The Second XI SEC match at Stamford Bridge produced an exciting finish yesterday despite its problems with the weather. After only an hour's play was possible on Wednesday, not a ball was bowled on Thursday despite the weather being fine that day. Fortunately yesterday the sun was shining from the start of the day in the Lower Ure Valley and phone calls to the ground and scorer Howard Clayton confirmed play would start at eleven.
Having picked up my friend Michael Taylerson at York Station we were in the ground about ten minutes before play was due to start. Yorkshire resumed the innings they had started on Wednesday and a partnership between Tattersall and Leaning took them to 173 for 3 at lunch. Attempts to speed things up after the interval rather misfired and they collapsed to 209 all out with Matthew Higginbottom taking 5 for 51.
Derbyshire included a number of players who were familiar to us. Keeping wicket was Tom Poynton who played in fourteen championship matches last year. 100 miles away at The County Ground his replacement Richard Johnson was making 72 against Surrey, his maiden first class fifty for Derbyshire. The Peakites were captained by Durston and although Ben Slater's name appeared on the card he had been called to join the first eleven but made only seven before being dismissed by Tremlett. Amongst the Derbyshire XI was Chris Durham who was born in Cheshire: mentioned only to get three counties in one sentence.
Derbyshire conceded their first innings and with Yorkshire doing the same with their second Derbyshire had 51 overs to make the 210 needed for victory. This they never looked like doing for after a slow start they lost wickets steadily, several to lbws. Wardlaw was impressive for the home side bowling a full, fast, straight length. We remarked how much quicker he looked from the boundary edge than from the stands at Headingley. Yorkshire were denied victory by the last pair as Derbyshire finished on 86 for 9.
Knaresborough's Jon Tattersall must have reflected on what the last seven days have brought him. A week ago he was twelfth man for England at Headingley when Bell's illness gave him the opportunity to spend hours in the field and impress the twelve or so thousand spectators with his splendid fielding. Yesterday he made runs and fielded brilliantly but in front of a couple of hundred souls, if that. He even spent time on sightscreen moving duty as Derbyshire spinner Tom Knight alternated from over and round the wicket. All part of life's rich tapestry, Jon.
As ever the Stamford Bridge club worked hard to make the fixture a success with the usual raffle, tombola and refreshments but they must have reflected on the size of crowd they would have drawn on Wednesday if the weather had emulated yesterday's warm sunshine. If only.....
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