Derbyshire pace trio sign new contracts

Derbyshire's pace trio of Tim Groenewald, Ian Hunter and Tom Lungley has signed new contracts for 2010. The three joined Chris Rogers, the club's Australian captain, in committing their futures to the County Ground.

Groenewald, 25, joined Derbyshire from Warwickshire for the 2009 season and topped the county's first-class bowling averages, taking 34 wickets at 27.08 with a career-best of 6 for 50 against Surrey at Whitgift School - one of two six-wicket hauls.

John Morris, head of cricket, said it had been a patient wait for Groenewald, but was delighted that he had shaped up as a key member of the team. "Although he slotted straight in to our one-day team at the start of the season, Tim had to wait patiently before his opportunity came in the first-class arena," Morris said. "His attitude during that period was excellent and he was clearly focused on forcing his way into the side. Once he achieved that, Tim never looked back and was a whole-hearted performer and a regular source of wickets for the team."

Hunter, 30, played seven first-class matches this season, taking 21 wickets at an average of 28.23. He joined Derbyshire from Durham in 2004 and took five wickets on two occasions but found himself out of the side in the closing stages this season. "Ian deserves his new deal for the way he started the campaign," Morris said. "He was a reliable source of wickets during the opening weeks of the season while we were setting about proving ourselves as genuine promotion contenders. Hopefully he can recapture that form in 2010."

Lungley, 30, has extended his Derbyshire career into its 11th year. His best performance in 2009 came against Leicestershire - a county Twenty20 Cup best of 5 of 27.

"Tom is a valuable member of our bowling staff and I am pleased that he will be around for us again next season," Morris said.