BMI baby for St George
Rayning Runs
By Diamond Ruled OK
April 24 2011
Diamond reports on build up to a gripping 4th day and the twist and turns of an enthralling match. This a superb read.
Early Start.
Having been up for yesterday’s proceedings I have no travel to report for today’s game. I opened the curtains of my hotel room at 7:20am to a view of the County Ground Derbyshire with the overnight covers still on and two ground staff beginning the job of preparing the ground for the final days play in what had been an enthralling match so far. Sun streaming in through the window and no wind stirring the flags on their poles on the corners of the pavilion, Derbyshire had announced today’s play as free admission so the crowd with the state of play and the good weather should be a good size.
A cup of coffee, shower and a quick check that Kev had not crashed the MTWD site again overnight (thanks to Shrek Wasp for fixing it yesterday) which he hadn’t and it was time to get ready for the days match reporting. This duty was passed to me by Kev when he was up at the game yesterday in his usual casual “ah you will do us a match report on the game tomorrow won’t you Diamond?” way. This would be the same Kev who knocked back free admission to day four, free lodgings (billet with Ken in his two bed bedroom) and a free lift back to London (via Diamond Car’s) after the game to go home and listen to Cardiff v QPR on the radio! Personally I think the sun had got to him .Either that or Olivia had.
8am the covers are off, the sun has gone behind the only cloud in the sky and the sausages are being delivered for the most excellent breakfast’s served in the ground. The main road Brian Clough Way is mostly quiet this morning but there is a steady stream of cars entering the Virgin Fitness Centre car park next door. Ken and I had decided after an evening out in Derby last night to give it a miss (even with a hotel discount). 8:30 and the heavy roller was on. No, I hear Vic cry. It is ok Vic, it was on the track next to the one currently in use.
Upon checking out of the hotel we wandered down into Derby as you reporter had gone to the game with no notepad and the three A4 sheets of hotel booking print out I had were unlikely to be enough for the days play. We checked out the Old market and a few bits we did not see yesterday evening, pad sourced in the market for £! (MTWD to reimburse? I’m joking honest!). Walking back up to the ground in our Sunday best pink and blue quarter tops we must have chatted to at least half a dozen folk about the game, Derbyshire folk are generally very friendly.
Morning session: It’s all going Pete Tong.
Play began just as I was finishing my breakfast, with a view of the wickets I thought this would not class as a tactical but after a couple of scoring shots Groenewald had AC caught by Khawaja in the slips.149-3.With Dex wearing my sponsored shirt and his recent run of low scores I thought best I get out there as I am not copping the blame if he gets out while I’m still eating. Abandoning Ken to finish the rest of the coffee he had not thrown all over the table anyway I headed for my seat in front of the pavilion.The general feeling was that the morning session would define the match result, Middlesex score well a Middlesex win , Derbyshire take early wickets (with the pitch doing a bit) Derbyshire win. The idea that a draw was anyway possible did not occur to anyone such was the state of the game. Oh dear this is not going to the Middlesex plan,154-4, an unhappy bat crunching on concrete Dex is back in the hutch with 2 to his name, lbw to Palladino (bit harsh I thought) as did Dex who gave the umpire a good long look before leaving the wicket.The Estate Agent had dropped anchor to secure one end and was doing a good job of it, with Simmo in it was down to the young guns to win (or save) the day. One of the home fans obviously thought it was going to be a long day as they had pitched a tent in the hillside car park at the BMI Baby racecourse end. Ground attendance on a free day was a bit sparse but I imagined more would come as Derbyshire got closer to their victory target.
The reshod Smith replaced Palladino at the Office Care Pavilion end (Palladino switching to the racecourse end. The switch worked and Palladino had Agent House caught by the sub keeper (Pointer) for 27, the fact it took him 110 balls to get that score shows he had played the anchor drop role to the full, a fine innings young Sir. 176-5.
Derbyshire rotated their fit bowlers well and introduced Durston’s slower bowling as well Iceman and Simmo were playing each ball on it’s merit. Simmo did miss one though which took him in the manly area, this saw a few minutes hopping about and bending exercises before he was fit to resume. It must have been in his mind (it was a right old wallop) when he fell to a very good catch by Redfern to become Whiteley’s first cc victim.196-6, step forward Ollie Rayner, the guy makes a bat look like a toothpick he is such a tall broad physical specimen, after years of seeing him play against us I was intrigued to see what he could do playing for us. The 200 came up and with no further alarms we go to lunch on 216-6. Well and truly Derbyshire’s session. The new ball could now decide who wins this game, Middlesex needing 112 runs, Derbyshire needing 4 wickets.
