Alex Hughes believe Derbyshire’s Academy is in a strong position which will benefit the county for years to come, starting with talents like Mitch Wagstaff.
In signing a short-term deal for the Royal London Cup, Wagstaff becomes the seventh current member of the first team squad to have come through the Cricket Derbyshire Academy, in partnership with the University of Derby, with Hughes the most experienced of a group containing Harvey Hosein, Sam Conners, Tom Wood, Nils Priestley and Nick Potts.
Wagstaff has been in good form for the Academy this season, having scored 597 runs, including four half-centuries and one century, as well as leading the wicket-taking charts with his leg spin, claiming 26 dismissals at an average of 16.04. He also played alongside Hughes and Hosein in the pre-season friendly against Cardiff UCCE at The Incora County Ground, scoring a half-century.
All-rounder Hughes, who will captain the 17-year-old batsman for the remainder of the 50-over competition, has been following his progress over the last few years, and believes he has all of the attributes to become a key player for Derbyshire in the future.
“Mitch wants to learn, I could see that in him when he played here earlier in the year,” Hughes said.
“I remember seeing him when he was 14, he was twice the size of me and he stood out because he was doing some fielding practice while we were netting. Mitch was actually fetching the balls, he was catching everything with hands the size of my head!
“I just though ‘this guy is pretty good, can he play cricket as well?’, all of the coaches were telling me he was pretty special and I have no doubt he will have a long career at Derbyshire, with the right coaches and guidance to get the best out of him.”
The Academy is led by former wicketkeeper-batsman Daryn Smit, who is working to develop Derbyshire’s young players and utilising close links with the first team coaching staff to get them valuable experience in the Second XI.
Having played alongside Smit for a number of years, Hughes says there are few better people to be in charge of improving Derbyshire’s youngsters.
“Daryn is a super guy and he has a great cricketing brain,” he added.
“He’s everything you want in a coach, he’s passionate, organised and he really wants the best for his players. No doubt all of the youngsters in the Academy are having a great time working with him and they’re very lucky to have him as a coach.”
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.
