Derbyshire cricket - modest profit, major triumph

Derbyshire celebrating after winning the second division title in 2012

What’s the link between the Russian composer Mussorgsky and the £3,395 profit registered by Derbyshire County Cricket Club for the season just finished?

Both were modest. I thank you, you’ve been a wonderful audience…

Modest, but, in the case of the cricket club, perfectly formed and in stark contrast to some of the figures being posted elsewhere by counties that would do well to adopt similar business models. Indeed, something of a triumph considering the additional £200,000 spent on the playing budget, clearly illustrating that the club is in good hands, should further illustration be required, as we prepare for an exciting summer.

What I really like about the current administration at the club is the fact that there’s none of the old alarms sounding through the winter months that were once as inevitable as the first frosts. There was a time, and not all that long ago, when supporters approached the winter months with a degree of trepidation. We would say goodbye to favourite players in September with the awareness that by April they could well be plying their trade elsewhere. The revolving door went into fast forward mode and the close season was like a roller coaster that was fast hurtling downwards, with the bloke with his hands on the controls locking the door of his cabin and heading out to lunch.

That’s not how it is done now. It seems to me that the club is well aware of the market value of its prized assets, but looks after them and makes the best offer it can to retain their services.

Let’s take a couple of examples. This winter we have seen new, improved contracts for Wayne Madsen and Mark Footitt, both integral members of the side. Footitt was dramatically improved in 2013, fitter than he’s ever been and one of our best bowlers throughout the summer. He was coveted by Surrey and understandably so, but chose to remain at Derbyshire because we recognised his progress and he had bought into the club’s ethos and direction. Time was when it wasn’t clear we had one of the latter.

Then there’s the skipper, who was doubtless coveted by just about everyone as a batsman of great talent, a man of charm and humility and a figure head nonpareil. Who wouldn’t want that sort of bloke in their side? Yet we have him for the next three years, almost certainly as skipper, where he improves all the time, definitely as lynchpin of the batting and as a club representative who spreads only positivity wherever he goes.

I couldn’t be happier than in retaining the services of those two players, more so than in picking up a player from elsewhere who may or may not cut the mustard with a move to God’s own county. Their efforts were recognised and presumably rewarded appropriately.

On the other hand, we could have opted to retain Dan Redfern and Ross Whiteley, but when you’re looking at pros and cons, there was no merit in the retention of two players who hadn’t made a strong case for themselves on the pitch. That both have talent in abundance is unquestionable, but if it doesn’t translate to results, the message would appear to be quite clear. There’s no place for makeweights at Derbyshire any more. If you do your stuff, we will keep you, if you don’t, we won’t. That has to be the right way and it makes for a bright future.

When you read, as I did at the weekend, Graeme Welch talk about Messrs Cotton, Cork and Taylor being better seam bowling prospects than he had at Warwickshire; when you hear him talk of our having four good spinners and that there’s a lot of talent at the club, it is hard to be anything other than excited.

In 2012, Karl Krikken did a remarkably good job in gaining promotion as champions with a fairly young squad. That squad in 2013 showed a little early naivety and awe in approach to division one, not helped by injuries to key personnel who might just have made a difference. They nearly pulled off a great escape, but instead went down to regroup.

I think we will see Derbyshire come out fighting in 2014. They have new men to impress, who have introduced methods that can only improve their game and their levels of fitness. After a winter in which we have had only good news emanating from the County Ground – and full marks to all involved for the outstanding budgetary achievement – I have a feeling that it is just the latest in a positive winter that will bear fruit when September comes.

Watch this space.