Afternoon session: Rayning runs.
Derbyshire introduce their third sub after the lunch break Linaker on for Whiteley, more subs than the Royal Navy this lot. There appear to be fewer people in the ground than before lunch, I find out why on speaking to a friendly local , County were at home to Barnsley just up the road at 3pm and as he said Derby is a football town, with that he too disappeared “for a pint with me mates before the game”.
The Iceman is by now confident enough about the wicket to start playing some shots, though not throwing caution to the wind with the score required under100. The new ball is taken and Iceman reaches his 50 from 76balls, 1x6and 6x4’s. Runs are now coming more freely with Ollie getting his range of the various bowlers though rightly playing second fiddle to Ices first. I got away with a tactical, the pint of Stella I had at lunchtime was only on rent it seemed.
With 36 runs to win Ice 78no, Ollie 32no the number of home fans was thinning by the minute.
Maybe they left a little too soon, Iceman goes for 80 to a stunning catch by Hughes off Palladino’s bowling, he’s a big old unit Chesney but he did really well to get down to take a fizzer heading to his left. A solid knock from the Iceman taking us to 294-7, so close we away fans can smell the win which is 34 runs away, can we get there with the remaining batters or will it be Palladino’s day again. Well applauded for his efforts by team mates and supporters of both Counties alike Ice comes off and probably felt he had just had his second good match of the Championship, he’d be right and long may it continue.
With 20 left to get it’s squeaky bum time, well for me it is, seemingly not for Ollie and Dial M who decide to treat the new ball with the contempt they thought it deserved smashing it to the fence at any given opportunity. Ollie reached his 50 off 83 balls with 6x4’s to much applause. Ok Ice did hit a 6 but it was a straight one, shot of the day had to be Dail M’s cross body smeared 4, brilliant shot and all on one leg too. That was with 11 needed to win, the remaining runs were knocked off in 4’s and Middlesex cruised home to the win by three wickets, never in doubt, well not much doubt anyway we would do it.
Not out batsmen Ollie 58 off 85 balls with 8x4’s and Dial M with 9 off 10 balls with 2 4’s.Clapped and cheered from the field handshakes were exchanged between all the players and officials on the way off, the biggest thing out there? The smile on Ollie Rayner’s face. That was one big grin and nice to see it in our shirt rather than against us for a change, well played indeed Sir.
Having seen only the last two days my player of the match has to be Iceman, run a close second by Ollie, third the Derby old boy Clouda who although injured engineered last nights start to the Middlesex innings to provide the platform needed for today’s winning performance.
Overall summary.
A grand couple of days away, good hotel, good cricket,good company, good food and ale and a win for the lads to take them top of Division two (with only two games played to others three). Now the deal is I am not getting my haircut till we lose in the cc,let’s go on to make sure I still look like a hippy (all be it a balding one) after the next game at SJW lads.
Thanks to everyone for a brilliant time away and yes Ken I am aware Derby to West Drayton in a little over 2hours was probably illegal but you wanted to get home for the West Ham game.
If you enjoy this report my names Diamond, if you do not it’s Barmy Kev.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:04:25:01:21:09 by BarmierKev.
GREAT report Diamond!!! Well done!!!
I was at spurs and it was hard to get text to see what the final score was!!
This time last year the team would have faded and died! This year they are bloody brilliant!! Didn't give up! Lets hope the iceman stays fit (!) as he is the best!! (yep I fully expect people to disagree with that!!)
Kimmy
Diamond, were you as impressed as I was by the improvements to the ground?
Barmy Kev
I'm only here for the tele
it always was a nice ground to visit but the changes have made it all the better. Turning the square meant moving just about everything else around to fit in with it and they have done a fine job of it.
As one of the self confessed "smaller midlands counties" they put many others who have improved their grounds often at the price of vastly indebting their club to shame.
Grand report fella good to read.
My clippers are at the ready for June 28.
. I could have sworn that Barnsley were away to Watford rather than Derby County yesterday.Another good all round effort from our lads,and thanks for the text i got giving me the updates.
Just glad i wasnt there to get the blame for coffee being spilt,wickets falling on tacticles being taken.And a tent up to watch the days play,imagine that at the nursery end!
Having been there on day 1, I concur that a) the Days Inn has a great view of the ground, indeed the wife and I watched the last 5 overs sitting on our bed as she wanted to get ready to go out for a slap up meal in Derby(??) and b) the people there were really friendly and welcoming. We had a dog with us and they welcomed him too! My first visit to Derby (although I did go to the Baseball Ground once in the 1970's) and I hope not my last.