Needham concedes defeat to the demons

By Andy Wilson

Jake Needham has conceded defeat to the demons that have haunted his progress as a professional cricketer by asking to be released from his contract with Derbyshire.

When he made his LV County Championship debut at the age of 18 in 2005, Needham was the first product of the Derbyshire academy to earn a professional deal and his status as an off-spinner of great promise was underlined by his selection for England Under-19s the following year.

But he made the last of his 19 first-class appearances in 2009 and has spent much of the time since working with specialist coaches to attempt to restore his confidence in his bowling action.

Now in the last year of his contract with Derbyshire, Needham captained the seconds regularly last year but played only one first-team game, bowling five overs in a Clydesdale Bank 40 match at Headingley, and has decided to call time on his chances of making it back into the first-class arena.

He is, however, to remain with the club as part of their media and marketing department. “I felt it was the right time for me to look outside a playing career in county cricket,” he said. “Karl Krikken and the rest of the club have been fantastically supportive throughout this period and I would like to thank them all sincerely.

“I’ve been involved with Derbyshire since playing junior cricket at the age of 11 and it’s no secret that I have a great affection and affinity for the place and the people, so I’m relishing the chance to help the club in any capacity possible.”

Needham is to combine his new Derbyshire role with a job in the financial services sector and will remain active in cricket as the newly-appointed captain of Ockbrook & Borrowash in the Derbyshire Premier League.


Date: 29/05/2012 10:49:33 by Andy Wilson
In: Today | Derbyshire |