MEETING AN OLD FRIEND

By Brian Sanderson,

   Today was a chance to go to a new ground which was Swarkestone in Derbyshire  . The match was a Second Team Trophy 50 over match between Derbyshire and Yorkshire.The first person I met was Michael Missett who lived in  Halton were I was born and he went to the same Grammar School as myself over fifty years ago We had met previously mainly at Trent Bridge were he has been a member for thirty years.

The ground is surround by cornfields and is near the main railway goods line into Derby.

Derbyshire won the toss and decided to bat.One of their openers was Thomas  Craig Knight who was born in Sheffield and has played England under 19 ,s in 2011 and in the World Cup 2012.It seemed to be his day to-day and made the most of his luck.He was last out been run out by Jack Leaning on his last ball of the innings after he had scored 125 in 145 balls included one 6 and fifteen 4.s.

This is a photograph of him celebrating his century.The best Yorkshire bowler was Ryan Gibson who bowled his eight overs for twenty-two runs and taking a wicket.The third highest scoring for Derbyshire was extras of 20 runs included 16 wides.

This is a photograph at half time of our seats  empty awaiting the start of the Yorkshire innings. Hopes were high for a Yorkshire win as we felt Derbyshire score was short of about twenty runs.Yorkshire opened with Will Rhodes, England under 19 captain and voted the best all rounder in the recent World Cup and Andrew Hodd, from Sussex.Rhodes was soon out to Footitt for 16  and Hodd going at the total of 45.It was left to Dan Hodgson and Jack Leeming to steady the ship and hopefully win the match.There  was talk of a Hodgson century but was out for 83  l,b.w to Palldino with the score on 171 in the thirty-eighth over. Next wicket to go was Leaning for 54  ,four balls later.It needed either Hodgson or Leaning to bat through to win the match but this did not happen and Yorkshire finished on 206 for 9 so losing the match.

The company was good and the weather warm but disappointed with the result.Darlington to-morrow.