With Matt Taylor bowling a fiery New Ball spell against Glamorgan 2nd
XI, it was no surprise to anyone that he was added to the squad. After the
problems taking wickets against Sussex, it is also no great surprise that the
option of playing five bowlers – four seamers, including a left-arm option,
plus the ever-willing spin of Zafar – is on the table. The flip side is, of
course, that the tail becomes very long and, with first innings runs at a
premium, it’s a bold move. However, it is also true that Gloucestershire looked
best last season in low-scoring scraps, with the bowlers always on top.
Fortunately, as rain has ensured very few positive results – just 5 of
16 matches so far – the gap between 2nd and bottom is still small.
Durham, mainly thanks to having run-up some big first innings scores, have two
wins and a big haul of batting points and so have opened-up a bit of a gap at
the top. With the draw now worth only 5 points and not 8, bonus points become more
important than ever and, of course, it becomes less of a risk to chase the win.
Day 1
Rumours that International Rescue sent Thunderbird 4 to rescue Ed
Seabourne from his Derby hotel seem only slightly exaggerated. The rain that has
followed the Shire around has moved to the Midlands. While there was cricket
all around the country, there was no play at Leicester and the only way that
the players could have got onto the field at Derby was in scuba gear. Large
puddles in the outfield and more rain falling in the afternoon.
Yet another day of play lost, raising the count to 8 of 17 and, already,
there is concern that the ground may not be fit on the morrow. You also wonder
what the pitch will look like and play like when it is finally revealed.
Day 2
After an early lunch, to the surprise of not a few, play could start at
2, with 67 overs to play in the day. So, four sessions lost so far, but at
least a better weather forecast.
The Shire went for the brave, pragmatic choice. Ben Charlesworth and
Matt Taylor came in for Ollie Price and Jack Taylor. On the teamsheet, Charlesworth
is listed at 3 and Bobby Bracey at 6, with Tom Price at 7. Four seamers, with
Charlesworth to offer a fifth seamer option, plus Zafar, who deserves the freedom
of Bristol at very least for his efforts. Can a re-jigged side score the 300+
that is needed in the first innings to set up a position (and get that first
batting point in seven matches)?
Fortunately, we were not to found out. Emerald green pitch. GvB won the
Toss and decided to throw the ball to de Lange and Tom Price. 20-0 after four
overs made some fans nervous about the fast start as Harry Came decided to
score when he could, but it did not take long for Tom Price to find his range.
A straight one to Haider Ali. Straight into the pads. Thanks very much. 20-1.
The boundaries dried up as de Lange continued his job of enforcer and Tom Price
showed that his poor game against Sussex was just a minor aberration.
The scoring slowed, particularly when Matt Taylor came on and bowled a
mean spell of 5-2-5-0. It is certainly arguable that the pressure that he imposed
at the other end was what allowed Ajeet Singh Dale to make an explosive
contribution at the other. A couple of sharp chances went begging. Dale then
produced what may be the delivery of the season. Fast, straight, swinging in a
little. Brooke Guest missed it and stumps seemed to explode from the ground in
all directions. It was a peach of a delivery. Dale is certainly suggesting that
he and Tom Price could be a formidable New Ball partnership next season. In his
next over, he found Wayne Madsen’s edge and Ben Charlesworth took an excellent
catch, diving to his left. 48-1 had become 50-3. The first bowling point up in
the 18th over. Dale’s first spell was 6-0-17-2: he may sometimes go
for a few runs, but he is a natural wicket-taker.
One more wicket and Derbyshire would have been in trouble. However, Came and du Plooy steadied the ship and started to strike out again. Tom Price had a loud LBW shout against Came turned down at 82-3: it looked a little high, but it was a lovely delivery. As the 50 partnership approached, GvB decided that it was time to give Zafar a spin. He duly came on in the 30th over. Slip, Short Forward Square Leg, trying to put some pressure on the batsman. Up came the 100 in the next over, with de Lange aggressive, but expensive, with almost exactly half of the runs on the board coming from his nine overs, although he was unfortunate that, in his New Ball spell, a flying Bobby Bracey had just failed to reach an edge down the leg side and a tough chance in his first over had been missed by Miles Hammond in the Slips.
