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McKiernan optimistic for 2021 season

Thursday 12th November 2020
Written by Stephen Martin
Photography by: David Griffin

Mattie McKiernan is pleased to be able to continue his development with Derbyshire, and the all-rounder believes the experience picked up in 2020 will benefit the squad next year.

McKiernan signed a new one-year deal with the club after a number of positive showings in the condensed 2020 calendar, including his maiden first-class half-century and the most economical bowling figures in Derbyshire’s Vitality Blast campaign.

The 25-year-old is one of a number of emerging players developing their skills within the Derbyshire ranks, with Michael Cohen, Ben Aitchison, Sam Conners and Brooke Guest all gaining further experience during the summer.

Having missed much of the 2019 season with a back injury, 2020 saw McKiernan’s first regular run of games for Derbyshire, and the all-rounder is relishing the chance to progress even further with the team next year.

“I was delighted to get another crack, it’s good to be involved in such a good club, with the coaches and a great set of lads,” he told BBC Radio Derby.

“I think it’s do or die now, but the coaches have been brilliant with me. I’ve had injuries, and then last season was cut short, but they’ve been nothing but supportive. I had a couple of performances this year but it was tough times, the coaches have still helped me work on my game.

“Hopefully I can kick on next year and it’ll be a good year for the lads. It’ll be a good challenge to compete against some sides we might not have come across in the two-tier system, it will be a really good test.

“I think we’ve shown that we’re building something, with our red-ball performances this season and the T20 last year. We re-iterated to ourselves that we have a lot of players, myself included, who haven’t played a lot at that level, it was a tough campaign, but I’m such the experience will help us.”

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