They won only one championship match, against Durham in mid-August.

Their dismal season was not hard to predict. The side lacks quality and the club does not have the financial resources to compete with other counties for star players.

The one Test player they do have - captain Dominic Cork - hardly played.

After being dropped by the England selectors after a below-par performance in the second Test at Lord's, he suffered a hamstring injury that kept him out for the rest of the season.

He played in only three championship matches.

Rumoured to be unhappy at the lack of support for his benefit season, he took his time before accepting an invitation to remain as captain for next season.

He has also signed a new contract keeping at the club until 2004. With his Test career possibly at an end, Derbyshire will be grateful if he can give them full attention.

Di Venuto was one of the few batting successes

There was not much competition. Veteran Rob Bailey had a wretched season - 515 at 21.45; opener Steve Stubbings, although reaching fifty nine times, averaged only 35.31.

And Luke Sutton, who was promoted to open alongside him, showed promise but lacked consistency.

There were few consolations although Christopher Bassano, a South African-born Tasmanian who is qualified to play in England because he has an English mother, achieved a unique feat.

Against Gloucestershire in late June, he became the first player to score a century in each innings of his championship debut.

He also contributed a match-winning 70 not out in the team's only championship victory. It was surprising he was not tried earlier.

Richard Illingworth, a pre-season signing from Worcestershire, played only five matches.

In his absence, the inexperienced Lian Wharton and Nathan Dumelow shared the spinning duties, without conspicuous success. They managed only 18 wickets between them.

It was a tough season for Derbyshire and there is little to suggest there will be much of an improvement in 2002.