105-3 from 32 overs at Tea, with Came 49* and du Plooy 37*.
The breakthrough took just two balls after Tea. With Matt Taylor bowling wonderfully well on his return. Ball on a perfect line outside
off, moving away slightly. Bracey taking the routine edge from du Plooy, who
took an age to drag himself away from the crease: 105-4 and the opportunity on
offer to get to the tail well before the Close as the batsmen struggled against
the attack. It could have been 116-5 when Came’s edge off Dale fell just short
of the Slips. It was almost a shock when four runs came from the first three
balls on Taylor’s ninth over – hitherto it was just 8 runs from 8 overs – but the
fifth ball was perfect, on a 5th stump line and moving away a little
from Wagstaffe, the debutant. Thin edge, straight into Bobby Bracey’s gloves
and it was 120-5, with only Harry Came, on 55*, offering prolonged resistance. However,
the floodlights were on, the sky was heavily clouded and, at 130-5, off they
came for bad light with 24.3 overs left… at least in theory. It looked like
another almost full lost session, making five in the match so far and the pessimists
were not wrong: out came the stumps and another day was knocked on the head.
Day 3
With a better forecast, could the Shire at last get a break and bat in
better conditions after knocking over the lower order? With effectively five
sessions lost, the game would have to move very fast if there were to be the
chance of a result.
Before the Shire could bat, the solid resistance of Harry Came had to be
overcome. This proved easier said than done. Luis Reece gave him solid support,
and, between them, the score mounted. Up came the 50 partnership in the 57th
over. The bowling was disciplined, but not particularly threatening, although a
Tom Price shout for LBW against Reece looked awfully adjacent – presumably, the
umpire felt that it had pitched fractionally outside leg and bowled a superb
yorker that was just jammed out. Ajeet Singh Dale also had a loud shout denied
and, later, a much more optimistic one for a delivery that hit the batsman in
the midriff! However, it all looked awfully comfortable for the batsmen.
The Derbyshire plan was evident: grind out runs, hoping to accelerate
later and get first innings points then see if they could, perhaps, bowl the
Shire out cheaply.
Finally, with the ghosts of the Sussex game whispering about gathering,
Matt Taylor induced a loose drive from Luis Reece and Ben Charlesworth, the
solitary Slip, took a good catch, diving to his right. 186-6, the second
bowling point, 3-28 from 15 overs for Matt and an end open, which was an
invitation to bring on Zafar for the first time in the morning. He may not feel
comfortable with the temperature, which is cold even for the English players,
but what joy to see him spinning his web. He pushed the ball through to Came
but, against the new batsman, Alex Thomson, gave the ball some air inviting the
batsman to take a risk: Thomson brought up the 200 with the first of a brace of
boundaries from a Zafar over.
It did not take long for Harry Came to reach an excellent century,
without which Derbyshire would have been in some strife. Zafar’s willingness to
go for runs if it would bring wickets was justified when Alex Thomson pushed at
one just outside off, James Bracey took a sharp catch and, although Thomson
hung around after the finger was raised, he finally had to go. 222-7.
With Lunch approaching there was the delightful sight of the Captain
bowling a few overs very tidily in tandem with Zafar. The break came at 227-7.
Harry Came still there on 106*. Both sides probably reasonably happy with the
morning’s efforts, although probably Derbyshire slightly more.
During Lunch the sun came out. Even bigger was the news that Harry Came went
almost immediately, run out by Chris Dent with a superb dive, pick-up and throw
from Cover with just over an over left to the New Ball. Came 108. And,
immediately, back came Ajeet Singh Dale with two tail-enders in his sights.
186-5, with two well-set batsmen in no obvious difficulty, had become a much
more promising 230-8.
Matt Taylor took the New Ball and Sam Conners flashed at – and missed – the
first three balls. He then flashed at Ajeet Singh Dale’s first delivery of the
next over before, finally, edging the second. 239-9. Third bowling point
secured. Derbyshire 11 short of a batting point. Lakmal then came in and somehow
survived the final four balls of the over despite charging down the pitch at
the final delivery and missing completely with a massive wahoo. Henry Brookes took
his cue from that and launched two massive outside edges past the slips for
four. Lakmal took a painful blow on the hand from Singh Dale, launched the next
ball into the leg side for the two that brought up the batting point and the
batsmen headed for the pavilion. The declaration probably more a desire to
avoid the risk of injury to a key bowler than a sign of attacking intent.
