Season Preview

I have been doing a season preview for Derbyshire County Cricket Club since 2009, but I have never before written it at the end of July. Come to think of it, I never expect to again, either.

It is frustrating, because I was (and am) very bullish about our prospects. Yes, I am a perennial optimist, as those who have been with me over the years will testify, but I think that optimism is shared with most of the fan base these days.

It would have been even higher had things gone to plan and we were adding Ben McDermott and Sean Abbott to the squad. Both are still on the playing staff, according to the club site, but we must wait until next season (hopefully) to see them in the county colours.

That same web site fuels my enthusiasm, especially where our prospects lie for the Vitality Blast. It lists only four of the playing staff as out and out batsmen, with two of those being Wayne Madsen and Leus du Plooy. Since they have both turned their arms over to good effect, one could justifiably add them to the impressive collection of seven all-rounders listed. This depth offers much in one-day cricket, both in variety with the ball and depth in batting. With the services of talented young players secured for the coming seasons, there is every right to be positive, especially when few, if any counties will be bolstered by overseas players this time around.

The top four of Godleman, Reece, Madsen and du Plooy is as good as there is anywhere, with three left-handers ensuring bowlers need to adjust their natural lines. All can score quickly, but have proven that they can dig in when the need arises. The limitation on first innings to 120 overs in the Bob Willis trophy will see a first innings conclude at lunch on the second day, if not before, with ninety overs maximum in a day.

The likely first choice engine room may be Hughes, Critchley and Hosein, who as the only keeper on the staff will likely play all formats. There will be opportunities for Tom Wood to show what he has to offer, while Nils Priestley is likely get a game or two in the T20. Expect Fynn Hudson-Prentice to push up the order too, building on an excellent first season impression, while Anuj Dal is a likely fixture in the T20, offering brilliant fielding, fast running between the wickets and useful medium pace. Mattie McKiernan will also push for inclusion, with his leg spin a dangerous option on the right tracks and his batting capable of adding quick runs.

As for the bowling, it is a likely last hurrah for Ravi Rampaul, whose Kolpak status will end with the season. We could engage him as the permitted second overseas for next year, but whether he or we would consider that in twelve months time is a moot point. Tony Palladino will again let no one down and will remain as metronomically accurate as ever.

Perhaps the greatest excitement and curiosity is in the seam attack. Dustin Melton will also become an overseas player at the end of the summer, but if his pace can harness greater accuracy he will keep batsmen hopping around, while Michael Cohen's left arm seam has reportedly been measured in excess of 90mph. They don't like it up 'em...

Then there is the bounce and movement one would expect from the tall Sam Conners, fresh from his new contract award, and Ben Aitchison, engaged to the end of the summer but with every possibility of a considerably longer stay after impressing in Australia and in the Minor Counties.

Another reason for optimism is that I couldn't honestly call our strongest side just now. We haven't seen them in action or in the nets and the eighteen-man playing squad could line up in plenty of ways. More important is that it gives pointers for 2021 and I would love to see what the short-term recruits could potentially do for the future.

With Rampaul not back from Trinidad in time for the first game, I will hazard a guess at the following line up for Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on Saturday, barring injuries in the friendly that starts against Lancashire tomorrow:

Godleman
Reece
Madsen
du Plooy
Hughes
Hosein
Critchley
Hudson-Prentice
Palladino
Connors
Cohen

Love to hear your thoughts on that team and your thoughts on prospects. It is a one-season four-day trophy, with a five-day final between the two teams finishing on the most points. We have a tough group, with Lancashire, Yorkshire, Durham, Warwickshire and Worcestershire all having home advantage on us, with the Incora County Ground in use by England Ladies.

It is worth winning though and my final sign of progress is that I look at those counties and fear no one.

Bring it on.

Now Conners signs 2-year deal

It has been quite a week for Derbyshire supporters.

Following on from the deals for Tom Wood and Ben Aitchison, we heard that Matt Critchley had signed a two-year deal with the club.

Today the news breaks that Sam Conners has also signed a two-year deal, just reward for a lot of hard work.

For me, Sam always looked the most likely of the young seamers we had a couple of years ago to break, through. While James Taylor has moved to Surrey and Alfie Gleadall has left the staff, Sam seemed to have the height, bounce and whip that the top seamers have. He has performed well in sporadic appearances but I expect him to now be pushing for a more regular place in the attack. 

He has faced his issues with injury, which have hampered his progress, but he will now be fit and raring to go for this and the next two summers. 

He has a good coach in Steve Kirkby and I am confident that he and Michael Cohen will prove a very useful and lively attack. He can handle a bat too, and supporters have every right to be optimistic after the events of the past week. 

It is all up to them, now.

Congratulations, Sam. 

Go well!

Critchley signs new two-year deal

Hot on the heels of this week's short-term contracts for Tom Wood and Ben Aitchison, today's news of a new deal for Matt Critchley is one to gladden the heart of county supporters.

The deal, which will see him remain with the county until at least the end of the 2022 season, is one which was hoped for, but there is always concern that the circling wolves might come in with a 'better' offer. It doesn't always work out so, of course, and the club's history of the past 25 years contains more players whose best days were with us than those who went elsewhere to better things.

At 23 Matt Critchley has time on his side to make such a move in the future, but he has the opportunity to fully realise his undoubted talent with the county that gave him opportunity. Watching from the boundary edge and from afar, I got the impression that Matt wanted to be part of a stable, positive environment that could enable his cricket to kick on to the level that we all know it can be. Prior to the arrival of Dave Houghton, who has created one that is massively appreciated by all of the players, things changed too much for the development of a young player of talent. There was no consistency in coaching, too great a turnover of them and a spell where they were left to their own devices, to some extent.

That works for some players, but others need that coaching input to set them on the right road again, when things get tough. Houghton has created an excellent group of coaches and it is no coincidence that we looked a very good side for a lot of last summer. Yes, there are still days when the intensity dropped and the performance suffered, but in having a small first team squad, everyone knew that opportunity would come their way. With such positivity generally comes productivity.

The club has been good to him. There have been spin clinics with Shane Warne, trips to India, the recruitment of bowlers like Tahir and Mendis to learn from. He has travelled to Australia to work on his game there with Stuart MacGill, who earlier this year said he rated him highly and backed him to play for England.

He is a very good cricketer who will undoubtedly get better still. As a bowler he is developing a lovely loop to his leg spin, which proved a very valuable asset in last year's T20 campaign. He also has a greater accuracy, without which the art can be an expensive one. As a fielder he is excellent, while his batting will come again after challenges. He isn't always the best starter of an innings, but I watched a knock of both charm and class at Chester-le-Street last summer which confirmed his ability as a genuine all rounder. He may not open in T20 cricket these days, as he did with success as a designated pinch-hitter, but he has the power and timing to add crucial late innings 'oomph' in one-day cricket, as well as being able to rebuild should it be required. I have every confidence that he will add to his three first-class centuries in the not too distant future, a stronger batting unit giving him better situations in which to arrive at the crease.

Above all he is a lovely lad. He pays tribute to the support of 'coaches, players and supporters' in today's press release and to that positive environment at the club.

I am thrilled to bits with this announcement and look forward to seeing his continued development at the county in the years ahead.

Derbyshire sign young seam bowler, Ben Aitchison

I have been very reassured in the past few days, especially with the return of county cricket in the very near future.

Today came news that a short-term contract for the remainder of this season has been offered to former Lancashire and Cheshire seam bowler Ben Aitchison, 21. He had limited opportunity at his home county but has done so well in Australian grade cricket over the past two winters that they appear to have been keen to have another look. He also performed well for Cheshire in the Minor Counties, while playing with distinction for his home club at Formby.

Sussex were reportedly keen, as were other counties, but Derbyshire got in first for a tall seamer (pictured bowling for Formby) who almost without precedent was playing first grade while unsigned by a county in this country. Only eleven bowlers in the division took more wickets and he now has the opportunity to make a case for a longer-term deal.

