Not long ago the county’s youth policy was Ian Blackwell – soon lured to Somerset – and a handful of not quite good enough club players.

But this year has seen an impressive flowering. Four players made England’s three age-group sides, about twice the national average and a club record. In late July Jake Needham became the club’s first England Under-19 Test player since Dominic Cork. A batting offspinner with a head for pressure situations, he has already bowled tidily in nine 1st XI one-dayers. Needham is being pushed by fellow offspinner Chris Paget, already Derbyshire’s youngest first-class player.

In England’s Under-17 side Tom Poynton is a batting wicketkeeper and Dan Redfern a left-handed strokeplayer with 2nd XI centuries behind him. Both were selected a year early. Gary Ballance (see Rising Star, TWC September), the coach David Houghton’s 16-year old Zimbabwean nephew, made 73 in his second Pro40 game. He has temporarily overtaken a local right-hander Paul Borrington – a former England Under-17 man who builds big gritty innings according to the academy director Karl Krikken. And playing as an allrounder in the national Under- 15s is Michael Hill, already batting at No. 4 in the Birmingham League and pinched from under the nose of Warwickshire.

Krikken is unsure who will make the grade – “It depends on temperament” – but is quietly confident. “It’s going really well. With the lack of money Derbyshire’s had, we’ve got to
produce our own.” And it could get better yet, with the club now running an academy in Staffordshire, home of two half decent former players – Kim Barnett and Cork.

Paul Coupar, The Wisden Cricketer