Much of the New Ball bowling, particularly from Lakmal was poorly
directed initially. A long succession of dot balls reflected the difficulty of
reaching the ball as much as the difficulty posed by the bowlers but, when Sam Connors
got it right, consecutive balls were edged by Marcus Harris just past fourth
slip for boundaries. As Lakmal found his range and direction, he delivered a
series of genuine maidens: just a single and a leg bye came from his first six
overs. Finally, Chris Dent lost patience, attacked one that was neither short
enough, nor wide enough for the shot and chopped on: 27-1. Thoughts of scoring
350 quickly and putting Derbyshire under pressure were receding. In came Ben
Charlesworth. Wicket maiden for Lakmal, who had the ridiculous figures of
7-6-1-1.
Things got worse rapidly. Harris flashed at the first ball of the next
over and edged Reece into the Slips. 27-2 and a familiar feeling of impending
doom settling over the batting.
Fifty up with the last ball before Tea, 50-2 from 22 overs. Miles
Hammond 17*, Ben Charlesworth 4*. Work to do.
What followed in the next two hours was some of the best first innings batting
that have seen from the Shire this season, even if there were a few moments when
the supporters must have feared the worst.
While Ben Charlesworth accumulated slowly (at one point he had just 9
from 50 balls before hitting Henry Brookes for a two and a boundary in
successive deliveries to bring up the 50 partnership), Miles Hammond played
fluently and confidently. It is the mark of a confident batsman to go to your
fifty with a six, which he did in spectacular fashion. Henry Brooke put one in
Miles Hammond’s zone and watched it fly over Long On: a massive six and 50 in
64 balls for Hammond. The shot brought the hundred up with the last ball of the
34th over. If these two could stay together for another hour there
was a chance that they could do some real damage.
Luis Reece replaced Brookes in an inspired move for Derbyshire. Miles
Hammond fended a ball outside off and was acrobatically caught, one-handed, in
the Gulley. Once again, he had got to 50, but could not convert, but it took a fantastic
catch to shift him and he could consider himself unfortunate. A base had be set,
if only someone could push on. In came the Captain. First ball, fenced outside
off, straight to the ‘keeper. In two balls, 103-2 had become 103-4 and the last
recognised batsman was coming to the crease.
If James Bracey has been struggling for runs, you would never have
noticed from his start: a confident tuck off his legs for two from the hattrick
ball, an identical shot and result second ball, third ball, a delicious drive creamed
down the ground for four, and the over ended with another tuck off his legs for
two. Ten from four balls. The biggest problem that the batsmen faced is that it
was almost impossible to score from Lakmal at the other end. Fortunately, he
could not bowl for ever, ending his second spell with the remarkable figures of
13-9-12-1.
The scoring accelerated progressively as Reece and Connors proved looser
and provided some scoring opportunities. Ben Charlesworth got an extraordinary
four through the Slips from a very wide yorker that he just jabbed onto with a
horizontal bat, the ball squirting along the ground past everyone. All the
while, Charlesworth was batting calmly. He unleashed himself when Thomson gave
him one to hit and the ball was despatched into the crowd at Long On to move to
46. A single to Bobby Bracey brought up the 150 and, again, the batsmen were
getting on top. Bracey had been quiet after his fast start, but a pull and a
cut brought him successive boundaries and, again, the batsmen were getting on
top. All the while, Ben Charlesworth was batting solidly. Like Hammond, he went
to his 50 with a big shot, lofting Thomson just short of six over Long Off from
his 124th delivery. Brookes dropped it short and was hooked by
Bracey for consecutive boundaries. Just seven overs remained, if these two were
still together at the Close you could imagine a push for runs in the morning
and, maybe… Then, a ball from Brookes stayed very low. Bracey hit across the
line and looked horrified to be given LBW, although it was probably frustration
because he had looked so fluent, and a big score was there for the taking:
182-5.