Interestingly, he played his grade cricket in Australia for the same side, Parramatta, as Sean Abbott, so there is a nice link there. He will undoubtedly get opportunity in what remains of this summer, alongside other young bowlers, Michael Cohen and Sam Conners. The future of the county lies in discovering and developing such young players and it is encouraging to see that Steve Kirby's recent words along those lines are being adhered to. With Luis Reece and Fynn Hudson-Prentice to lend all round support, the seam bowling seems to be in very good hands, with perhaps an overseas professional and the evergreen Tony Palladino to set the standards.

Those young bowlers have a fine coach in Steve Kirby. I have heard only good things about the bowling coach and like how he speaks in the interviews produced by the club. A fine and competitive bowler himself in his heyday, the youngsters have an excellent role model in Kirbs and I look forward to seeing their development in the years ahead.

Also encouraging is that TomWood blazed yet another century for Ticknall last weekend, making an unbeaten 131 out of 281-1 against Alvaston and Boulton. Their top four looks very powerful, with Paul Borrington making 82 and Joss Morgan, Wayne Madsen's brother-in-law, adding an unbeaten 39. With Greg Cork due in at four, few sides will fancy bowling at them this season.

I would love to see Tom get a crack at county level, as I have said on this blog many times over the years. His misfortune is that our top four of Godleman, Reece, Madsen and du Plooy is of similar quality to the legendary Barnett, Bowler, Adams, and Morris. Alex Hughes offers all round balance at five but Tom can only keep scoring runs and knocking at the door.

I also heard from a friend that we have picked up another very good young cricketer for next season. It hasn't been announced as yet and the name may not mean a lot to some people, but the player in question is also young and with a reputation to build upon after impressing in limited opportunities for his existing county. He also offers competition in an area that is needed, and is a player of terrific potential.

I am not going to announce the name, because having done all the work the club is entitled to break the news whenever it suits them to do so. But it proves that our coaching staff are starting to extend our traditional hunting grounds of Derbyshire and Staffordshire for talent.

As well as confirming that we are not sitting back on our laurels after last season's Finals Day.

That may well turn out to be just the beginning...

Postscript: just after I published this news came that Tom Wood has been awarded a similar contract for the remainder of the season. This comes, according to Dave Houghton, after 'looking sharp and impressing in training.'

I wish him well. People just need opportunity in life. Let's see what he makes of it. 

No cricket at home this summer

After the success of hosting the Pakistan touring squad at Derby in recent weeks, Derbyshire announced today that the England Ladies squad will be based at Derby in the weeks ahead, with all of their summer cricket played at the Incora County Ground.

It makes sense, of course. With a hotel on site, the environment is as bio-secure as it could be and the importance of top level cricket, to safeguard funding for the professional and recreational game is obvious.

It means of course that any cricket played by Derbyshire this summer will be away from home, something that the players and coaching staff are OK with. So too should be supporters and members, because we wouldn't have been able to attend matches anyway.

The club will be making very useful money from both of these ventures, which when one considers the loss to its off-field income in recent and coming months is of paramount importance. County finances will be very tricky this season and Ryan Duckett and his team are to be congratulated in securing two such prestigious 'gigs' for the club.

Hopefully we weather the financial storm and things can return to a semblance of normality for the 2021 season. That would be the 150th playing anniversary of its first match and for me more important than that of its creation. Any merchandise produced to mark it will be equally relevant next year and I will be sure to buy my share to plough cash back into the club coffers.

I am sure that Dave Houghton has been looking at the squad and is already planning for next summer, regardless of what cricket is played this year. With uncertainty over international travel and fixtures, he will need to plan for various eventualities. In the coming weeks the retained lists will be published and I feel for those who have had no opportunity to impress in the final year of deals across the country.

Some will have their final year honoured, perhaps, but for others it will represent opportunity lost, which is a real shame.

Interesting question from Clay Cross Mark

An interesting question came in the week from long-term blog follower and supporter Mark.

He asked if I thought that the decision to allow a second overseas player for the County Championship and RLODC next year might see us engage both Ben McDermott and Sean Abbott for all formats. The club has already said that they hope to move their deals for this year to 2021, but the niceties of their deals have still to be confirmed.

Of course, until we know the fixtures and their timings, that is inevitable. Nor do we know the confirmed international calendar or whether Cricket Australia will be prepared to released them.

To answer Mark's question, my assumption is that the fixtures will be similar to what was proposed this year. All things being equal and assuming player fitness, I would expect Sean Abbott to be asked to lead the attack for as much of the summer as he can manage, while McDermott would be ideally for the one-day formats. His powerful batting is better suited to the shorter forms, while his engagement for four-day cricket would do no favours to Harvey Hosein. Playing two wicket-keepers in the side would seem excessive, and our greater need for four-day cricket would not appear to be for a wicket-keeper batsman.

If we assume (and hope) that Tony Palladino will be offered another year with the county, the need to give game time to Sam Conners and Michael Cohen, along with Abbott, should see the seam attack well covered, especially when the loan market can be utilised.

Much then depends on Matt Critchley signing a new deal this winter, because his all-rounder role gives balance and a spin option to the side. If he signs, which we all hope he will, then a spin bowling all-rounder might offer a good option. If he doesn't, then a specialist spin bowler who can bat would be a sound move.

There are too many question marks at present to give a definitive answer. Will Matt McKiernan's contract be extended? He is the only other spinner on the staff and that decision may tie into what happens with Critchley. What will the international calendar look like? Counties will look at the touring West Indian and Pakistan squads this summer, but none of us know how long the challenges of Covid-19 will be around, nor who is prepared to travel around the world with the inherent risks.

I wouldn't say no to Roston Chase, a talented all-rounder whose batting average comfortably exceeds his bowling one, while the current squad would benefit from someone like Jeevan Mendis, a quality spinner and useful bat.

Mendis is 37 now though, which for me legislates against another option, that of engaging Ravi Rampaul as an overseas, rather than Kolpak. While I think having him as a T20 specialist at the age of 36 has some merit, I am less sure that he would be fit for or wanting to play four-day cricket and RLODC,

So the short answer to a very good question is that I don't know.

There are too many interlinked strands that need to be unpicked before anyone does, too.

Book Review: The Unforgiven - Mercenaries or Missionaries by Ashley Gray

I got to the end of this book with one thought in my mind.

That it is in the top half dozen cricket books of the thousands that I have read.

It really is that good. Not because it has two former Derbyshire players (Peter Kirsten and Lawrence Rowe) on the front cover, but because I have complete admiration for anyone who has put in the hard yards to get a book to publication. I compared it to my own experiences in writing In Their Own Words: Derbyshire Cricketers in Conversation. The hardest issue I found was in pinning down a suitable date for some interviews, the subjects almost without exception delighted to talk about their careers, the high and low points.

Australian writer Ashley Gray appears to have not enjoyed such luxury. He travelled to the Caribbean and to the United States in the hope of interviewing the West Indian players who went on the so-called rebel tours of South Africa in 1983/84. Some were happy to chat, others reluctant, a few decided against it after initially saying yes. There were requests for large amounts of money, and a hostility from some that is eye-opening.

The tours were well-intended, with the idea of showing that black players could compete as equals on the same pitch as their white counterparts. With South Africa excluded from the international fold because of apartheid, it was an opportunity for the best team in the world, the West Indies, to tour and perhaps open the door for a return.

Except it didn't work out that way. Although the squad that toured was a strong one, the very best players from the Caribbean didn't tour, even if several had first indicated that they would. It caused a rift of seismic proportions in West Indian cricket, with friendships lost forever at the same time as playing contracts. Most of those who toured never played in the West Indies again and certainly not for them. They became outcasts and a tour that was meant to be life-changing proved to be just that, but very much to the detriment of most members of the party.

Some did well. Lawrence Rowe, the tour captain left his native Jamaica and set up a successful vacuum seal business in Miami for three decades. The amount of money received for the tours was life-changing, but some were some were not prepared for it, spending it on fast cars, drugs and drink. For every Rowe and Albert Padmore there is a David Murray, once a highly-rated wicket-keeper, even if he spent much of his time on the pitch high on marijuana. He now spends his time selling drugs to tourists in Bridgetown, the physical deterioration sad to see. Then there is Herbert Chang, a talented batsman and Richard Austin, an all-rounder of genuine ability, both suffering from addictions and mental deterioration. The latter died in 2015, his slide from international all-rounder to shoeless street beggar a tragedy.

