Derbyshire cricketers meet the media as season looms

Derbyshire County Cricket Club press day.Derbyshire County Cricket Club press day.
Derbyshire County Cricket Club press day.
Derbyshire's cricketers met the press today for photographs and interviews at their annual pre-season media day.

Despite the dark clouds over the 3aaa County Ground, there was still an excitement in the air with the first XI set to warm up at Loughborough University this Friday ahead of their Specsavers County Championship home opener against Northamptonshire the following Friday.

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West Indies and Derbyshire legend, Michael Holding, was appointed club president at the annual meeting last week when Ian Morgan was also appointed chairman.

Derbyshire have signed experienced South Africa batsman Daryn Smit on a two-year deal until the end of the 2018 season.

Derbyshire County Cricket Club press day.Derbyshire County Cricket Club press day.
Derbyshire County Cricket Club press day.

Smit, who qualifies as a non-overseas player, will be available for all formats, subject to successful completion of registration, and arrives after enjoying a successful 14 years with South Africa franchise, Hollywoodbets Dolphins.

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The batsman, who has represented South Africa A and was selected for the Proteas’ 2009 T20 World Cup initial squad, has appeared in 125 first-class matches scoring 5,711 runs at an average of 37, including nine hundreds.

Another new face is New Zealand international Matt Henry, signed to star in the 2017 NatWest T20 Blast.

The slippery pace bowler is currently representing Canterbury in the Plunket Shield in New Zealand, and his recent good form earned him a call up to the squad for the second Test against South Africa.

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Derbyshire County Cricket Club press day.Derbyshire County Cricket Club press day.
Derbyshire County Cricket Club press day.

He has taken 156 first-class wickets and boasts best figures of 5-18 in the red ball format. While enjoying a rich vein of form in first-class cricket, Henry boasts an array of one-day experience, which includes six Twenty20 and 30 one-day international appearances for the Black Caps.

In total, he has appeared in 59 Twenty20 fixtures, claiming 52 wickets at an average of 29.

The paceman has also been a regular in New Zealand’s ODI side since making his debut in 2014, claiming 58 wickets at an average of 25 with best figures of 5-30.