Derbyshire update: Scott Elstone signs one-year deal as two depart - at least for now

There is mixed news tonight for Derbyshire cricket fans, as one player earns himself an incremental contract ahead of 2014, while two others – one for the time being, at least – fail to earn new deals.

Scott Elstone (pictured), formerly of Nottinghamshire, has earned himself a one-year deal after a series of sparkling displays for the Second XI in all formats of the game. He is a player with a fine range of shots and is blessed with the undeniable gift of timing, a skill that enables him to score quickly when well set.

A Burton lad, I’m pleased to see him given the opportunity. What he makes of it is entirely down to him.

His performances for Dunstall this season have been excellent, but he has scored freely – and crucially against some decent bowlers – for the Seconds to earn himself an opportunity to make an impact on the first-class game. At 23, he has time on his side and offers useful off-spin and brilliant fielding to make a strong argument for a place in the side.

A brief YB40 innings this summer was neither here nor there in making a case, but he now has an extended chance – something that must have seemed unlikely at the start of the summer.

At the other end of the emotional spectrum, Ben Slater hasn’t yet been given a deal for next summer, despite some encouraging displays and a fair run in the senior side.

He will be disappointed, as a number of fans will be, but the wording of the press release by the club suggests that the door is not necessarily closed on him.

My suggestion would be that we’re trying to bring in a batsman of greater experience and need to see if the money saved on, among other things, a contract for Slater is enough to help to lure someone of the requisite talent to the County Ground.

It would be easy to make a knee-jerk comment and say that it is an outrage, or something similar, but I’m prepared to hold fire and see what transpires at this stage. We are all agreed that we want to see a winning Derbyshire side and, as Karl Krikken points out over on the club site, difficult decisions sometimes have to be made, especially when the club has the most finite of budgets to work with.

The message would appear to be clear to Ben Slater. Prove us wrong. He is further back in his development than either Scott Elstone or Paul Borrington and the latter would now appear to have a chance to make the final year of his current contract a telling one.

If he doesn’t, then Slater needs to use the summer to score as heavily as he can, hone his technique, build his strength and make a case for himself. It wouldn’t be beyond the realms of possibility for him to secure a deal elsewhere – Leicestershire, anyone?

I don’t see the door closed at this stage and if no one better becomes available for 2014 and Slater isn’t picked up elsewhere – who knows?

As for Ali Evans, he has done fairly well in limited opportunities and has taken regular wickets in the Seconds, but the writing appeared to be on the wall when we were running out of fit seamers and he still wasn’t picked in the late summer.

I think he is an early ‘casualty’ of the rich crop of seamers emerging from the club’s Academy. Besides Matt Higginbottom, whose future would appear to yet to be decided, there’s Greg Cork, Johnny Marsden, Tommy Taylor and the massive – there is no other suitable word – Ben Cotton.

Take a look at the picture of him receiving his Academy player of the year award from Chris Grant to see what I mean. I’m reminded of the words of Bill Shankly on introducing the colossus that was Ron Yeats to the press at Anfield – “Take a walk around our new centre-half…”

Some of these lads are our next seam bowling generation, the natural successors to Palladino, Groenewald and Footitt. How nice it is to see the conveyor belt moving again, the production line of Derbyshire-born seamers back in operation. I would be thrilled to see some make the senior side in due course and the awards won by Cork, Cotton and Higginbottom this year suggests this could feasibly happen.

I wish all three players well in 2014. Evans will doubtless return to the Scotland fold, while the names of Elstone and Slater promise to feature heavily in local cricket at different levels.

Finally tonight, confirmation that Shivnarine Chanderpaul will definitely return in 2014, ready to play for what appears to be the full season. Whatever you read about the West Indian suggests that he is enjoying his stay locally, and we could well see his stay extended still further.

On that optimistic note, I bid you adieu for the evening and look forward to your comments.