Stephen Moore, born and educated in South Africa, followed a familiar path to English cricket and progressed as far as winning selection for England Lions in 2009 without ever quite pushing on for full international recognition.

An opening batsman who is strong off the front foot, he first gave extended evidence of his talent as he topped 1,000 runs in the 2004 and 2005 seasons for Worcestershire before going through a less productive period. In 2009 he hit a hundred against the Australians but his overall season suffered as he was affected by Worcestershire's poor form and talk of potential moves elsewhere. Eventually it was confirmed that he would move to Lancashire.

His first season with his new county had mixed results. Although he managed two one-day hundreds he found it more difficult to make his mark in the Championship, where he made a modest 426 runs before a dislocated shoulder suffered in the field in the Friends Life T20 quarter-final against Essex at Chelmsford ended his season.

In his second season, he fared better and was a key member of the Championship-winning side, topping 1,000 first-class runs, the highlights of which was the unbeaten 124 that clinched a win over Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge and an unbeaten 169 in the penultimate match against Hampshire at Liverpool.

In 2012, Moore excelled in one-day cricket, scoring 581 runs in the Clydesdale Bank 40, including a hundred and six half-centuries, and 249 in eight T20 matches, passing 50 three times. By contrast, his form against the red ball dipped and after averaging only 16.50 from 22 innings he lost his place in early August. He managed only two Championship matches the following summer.

Lancashire released him at the end of 2012, but Derbyshire, desperate for top-order experience, became his third county when he signed a two-year deal.
ESPNcricinfo staff