any Derbyshire interest out of the water, but again it depends on the player and what he wants to do. 

All we can do is wait and keep our fingers crossed, for a bowler who would undoubtedly be a talisman. Should his plans lie elsewhere, the county will already have plans B and C in place. South Africa might be of interest, as their commitments during the English summer next year seem lighter than most.

As for the other rumour of Wanindu Hasaranga plying his trade down Derby way, I am less hopeful. Historically Sri Lanka tends to schedule international series later than most and the wily leg-spinning all rounder seems to be a part of their white ball plans, even before we consider any interest from other T20 competitions. I suspect that one won't happen, but of course would love to be proved wrong. I don't see the point of signing him (or anyone else) for part of the tournament, then bringing in someone else for the rest. It tends not to work and wouldn't be the best for the team dynamic, at least in my opinion.

As for the bowling coach, recruitment is under way and the job advert can be seen here. The deadline is Tuesday of next week, with in-person interviews being held w/c December 8, according to the advert. 

It will be very interesting to see who applies and who ultimately gets the job.

Enjoy your weekend!

PS well done to South Africa in beating India on a wicket that was underprepared and had not been watered for four days before the Test started.

It smacks of arrogance, when the opposition contains Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj. In losing the toss, they lost the match.

Deservedly so, because that was barely a good club wicket...

Pathway awards night highlights talent

I didn't want the week to end without reference to the Pathway presentation evening, which saw a couple of notable names to keep an eye on.

Those who followed the fortunes of the under 18s will know the name of Rubaiyat Abrar. He had a stellar summer in which he scored 816 runs at an average of 32, including eight scores of 50 or more, while he also claimed 47 wickets at an average of 17, with best figures of 4-18.

His displays saw him take home the Under 18s Batter of the Year, Bowler of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year and Coaches’ player of the Year awards. From the videos I have seen he would appear a young man with a very big future.

So too, although much younger, is Colby Edwards. He won the Frank Burton Memorial Trophy, as a special recognition of a season in which he scored 1,243 runs at an average of 47.16 across under 12s and under 13s, with four centuries and seven half-centuries. He was batter of the year for both sides, suggesting a talent that is capable of making the step ups between age groups.

There is much to cause excitement among the Pathway players. I am sure I'm not alone in wondering how many of these boys will become established county players in the years ahead.

Full list of winners, courtesy Derbyshire CCC

Under 11s: Muhammad Usman (Batter of the Year), Samuel Ball (Bowler of the Year and Coaches’ Player of the Year), Joe Webster (Players’ Player of the Year).

Under 12s: Colby Edwards (Batter of the Year), Dev Jerath (Bowler of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year), Charlie Hall (Coaches’ Player of the Year).

Under 13s: Colby Edwards (Batter of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year), Muhammad Abu Bakkar (Bowler of the Year), Jack Bloor (Coaches’ Player of the Year).

Under 14s: Toby Newsome (Batter of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year), Sadev Mudalige (Bowler of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year), Charlie Jordison (Coaches’ Player of the Year).

Under 15s: Hugo Schroder (Batter of the Year), Ben Wilson (Bowler of the Year, Coaches’ Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year).

Under 16s: George Blount (Batter of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year), William Ball (Bowler of the Year), Oliver Woodward (Coaches’ Player of the Year).

Under 18s: Rubaiyat Abrar (Batter of the Year, Bowler of the Year, Coaches’ Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year).

Frank Burton Memorial Trophy: Colby Edwards

The future is bright! 

Weekend warmer

It was a busy week for Derbyshire with plenty happening. Blair Tickner was twice man of the match against England, which really couldn't happen to a nicer guy, while I have had plenty of messages asking who I would like to see as bowling coach.

Honestly, I don't know, because I have no idea who might be available for such a role. I saw that former England all rounder Craig White had left his role as bowling coach at Lancashire, but I have no idea if that was because he had an offer from elsewhere, or simply wanted a change. There will be plenty of interest in the Derbyshire job, as I wrote the other day, and they might want to re-work it to allow for specialist input on a consultancy basis, perhaps bringing in the likes of Steffan Jones and Graeme Swann for different groups. It is a blank canvas and they will be free to use it as they see fit. 

No other news from me today, apart from that I am going to be clearing out some of my accumulated memorabilia from over 60 years. I think it is the time to do it  and anything Derbyshire-related I will publicise here. 

First up is a lovely miniature cricket bat in near-pristine condition, signed by the Derbyshire side of 1990, which won the Refuge Assurance League. Autographed by the likes of Kim Barnett, John Morris, Chris Adams, Devon Malcolm, Ian Bishop and Adrian Kuiper, it is a chance to own a little bit of Derbyshire cricket history.

There is a little wrinkling to the club sticker at the top, but this does not detract from an excellent item.

The bat is on eBay here and it would be good to see it go to a fellow Derbyshire fan!

Finally, I will be doing the sponsors draw for the cricket books in the next 24 hours. Anyone who wants to let me know their preference has until this evening to email me accordingly. 

Until next week - or as soon as more news breaks!

Shahzad departs

While the departure of someone from the club that you support is never pleasant, that of Ajmal Shahzad, announced today, had an air of inevitability about it, certainly for me.

Regular readers will know that for some time now I have felt a 'disconnect' between the bowling coach and the bowlers. There had to be, because regardless of anecdotal 'evidence', the returns of those bowlers across formats were diminishing. There are some very good bowlers in our club, better than the collective returns of the past couple of summers have suggested.

