Queen's Park Delights

 posted by John Winn

I have spent the last two days with two good friends watching an endangered species, county championship cricket, on what in the opinion of many is the most beautiful out ground in the country, namely Queen's Park, the home of Chesterfield CC. 

With my friends John Gawthrope and Arthur Bartle I travelled down to north east Derbyshire on Monday morning where on the first day Middlesex had been bowled out for 251, with Pettman, on a short term loan from Notts, taking three wickets. By stumps  Derbyshire had eased to 28 without loss and we were in plenty of time to see them resume their innings on Monday. With the splendid Shan Mahood a delight to the eye receiving good support from Godleman, Guest and Madsen, Derbyshire reached a strong position by mid afternoon at 170 for 2. Enter TS Roland Jones who blew the middle order and tail away with five wickets to leave the hosts all out for 229 and we had seen ten wickets fall before tea time. 

Middlesex extended their lead to 117 by the close mainly from the bat of Mark Stoneman, formerly of Durham and Surrey, who hit nine fours to be 60 not out at stumps. A slightly later start still saw us in our seats in good time before the third day's call of play. Rather like Derbyshire's innings the previous day Middlesex slid down the hill in quick time assisted by some poor shots and a crazy run out which saw Simpson on his way. 157 for 4 became 196 all out, three wickets apiece for Reece and and Anuj Dal. 

So Derbyshire needed 219 to win and the Lower Ure Valley trio, deciding that a finish was likely in the day, especially taking into account the possibility of an extra half hour being taken, changed our plans and determined to see the match through. We were treated to another gem of an innings from Mahood, whose family were present to watch him. He lost opening partner Godleman, another run out, for just two, and when Guest went to make it 49 for 2, the game seemed evenly balanced but Madsen joined Mahood and by the time the latter was dismissed for 98, leaving him 9 short of his 1000 for the season, it had become Derbyshire's to lose. Aggressive innings from du Plooy and Reece made it clear that The Peakites fancied a day off and Middlesex began to look resigned to leaving the delights of a Holiday Inn behind them and returning to London that evening. 

In the event there was no need for the additional 30 minutes as Reece hit 35 off 34 balls and Madsen was content to keep him company until the target was reached and Middlesex suffered their first defeat of the championship campaign. Notts, after crushing Leicestershire yesterday, are now top ten points clear of Middlesex and Derbyshire with their second win are third. 

Leaving Chesterfield an hour later than on Monday meant we avoided the heavy traffic in the town centre and despite some congestion on the M1 we were back on home ground a little after 7:30 content in our minds that we could not have had two better days cricket watching but uneasy as to what the ECB plans to do next in its plan to step by step kill off championship cricket.