Because of family connections my wife and I are regular visitors to the Peak District but our usual route takes us through Chesterfield and past Chatsworth. Yesterday I took the high road, leaving the M1 at Barnsley and going over the Woodhead Pass before descending into Glossop and for the first time a visit to the excellent facilities at North Road. Glossop CC, members of the Greater Manchester League were hosting a Second Eleven Championship between Derbyshire II and Yorkshire II. Entrance was free but it was hard not to shell out £2 for an excellent programme and scorecard.
It was fortunate that I arrived early, tea and bacon sandwich, for the start was at 10:30 and I was joined in time for the opening over by Messrs Thorpe and Hinchliffe. Yorkshire, captained by Karl Carver had a familiar look to them but a group of Derbyshire supporters sitting near us remarked on several unrecognised faces in their eleven. Yorkshire won the toss and batted with Lees and Birkhead first at the crease. The former, despite a forty minute stay, almost inevitably went for only ten and it must have added to his chagrin that almost without exception the rest of his teammates made runs. Birkhead, Imtiaz, Waite, Thompson and Shaw all got good scores and exposed the deficiencies of Derbyshire's pace bowling which included two trialists from Warwickshire, Spencer and Thornton, who were over bowled.
Star of the day for The Peakites was spinner Tom Brett who finished with 6 for 70 as Yorkshire were bowled out on the stroke of six o'clock for 421. Fielding was not easy on the scorched outfield, some catches went down and one or two took nasty knocks. Cricket aside there was plenty to entertain us for the cricket club share their enclosure and facilities with the local bowls club and during the afternoon there was chance to watch a match in the Stockport and District Men's Veterans League, honours to Glossop on very fast greens. For those for whom bowls is too exciting the frequent trains to Manchester provide a diversion as they pass the bottom end of the ground. A strong South Yorkshire contingent had pitched camp here.
As I type play has resumed this morning with Derbyshire 49 for 1, Kettleborough bowled Waite 23. Could be Waite's match after his 93 yesterday.
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