BOTTOM 2 IN DERBYSHIRE & LEICESTERSHIRE BATTLE IT OUT

DERBYSHIRE V LEICESTERSHIRE
LV COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP 2 @ THE 3AAA COUNTY GROUND
DAY 3---24 SEPTEMBER 2015 1030 START.

3AA COUNTY GROUND WITH TOM KNIGHT PATROLLING THE BOUNDARY FOR DCCC

The day started with Derbyshire still trailing but a sturdy rear guard action gave them a lead of 23 40 minutes before lunch but by the close of play Leicestershire had a firm grip on the game as they reached 307 for 7 at the close a lead of 284.
The penultimate day of the English cricket season and it was a chance to catch up with a little bit of cricket following on from an excellent day at Trent Bridge a few weeks ago, which I decided not to cover and then wished I had taken the camera as it turned out to be a superb game versus Durham.
Today had another reason behind it with a football connection more of this in a few paragraphs.
A steady travel to The 3aaa county ground and first point of call was to take a few pictures and then snap a bacon cob and a coffee as play started, amazingly though this cost £5 which is grossly over priced you would probably expect it at a test match but not for county cricket. 
Finally settled is situ in front of the newly used pavilion/Gateway centre and the bright day was being deceived by a cold wind that did not improve through the day and by the close I was really feeling the autumnal season approaching.

MARTIN BODENHAM MATCH UMPIRE AND FORMER FOOTBALL REFEREE

So before the game after a few player photos I managed to take one of half of todays umpiring team, Martin Bodenham who is the first person to umpire at first class county cricket and also referee at Football league, Premier League and FIFA official.  Indeed I well remember in my league football watching days seeing Mr Bodenham with his home town of [Looe] listed in the match day programme.  He seemed a pleasant gentleman on greeting him for a second this morning as he made his way out onto the pitch.  I believe this is his last county game and penultimate day in the first class game as he reached 65 at the start of this season. 

When he retired at the require age of 48 in 1998 from football he followed his cricketing passion and progressed well to the first class game for a remarkable achievement this footballing cricket mix adds to many players of old who used to play both sports famously of course Phil Neale of Lincoln City and Worcestershire.

BOLLY GODLEMAN 2015 SUPPORTERS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Just before lunch Leicestershire were batting again and by the time we made lunch there was another photo opportunity with billy Godleman being presented with the supporters player of the year trophy.  The club, through Graeme Welch Elite Director, also took the opportunity to present Godleman with his county cap and in a nice touch all his team mates delayed their lunch to join him at the presentation and add their congratulations.

GREAME WELCH PRESENTS BILLY GODLEMAN WITH HIS COUNTY CAP

The afternoon session was spent in the large Falcons stand and it just got colder as the wind swept across the county ground.  But for Leicestershire the lead just went on increasing thanks to a century from Mark Cosgrove who was still their at the end.

You have to love county cricket its out on its own and although these two are holding up the league the small gathering of fans are ever expectant.  Today for me the game never sparked probably end of season feel but also the cold wind kept me a little less excited than normal on a visit to the cricket.
Sadly that will be the end of this seasons cricket for the blog and hopefully next season will be a better one for a season that this time around promised so much but gave up little to warm the loyal fans.

THE OFFICIAL SUPPORTERS PLAYER OF THE YEAR PRESENTATION TO BILLY GODLEMAN