Academy duo Mitch Wagstaff and Nafis Shaikh have been called up to the ECB Young Lions Super Fours, while Under 15s talent Yusaf Bin Naeem will have the opportunity to impress at the Bunbury Festival next month.
Leading the way with both bat and ball, Cricket Derbyshire Academy, in partnership with the University of Derby, prospect Wagstaff will feature for the Midlands in the Super Fours, which pits the best players from the region against sides from London & East, the North and South West. The matches start on Sunday and will continue throughout next week at Loughborough.
Having scored 597 runs, including four half-centuries and one century, and taking 26 wickets at an average of just 16.04, the 17-year-old has been a standout for Derbyshire’s youngsters this year, while he also made a brilliant 89 at The Incora County Ground against Cardiff UCCE in pre-season.
Shaikh has also enjoyed a good season, taking confidence from a half-century in the same friendly against Cardiff, and going on to score two half-centuries and one century for the Academy side this season; he has been selected as a reserve for the competition.
Head of Talent Pathway, Daryn Smit, is delighted that both players have been rewarded for their good work this season, something he hopes will drive them to keep taking the opportunities to impress.
“Mitch Wagstaff has been selected because he’s had a brilliant season, which has justified that selection, he has led our batting from the front in the under 18s competitions, he’s been our standout player. It’s a deserved selection for him,” said Smit.
“We started calling him ‘golden arm’, because he had a knack of taking wickets, but it’s happened that often this season, we’re going to have to stop calling him it because he’s our leading wicket-taker! He’s become a good leg-spinner in his own right and we recognise him now as a front line bowler too.
“Nafis has been selected as a reserve, but with the way things are, I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets a game, which is really good from a Derbyshire point of view.
“By his own admission, he’s been a little bit inconsistent this season, whereas Waggy has been consistent, but what Nafis has shown is glimpses of really good performances. His half-century against Cardiff UCCE, the century against Warwickshire under 18s, probably not as many scores in between as we would like, but there’s certainly talent there.
“At 17-years-old, you can put some of that inconsistency down to inexperience and as he gets older, and plays more, you hope that he will find that consistency, because he has so much promise.”
Smit will be an Assistant Coach on the Midlands side, working with Northamptonshire Academy Director, Kevin Innes, and he’s looking forward to seeing how Derbyshire’s young talents do against the country’s brightest prospects, while also gaining more coaching experience.
“It’s a great opportunity to continue my growth as a coach,” he added.
“It’s also a chance to have a closer look at the standard of young players from around the country, how strong the other counties are and what the Young Lions selectors are looking for from under 18s players. That allows me to bring that information back to our Academy and try to work towards getting us up to that standard.”
However, it’s not just at under 18s level that Derbyshire’s hot prospects are getting noticed, with Under 15s batsman Yusaf Bin Naeem selected to play for the Midlands side in the 2021 Bunbury Festival next month.
His unbeaten 116 against Lancashire in June’s Under15 50-over fixture remains the highest by a Derbyshire Academy player in a league or cup match this season, while he has also managed a half-century at under 18s level.
Smit is delighted by the youngster’s inclusion and is looking forward to seeing him showcase his talents at the festival.
“Yusaf has been a standout for our age group sides over the last few years, he’s done really well for our under 15s this season and hopefully he can show that kind of form at The Bunbury Festival,” said Smit.
Watch Derbyshire in the Royal London Cup!
50-over cricket returns to Derbyshire this month, with tickets on sale now for all home games, including the local derby against Nottinghamshire at The Incora County Ground and the fixture against Yorkshire Vikings at Queen’s Park, Chesterfield.
