DELAYED START TO THE CRICKET

ASHOVER BARBARIANS 96 FOR 9 [40 OVERS] HUNDALL 98 FOR 8 [32.5 OVERS]
DERBYSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET LEAGUE 3 NORTH/NORTH @ MILKEN LANE
11 JULY 2020 --- 1PM

MILKEN LANE ASHOVER WELCOMES THE START OF THE 2020 CRICKET SEASON

Delayed start and cricket not an unfamiliar phrase associated with the sport but this one was after around three months.  Cricket got under way very quickly after lockdown restrictions were eased by the Government and both Ashover and Hundall served up a tight low scoring game that in the end saw Ashover unable to take the ten wickets of their visitors who walked away with the victory.  After a low total was set by the home side it became a game of tension for much of the reply but a resolute reply from David Revill with 38 from 72 balls steadied the ship and set up victory which James Weston grasped in over 33 with a four and a match winning six to send the visitors back to the north side of Chesterfield with 22 points.
With sport being part of the staple diet 52 weeks of the year the ending of the football season normally sees a mixture of cricket and rugby league come to the fore but during the current crisis all sport, including local competitions, had met a stall.  However just over a week ago with stringent guidelines to be published for hygiene and health and safety it was announced recreational cricket could begin its 2020 season.  So for me four sport free months had passes since an outing to Shirebrook v Teversal in The EMCL and with The Derbyshire County Cricket League one of the first off the mark to book in fixtures for this delayed start it seemed rude not to take a look at the wonderful game.
This would create some difficulties because as regular readers will know my travels are by public transport something I currently still do not fancy and the option of three grounds within a reasonable walking distance were selected with Ashover the favourite for ease and quietness of the roads to be trod.

DESCENDING DOWN MILKEN LANE HERE THE VIEWS TO EXPECT LOOKING TOWARDS MILLTOWN

It would prove difficult to get to much clarity about what would be expected but thankfully the leagues fixture secretary outlined it was a full side competition and over 40 overs throughout the league.  So when The ECB finally released their 5 pages of guidelines at 5pm on Thursday evening the opportunity was clearly in sight.
Ashover is a lovely little village full of stone houses, pubs, tea room and of course the famous Tuck Shop which has been mentioned on visits before to see the football side run by Mr Ashover Don Carline and of course blogged on here so I dont intend to repeat to much more about the village.  Setting off to walk the three and a half miles at around 11.45am my route would take me past the former home of Derbyshire and England cricketer Cliff Gladwin and set the tone for a day of cricket.  Within half a mile the fields that would accompany me on my North East Derbyshire journey would take over from the houses and gardens of the villages to the south of Chesterfield.  Farmers fields with inquisitive cows and relaxing sheep were the norm as the incline to clear the ridge that sits to the east side of Ashover as we approach the road running up to one of its tourist spots 'Ashover Rock' only to divert off down the single track road that is Milken Lane.  We are around a mile away from the ground as this lane develops the most beautiful views over the countryside around our destination there are already signs of the attractive cottages, Eastwood Hall and some very relaxed alpacas who didn't seem to interested in me although even after a few words towards them they showed the disdain of a relaxing animal.

JOE STENTON FROM THE MILKEN LANE END FOR HUNDALL

The steep drop into the village was welcome but of course the thoughts of climbing this after a day at

CRICKET IS BACK

the cricket were always at the back of my mind.  At the junction Milken Lane continues even after emerging onto the main approach road and within a minute the ground, tennis courts and Parish Rooms come into sight.  The far end of the ground has a small but attractive pavilion, something which due to current closure restrictions I cannot tell you anything about, the outfield laps over onto the adjacent football pitch the ad part about photographing for either sport here is the spire of the parish church of All Saints is now barely visible due to tree growth so although a pretty setting it is not as photogenic as it was a few years ago.

HOME CAPTAIN RUSSELL COOKE 

What about the restrictions then well they are many and although some were a strong challenge to change the habits of years of playing the players saw breaks in play at half a dozen over intervals to sanitize their hands many of the others can be complex for example getting the ball back to the bowler along the floor or the wicket keeper not replacing the bails and stumps and so the list goes on.
Ashover would be making their debut as Ashover Barbarians after a close season merger with Chesterfield Barbarians who played at Walton Dam in the town this venue will now stage second Xl fixtures.  The visitors Hundall carry a strong reputation locally and their pretty ground sitting on the hillside between Chesterfield and Sheffield sees them offer a tough opening fixture.  The league have been split up into varying sub groups to try to complete a season of sorts and create some cricket for which The DCCL must take great credit for their preparedness.

THE CLASSIC SCENE AT TEA TIME UMPIRES TAKE THEIR TEA BUT THIS TIME AT A SOCIAL DISTANCE

Part of enjoying cricket is the socialising but with social distancing in play it made for a frustrating afternoon dodging spectators, players, dog walkers and the general public who were meandering through the recreation grounds still of this meant getting the game it is something we must all do.
Hundall had succeeded in wining the toss and put Ashover into bat and it would prove the correct decision it was sow going for the home side with just four batsmen getting into double figure it would be left to Darren Parkin [33] to top score.  For Hundall Paul Revill took 3 for 12 in Ten overs in what was an innings of consistent wicket falling rather than a complete collapse at any stage.

JONATHAN TAYLOUR FOR ASHOVER 3 FOR 25

With teas all taken Al fresco the visitors reply started in a similar fashion with three wickets down for 25 but slowly David Revill pushed the ball around in a patient manner and collected 38 runs it would be the difference for the visitors.  Although the other turning point were overs 24 and 25 which both went for double figures the only ones in the whole of this economical encounter.  When Revill fell LBW to the returning Jonathan Taylour the score was 80 for 5 and victory was in sight, a cameo and aggressive 13 from Daniel Weston set up his brother James the opportunity to win the game in over 33 with a four off the opening delivery and a maximum off the penultimate one.

BEST TILL LAST MAN OF THE MATCH DAVID REVILL FOR HIS 38 FOR HUNDALL

Game over and oh yes I had almost forgot Milken Lane in reverse for a mile of steep climbing out of the village but by the top it would be a steady down hill nearly all they way home achieved just an hour later oh how different that sounds to a return to base station doesn't it.