Drawing to a close but not quite.

posted by John Winn

Having watched on Sky the last knockings of the first class cricket season come to a close just a few moments ago it seems an appropriate time to make a posting. Not quite the end of the season but always a key signpost in the year of the keen cricket follower. Congratulations to Derbyshire, if it could not be Yorkshire as champions of the second division, then I am very pleased  for the east midlands club, especially as my wife is from The Peak District and very proud of her Derbyshire roots.  What a remarkable turn round in their fortunes since Karl Krikken replaced John Morris midway through last season. I hope they have laid in new supplies of silver polish for I imagine the tin they bought to shine up the B ad H cup in 1993 has long passed its use by date.

Having been at The County Ground yesterday I toyed with the idea of going back today, especially as my ticket, which only cost me £5:00 would still have been valid. The strong winds we had overnight and the fact that I am off down to Cornwall on Monday for a few days ( no cricket as far as I can tell) put any lingering ideas to bed but I enjoyed seeing the day's play on TV. Yesterday's visit was my first since 2009 and therefore since the square was turned through 90 degrees and how much better the ground looks today than it did when I first went regularly twenty years ago. And through all the improvements Derbyshire continue to give good value for money in the cafe at the city end and they did good business there yesterday.

Travelling by train yesterday I saved  a decent sum of money by booking form York to Sheffield and then Sheffield to Derby. Although this meant not leaving York until 8:44 I was still in the ground by 10:50 and soon found Brian Sanderson. As the day went on we were joined by a number of other pcws and with the pa system keeping us up to date with events at Cardiff and Chelmsford it was easy to follow the race for the title. Shortly after tea it became clear Kent had blown their chances and by close of play Yorkshire had put themselves in a winning position and it must have been very frustrating for them to be overhauled this afternoon. Good though that they have finished the season so strongly with three wins, but how many different ways are there of thinking where they might have got the extra bonus point that would have given them the title. Probably even more than the number of debenture holders in The Carnegie Pavilion.

Earlier in the week I spent two days at The Riverside where yesterday Durham overcame Sussex to record their fith win out of the last six matches and finish a comfortable sixth in the table.   Good to see Rushworth finish so well improving his pb figures for the third time this season. My friends from Sussex could only stay for the first day and even then they left at tea. I think the difference in temperature from Hove last week to Chester le Street on Tuesday came as a traumatic shock.

There is still league cricket to be played and the Arthington festival, which will provide material for postings and as last year I hope to make occasional contributions over the winter to which end I have been stockpiling my winter reading and may offer the odd book review from time to time.Please  keep logging on!

Tidying up national competitions Cornwall were comfortable winners over Buckinghamshire in the MCCA Championship play off final and Lancashire II won the SET final at Crosby which was held over from Tuesday to Thursday. On Sunday it is the final of The Kingfisher Cup at Derby between Wanstead and York.