Or there is the supremely talented Bernard Julien, once regarded as the 'new Sobers' but distracted by his penchant for women and alcohol in equal measure and now battling depression and throat cancer. The author never did get his interview with him, despite travelling across the globe in order to do so. Nor with Colin Croft, whose curt 'I want nothing to do with you or your project' does little to change your mind on a gruff persona.

The overriding feeling is that the players were well-meaning but very naive. The volatility of their domestic setup was always going to leave them as persona non grata back home, despite their protestations to the contrary. It likely helped to some extent in South Africa, but their eventual reintegration into the international fold was to require a political swing that seemed unlikely at the time. For their many detractors, the tourists sold their reputations and dignity to extend the life of a disgraced government.

The cricket was competitive, as it was always going to be when two international juggernauts collided, but the financial reward for the tourists was tempered by reactions back home and even in the country, where a number of them encountered racism on their travels. They were looked after, treated as 'honorary whites' and entertained, they fathered a good few babies and enjoyed hospitality wherever they went. Yet the conclusion I drew is that few of them would make the same decision again, even if most were at best peripheral figures at international level, at the time of the tour.

A comparison with their English counterparts, who toured in 1982 and 1989, is valid. After a three-year Test ban most of the English tourists continued their careers in cricket, several reaching high office within the game's establishment or successful careers in the media or coaching. Those from the Caribbean, with the exception of Sylvester Clarke and Franklyn Stephenson, who had long county careers, effectively ended their cricketing lives with the tours.

The book is entertaining, harrowing and informative, beautifully written and researched by the author, whose first book is nothing other than a triumph.

Buy it or get it on your birthday or Christmas list. If you read better this year you will be very lucky.

The Unforgiven: Mercenaries or Missionaries is written by Ashley Gray and published by Pitch Publishing. It is available from all good book shops.

In My Mind's Eye Number 9: Garnet Lee (1887-1976)

There have been times, certainly in the years that I have watched Derbyshire, when the recruitment of players in their late thirties has rebounded badly.

Perhaps the same thoughts were entertained when the county signed Garnet Lee from Nottinghamshire at the end of the 1922 season. He was 35 years old and had to spend two years qualifying, before making his debut. So it was 1925 when the soon to be 38-year old made his debut and expectations will have been limited. He had struggled to hold down a regular place at Trent Bridge, despite being on the staff there since 1910. He was primarily a batsman, but the intervention of the Great War and limited his impact, despite opportunity. He had just started to find his best form in 1913 and 1914, but failed to recapture that in the first seasons after the conflict.

Yet even on his debut for Derbyshire, against Northamptonshire, it was noted by the watching press that he appeared to be 'the quality of opening batsman that Derbyshire had lacked for many seasons.' He made only 27 runs, but it was the way in which he made them that was important. He may have been senior in years, but at a time when young batsmen like Worthington, Townsend and Hutchinson were emerging, he gave them the requisite experience that was to aid their development.

His first season was a triumph, seeing him make a thousand runs for the first time, as well as taking wickets with leg spin and googlies that had been seldom used before. He was to go on and score a thousand runs six times in his nine seasons with the county, to go with almost 400 wickets in his first-class cricket career.

He produced a string of outstanding performances. In 1926 he scored 191 against Kent, as well as taking five wickets in an innings on four occasions. In 1927 he produced an outstanding individual display against Northamptonshire, when an unbeaten century was followed by bowling figures of 7-78 and 5-65.  A forcing batsman, he hit eight sixes in one century against Northamptonshire and supporters enjoyed watching a player who took the attack to the opposition, encouraging others to do so by his example. Reports reflect on the 'glory' of his driving and the 'sheer pleasure of watching bat put to ball in such a manner'. After years of struggle, it contributed to an exciting side, with Worthington and Townsend each contributing their own measured aggression to an increasingly potent mix.

His final season was in 1933, when the averages dropped a little and at 45 he was no longer the force that he had been. Even so, there was a century against Leicestershire and another against Northamptonshire, the thousand-run mark passed again, despite batting down the order. There were younger players in the wings, however, with Albert Alderman and Denis Smith ready to begin a successful partnership together, Harry Storer another alternative. The team was on the cusp of greatness and Lee had played an important role in its development.

He went onto the first-class umpires list in 1935 and remained on it, around the war, until 1949, when he resigned because of his wife's health. There were coaching engagements too, including a wartime role at Repton School, where he coached the young Donald Carr.

He was a regular visitor to both Trent Bridge and Derby in retirement, always happy to chat about the game and those that he played with and against.

Without doubt a player I would have loved to have known as well as seen, he died at his home at Hawtonville, Newark-on-Trent on 29 February, 1976.

(Image sourced courtesy of David Griffin from the Derbyshire CCC Archive)

Clarification on the Kolpak situation

So Tim Bresnan didn't end up at Derbyshire, which seemed unlikely all along and has instead got himself a contract at Warwickshire, where he will doubtless offer good value as a sound all-rounder for a few years.

The destination always seemed likely to be a Test ground county, which is, after all, where the money is (and isn't, with all the overheads and fingers crossed of getting a big match) in the current county set up. There are already players moving ahead of next season, with others announcing their retirement from the circuit at truncated season end.

Had Bresnan come to us, he would have been a like for like replacement for Ravi Rampaul, who will finish county cricket at the end of this summer. His Kolpak status cannot be renewed and realistically he is at an age where that would have been a gamble, regardless of the superb summer he had last year. There will be time to write about his contribution to Derbyshire in due course, but hopefully he can give us something to remember him by with his efforts in whatever cricket is played in August and September. We should know that in the near future.

Another player who will be unable to return is Dustin Melton, who like Ravi will be classed as an overseas player with effect from next summer. I feel for him, as he has had no chance to impress in his one-year deal and an ankle operation in the early Spring would have limited his cricket anyway.

However, better news is that both Leus du Plooy and Michael Cohen WILL be able to return in 2021. Both of them have European passports, under the terms of which they will be able to continue to build their careers and reputation in the county game.

Both, I am sure you will agree, will be welcomed back with open arms, We already know plenty about Leus, while Michael's left arm skiddy pace might enliven a few sessions around the country. Crucially, both are young enough to get much better, which promises to be something to keep your eyes on.

Of course, there are other players out of contract this year, most notably Tony Palladino and Matt Critchley. There are doubtless discussions going on with them at present and I am sure we all hope to see them back at Derbyshire in 2021 and beyond.

Whether the financial savings on the contracts of Rampaul and Melton allow for team strengthening is hard to say. County clubs will be mindful of the need to balance the books in a year when not just cricket but also commercial income has been badly hit. I would certainly be wary of suggesting there will be automatic replacements for them, and much will depend on progress in the coming couple of months.

Like the rest of you I am preparing to watch all of my cricket online, whenever it starts and just hope that it won't be too long before our favourites are once more out on the pitch.

Fingers crossed...

Postscript : after this was posted, news came that two overseas players will be permitted in both the RLODC and County Championship next season.

This brings it into line with the Vitality Blast and is presumably where the Kolpak money will be used. 

Interest in Bresnan as Derbyshire play waiting game

Whisper it quietly but we might yet see some county cricket this summer...

With county friendlies being announced around the country at the end of July, the thinking money is that there will be some proper cricket to enjoy from the start of August.

Enjoyed at a distance, it is fair to say, as I see no likelihood of crowds being allowed this summer, so we must all be dependent on the excellent streams around the country, together with whatever coverage Sky can put together of the tournaments played.

Like the rest of you, I will be fascinated to see the fixture lists and hope that I am able to see a lot of what is played, whether working from home or on my days off.

I also understand that the county is interested in acquiring the services of Tim Bresnan, who recently announced that he was leaving Yorkshire at the end of 2020. It will be quite a wrench for the player, who has spent his entire career with the white rose county, but he appears to be looking for a new challenge and would be a fine asset to Derbyshire in 2021 and beyond.

It would be an excellent signing but there will be stiff opposition around the country. If it becomes a bidding war, then he won't be making a short journey south, because we simply cannot compete on those terms. If, however, the player values staying where he is and not moving home, as well as a challenge of taking the club on to the next level, then there will be appeal in the Derbyshire offer.

