BALLANCE BRILLIANCE

By Brian Sanderson,

On a cloudy morning I walked up to Headingley to watch Yorkshire play Derbyshire in a 40 overs match.It would be the first match for Mitchell Aaron Stac , the Australian left arm fast bowler who had been turn back at British Emigatrion so missing two matches. His number is 56 which in the bus number which passes Headingley ground.

Yorkshire won the toss and fielded.I watched the match from the Long Room with Ron Deaton and Bob Procter.The opening pair for Derbyshire were Martin Guptill and Chesney Hughes.Guptill is a New Zealander who has played 19 Test Matches and 60 one day matches so was very experenced.His partner was born in Anguilla and I first saw at Darlington in the second team. They put on a opening partnership of 137 until Ashraf bowled Hughes and this was in the 25 th over. At this stage it looked lie they would score 240 but as soon as Guptill was out they  only managed to get 219 for 8.Stac being the best bowler with 3 for 28.The feeling at half-time that Yorkshire did well to restrict Derbyshire and should get the total.

Lyth and Gale opened the batting  and kept up with the run-rate until both were out. Gale been bowled running down the wicket.There was a time when they needed to score at about 7 an over. Jaques got himself out for 47 and at this time David Wainwright bowled very tidily.It was left to Ballance to win the match which he did with a excellent innings hitting a number of balls over the boundary.He finished up on 77 not out.The Derbyshire bowling was ordinary with peoplev like Park and Redfern bowling who are part time bowlers.

A good victory with people before the match wandering why Sidebottom and Patterson were rested.