Seconds battle at Derby
Tue 26 Apr 2016
REPORT | By Pete Johnson
We arrived at Swarkestone CC to be greeted by watery April sunshine, the weather forecasters predicting that the morning was to be the best part of the day, with snow showers expected in the afternoon.
For an outground, Swarkestone has organised a plethora of groundstaff who were eagerly beavering away as a backdrop to the players doing their pre-match warm-up routines.
County resumed on their overnight 68-3, with the ‘left handers union’ of Harry Dearden 20* and Will Wright 1*. Wright (3) was soon on his way, trapped in front by Tom Milnes operating from the Railway End.
Soon afterwards Dearden (35) was smartly taken by keeper Harvey Hosein diving to his right taking a smart catch off of Greg Cork who was on at the Village End. This was a very solid, watchful, and dutiful innings from the ‘Lancashire Pocket Rocket’ who had remained at the crease for 152 minutes, facing 85 deliveries. The score was 100-5 at that stage.
Birthday Boy James Sykes entered the fray, and played out the remaining five balls of the over, from Cork. Sykes (1) was then another lbw victim, this time to Shiv Thakor. I wonder if like Jamie Vardy, Jamie Sykes is having a party? Second thoughts Canaries have not got much to sing about at the moment.
Debutant Leo Cammish (0) then went in the same fashion lbw to Thakor, who had replaced Milnes at the Railway End, the score being 109-7. Leo Cammish was replaced by Rob Sayer, but there was no song and dance about it from anyone.
Amidst this clatter of wickets Adam Tillcock was standing firm, slowly but surely picking off the bowling. Sayer had a little cameo making 19 from 26 balls before being caught at first slip by Alex Hughes off Thakor, County on 135-8.
Another debutant, Zimbabwean Dustin Melton, joined Tillcock. Melton no doubt disappointed that he had no pies to tuck into from the Derbyshire attack, County going into lunch on 153-8 from 57 overs.
After lunch the score had reached 163 when Tillcock (31) was yet another lbw victim, this time to Ben Cotton, who had replaced Cork at the Village End. A very responsible innings from Tillcock who absorbed 105 deliveries over 140 minutes, contributing some grit and determination to the middle order.
Melton found the rope on 4 occasions, and struck Milnes straight for a maximum. Hughes the Derbyshire skipper resorted to deploying a third man after 59.4 overs, somewhat of a collector’s item these days. You would get 15 points in an I Spy book nowadays, for spotting a third man.
Melton (29) finally departed caught at cover by Jon Tattersall off the bowling of Milnes. A bright and breezy knock from Melton that put a bit of wag in the tail. County all out for 173 from 64.1 overs, Ollie Freckingham 1*.
Between innings I had the pleasure to witness Umpire Alan Payne stoking up his pipe, and have a good old smoke on the outfield. The stem of his pipe being gun barrel straight, and strictly parallel to the ground, a spirit level would confirm its straightness, and his cheeks going in and out at a tremendous rate of knots, as if he were sucking a lemon. His jaw bone resembling that of Desperate Dan. A real throwback to yesteryear seeing someone treat a pipe with such loving affection, and vigour.
Scott Elstone and John Tattersall opened up for Derbyshire, and Elstone was very fast out of the blocks, finding the rope on seven occasions in the first nine overs. Atif Sheikh took the brunt of his assault, operating at the Village End.
At the Railway End Dustin Melton started off with three consecutive maidens. I suppose Tattersall has seen a few maidens in his time (bit of a horse racing connection, get it?). At 3.13pm bad light stopped play with the score on 47-0 from 10.1 overs.
Bad light then developed into sleet and then snow. A couple of eskimos turned up to watch the game, but soon left as it was too cold for them. The players finally came back on the field at 5.43pm, having taken tea during the lengthy stoppage, 19 overs having been lost.
Just after the restart Freckingham removed Tattersall (10) expertly caught by Dearden at second slip, who showed a rapid reaction. Elstone cruised to his 50 (10x4/48b).
Elstone had advanced to 66 when he was a further lbw victim, trapped in front by Tom Wells. There was a further stoppage for bad light at 6.40pm, with Derbyshire on 112-2, from 23 overs. Alex Hughes 28* and Thakor 2*. With black clouds hovering above the ground the Umpires abandoned play for the day shortly afterwards.