Other options may well be Durham, also handy for the player, as well as Sussex, where he could link up again with his old county coach, Jason Gillespie.

He will not lack offers, that's for sure.

Presumably our interest suggests that this will be the final year for Ravi Rampaul, who will be 36 when next summer starts. He showed last summer that he was still a force to be reckoned with, but time moves on and two years can make a big difference to a seam bowler. His contract is up at the end of the summer, but it would be surprising to see him return in 2021, especially with Sam Conners and Michael Cohen needing opportunity to allow their undoubted potential to flourish.

His Kolpak status will end with that contract and we have already said that this year's signings for the overseas roles, Ben McDermott and Sean Abbott will return in 2021 (Covid and commitments permitting). 

Postscript: the club has now announced that pre-season training will start next week, with a hoped for season start of the beginning of August. 

Encouraging news! 

In My Mind's Eye number 8: Bill Bestwick (1875-1938)

In the course of my interviews with the late Walter Goodyear for my second book, the legendary former groundsman told me that he had got to know Bill Bestwick in his later years, when the former county stalwart had a flat overlooking the County Ground at Derby. The thought that with one man I was linked with nineteenth century cricket has stayed with me, just as the tales that Walter told me always will.

I have always felt that if there was ever to be a film made on the life of one Derbyshire-born player, Bestwick would be the likely subject. Had it been done a few years back, I always saw Alan Bates, a Derby man himself and wonderful actor, as perfect for the role as the 'bad boy of Derbyshire cricket'. Because for all of his talents on a cricket field, Bill was an alcoholic and created plenty of problems off of it.

I am so pleased to hear that Mick Pope's biography of the player should see the light of day next year, because it is very much a tale worth telling in all of its entirety, or in every gory detail, if you will.

He was a wonderful bowler and, as described by the former county secretary Will Taylor, 'a great-hearted and very pleasant individual, a wonderful trier - but he had his faults, as a good many of us have and he gave us, through his thirst, some very difficult moments'. Years later the Derbyshire all rounder Les Townsend would recall 'I was always scared of him, but not his bowling. He never bounced them around your ears but he was a fine bowler'.

Mick's book will doubtless tell the many tales of his life in the detail that is warranted, but here I want to recognise his worthy place in the discussions on any great Derbyshire quick bowler.

He was born in 1875 at Tag Hill, Heanor and was working at the pit by the time he was eleven. Later in life he would say that he never felt tired. 'You see, I had plenty of hard work as a youngster and after that, bowling all day in a cricket match feels like nothing.'

He made his county debut in 1898, though continued to work down the pit in the winter as an insurance policy. He developed slowly, like so many others, and took a short run for someone of his pace. It got shorter still in later years, yet he still surprised batsmen with his pace, which was generated by his massive shoulders and physical strength. The photograph that accompanies this article is one of my favourites and he must have been an imposing sight as he ran in for over after over.

In 1900 there were 5 five-wicket innings, 2 ten-wicket matches. He increased this to six in 1902, then ten and eleven in 1905 and 1906, in each of which seasons he passed a hundred wickets. Good judges regarded him as a better bowler than Arnold Warren, who was selected for England, but there were question marks over his fielding, which was never good and his batting, which was even worse. Indeed, in his last 280 first-class innings he failed to reach twenty, his career-highest 39 made in 1900.

Yet as a bowler, he was special. His captains could effectively leave him on to bowl at one end, almost without any sign of tiring. He would bowl in excess of 800 overs a season and was a potent weapon.

Then it all went wrong. His wife died in 1906, leaving him with a son, Robert and the drinking got worse. In 1907 he was charged with manslaughter after a Heanor man, William Brown, attacked him with a carving knife, following a pub argument at the Jolly Colliers Inn there. Brown was later found dead  by 'severance of the main blood vessel of the neck'. Bestwick only learned of it when being treated for cuts and slashes to the face at his brother's house nearby. The account in the Derbyshire Advertiser for February 1 1907 makes for harrowing reading, but it seems clear that the verdict of 'justifiable homicide' was correct, Bestwick acting in self-defence after being attacked and slashed to the face and hands by a man who mistakenly felt he was having an affair with his wife.

In 1909, tired of his excesses, despite 178 wickets in the two preceding seasons, Derbyshire dispensed with his services. A fresh start was called for and after a brief spell as professional at Nelson in the Lancashire League, terminated early because of a breach of discipline, Billy went to South Wales, where he remarried and worked in the colliery, playing for Glamorgan in the Minor Counties in 1914.

That should have been the end of the story, but in 1919 he was invited to return to Derbyshire, with cricketers of ability in short supply after the Great War. He took 90 wickets, but then returned to play for Glamorgan in 1920, before agreeing to another Derbyshire return in 1921.

He was 46 when the 1921 season began. By the end of it, through sheer physical strength and considerable skill he had taken 147 wickets and bowled over 900 overs. Seventeen times he took five wickets in an innings, still and always likely to be a county record. Against Glamorgan at Cardiff he took all ten wickets for only forty runs, he and Tommy Mitchell remaining the only men to do so in the club's rich history.

Despite all of this he was an unreformed character. Arthur Morton was deputed to look after him on the dangerous away trips, but Billy managed to evade him more than once. The game before that was at Bristol and he was rendered incapable by a couple of late night sessions there. He was even considered a doubtful starter at Cardiff, but he declared himself fit and George Buckston, his captain, asked him to open the bowling.

He took a wicket with his fifth ball and clean bowled seven of his victims, taking all ten wickets before lunch in just nineteen overs. While perhaps not understanding the mentality, one can only admire the constitution that allowed that.

He never changed. The following year he was left out of the team at Worcester after another night out, but recovered sufficiently to pay his own way into the ground and barrack his own side. In that year he came close to a hundred wickets again, as he did in 1923. Only in his last two seasons did the haul decline, but he was fifty in 1925, had a season best of 7-20 and still took his 35 wickets at just fifteen runs each.

He enjoyed the company of his son, Robert, in the side of 1922, though his spell in the county game was short and only two games. Thereafter Bill became a first-class umpire, standing in 238 matches including three Tests.

He died on May 2, 1938 at Nottingham General Hospital. Cancer finally claimed the man with the iron constitution and the tributes from around the country were testimony to his talent. Only Les Jackson and Cliff Gladwin have exceeded his 1452 wickets for the county. Only Tommy Mitchell and Les Jackson have exceeded his 104 five-wicket hauls. No one is likely to better that 10-40 analysis.

He really was that good, yet modestly recalled late in life 'I just concentrated on making the batsman play and aimed to hit the stumps every time'.

(Image sourced courtesy of David Griffin from the Derbyshire CCC Archive)

In My Mind's Eye Number 7: Arthur Morton (1883-1935)

Arthur Morton, from Mellor in the High Peak SOUNDED like a Derbyshire player.

It was his unfortunate lot to be born and become one at a time when we had a side that was as weak as at any point in history, to lose some of his best seasons to the Great War and to die in the December of the year before we became county champions.

All things considered, fate was not favourable to Arthur, but such blunt assertions mask the fact that he was a cricketer of considerable fortitude and ability. As a batsman he was dogged and diligent - you don't do aggression when the next collapse is only a wicket away. He was a man for a crisis, in much the same way that Fred Swarbrook would be years later, the averages similar, though Arthur was a right-hander. He was good enough to score six centuries, as well as 45 half centuries, the scorecards and reports of the period confirming that there was no real surprise in the partial or full resurrection of an innings when he was at the crease. Most of his runs came in front of the wicket, making him a firm fan favourite. He eschewed risk, but a bad ball was punished. He was a firm fan favourite, 'good old Arthur' and he was one of the few certain selections at a dark time in our history.

