CHAMPIONS!!!

                                Thanks to Peakview for the picture!

At the end of four of the most memorable days of my sporting life, Derbyshire emerged as champions of division two in some style, with a convincing win over Hampshire by six wickets.

The win, in the end, came after a run chase that was accomplished with nonchalance, led by the cultured strokes of Usman Khawaja, who played a second crucial knock of the match and saw us home, taking the man of the match award for his two fine innings.

The win came after we chased 197,  "or nineteen and a bit incremental tens" according to Alan, whose company I thoroughly enjoyed throughout the game. Together with Peakview we watched, got nervous and laughed as the innings ebbed and flowed. After canny bowling and fine fielding (great catch Bozza!) ended the Hampshire innings, skipper Wayne Madsen and Paul Borrington led us off well, before both perished in the two overs before lunch.

At 45-2 it was evens, but Wes Durston hit the first ball after lunch for four and batted steadily before being adjudged leg before, then Dan Redfern got one that turned and nicked it to leg slip. By that stage it looked somewhat academic and Ross Whiteley came in to finish a game in which he had a claim for man of the match with five huge sixes.

It was a great day to be a Derbyshire fan and a crowd of between one and two thousand flocked to the front of the pavilion to see their team presented with the trophy that their season's work so richly deserved. It was emotional and there were a few people in tears, understandably so. This young side had defied the odds and come out on top of the division in which many had predicted them to be strugglers. The success was just reward for Karl Krikken and his coaching staff, as well as for Wayne Madsen and his team.

Afterwards I spent some considerable time in the pavilion, meeting and chatting with a number of people who helped to make the day so special. Chatting cricket, hockey and life with Wayne Madsen and his delightful wife Kyla was thoroughly enjoyable, while Steve Durston, father of Wes was engaging company. So too was Tony Palladino, whose passion for Derbyshire cricket shone through in everything he said. "I'd run through a brick wall for him" he told me, nodding towards Chris Grant, adding "and you can put that on your blog."

 Tom Poynton's hands seemed to have stood up to the season pretty well (he showed me...I asked) and the Derbyshire side seemed more like a gang than a team. The team spirit that served them so well was evident and good to see.

Twenty minutes in the company of CEO Simon Storey convinced me that Derbyshire have a bright, intelligent man with plenty of ideas and the desire to see them through, while Chris Grant showed once more why he is so highly thought of by having a word with everyone, from media to fans, players and families. Without doubt Mr Grant is a massive asset to Derbyshire cricket and I lost count of the number of people who told me that they "thought the world of him."

It brought home to me that Derbyshire is a family club, a friendly club, with outstanding personnel behind the scenes who complement their counterparts on the pitch. There was even an opportunity to congratulate Tom and Nathan in the marketing department on another summer of excellent work, especially in the Twitter feed, which has been first class this summer.

All of which, I hope, explains why this blog is late tonight! Next summer will be a challenge and some will have us relegated already. This includes the most boring man in cricket, Mr RGD Willis, who apparently suggested on TV that we were fortunate to get promotion. Not that anyone cares what he thinks, given he was rarely fit to play the county game...

Me? No. It will be a struggle, but with keen recruitment this side could survive, stabilise, then move on from there. I am heartened by displays against division one sides in one-day cricket, hardly our stronger suit and feel we could do OK with a little luck. I'll talk more about my ideas for improvement in the next week or so, but this is not the time.

Now is for celebration. Wayne Madsen has led his young side to silverware, only the fifth Derbyshire captain to do so. That is quite special, but to do it in his first season is extraordinary.

Warm congratulations to all concerned. You've done us proud. And thanks to everyone who I spoke with over four days and your nice comments, which are more appreciated than you will ever know.

DERBYSHIRE ARE CHAMPIONS!!!!!