Derbyshire head coach Karl Krikken thinks his side’s youthful energy will serve them well in the top flight.
Derbyshire CCC have got a fight on their hands as they bid to stay in Division One of the County Championship, after returning to the top league for the first time since 2000.
The county had been considered to be the whipping boys in the last decade but took Division Two by storm in 2012, winning the title with a dramatic final day victory over Hampshire.
Derbyshire have been touted by the bookmakers as favourites to go straight back down but head coach Karl Krikken doesn’t think his side should be written off so easily.
“Last year we were rank outsiders to even be in the top three, but we won the league,” Krikken told Sky Sports.
“We’ve got a lot of good young players here and a lot of belief from within.”
As well as their belief in the ability of their youngsters, Krikken’s side also secured one of the biggest signings of the close season when Shivnarine Chanderpaul agreed a two-year deal at the club.
The West Indian is the eighth highest run scorer in Test history and Derbyshire captain Wayne Madsen has already declared that Chanderpaul will help them stay in the division.
It won’t be an easy start for the Division One new boys though, as they face a tough away tie against defending champions Warwickshire in their first match back in the big time on Wednesday.
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