The Derbyshire batting was brittle, the onus on the bowlers, to give any chance of a win, to take wickets and concede as few runs as possible. That may sound a case of stating the obvious, but in the era after the war, until his retirement in 1926, there were rarely runs to play with. In his first-class career Arthur took 981 wickets and conceded around 2.5 runs per over. There were 63 five-wicket hauls and eleven ten-wicket matches, as he became an opponent to be respected, regardless of the quality of the rest. His partnership with Bill Bestwick, fast medium seam at one end and slow medium off spin at the other, was a precursor to the 'brimstone and treacle' of Bill Copson and Tommy Mitchell that enabled the success of the side a decade or so later. Contemporary reports say that he had 'several variations' with his off spin and he rarely failed to capitalise on favourable conditions.

Indeed, there were occasions when the two WERE the Derbyshire attack, such as at Worcester in 1921. The home side were dismissed for 214 in 95 overs shortly after tea, with Bill bowling 43 and Arthur 42 overs. It was far from a unique instance of Morton going above and beyond the call of duty. In 1914, against Yorkshire at Chesterfield he scored 50 in an all out home total of 68, in scoring 73.53% of the total setting a county record that is still to be beaten.

He made his first appearance in 1903 and there was a slow and steady improvement until he burst forth in 1910. Bestwick had been sacked for misconduct the previous year, leaving the attack even weaker, but Morton took 116 wickets that summer, a figure only previously beaten once in the county history. He chipped in with useful runs too and in the summer before war broke out, in 1914, passed a thousand runs in the season for the first time. There were just too many occasions when we needed another ten like him.

Only in two seasons, one of them 1919 when like everyone else he hadn't played for four years, did his bowling average exceed 23. He took 89 wickets in the awful summer of 1920, when Derbyshire failed to win a match and again took a hundred wickets in 1922. The output was reduced by a motorbike accident in which he suffered broken ribs in 1921, riding as a passenger on the motorbike of Yorkshire's Abe Waddington on the first evening of the fixture between the two sides at Hull. He was ruled out of the rest of the match, as well as several to follow and with Gilbert Curgenven also injured, the second innings amounted to only 23 runs. Bestwick, now returned, gave half of a recent collection to Morton to partially compensate him for lost earnings.

The two were good friends, Morton given the onerous task of keeping Bestwick out of trouble on away trips, a task he appears to have fulfilled with the diligent professionalism of his cricket, if not always with the same success. He was also a talented golfer and billiard player, becoming a respected first-class umpire when his playing days were over.

His bad luck continued in 1924, when his benefit match at Chesterfield was ruined by the weather and he earned 'only a couple of hundred pounds.' It would have been accepted with the shrug of the shoulders that supporters had come to know well.

He died at Mellor after a long illness on December 18, 1935. It was one week after being appointed to the list of umpires for what would become Derbyshire's championship season.

He would have enjoyed that. With 10,813 runs and 966 wickets in the county colours he had established himself as one of its finest all-rounders, as well as one of its most popular cricketers.

(Image sourced courtesy of David Griffin from the Derbyshire CCC Archive)

In My Mind's Eye number 6: William Storer (1868-1912)

I was first drawn to the name of William Storer because he was born at Ripley, like me. As a youngster I recall my Dad taking me to see his grave, though at that stage I knew little of his reputation or talent. Nor of his nature, because William, or Bill as he was more commonly known, was another member of a late nineteenth century team that suffered fools somewhat unwillingly.

In a dressing room full of strong characters, only the strong survived. Perhaps it accounted for the later decline of the county's fortunes up to the Great War, because many a talented young local player broke into the county side but failed to realise their promise. Bill Storer was one who got into the side as a Daryn Smit-style all-rounder. He was a fine batsman, good enough to become the first professional to score a hundred in each innings of a first-class match. He was a good enough wicket-keeper to play for England, while on occasion he could bowl leg breaks that turned a considerable distance. He took five wickets in an innings on four occasions, and over 200 first-class wickets confirms him as huge asset to a team, whatever role he played in it.

He was born at Butterley Hill, Ripley on January 25, 1867 and played for Butterley Cricket Club with considerable early success. He was only nineteen when he made his Derbyshire debut, though the step to the senior game proved problematic for a couple of seasons. Once he was tried behind the stumps, in 1890, he never looked back and became a key member of the side.His style behind the timbers was unusual, because he stood up to the wicket, regardless of the bowler's pace, his style perhaps similar to that of Karl Krikken in not crouching as the bowler ran in to bowl. He even stood up to Charles Kortright, reckoned the fastest of the day, and earned lavish praise in 1893 at Lord's, playing for the MCC against the Australians, when he held four catches, stumped another and didn't allow a single bye, even with the Essex man bowling.

His first great summer was 1896, when he scored over 1200 runs at an average in excess of fifty, including that two-century match against the powerful Yorkshire side of the period. When George Davidson scored his 274 against Lancashire, his own century aided in a partnership of 308 for the third wicket. He passed a thousand runs for the season in seven successive summers, making him perhaps the best wicket-keeper batsman to play for the county. He frequently headed the county batting averages and was often near the top of the national figures too, as well as maintaining a high standard behind the stumps.

He toured Australia in 1897-98 and in the words of commentators, only MacLaren and Ranji batted better than him. He did himself no favours, however, by running out the Australian batsman Charlie McLeod, who was deaf, and walked off after being yorked by Tom Richardson and failing to hear the no ball call. Storer shouted for the ball, which had gone down to third man, to be thrown in and removed a stump, the batsman declining MacLaren's offer of reinstatement. In the final Test he told the umpire 'You're a cheat and you know it', which resulted in censure by the MCC. They needed no further reason not to pick him.

At county level he could be hot-headed too. In a game against Essex at Leyton in 1895, he refused to play when his brother, Harry was omitted from the team. When play began he had still not left the team hotel, but eventually arrived and took his place. His protest continued, pulling his hands away to allow byes, and kicking balls for overthrows. Eventually the captain, Sydney Evershed asked Levi Wright what he should do, being told to send him off. Evershed, who appears to have been a considerate man, replied 'But what of his future'? and likely had a quiet word. Storer cooled down and subsequently kept wicket brilliantly, holding five catches.

Ill-health caused him to retire prematurely, in 1900, at the early age of 33. Having lost George Davidson the previous year, the detrimental impact on the county can be imagined. The club awarded him the Yorkshire fixture at Chesterfield in 1902 as a benefit, but life was thereafter a struggle for William, his wife and their five children.

He suffered from dropsy, or oedema as it is now known, usually a sign of congestive heart failure, liver or kidney problems. Poor diet can also be a contributory factor and his declining health eventually saw surgery to relieve the build up of fluid in the legs and ankles as the disease took hold. Fluid build up in the abdominal cavity often sees the patient 'tapped' to remove the pressure on internal organs, but Bill Storer must have been in considerable pain in his last years.

He died in Derby on February 28, 1912, not too long after his 45th birthday. He was buried at Ripley Cemetery on March 2, in a grave next to his brother Harry, who had pre-deceased him by four years and had only reached the age of 37. His county cricket career was limited to five matches, but he played football as goalkeeper for both Arsenal and Liverpool.

Harry's son of the same name became a gritty and long-time opener for Derbyshire, as well as a footballer and football manager worthy of a book in his own right. He was one of  small handful of men to represent both Derbyshire at cricket and Derby County at football, going on to manage the Rams for a long time too.

Both clubs sent wreaths to the funeral, which was attended by William Chatterton, Walter Sugg, Joe Humphries and the club secretary, Will Taylor, among many others. It was another sad and premature end to a cricket life and career that made a large contribution to the county side.

It would be some time before someone of comparable talent was to appear in the county colours.

(Image sourced courtesy of David Griffin from the Derbyshire CCC Archive)

The best eleven I have seen

Using the same selection criteria as Stephen Malkin, whose idea it was, here is the best county eleven of my time watching Derbyshire.

Kim Barnett
Peter Bowler
John Morris
Wayne Madsen
Chris Adams
Eddie Barlow (captain)
Dominic Cork
Geoff Miller
Bob Taylor
Mike Hendrick
Harold Rhodes

There are some wonderful players who have given me great pleasure and entertainment outside that eleven. I would have loved to include Billy Godleman, several other overseas stars, Ole Mortensen, Devon Malcolm, Graeme Welch and many more, but of course you can only play eleven.

