Few grounds for optimism

Derbyshire hope Dominic Hewson will come good

Test Match Special commentator Simon Mann assesses Derbyshire's prospects for the 2002 County Championship.

Derbyshire were the worst side in the country in both forms of cricket last year and there are no obvious signs of a renaissance.

The squad has been pruned, but the replacements are adequate at best and the club does not have the financial strength to entice established, quality players.

The only way forward is to develop their youngsters and hope for a gradual change of fortunes.

Changing county has often helped a player's career so Dominic Hewson, who has left Gloucestershire, and Jason Kerr from Somerset will bring enthusiasm but neither has a record good enough to suggest they can improve Derbyshire's results, even modestly.

  Championship prediction

It looks like bottom place again

Hewson should fare the better of the two. He was a regular opener for Gloucestershire last season, scoring 816 runs at 35.47, but both his centuries came against the weakest attack - Derbyshire's.

Kerr's impact at Taunton was limited and Derbyshire must see something that Somerset did not because the evidence is not in the statistics - 8 wickets at 63.00 in 7 matches.

He is a below average county bowler joining a very average county side.

A more interesting signing is a novice, 20-year old Neil Gunter, who was formerly on the MCC ground staff, has joined on a one-year contract. He is a right arm medium fast bowler, and left-handed batsman.

Skipper Cork still harbours Test ambitions

The one positive factor is that the captain Dominic Cork should be available for the whole season, provided he can remain fit.

Injuries and internationals calls restricted him to three championship appearances in 2001. He would not agree but, at 31, he is unlikely to be troubling the England selectors again.

A lot will depend on his ability to motivate himself in a struggling side. Only an exceptional season with both bat and ball is likely to be good enough for his team to move away from the bottom of the table.

Optimistic signs among the rest are hard to find.

Left-armer Kevin Dean is a talented bowler with a good record but he has been restricted by injuries. He has not played a full season since 1998.

  Derbyshire 2002

Captain: Dominic Cork

Coach: Colin Wells

Overseas player: Michael Di Venuto

Main signings: Dominic Hewson (Gloucestershire) Jason Kerr (Somerset)

Main departures: Richard Illingworth, Trevor Smith, Stephen Titchard

Australian batsman Michael Di Venuto recovered from a mediocre first season to score 1,082 runs at 45.08 in 2001, including four centuries and opener Steve Stubbings also passed 1,000 runs.

But the squad is a mixture of veterans, underachievers, and youngsters, who inevitably will find it hard to thrive in an unsuccessful team.

Luke Sutton, Lian Wharton and Nathan Dumelow fall into the latter category.

Unless Cork can produce some heroics, Dean can stay fit and Di Venuto can emulate some of his free-scoring compatriots, Derbyshire will finish bottom again.

There is a good chance they will anyway.