Born to a father, Brian, that only touched on a professional cricketing career with three first-class matches - two for Lancashire and one for Worcestershire in the late 1960s - Karl Krikken enjoyed more success in his 17 years with Derbyshire.

He joined the county in 1987, making his one-day début against Sussex at Hove - he wasn't required to bat but did claim his first dismissal with a catch to remove Paul Parker. He had to wait two more seasons for his next appearance and didn't become a regular in the Derbyshire one-day side until 1991, breaking into the side that had won the Sunday League the season before. They would go on to further success, winning the 1993 Benson and Hedges Cup by 6 runs against Lancashire.

His first-class career began not with Derbyshire but for Griqualand West in South Africa, for whom he made his début in the winter of 1988/89 against Eastern Province at Kimberly. Kirkken played as a specialist batsman and scored 11 and 9 - it was his only appearance. But that summer, back with Derbyshire, he was given a first appearance in the County Championship, again as a specialist batsman. He made 10 and 1 against Somerset at Derby and played three more matches that summer with little success.

1990 was Kirkken's breakthrough season. He was handed the wicketkeeping duties and took 60 catches - a mark he bettered only once, in 1996 with 64. That season he also scored 882 runs at 40.02 - the highest return in a season of his career.

Krikken called time on his career half-way through the 2003 season and was appointed head of Derbyshire's new academy. In 2011 he became first XI head coach after John Morris was sacked, and in his first full season in charge in 2012 lead Derbyshire to promotion to Division One of the County Championship.

ESPNcricinfo staff