The batting largely picks itself and what a top six! Most of my vintage will pick Barnett, Bowler, Morris and Adams, while Wayne Madsen has played some astonishing innings for us, over many years. The ebullient Barlow, a game-changer and captain nonpareil at six, before two contrasting England all-rounders.

The greatest of them all behind the timbers and his number of victims would grow with an opening attack of Hendrick and Rhodes. I enjoyed all of Mike's career, while in seeing only the last few years of Harold's, realising what a bowler he must have been in his absolute prime.

Bowling? After those two there's Cork and Barlow, Miller for the spin and Madsen, along with Barnett, for support.

If I had four days of cricket watching left, I would take that side, all in their prime, to handle anything thrown at it.

MY Derbyshire. As usual, I welcome your comments, if only to say what an awesome team that would be.

PS I would have Fred Swarbrook as my twelfth man. A character, a very good spinner, dogged batsman and top professional. There might be the odd game when we needed a second spinner and Fred, in his pomp, was very good indeed.

Over to you

A nice idea came this week from Stephen Malkin, who wrote as follows:

Hi Peakfan,

How about asking your readers to pick a Derbyshire XI from their time watching Derbyshire?

I have been a member since 1983, although I was first taken by my father to watch Derbyshire v Gloucestershire at Burton-on-Trent in 1969, the first year of the Sunday League, 

Including only one overseas player, my team would be: K Barnett, P Bowler, J Morris, C Adams, D Jones, D Cork, G Miller, P De Freitas, K Krikken, K Dean, D Malcolm. 

This would be a team to win the County Championship, my only reservation that there isn’t a left handed batsman. They might not get on, but as was shown in 1996 on the field they had the utmost respect for each other. If Dean Jones had been a bit more ruthless towards the end of that season, particularly the game away against Somerset, they would have won the league. 

Of my team the openers record speaks for itself KB in my opinion Derbyshire’s greatest ever player John Morris on his day the finest English batsman of the modern era to play for Derbyshire ,Chris Adams again on his day not far behind. Dean Jones to drive them on with his motivation as well as being a great batsman, the three all rounders all played Test cricket for England with around  3000 first class wickets between them. Krikk was unorthodox and brilliant, some of his catches standing goalkeeper style  to the quicks were unbelievable. Kevin Dean had the rare ability as a left arm bowler to move the ball very late both ways. 

I picked Devon over Ole Mortensen because Devon was that rare bowler who got better with age at 35 he was twice the bowler he was at 25 with very little reduction in pace. This bowling attack had enough variety to bowl sides out on most pitches especially with Jones getting behind them and driving them on.

That's a nice idea, Stephen. While recognising that younger readers will have less options, I would love to see and publish your ideas. Please email them to peakfan36@yahoo.co.uk

Mine will be up in the coming days.

So tired, tired of waiting, tired of waiting for you...

Today's title comes courtesy of Ray Davies and the wonderful Kinks.

My feelings on the absence of cricket are amply illustrated in that line. You really don't realise what you have until it isn't there any more and while my garden has benefited from the absence of cricket and football from my life, I miss it badly.

I hope you are enjoying my pieces on the early heroes of the club, as much as I enjoyed reading more about them in contemporary articles in the British Newspaper Archive online. It helped me to get a better 'handle' on them and turned them from names and players into people. In the process I found a lot of stuff that I never knew and I hope that they have been of some value and interest for you.

Most of my blog week, such as it is, has been taken up by someone from overseas who keeps trying to post spam through the comments boxes. He/she must have tried fifty times this week to post the same thing, taking up however much time. If they are reading this, please save yourself some time, because the filtering on Blogger is excellent and easy to use. It takes me less than five seconds to tick two boxes and delete them, because I don't want anything on the site that isn't relevant to the game and specifically Derbyshire's place in it.

In other news, I came across a nice piece on Twitter earlier, which asked who you modelled your bowling action on as a child.

Mine was easy.

Between the ages of ten and fourteen I wanted to be Alan Ward, whose upright action, flowing run and arch back, prior to releasing a thunderbolt, was a thing of magnificence. In trying to replicate it, I realised that I was around a foot too short for authenticity, not to mention about forty miles an hour. At the start of a net session, or my first spell in a game, I would run in to release my weapons of mass destruction, usually to the detriment of line and length. Once I had it out of my system, and my back started to hurt, I settled down to something more sedate, considerably more accurate and a lot more effective.

After waking up too many next mornings with back ache, I realised another role model was required and I became Eddie Barlow (pictured). This was far more authentic, as I had the requisite glasses for one thing and Eddie was far from fast. I even cultivated the mopping of my brow with a forearm, which Eddie did, while attempting to fix any batsman who hit me for four with a basilisk stare worthy of the great man.

I got my share of wickets in school and club matches, but my batting style was more Alan Hill than Barlow. The chances of my scoring a hundred between lunch and tea were slightly less than my being the winning horse in the Grand National, even if I did surprise team mates in one match by putting the first ball of the innings over mid wicket for six. Slow and steady did it, even though my boundaries always, to me at least, had the natural flair of the Cape...

He is one of the many Derbyshire players I would have loved to know and am sure that I would have emerged from the encounter the better for it. Not one contemporary has ever had a bad word to say about him and his contribution to them and the club.

Which is why, when the club asked about our greatest overseas player earlier in the week, my answer was unhesitating. Peter Kirsten was brilliant, and the best batsman I have seen in county colours, while John Wright was less flamboyant but not far behind. Barlow brought them both to Derbyshire and his example transformed a club that was dying.

Before Barlow, you always got the impression that we went into matches hoping not to lose. There was plenty of grit, not too much flamboyance and precious few wins between 1971 and 1975. If it happened it was a special individual performance, but when Eddie arrived, and especially when he became captain, the whole ethos changed.

Derbyshire went into matches EXPECTING to win. We didn't always, but the wins became more common, the young players developed confidence under a skipper who oozed it and the cricket became purposeful, aggressive and dynamic.

In three all-too-short years he transformed the club. As my Dad said, as we watched him look every bit as good as Sobers while playing for the Rest of the World in 1970, 'If we signed that fella there'd be no stopping us'.

Like a lot of other times, he was right. Had we managed to get him then, rather than five years down the line, who knows what we might have achieved?

Barlow was the best. It was an absolute privilege to see him.

In My Mind's Eye Number 5: Arnold Warren (1875-1951)

Will Taylor was the secretary of Derbyshire CCC for 51 years, between 1908 and 1959. In his later days - and he lived until 1976 - he was happy to tell anyone who listened that the fastest bowler he had seen in the county colours was Arnold Warren. 

Considering the many fine names who appeared for Derbyshire in the intervening period, that is an impressive, informed opinion. It was not held by Taylor alone, however, as plenty of good judges in the era before the Great War declared Warren the fastest bowler in the country.

Descriptions of his run up and action remind me of Alan Ward, another who was upright, fluent and tall, not to mention lightning fast. Batting gloves and protective wear had moved on a little by that time, so one can only imagine the consternation when Warren, like Ward, first burst onto the scene, rattling barely-protected knuckles and ribs with balls that lifted, when ordinary bowlers struggled to get any bounce.

Warren came from Codnor, where his father and sons had a successful building firm. Some of those houses can still be seen today, but Arnold saw a career in sport as his first choice, after some fine performances in local cricket. He played his early cricket on the ground of the Butterley Company and made his first appearance for Derbyshire in 1897. It wasn't until 1902, after a decent apprenticeship, that he became established in the side, matching increased accuracy to the pace that was always there. 

His breakthrough year was 1904, when he became the first Derbyshire bowler to take a hundred wickets in a Championship season, taking 124 in 22 matches. Had there been Test matches that summer he may well have earned recognition. The Athletic News in August 1904 said that 'no bowler currently playing has anything like the devil, or break on a plumb wicket [combining] unplayable length with very sharp break back'. It also said that he 'would take many more wickets but for the poor fielding of his county' and suggested that England honours may be near.

That was to come in 1905, when the Australians were the visitors. He had earlier impressed the England captain, Yorkshire's F.S. Jackson, with match figures of 12-126 against his county and Warren was brought in for the third Test at Headingley.

