Nottinghamshire’s left-arm fast bowler Mark Footitt has joined Derbyshire on an initial 28-day loan deal where he will be available to play Specsavers County Championship and Royal London One-Day Cup cricket.
The 32-year-old, who spent six seasons with Derbyshire between 2010 and 2015, is earmarked for two four-day matches and five 50-over games, starting against Warwickshire at Edgbaston on Thursday.
“Mark’s pre-season has been affected by injury and we feel it’s a good opportunity for him to get out there and get some cricket under his belt,” said Nottinghamshire’d director of cricket Mick Newell.
“Our pace attack has started the season in fine form and Mark has found himself short of game time so far. Hopefully he can get some overs under his belt and come back ready to go when the season ramps up from June onwards.”
The move suits Derbyshire who have fielded a high-class pace attack this season in three bowlers with international experience – Duanne Olivier, Ravi Rampaul and Hardus Viljoen – but who have limited stocks in reserve and fear the danger of overbowling their prize assets as a conequence.
Derbyshire’s cricket advisor, Kim Barnett, said: “We’re grateful to Nottinghamshire and Peter Moores for allowing Mark to join us for this busy period, and I’m sure this arrangement will be good for all parties.”
This move for Footitt is not as angst-ridden as the last, involving just a few miles up the A52. He admitted that a weight had been lifted from his shoulders when Surrey gave him permission to return to Nottinghamshire in the middle of last season on a two-and-a-half year deal. The strain of hotel living, away from his fianc and daughter in London had become too much.
Footitt has travelled this way before. He first joined Derbyshire in 2009 after Nottinghamshire released him from his contract as injuries bedevilled his early career. He became a firm favourite at Derbyshire, taking 82 County Championship wickets in 2014. He moved south to Surrey, fired by England ambitions, and came close to a Test debut when he was chosen for the South Africa tour of 2015/16 but never played.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo