By tradition, Derbyshire are well stocked with parsimonious seam bowlers, seldom lightning quick but fast enough to be nasty, and long-serving wicketkeepers. Harry Elliott, George Dawkes and Bob Taylor guarded the stumps from 1920 to 1984, with Taylor's late Test career the only significant interruption. Batsmen tended to be more cautious, especially when pitches were green, and only in the modern era has there been more of a flourish. There have been struggling times but they won the Championship in 1936, with a home-grown team, and enjoyed more recent one-day successes.

Through the popular image of a small county, tremendous cricketers emerged.

1. Kim Barnett: joined Derbyshire as a leg-spinning middle-order batsman and turned himself into the most successful opener in their history. His batting and his captaincy showed a single-minded strength of character, which could spill into intolerance, but I would want him and his opening partner batting for my life.

2. John Wright: had the vague image of an eternal student but the New Zealand left-hander gave batting his complete focus. He was good to watch and brave almost to a fault, as witnessed by his 96 against the 1980 West Indians on a freshened Chesterfield pitch. Totally committed to the county and, at one time, New Zealand's record scorer before a successful coaching stint with India.

3. Peter Kirsten: one of the South Africans brought over to England by Eddie Barlow, along with Allan Lamb and Garth le Roux. At his best, Kirsten appeared to make up the game, inventing strokes to the despair of bowlers. He was adept at reaching 30 before anybody noticed. He also added electric fielding in the covers. It was good that he was still around when South Africa returned to Test cricket in 1992.

4. John Morris: the most naturally gifted of Derbyshire's English batsmen. Even as a teenager, he approached the crease with a swagger, as if warning spectators to pay attention. From an ideal stance, he produced all the strokes and had time to play them. Morris would have beaten Barnett's batting records had he not, in a troubled era, decided to join Durham.

5. Leslie Townsend: key all-rounder in the 1936 Championship-winning side, off spinner and sound batsman. He did the double three times, once for Derbyshire in Championship matches alone, and in 1933 added 2,268 runs to his 100 wickets. One of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year in 1934, he also played in New Zealand, where he later settled.

6. Eddie Barlow: captain of the team because his dynamic attitude improved all around him. Past his considerable best when he joined Derbyshire in 1976 for three memorable seasons, he remained both competitive and unfailingly optimistic. Nobody could have done more to instil a fresh spirit in the club and Derbyshire should have given him a job for life.

7. Derek Morgan: the ideal county cricketer, 17,842 runs, 1,216 wickets and 563 catches for Derbyshire. Nobody has made more than his 540 appearances for the county. Was he ever injured? Morgan, a modest man, was always in the game, best in the middle order and as a third seamer. His catching in close positions was world class.

8. Bob Taylor: nobody will ever beat Taylor's 1,649 dismissals in first-class cricket. Until Kerry Packer split world cricket, he was second to Alan Knott but grabbed the chance of a late Test career. Derbyshire folk cannot believe there has been a better wicketkeeper, neat, graceful and with great respect for the game. No need for him to throw sweets or snarl at batsmen.

9. Cliff Gladwin: his obsessively accurate inswing made him a great partner for Jackson but he was a mighty bowler in his own right. Astonishingly light on his feet for such a big man, he gave away nothing. He had played before the Second World War but did not take the first of his 1,536 Derbyshire wickets until he was 30. The author of a famous leg-bye, to win the 1948-49 Durban Test.

10. Les Jackson: came late to the game, 26 before he made his debut. Set a county record with 1,670 wickets and was regarded with awe around the counties. Two Tests was a paltry reward for Derbyshire's greatest bowler, but his slinging fast-medium action may have counted against him among selectors. Derbyshire followers fumed but it meant they saw more of him. He gave batsmen nothing except bruises.

11. Tommy Mitchell: a quirkily independent and highly successful leg spinner who passed 100 wickets ten times for the county and helped to win the 1936 Championship. Derbyshire's finest spinner and, ironically, their only representative on the 1932-33 Bobdyline tour. The final balance to a formidable attack.

My favourite XI

1. Kim Barnett: his unique technique gave bowlers a sight of all three stumps and when one stopped in his approach, wondering where Barnett had gone, the umpire said; "Don't worry, he'll be back." He's in both teams because he made things happen.

2. Arnold Hamer: joined Derbyshire from Yorkshire League cricket at the age of 33 and scored 1,000 for the next ten seasons. He was a fatalist, believing he would succeed if it was his day, and his face glowed when he made runs. He entertained and was fun to watch.

3. Denis Smith: a graceful left-hander, one of the 1936 champions. Later a laconically effective coach. Players marvelled that, when he borrowed a bat to demonstrate in the nets, it always sounded more mellow. Timing.

4. Mohammad Azharuddin: his first county season, 1991, was sheer joy. He produced shots like a conjuror but, as with the best Indian batsmen, the technique was absolutely solid. If his wrists were of steel, so was his temperament, because he guided situations to the desired end. His second visit was less happy, as was the end of his international career. But he could play.

5. Donald Carr: he played in a 1945 Victory Test while at Repton School and happily returned to Derbyshire. He batted with style, caught beautifully and occasional bowled chinamen to good effect. Even when losing his off stump without playing a stroke, he did it gracefully, but he was also a shrewdly demanding captain before his administrative career at Lord's.

6. Graeme Welch: an Achilles tendon injury ended his career this summer after he proved a great signing from Warwickshire. He was as good as any all-rounder in the county game and always gave full value. A proper cricketer: fight for everything in the middle, then mull it over in the bar.

7. Bob Taylor: when Bob announced his retirement in 1984, the rest of the season was like a royal progress. Crowds everywhere applauded the grey-haired wicketkeeper in the floppy hat, for his technique and because he never did a mean thing in his 24 years in cricket.

8. Michael Holding: the hypnotic grace of his approach to the wicket makes him a must. The voice was as engaging, although a translator was needed when fellow Jamaicans joined him in the bar. The great fast bowler was a man of natural dignity but strong nerves were needed to travel with him. He liked speed.

9. Cliff Gladwin: Cliff always knew his exact analysis at any stage of a game, just was he was aware of his expenses to the last penny. He could be crusty but generations grew up relying on Gladwin and Jackson - and being rewarded.

10. Les Jackson: Les never found a jacket to contain his great shoulders, he had hands like buckets and a miner's strength. When an alarmed captain saw him removing blood-drenched socks, Les merely said: "You needed me to bowl, so I bowled". We grew up writing c Dawkes b Jackson on our cards.

11. Bill Bestwick: I wish I had seen the famously thirsty Bestwick, who often needed a minder to get him to matches in one piece. His career spanned 28 years and in 1921, at the age of 46, he took 147 wickets at 16.72. Strong Derbyshire seam and stroppiness.