In 19.2 overs he took 5-57, including the prize wicket of Victor Trumper, as well as Monty Noble, Joe Darling (the Australian captain) and Warwick Armstrong. Good wickets all and when he followed this with the wicket of Trumper again in the second innings he would have been excused for thinking he had done well.

He was never selected for his country again.

His second innings bowling was noticeably less menacing, according to reports of the time and the story ran that Warren, partial to alcohol like his team mate, Bill Bestwick, had "over-celebrated" with friends after his first innings heroics. He wasn't the only fast bowler on the circuit to enjoy the offerings of the beer tents and hostelries, but it offered too easy an excuse to exclude him in the future.

He could bat too and with his captain, John Chapman, he shared in a world record partnership for the ninth wicket of 283, against Warwickshire at Blackwell in 1910. They saved a game that looked hopelessly lost, though Warren too often got carried away with his hitting to repeat the century that he scored that day. Contemporary reports refer to him 'batting strongly', all too often appended 'but fleetingly'...

A strange accident in which he got ammonia fumes in his eyes while uncorking the bottle saw him admitted to Derby Infirmary in 1911, where only prompt medical attention as an in-patient prevented any detrimental effect on his sight. He played on for Derbyshire until 1913 (aside from a fleeting appearance in 1920) and a few lunchtime whiskies in the refreshment tent at Leicester in 1912 revived his spirits sufficiently for a devastating spell of 7-52 in 24 overs that won the game. That appetite for alcohol was more often having a detrimental effect, however and brushes with the law and a period of destitution saw him released at the age of 38.

He lied about his age and served in the Great War, where  he joined the Royal Garrison Artillery in 1915. He was badly wounded in 1917, suffering fractures to his neck, spine and right shoulder blade. Despite several months in hospital, he suffered constant pain thereafter, that one appearance in 1920 a minor miracle  in the circumstances. 

He umpired in first-class cricket through the 1920s and early 1930s and worked as a bricklayer at Ormonde Colliery until he retired in 1945. His personal life saw tragedy, the birth of a son, Martin, in 1906 tempered by the death of his wife the same year, after which he lived alone. He died in September 1951 and was buried in Crosshill Cemetery in Codnor, the mourners including Will Taylor and Denis Smith.

With Bill Bestwick he made up one of the finest, if least temperate  opening attacks in the county's history. On his day, he must have been quite spectacular to watch.

939 wickets at 24 runs each confirms his place in the local cricketing pantheon.

(Image sourced courtesy of David Griffin from the Derbyshire CCC Archive)

In My Mind's Eye Number 4 - Levi Wright (1862-1953)

L.G (Levi) Wright was one of the first early names of Derbyshire cricket that I became aware of, perhaps because he had the same name as my father. He was also perhaps the last survivor of the game's golden age in Derbyshire, only passing at his home in Normanton in January 1953, after a short illness.

• Obituary notices referred to him as the 'Grand Old Man of Derbyshire Cricket' His better known contemporaries were dead long before him and I would have loved the opportunity to quiz him further on his era and the characters who made it special.

Further? Unlike anyone else in this series, Levi Wright put down his memories in a manuscript that was published by the Derbyshire CCC Supporters Club in 1980, having been written and given to a friend around forty years earlier. It would have benefited from a little editing and one gets the impression in reading it, which I have done many times, that the player just sat down and wrote, perhaps without even revisiting it.

Nonetheless it is a priceless contemporary account of county cricket in the late ninteenth and early twentieth century and packed with anecdotes and pen portraits of its greatest characters, while Wright comes across as a modest man. Not only did he play for Derbyshire between 1883 and 1909, he also played football for Derby County and was good enough to be selected as a full back and centre half for the North v South game, as well as a reserve for the full England side.

The longevity of his career accounts for a batting average of 'only' 26. While he was always a stylish player, easy on the eye as he drove and deft in his placement of the cut and late cut, he didn't make his first century until he was 35 years old and reached a thousand runs for the first time at the age of 37. Such late flowering would be impossible today, yet between 1897 and 1906 he reached his thousand runs on six occasions. In 1905, at the age of 43, he was elected one of Wisden's Cricketer's of the Year, with 1855 runs at an average of 42.

He was an easy and automatic choice throughout that period, not only for those runs (he scored 20 centuries and 72 fifties) but also for his brilliance in the field, where he earned the reputation as one of the finest cover points in the game. His speed over the ground was a factor, but he held his share of catches that confirmed a safe pair of hands. This set him apart from a team that was otherwise not known for the quality of its fielding. His book refers to one player who put down six catches in one day...

Having flowered late, it is fair to say that he went on for a few years too long. His average dropped from 20 to 19 to 11 in his final seasons, which would have been sad to witness for supporters who had long enjoyed the style of his batting. Curiously, his last four centuries all came against the same county, Warwickshire, three at Edgbaston before his final 'ton' came at Derby, in 1908. It was a poor era for Derbyshire cricket, however and there were no real alternatives to an ageing professional.

When his playing days ended he continued as a clerk for the Midland Railway, a job he had held through the winter months, before becoming a regular at the County Ground in retirement. He lived for over forty years at 42, Derby Lane in Normanton, where he was remembered as a jovial man, always happy to talk about sport. He was a keen bowler too, a regular at the Arboretum Bowling Club.

Sadly, an interview with him in 1938, for the BBC Radio sports feature Cricket Interval was inadvertently wiped.

What a pleasure that would have been to hear.

(Image sourced courtesy of David Griffin from the Derbyshire CCC Archive)

Death of Bradbury announced as cricket MAY resume

It was a shame to hear from a blog regular the other day that Les Bradbury had passed away. 

It wasn't at that time confirmed, and it would hardly have been fair for me to mention something without that. Yet the news came through official channels later that one of Derbyshire league cricket's finest-ever bowlers was no more.

He played much of it for Matlock, but also did well for Undercliffe in the Bradford League, where he helped them to win the title in 1971, taking 35 wickets while Ashley Harvey-Walker boomed hundreds of runs at the other end with his bat, the weight of a standard table leg.

He once took all ten in an innings for Matlock, not unique but indicative of a bowler of more than average ability. The call to Derbyshire colours came in 1971, when he was 33 years old. He let no one down, least of all himself and took a wicket and a catch in the match.

Yet it was indicative of the club at that time. Too many good players had gone, bowlers were in short supply and the likely rationale was that both Les Jackson and his namesake Brian had been late developers plucked from the leagues - why shouldn't it work again?

Fifteen overs, one for 53 suggested that he could bowl and surely if it was worth doing once, the bowler was worth another chance? It didn't come though and realistically he needed to be five years younger to be worth a contract. He went back to the leagues and back to taking plenty of wickets for many years afterwards.

Rest in peace, Les.

Elsewhere, there appears to be a plan to play three regional groups of four-day county cricket in August if the current relaxation of regulations works, with T20 then scheduled for September and the season possibly extending into October.

It is welcome news, the likelihood being that matches will be streamed and crowds either not allowed or minimal. To be honest I am unsure how crowds can socially distance, when there will always be people wanting past to go to the toilet and bar. Maybe on international grounds it may be realistic with capacities reduced from thirty thousand to perhaps five thousand, but even then, safe social distancing will not be without dangers.

I suspect we may have to wait until next year to see our heroes in person and, with three vulnerable people in our house, the likelihood of me being sufficiently reassured to attend this year is remote.

More on this in the coming weeks.

In My Mind's Eye number 3: The sad story of George Davidson 1866-1899

Were it not for one feat, many modern Derbyshire fans would perhaps be unaware of the name of George Davidson. 

He still holds the record for the club highest individual innings of 274, made against Lancashire at Old Trafford in 1896. It sees his name mentioned whenever a county player passes the double century mark, yet no one, 124 years later, has surpassed it.

Centuries were also scored in that match by the two Williams, Chatterton and Storer. All three played a major role in what was a solid, if not spectacular Derbyshire side, on its day capable of beating anyone, though often flimsy in batting. Yet it is fair to say that like county elevens of a more recent vintage, dressing room relations were often far from cordial.

Levi Wright, one of the more consistent batsmen, recalled that 'the three leading professionals were unfortunately not always the best of friends and their manner and treatment of other players, particularly young ones on trial, was far from helpful'.

