Richard Harvey says no stone will be left unturned as Staffordshire look to kick-start their season.
Harvey was appointed chairman of Staffs’ newly-formed cricket committee over the winter, which also includes Pete Wilshaw, Chris Milward, Howard Dytham, Dave Middleton and Martin Williams.
It hasn’t been the start to the summer which Harvey would have hoped for as Staffordshire failed to qualify from their NCCA Knockout Trophy group for the third successive season.
Last Sunday’s heavy defeat at Norfolk sealed their fate, but Staffs face a quick turnaround as they start T20 Cup matters this weekend with a double header against Northumberland at Allendale.
Former county skipper Harvey insists that the committee are working hard behind the scenes, alongside the coaching staff, to improve fortunes,
“At this stage of the season we are looking at the lads who have been involved in the winter programme to see what they can offer at this level,” said Harvey.
“They have been identified through talent ID and player pathways and it’s important we see them in a competitive environment.
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“But that said we are also mindful that outstanding performances and consistent contributions at league level should count for something, and as the season progresses we certainly don’t want to restrict ourselves in selection.
“We’ve already had lengthy discussions and are keen to adopt a ‘fresh start’ approach, so all players whether they’ve played in the past or haven’t yet featured are included and considered.”
‘Watching brief’
The new cricket committee has enhanced Staffs’ reach throughout the county to identify players for both the Development XI and senior National Counties Cricket Association side.
Harvey himself has been on scouting missions to watch games at venues including Old Hill and Wolverhampton – and has plans to visit more games around the county this summer.
It’s an important part in the committee’s ambitions to not only spread the word about the county, but also to have ‘eyes and ears on the ground’ to ensure that talented players are not overlooked.
“A positive feature of the cricket committee is the network and links to clubs in the south and east of the county,” explained Harvey.
“I’ve been and watched some Birmingham League games and there’s young talent playing in Staffordshire clubs that are certainly being looked at and I’m sure will feature during the season.
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“Hopefully we can also benefit from the partnership Staffordshire has with Warwickshire and where possible and necessary draw on some of their young talent to play in the Development team or for the first XI if appropriate.
“It’s a fine balance, and ensuring we have a comprehensive oversight of all potential players is really important. We’re mindful of our commitment to the homegrown and age limitations and also making sure that those players selected for Staffordshire have the desire and pride that should come as a given when representing the county.”
‘Plenty to ponder’
However, Harvey concedes it is not always easy to pick a side given a number of factors, including NCCA playing rules.
Counties are allowed to field three ‘outside’ players in their side. The remaining eight must be ‘homegrown’ meaning they must have been born or play their club cricket in the county.
Age restrictions are also in place, with the three oldest players exempt, while the remaining eight must have an average age of 25 or under. And then there’s the obstacle of unavailability which can hamper selection.
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“It’s not always straightforward when it comes to selecting sides. As well as the age restrictions and ‘homegrown’ guidelines to adhere to unavailability is always an obstacle to overcome when picking any side,” added Harvey.
“I’ve been asked plenty of times so far this season whether certain players get considered and to be honest it’s been reassuring to be able to say ‘yes’, but it’s also unfortunate that due to unavailability they may not have featured at all or as often as we’d like.
“All that said when it comes to the depth and quality of the squad we are in a healthy position. We have a core of players who are high quality and feature in all formats.
“We’ve had a disappointing 50-over competition, but the players must remember that this same group got to the finals of two out of the two National Counties competitions last season, so it’s a solid position to be in as a squad, despite the disappointment of the recent results.”
Main image: Staffordshire have made a disappointing start to the NCCA season after failing to qualify from their Knockout Trophy group. Picture: David Peters