COUNTY DIARY

Our reporters sniff out stories from all 18 counties

DERBYSHIRE

Luis Reece has committed to Derbyshire

A desire to “play as much cricket across all formats as I can” was key to allrounder Matt Montgomery swapping Nottinghamshire for Derbyshire.

Joining on loan for the One Day Cup, he will complete his permanent move from the start of next season.

A middle-order batter who bowls off-spin, he has scored more than 3,000 runs and taken over 30 wickets across formats.

He was part of Nottinghamshire’s promotion-winning campaign in 2022 but, bar being a constant in the T20 Blast, has fallen out of favour in the County Championship.

A former South Africa Under-19 international, the 25-year-old played a solitary T20I for Germany against Italy in 2023.

“This has been a tough choice to make, but it’s something I feel I need to do to play as much cricket across all

formats as I can,” said Montgomery, who has agreed a three-year deal.

“I’m really grateful for what the coaching staff and everyone at Notts have done for me in my career to this point. Nottinghamshire is a great place to play cricket filled with great people.

“But I’m at a point where I want to be playing regular top-level cricket, and so for me, this move makes sense for where my career is at.”

Essentially a replacement for Samit Patel in white-ball cricket – the ex-England allrounder left Derbyshire after the Vitality Blast group stage – Montgomery represents an extra option in the Championship. Derbyshire will start the final three rounds of the red-ball season safe in the knowledge that Division Two’s leading wicket-taker Luis Reece will be among their ranks for next term.

The allrounder, out-of-contract at the end of the campaign, has crucially signed up for another two years.

Nick Potts and Ben Aitchison have also committed their immediate futures to Derbyshire.

Aitchison returned to action this summer after recent back troubles and has shone across formats, consequently being rewarded with a new deal running to 2027.

Twenty-three-year-old Potts, who has been hindered by injury, remains a seamer with plenty of potential but little senior cricket and has another year to stake a claim.

Derbyshire will assess whether future fixtures at Repton School are sustainable before committing to returning to the venue in future campaigns.

They played their first fixture at the ground since 1988 in the four-wicket One Day Cup defeat to Worcestershire.

“In the past, not all outground days worked, but you have to look at different models to make it work commercially, whether that’s with a school or a cricket club,” said club chief executive Ryan Duckett.

“I think outground cricket has a good future, but every county has got to get their model right to make sure it’s a sustainable project.”

Nick Howson

DURHAM

Consecutive five-wicket defeats in the Championship plunged Durham into the relegation places ahead of September’s final straight. Those Kookaburra ball reverses to Somerset on a sporting Taunton track and to champions Surrey on home soil reaped a combined six points and threatened to derail a previously promising season on all fronts.

The last month will now feature attempts to win a first T20 title, having secured a home quarter-final against Hampshire, plus a survival fight.

Things were looking up in the Metro Bank Cup when it appeared Alex Lees’ side were heading for a third win in four when their captain celebrated National Left-Handed Day with an unbeaten 138 and David Bedingham blasted eight sixes in a 67-ball 107.

Posting 387 for 4 against Middlesex was not enough, however, after the visitors achieved a new domestic record List A chase, cruising to their target with a full two overs unused.

Two days later, Durham’s bowling attack was taken for another 300-plus score at Chester-le-Street by a previously winless Northamptonshire, deepening the doom and gloom.

The period in question coincided with a spell of comings and goings at the club with Paul Coughlin and Mitchell Killeen, players heading elsewhere at the end of the season, in the XI that faced Northants ts alongside new fast bowling recruit Archie Bailey.

Long-serving Coughlin, 32, has signed for Lancashire ashire while fellow bowling allrounder Killeen has agreed to seam-

join Essex on a two-year deal after rejecting Durham’s offer of a contract extension.

Coughlin’s place in the squad will effectively be taken by Kasey Aldridge (right), who the club confirmed would be making a permanent switch from Somerset following a loan earlier this year, while Killeen recognised greater opportunities may lie ahead in Chelmsford following the arrival of another 20-year-old Bailey from Gloucestershire.

Meanwhile, 17-year-old academy product Robbie Bowman, a batsman, marked the start wicketkeeper-of his short-term rookie contract, covering the Metro Bank Cup, with a debut 27 in the Steelbacks loss.

Richard Gibson

ESSEX

Essex accelerated preparations for next season with the aforementioned signing of seam-bowling allrounder Mitchell Killeen from Durham on a two-year deal.

The son of former Durham cricketer and England bowling consultant Neil, he will begin life at Chelmsford at the end of this season.

The 20-year-old has enjoyed a fine start to his professional career, taking a five-wicket haul against Somerset on his first-class debut in the County Championship earlier this season.

“Essex have an excellent squad of cricketers and have obviously enjoyed some great success in recent years,” he said.

“Once Chris Silverwood got in touch, I knew that I wanted to be involved with what he is trying to build at Chelmsford.

“I feel my cricket is developing and I will be doing my best to push hard for regular first team cricket. I know a few of the younger players from my time with England Under-19s and I can’t wait to meet the rest of the squad ahead of next season.”

News of the arrival follows confirmation that Zaman Akhter – as reported by The Cricketer – is joining from Gloucestershire ahead of next summer.

DAVID ROGERS/SHAUN BOTTERILL/RYAN PIERSE/GETTY IMAGES

It remains to be seen whether they are joined by Curtis Campher next season after the Ireland allrounder signalled an interest in returning to CM2 next summer. Campher made his second debut for the Eagles in the record One Day Cup win over Surrey – the first appearance of a three-game stint – a 244-run thumping inspired by his astonishing 123 not out from 68 balls.

It helped Essex make their highest List A score of 417 for 6 and secure their biggest victory over a first-class county in the format.

While it wasn’t Campher’s official Essex debut – he represented them against his Ireland team before the one-off Lord’s Test in 2023 – he doesn’t want this stint to be his last.

“Anytime you can get some good high-standard quality cricket, you know it’s always put you in good stead, whether you do well or not,” he told The Cricketer.

“It is always nice to get out on the park and get some games in. I’ll always be happy to be over here if they’ll have me. I’ll come over whenever er I can. “ Shane Snater (right) will continue to give Essex bowling depth after committing to the club until 2027.

The foil to Sam Cook and Jamie Porter for many years, the Netherlands international nal has played a crucial role across formats not least with the club suffering from constant overseas withdrawals.

Chief executive Dan Feist said: “He is an important member of the squad and our bowling attack, but he has also contributed ted vital scores with the bat, and we look forward to watching him perform for the seasons to come.”