Indeed, things were so bad at one point that Chatterton and Davidson reputedly went through a season without speaking to one another, after an argument at dinner one evening. Davidson made a comment to the giant bowler George Porter, who suffered from sweaty feet, that apparently reduced the latter to tears. Chatterton took exception to it and laid down the law in no uncertain terms. 

Wright also separately refers to him being challenged to a fight by 'Jimmy Burns', perhaps the Essex bowler of the period. Even his obituary notices, which were sufficiently effusive commensurate to his talent, referred to a 'brusque exterior concealing a kindly heart'  and to 'his quick temper and hot-headed conduct'. 

Maybe not always an easy team mate then, but an extremely talented cricketer, one with a very interesting story.

In considering his attitude to new team mates, let us not forget that the lot of the professional in the 1890s was relatively glamorous, the challenge of someone new a threat to their livelihood. A good county player might earn only £150-250 a year, but that compared favourably to the lot of a labourer, the alternative for many, which was around £80-£100. To earn that money, you had to be selected. The standard contract was £5 a match for home games, £6 for away matches, out of which accommodation had to be paid for. On top of that, talent money might be paid, while collections would be taken for a good performance by a home player, which could earn as much as ten pounds. The irony of George's record score being made at an away ground, Old Trafford, was probably not lost on him.

A few professionals, like William Gunn and Arthur Shrewsbury of Nottinghamshire, did well in business ventures, but many worried about a life outside of the game and more than a few ended up in the workhouse when their playing days ended.

Like William Mycroft, George Davidson came from Brimington, near Chesterfield and honed his bowling skills with his father, Joseph. He was a good enough player to be a member of the first Derbyshire side to take the field, in 1871, and was known as an accurate bowler of off-spin. He took plenty of wickets in local cricket, even though he played only four first-class matches and took just six wickets. The two played together for Brimington Common and Davidson junior developed quickly. 

He worked in the iron works there as an unskilled labourer for 10d a day, before becoming professional at Keighley Cricket Club. He did well for them in 1885 and was offered a role on the staff at The Oval. Surrey wanted him to qualify and sign for them, as did Warwickshire later, but he only wanted to play for the county of his birth and made his debut for Derbyshire in 1886, against the MCC at Lord's. He took 5-37 on debut, something he was to do on 43 occasions, going on to take ten wickets in a match ten times. By means of comparison for modern supporters, his strike rate per wicket lies between that of Mike Hendrick and Harold Rhodes, confirming his ability quite nicely. 

For all that he holds that record score, Davidson averaged only a shade under 24 as a batsman from 260 innings, including two other centuries, but he added to that with 621 wickets at 18. If one takes the claim of any cricketer as an all rounder seriously, their batting average should exceed their bowling one, and these figures confirm that Davidson must have been a very fine player. 

Descriptions of his bowling suggest someone of Tony Palladino's pace, described as 'above medium but not fast'. He had a unique 'semi-circular' run up, starting at wide mid-off and had the ability to bowl for long spells, frequently doing so. Levi Wright recalled him disliking being taken off for any reason and praised him for his stamina throughout a long season. On one occasion at Leyton, he bowled from the start of the day at 12 noon until 1.35pm before a run was scored from him. He was taken off five minutes before lunch at 1.55pm and resumed again after the interval. A man of average height, he bowled right arm with great accuracy, as evidenced by a career record in which he conceded only two runs an over. He moved the ball off the pitch to great effect, with a fast, high action that enabled him, in the modern parlance, to hit the wicket hard.

The Lancashire game in which he scored 274 saw him bat for seven and a quarter hours. He followed this by bowling 57-34-75-3 in Lancashire's first innings, in which they were forced to follow on. To the modern viewer, used to players complaining of burnout and tiredness after a Test series, this makes astonishing reading.

Davidson also reached a century as part of another then record, the team score of 645 against Hampshire at Derby in 1898. With declarations not possible at this time, his captain, Sydney Evershed, told him to get out so the bowlers could get to work, but Davidson, confirming his contrary nature, ignored him and batted on to score his century, following it with another 31 overs and 6-42. As a batsman he was described as defensively sound, with the ability to play strokes when he got going. 

His annus mirabilis was in 1895, when he scored 1296 runs at 28 and took 138 wickets at less than 17. These are the figures of a special player, one who deserves to be mentioned when discussions of the county's finest take place. It was the first time a Derbyshire player did the double, and perhaps the result of spending the previous winter coaching and playing in South Africa, keeping his eye in quite nicely. He returned from the Cape 'bearing gifts and testimonials' after a series of fine performances. His record season for Derbyshire  saw him presented with a gold watch and chain by his friends at Brimington, as well as being talked about as one of the finest all round cricketers in the country.

He took a benefit in 1897, but contemporary reports blame Queen Victoria's  Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the weather for a cheque 'of meagre proportions' (£200) and comment 'it is not pleasant for the sportsmen of Derbyshire to feel that their favourite's reward was such a wretchedly small one and amounted, in fact, to absolute insult'.

It is hard to argue. Three times he took nine wickets in an innings for the county, every season but one that he played being the leading wicket-taker, while in 1892 he headed both the batting and bowling. Several reports comment that he was the 'biggest single reason' that Derbyshire remained a first-class county. His line and length were especially noteworthy and after twice bowling A.C.MacLaren, a giant of  the age, on a flat wicket in 1895, the Lancashire captain declared that 'he would exhaust anyone's patience with his metronomic accuracy'.

His final game for the county saw another record to which he contributed, albeit inadvertently. He had missed several matches with a strain when Yorkshire visited Chesterfield in 1898 but declared himself fit to play in Walter Sugg's benefit match. Wright recalled that it was obvious from the first ball that he wasn't himself, and it was all he could do to finish his only over. His absence from the rest of the innings left Yorkshire openers John Tunnicliffe and J.T. Brown a novice attack to face, and they responded with a then record opening stand of 554. It was the other side of a complex character, trying his best to play in the match to help his friend, even when he likely knew in his heart that it wouldn't work.

George never played for the county again. During the winter that followed, a bout of influenza quickly worsened into pneumonia and the man with the iron constitution died on 8 February 1899 at the tragically early age of 32, leaving a wife, six children under the age of seven and very little money. The editor of Cricket magazine in 1899 hoped that 'energetic steps might be taken by the gentlemen of Derbyshire on their behalf'. Given that the club was in its perennial impoverished state, it is unlikely that they ever did so.

It was an 'irreparable loss to the county and to the game of cricket', evident in the outpouring of the newspaper reports of the day. Few knew that he was unwell, so the shock was considerable for supporters and cricket followers. The story was covered in local press around the country, the opinion firmly of a very fine player cut off in his prime. Maybe, even yet, one of international standard.

'A very large crowd' attended his funeral, before he was interred at Tipton Cemetery, near Dudley on 13 February. This was at the wishes of his widow, who hoped to remain locally, even though the family wanted him buried in Brimington. His team mates Hancock, Storer, Sugg and Chatterton were among the pall-bearers, while wreaths were received from his captain, Sydney Evershed, the club and several individuals, as well as the MCC. An unusually candid report in the Derby Daily Telegraph of the time revealed that the player had been told, in the days before he died, that he could never play cricket again, such was the effect of the illness on his heart. Such news would have been hard to bear in his already weakened state.

In his obituary, Wisden recalled him as a cricketer 'just short of the highest class' who 'had he played for a better county might have enjoyed a still more brilliant career'. Former England captain Henry Leveson-Gower, a contemporary, in his book Off and On The Field said that 'he would have gone much further had he plied his skills elsewhere'. 

We have heard that plenty of times over the years. Given that players at that time continued well into their forties, he had at least another ten years ahead of him, when further records may well have been set.

Next year will be the 125th anniversary of his record score and there is perhaps an opportunity for the club and its supporters to do right by George Davidson. My research suggests that his grave at Tipton Cemetery is unmarked and may even be that of a pauper. It would be proper to look to mount a plaque, at least, to mark his last resting place.

After all, it is the longest surviving record in the county's cricket and his loyal and significant  contribution to its early years is worthy of belated recognition. 

(Image sourced by David Griffin from the Derbyshire CCC Archive)