To know Warwickshire were playing and not being there was terrible Graham Wagg

The 22-year-old former England A player is back in professional cricket after a 15-month ban for taking cocaine.

"There have been a few times when I thought this might have been it for my cricket career," Wagg admitted.

"It's a second chance and I'm not going to take it for granted. I want to pay Derbyshire back for what they've done."

Wagg, who had played for England junior teams from Under-16 to A level, was at Warwickshire when he failed a drugs test in September 2004.

The Bears terminated his contract and he spent his time during the suspension coaching in the Netherlands and South Africa.

He says not being able to play was difficult.

"Last summer it was great to see people like Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen, who were in the Academy with me, do well and win the Ashes.

"It was awesome but it was so hard to watch. It was heart-breaking thinking that could have been me.

"To know that Warwickshire were playing and my team-mates were doing well, and me not being there it was terrible."

Wagg's arrival at Derbyshire is part of a shuffling of the pack in a bid to arrest the club's decline in recent years.

Pakistan star Mohammad Yousuf and Australian prospect Travis Birt have been recruited, while Graeme Welch has taken over as captain following Luke Sutton's move to Lancashire.

Gloucestershire, Leicestershire and the Bears were also keen on offering Wagg a route back into the county game but Welch, a former Warwickshire team-mate, proved persuasive.

As soon as I walked in I knew it was the place for me Wagg on Derbyshire

Wagg said: "I get on really well with him. He said 'Listen, this will be a great move for you.' I trusted him 100% - I didn't want there to be any doubts.

"I knew Mo Sheikh, who is probably my closest friend in county cricket, so I've got friends here and I knew the support was going to be there for me.

"As soon as I walked in I knew it was the place for me. Everything was just awesome - the coaching, the preparation behind the scenes. It just seemed a great club.

"Welchy banged it on the head when he said there's more of a personal touch here."

Wagg suffered a shoulder injury in pre-season so may miss the season-opening visit to Surrey, which begins on Wednesday.

But he is hoping his return to action will lift the clouds that have hung over him for the last 18 months and have people talking about his on-field exploits.

He added: "I'm not going to look back now - it's been done, it's happened.

"All I've got to do now is look forward to my future at Derbyshire."