Derbyshire v New Zealand Day 1 Review

On a day where Derbyshire fielded a first-choice batting line-up with their reserve attack, the only thing we learned was that Mark Footitt is ready for a call-up to the senior side whenever required.

There were four wickets today for the left-arm fast bowler and by the sounds of it, he kept the batsmen on their toes, which is what you want your bowlers to do. His angle of attack is a useful variant and at the pace which he bowls, he is always going to be a threat.

In all honesty, Footitt is one of the untapped talents of the modern game. When he gets it right, when his run up and rhythm are as they should be, there is no quicker bowler in the country. His body has struggled to cope with the demands of the first-class game for long periods though and when it goes wrong, it often does so spectacularly.

I think we need him in this division to offer variation. Our seam attack did well last year but so far this summer have struggled to get good players out. Extra pace is always handy, something that Footitt and Mark Turner have. Whether there is room for both in the same team is another question, but I’d like to see the former Nottinghamshire man get a run to see if he can make it count.

He is in the final year of his contract and it is make or break for him. Were he to be released at the end of the summer, it is hard to see where his professional career goes, but I hope that things work out for Mark Footitt, a nice guy who has not always had the luck that everyone needs.

Martin Guptill was presented with his championship medal before the game by Chris Grant and was well received by the Derbyshire supporters, as he should be, of course. I’m sure that the Derbyshire chairman and Karl Krikken will take the opportunity to chat to him about this year’s T20 and his involvement in it and all Derbyshire fans will hope to see him back for another stint.

There are some good players in this New Zealand side and I’m a big fan of Kane Williamson. At 22, he is a terrific player who averages over 40 in the first-class game and offers more than useful off-spin, as England found in the winter when he took four wickets in an innings against them. In another three or four years I think he will be one of the best batsmen in the game and his experience at Gloucestershire has served him well. Whether the international calendar allows it or not, a spell on the English county circuit is still the best finishing school for an overseas player of talent.

Finally tonight, I’d like to thank Yorkshire fan David Morton for getting in touch and allowing me to link to his excellent set of photographs from the recent game at Headingley. As well as being my Yorkshire counterpart on a cricket website, he is obviously a photographer of some talent. You can see his work at this link.

Many thanks David.