195-5 at the Close. One stand would be enough to give the Shire a lead
and the chance of scoring 300-ish, which would keep the match just about alive.
See off the first hour in the morning and go from there. The Shire know
that defeat from here is well nigh impossible. They would need to lose their
last five wickets very quickly, allow Derbyshire to score very fast and then
collapse horribly again. By far the most likely result is a draw but, a lead of
50, followed by early Derbyshire wickets could just keep the spectators interested
well past Lunch.
Day 4
The game ended in a draw, as expected, but the route to get there was totally
unexpected. Gloucestershire could even, had luck been with them, been celebrating
the most unlikely of wins.
Of the games still in play, only the Lancashire v Somerset match looked
less likely to give a positive result. Bright sunshine. A pitch that still had
a tinge of green but was not the emerald blanket of the first morning.
Derbyshire needed quick wickets. The Shire, the 55 runs to get that batting
point. Leus du Plooy approached Graeme van Buuren and offered a deal to set
something up. GvB refused: perhaps he knew something that his opponent did not.
When play started, the 200 came up with a Conners No Ball. Despite a
sedate start to the morning slowly the bat was getting on top again. Tom Price
even had the cheek to guide a ball from Lakmal along the ground through the
vacant Slips for a boundary and, two balls later, directed a Cover Drive for
another. He tried to repeat the treatment with a firm pull to the next delivery
and was dropped at Mid-Wicket: it proved to be a costly miss as it allowed the
Shire to keep the momentum. A boundary to Charlesworth from the first delivery
of Lakmal’s next over and then a less controlled edge to Third Man for another made
it obvious that the batsmen were looking to up the ante. Eleven from the over:
more than the bowler had conceded in his first twelve overs. Quick singles were
taken to keep up the scoring rate. Amazing as it seemed, Lakmal was forced out
of the attack. A Ben Charlesworth pull then brought up the fifty partnership:
Charlesworth 75*, Price 25* and Derbyshire visibly getting a little nervous.
Off spinner Thomson finally got Tom Price for an excellent 32 to make it
245-6 but, by then, the bonus point and the lead were all but assured by this
solid partnership of 63. Charlesworth completed the formalities with another
boundary, moving into the 80s and took the Shire into the lead. He deserved a
century but, on 87, fended off a short ball from Henry Brookes and somehow
guided it off the face of the bat to the ‘keeper: 259-7, the lead just 8. It
had been just the innings that Gloucestershire needed, even if the end was
ungainly.
Lakmal and the New Ball did for de Lange: a low catch to 2nd
Slip, 275-8 and dreams of a second batting point and useful lead seemingly disappearing.
What followed was remarkable as Zafar and Tayor added 99 for the 9th
wicket. First ball, Matt Taylor produced an almost identical shot the one that
did for de Lange to an almost identical delivery but had the satisfaction of
watching the ball elude the Slips and scoot to the boundary. Soon after, he
produced a lofted Square Drive that shot to the Point boundary. 284-8, 16
needed for the 300. Matt Taylor was not messing around and took Reece for
successive boundaries – a 4 and an off-drive for 6 – to bring up the 300 and
the 50 lead shortly before lunch. Could the tail add 30 more, you wondered?
303-8 at Lunch. The lead 52. 68 overs remaining, but two to be lost for the
change of innings, plus two more in the unlikely case that there were a late
chase. Would the Shire push for runs, or just try to accumulate for an unlikely,
third batting point.
Sixteen from the first three overs after Lunch. Pushing the ball into
gaps and running. A couple of nice boundaries to Zafar. One in the zone from Henry
Brookes and Matt Taylor launched him over Long On for six. Were the Shire even thinking
of a cheeky declaration to deny Derbyshire the third bowling point? Seventeen
needed, Lakmal back. It made no difference to Matt Taylor: straight sixes ruled
out, a controlled edge raced to the boundary instead, taking advantage of the
bowler’s extra pace. A ball down leg and Taylor lofted it to the Mid-wicket boundary.
A crashing Cover Drive from Zafar brought up the 350 and a THIRD batting point.
Astonishing!