Yes, there was international recognition for Pat Brown, Sam Conners and George Scrimshaw, but do the figures of those three suggest they have improved? The same goes for Harry Moore, who now needs someone to oversee his rehabilitation and return to full fitness. I am not sure how much he will have directly worked with Shahzad anyway, or whether his England call up and progress is due to natural talent, parental guidance and the Pathway coaches.

I had advocated a change and while claiming no responsibility, I am pleased that there will be one for 2026. For supporters to get behind 'the masterplan', accountability of the coaching setup had to be robust and the bowling unit has simply not functioned as it should do.

No one could complain about the returns of batters, nor the fine job being done by Ben Smith. Matches were being lost by poor bowling, tactics and players who seemed to have lost their collective erstwhile mojo. It is a difficult job, of course, especially when the bloke 22 yards away is trying to hit you to all corners. Yet there were times when the game plan wasn't working, others when there was no clear evidence of there being one in place.

There are plenty of excellent bowling coaches out there who will be very interested in the opportunity to work at Derbyshire. 

Why wouldn't they? Chappell, Moore, Haydon, Aitchison, Brown, Potts - not to mention Jake Green and Matt Stewart - is a fine collective of seamers to work with, even without considering Messrs Reece, Dal and Andersson. The young spinners, Morley and Hawkins, will fast track their progress with the right coach.

These are good - very good - cricketers who just need the right voice in their ear to get an extra ten per cent of value. 

There will no doubt be a recruitment process to get the right man to work across both the first team squad and the Pathway. If the bowling progresses as the batting has, we can expect further progress from Derbyshire in 2026 and beyond.

I wish Ajmal Shahzad the best in his future endeavours, but the time was absolutely right for a change of direction, whether or not he is leaving for a new challenge or was told 'the times they are a'changing'. Doing it now enables recruitment to take place and the new man to work with his new charges over the crucial winter months.

We will all watch developments with considerable interest...

Nice article on Blair Tickner

Thanks to James for sending across this piece on Blair Tickner, which some of you won't have seen

It highlights the challenge in trying to produce your best, with everything going on in the background.

And also, for me, what a shocking organisation the ECB is. I can't think of any other employer who would insist on your working after receiving such news.

Ticks was a top bloke and popular team mate. He didn't take enough wickets for that crucial overseas role but I wish him the very best on his return to international cricket.

And of course, wish he and his wife the very best, moving forward.

Book Review: Maestro - A Portrait of Garry Sobers by David Tossell

I will have watched cricket for sixty summers next year and for the first decade was able to watch the greatest player of them all. 

I didn't know it at the time, but I have never since seen a cricketer who matched Garfield Sobers for versatility and brilliance at every aspect of the game.  Bradman was before my time and a run machine, but he didn't bowl. Jacques Kallis was magnificent, but as Barry Richards explained, he was more likely to save you a game, whereas Sobers was more likely to win it. An over simplification, perhaps, but it tells the measure of the man who many refer to as 'The Greatest'.

He was a brilliant stroke player, a 360 degree bat before anyone else got close. His stroke play was dazzling, yet beneath it was a sound technique and a good defence. You don't average 58 in Test cricket without that. He took 235 wickets at that level too, most often bowling left arm seam and swing, but also effective as an orthodox or unorthodox left arm spinner. That versatility was honed in League cricket, where he could work on his skills without too great a risk of being punished if he bowled a bad ball.

His feats were many, including that erstwhile highest individual Test score, or his six sixes in an over from Glamorgan's Malcolm Nash. When he walked out to the wicket, usually at number six, you knew the entertainment level was being cranked up to eleven, his wicket often key to the game's result.

For so long he was the key to West Indian fortunes, even in an era when they had a far better side than today. Perhaps the only flaw in the book is the absence of comment from some of his surviving early contemporaries, such as Rohan Kanhai, but this is a minor quibble in a very fine read. 

He eventually led the influx of overseas players into county cricket, where he played with success for Nottinghamshire. He wasn't able to bring them trophies, as Clive Rice and Richard Hadlee later managed to do, but he hauled a struggling team up the table and took them to the Gillette Cup semi final in 1969, when they were beaten by Yorkshire at Scarborough despite his remarkable spell of twelve overs for only twelve runs. 

Nottinghamshire couldn't really afford him, his salary of between five and seven thousand pounds being way more than anyone else in cricket and more than most footballers. Like many in county cricket at the time their finances were in a parlous state, but from the start he gave good value, taking 3-28 and scoring an unbeaten 75 against Lancashire 'without a net or warm up, save for touching his toes half a dozen times'.

Of course, there was a decline. His body, like that of anyone else, could only take so much and injuries increased as he got older. His fondness for alcohol didn't help, even when his reputation preceded him. In his days at Nottinghamshire he often socialised with the Nottingham Forest and former Rangers star, Jim Baxter, whose reputation for alcoholic excess was well known either side of the border. Not for nothing were they known around the city as 'Drunk and Sobers'...

He wasn't an especially good captain, with several examples of his failings given within the 448 pages of an excellent book. But he was human and we all have our strengths and weaknesses. Few have strengths of the calibre of Sobers, who was a genuine superstar, capable of winning matches on his own and doing so over a career of remarkable longevity, all things considered.

A gambler, drinker and ladies man, for sure. Yet also the greatest all-round cricketer that the game has seen, or likely ever will see. This book is a worthy tribute to him and is highly recommended. 

David Tossell has written about sport for over four decades, but this is up there with his best work, admirably researched and thorough in its approach to the subject.

Top marks to Pitch Publishing too, for a book delightfully produced and with a font size that this reader especially appreciated.

Get it on your Christmas list - you won't regret it!

Maestro: A Portrait of Garry Sobers, Cricket's Greatest All Rounder is written by David Tossell and published by Pitch Publishing.