Young Derbyshire up for challenge

Last year Champions (promoted), CC Div 2; Group stage, FLt20; 4th in Group C, CB40.

2012 in a nutshell Derbyshire have, for many years, been seen as a symbol of everything that is wrong in county cricket: barely competitive and rarely producing international players. But achieving promotion - the first time they have done so - was a welcome step in the right direction and reward for a club that has been revitalised since the arrival of the new chairman, Chris Grant. Success was built largely upon an excellent start to the season. While their rivals were thwarted by rain, Derbyshire won four of their first seven games and, with Tony Palladino and company exploiting seamer-friendly pitches, stole the march that led them to promotion. They were somewhat overly reliant for runs upon their overseas players - Martin Guptill and Usman Khawaja topped the batting averages - though Wayne Madsen and left-arm spinner David Wainwright also enjoyed solid seasons. They were much less successful in the limited-overs formats, winning two and losing six of their T20 games, but, for the first time in many years, Derbyshire played with spirit, hope and expectation in 2012.

2013 prospects Consolidating a place in the top division should be considered a decent achievement. The method that served them so well in 2012 - prevailing on green pitches - may prove high-risk when they come up against the likes of Durham and Warwickshire in Division One. Several of the squad will also be testing themselves at a higher level than ever before and they will need to so without the two overseas batsmen who played such a huge role in winning promotion. They have recruited astutely, though. The batting has been strengthened by bringing in Shiv Chanderpaul - one of the scoops of the off-season - and Billy Godleman, who once kept Nick Compton out of the Middlesex side and may yet, given a more sympathetic environment, turn his undoubted qualities into regular match-defining contributions. The seam bowling depth - with Mark Turner and Mark Footitt continuing to promise a bit more than they have achieved - remains impressive. Turner, in particular, looks to have developed substantially over the winter. More will be required from the likes of Ross Whiteley, Chesney Hughes and, with the bat, from Jon Clare and Wainwright if they are to survive, but all have impressed in pre-season.

Key player Dan Redfern is representative of this team beyond the runs he scores. Marooned in the seconds before Grant's revolution, he is exactly the type of player - young, gifted and, just about, locally produced - the club needs to see prosper in order to both improve and justify its own existence. If he can flourish in the top division, it will go a long to way to helping Derbyshire to survival and showing the club's strategy is correct.

Bright young thing At 24, Whiteley is not that young. But, with only 27 first-class games behind him, he is inexperienced. His current record is modest and does his ability no justice - he averages just 33.27 - but he is capable of timing the ball unusually sweetly and looks to have the class make the step up.

Captain/coach The smile has returned to the face of Derbyshire cricket over the last couple of years. Overseen by the calm and benevolent figure of head coach, Karl Krikken, and spurred on by the captaincy of Madsen, a resurgent team spirit has emerged. Whether that spirit is enough to overcome some of the other obstacles the club faces remains to be seen, but the pair have a good record of getting the best from the players at their disposal. You can't ask for more.

ESPNcricinfo verdict Resourceful enough to escape relegation in Division One, although it could be a struggle. Hard to see much one-day success.