60 overs remaining, 99 the lead and the partnership, 75. Declaration
time??? No. Conners came back, Taylor cracked him for 4 to bring up the 100
lead and to get to 46. Lakmal dropped short, Taylor tried to hook and got four
leg byes over the ‘keeper off his shoulder. Taylor drove Conners for a boundary
and only his second First Class fifty and celebrated by skying a ball towards
Long On. A frustrated fielder chased but could not quite reach it to make the catch.
Zafar then swung Lakmal back over his head for six and his own fifty. Finally,
Zafar went for one big shot to many and hit the ball almost straight up. 374-9.
The lead 123 and the end of a wonderfully entertaining partnership of 99. Matt
Taylor continued to swing and brought up his First Class best with a Chinese Cut.
It was the sort of batting calculated to drive the opposition to distraction. Ajeet
Singh Dale was also swinging like crazy and, unsurprisingly, quickly went in
the same way as Zafar.
383ao. The lead 132. 53 overs to go.
Derbyshire started confidently, aided by some loose deliveries and an
attacking field that left gaps. At 24-0 from just 26 deliveries, it looked like
an imminent 5pm handshake. Sixteen deliveries later it was 28-3 and the most
unlikely of wins was looking possible.
First, the previously unmovable Harry Came lobbed Singh Dale to Miles Hammond
in the Gulley. Then, Tom Price pinned Haider Ali LBW and, finally, Price
shattered Madsen’s stumps. Brief mayhem. In came du Plooy who took 13 from Matt
Taylor’s first over and, once again, the momentum had shifted in the match. Du
Plooy and Guest continued to score at better than 5-an-over. The key moment
came just before the break when GvB had the chance to run out du Plooy, but his
shy at the stumps missed. Was that the game? In retrospect, Gloucestershire would
have had a good chance of winning had that chance been taken.
At Tea, with 40 overs left to bowl, it was 68-3 and hopes of a surprise charge
to victory were fading fast.
After Tea, it was Zafar at one end and Matt Taylor, with Bracey standing
up to the stumps, at the other. Gloucestershire needed a quick breakthrough
because, once Derbyshire got ahead, it was unlikely that there would be time to
chase anything other than the smallest of targets. Du Plooy got another life on
33* when Miles Hammond could not hold on to a hard cut above his head. 87-3, 33
overs left.
Still, there was some real emotion to come. Ajeet Singh Dale bowled a
bouncer at Brooke Guest who, obligingly, pulled it straight to Marcus Harris at
Mid-wicket. The end of a partnership that looked to be saving the game. 96-4,
30.3 overs left. Derbyshire still 36 behind. Still, something to play for. At
107-4 Zafar thought that he had caught and bowled Wagstaffe, diving forward.
The batsman stayed and the Square Leg umpire ruled that he could not see clearly
that it was a clean catch. Again, at 115-4, the fielders were convinced that Wagstaffe
had edged Zafar to Short Leg: again, “not out”. The caught and bowled had
looked clean. This one really looked out. When your luck is out…
Up came du Plooy’s 50 with a boundary. Derby just 8 behind so,
effectively, only 19 overs left as, even if the six wickets fell, there would
be two lost for the change of innings. Derbyshire were just about home. Scores
level in the 32nd over. 132-4. 16 off the Zafar over with another boundary
from the final delivery. Du Plooy must have been very close to being LBW to
Zafar at 138-4: it looked an extremely good shout with du Plooy back on the
stumps. However, later in the same over, Zafar got a wicket, although the less
valuable one of Wagstaffe, who edged to Tom Price at Slip. 139-5. 16 overs to
go. The lead 7.
Fourteen overs to go. The lead 18 and the floodlights coming on. The
bowlers kept running in, but it was obvious that it was not going to happen. The
end was signalled when Chris Dent came on for a bowl with a nominal 9 overs to
go and Derbyshire 34 ahead. A maiden was delivered, and the players shook
hands.
Gloucestershire take 11 points and move up to 6th. However, the
gap to 2nd is just 26 points. Incredibly, Yorkshire are bottom, just
behind Derbyshire.
A final game, against leaders, Durham, and the Blast starts.
Yet another match ended with a sigh of “close, but no cigar”. However,
it was a game of many positives for the Shire.
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