Middlesex lead queue to signal Derbyshire’s Leus du Plooy
Leus du Plooy is contemplating a suggestion from Middlesex as he weighs up his future as a Derbyshire participant.
Derbyshire gave du Plooy his first alternative in county cricket in 2019 and he has grow to be certainly one of their senior gamers throughout his 5 seasons on the membership. He was appointed captain earlier this 12 months however his contract expires on the finish of the season, which means different counties have been allowed to method him for the final three weeks.
ESPNcricinfo understands that a number of counties have been in touch with du Plooy however Middlesex have emerged as frontrunners. He can be a significant participant for them in each the County Championship and the T20 Blast, and is known to be eager to check himself in Division One.
Mickey Arthur, Derbyshire’s head of cricket, has been making an attempt to persuade du Plooy to signal an extension with the membership and he’s anticipated to decide within the subsequent few days. If he selected to depart, he can be the second consecutive Derbyshire captain to depart the county after a single season in cost, following Shan Masood.
Du Plooy just isn’t a family identify however has a superb file as a middle-order batter throughout codecs and his inventory is on the rise in franchise cricket. He performed for Joburg Super Kings within the inaugural SA20 earlier this 12 months and impressed coach Stephen Fleming a lot that Fleming signed him for Southern Brave on the high wage of £125,000 in March’s Hundred draft.
He qualifies as an area participant in county cricket because of a Hungarian passport and pre-settled standing within the UK, and at 28, he retains ambitions to play worldwide cricket. He is anticipated to qualify for England subsequent 12 months, telling the Cricketer journal earlier this 12 months: “I’d love to play for South Africa if I could, and I’d love to play for England if I could.”
Elsewhere, Durham are near confirming the signing of Callum Parkinson, the left-arm spinner, who’s out of contract on the finish of the season. They have additionally approached his Leicestershire team-mate Colin Ackermann, who captains their T20 facet.
As reported at the start of this month, a lot of Worcestershire gamers are out of contract this 12 months and have acquired approaches from different counties. Foremost amongst them is current England debutant Josh Tongue, whose potential suitors are believed to incorporate Lancashire and Nottinghamshire.
Worcestershire just lately confirmed the appointment of Ashley Giles as their chief govt, and convincing a number of the county’s greatest younger gamers to increase their contracts seems to be his most urgent job.