Mickey Arthur: "Derbyshire fit my vision"

NICK HOWSON AT THE INCORA COUNTY GROUND: The former South Africa, Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka head coach will not allow his side to merely make up the numbers

Mickey Arthur insists county cricket will rise again as he attempts to try and justify Derbyshire's first-class status amid the fall-out from England's Ashes debacle.

Domestic cricket has been thrust under the microscope following the 4-0 series defeat down under, with Test captain Joe Root and former skipper Michael Atherton calling for an overhaul.

Any downsizing of the number of first-class counties would inevitably cut the likes of Derbyshire, whose finances are dwarfed by rivals who host men's international cricket or matches in The Hundred.

Arthur arrives at The Incora County Ground after spells at the top of the international game with South Africa, Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and believes the current conversations regarding the county game are unfair, despite England's grim red-ball results.

"County cricket is the English domestic system," he said in his first media outing as Derbyshire's new head of cricket.

"County cricket has made a lot more players than it has broken, I think. In 2019, England won the World Cup and no one was questioning county cricket.

^{It was a torrid campaign, regardless of the format, for Derbyshire last season (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)}

"England won the Ashes in Australia (2010/11) no one was questioning county cricket, in fact, they said it was because of country cricket.

"It goes with the results of the international team but for them to label county cricket is farfetched. It is far more reaching than county cricket."

Playing at the smallest first-class ground in the country and facing the longest wait of any county since their last major trophy, Arthur faces having to justify Derbyshire's very presence in the current structure during his initial two-year deal.

But it is a challenge he welcomes.

"It has been a struggling county," explained the South African. 

"It is an unfashionable county. And I thought that is the county I want to go to. I want to come and be able to make a difference.

"My vision has Derbyshire as the county of choice because of what we offer. We're going to offer structure, great coaching, opportunity, hopefully, some success.

^{Derbyshire weren't even able to finish their Blast campaign due to injuries and Covid (Tony Marshall/Getty Images)}

"For any young player wanting to make his mark in English cricket, I hope they make Derbyshire their county of choice

"Derbyshire is a proper project."

Consistent for all the wrong reasons last season, Derbyshire won just six of their 35 matches across all formats and failed to finish their T20 Blast campaign.

Naturally, that kind of return won't sit well with Arthur - but neither will middling mediocrity.

"Gradual improvement is great, and you want to see gradual improvements but I'd like to say I am a winner," he said. "I hate losing.

"I hate losing with a passion. We'll hopefully improve and get better and better and better. If we're in it, we want to win it."