ROCHE SETS ASHOVER VICTORY UP FOR COOKE TO DELIVER

ASHOVER BARBARIANS 145 FOR 0 HOLMESFIELD 141 ALL OUT

DCCL DIV 3 N/N AT MILKEN LANE

1 AUGUST 2020 --- 1PM

JACOB ROCHE GAINS THE WICKET OF MATT DAFT ON HIS WAY TO A FIVE WICKET HAUL

Captain Russell Cooke once again starred in the home sides devastating win with nearly seventeen overs to spare they reached the target without losing a wicket and it was a century from Cooke which saw a winning maximum scored that allowed him to reach 100 not out and at the same time gather the 22 points for the home side who secure consecutive Milken Lane wins.  But today's victory was set up by a superb bowling display from Jacob Roche who claimed a 'fifer' for just 21 runs in his allotted ten overs.

DAN HOLMES HOLMESFIELD OPENER HOLDS THE POSE

So for the third time this season and the second week running the thoroughly enjoyable three mile walk to beautiful Ashover was embarked upon and with this week the additional memory awakened of a family member who purchased the former Ashover Zoo to re-tell an added stride was in my step, especially handy for those steeper climbs.  The journey is now attracting constant efforts to achieve it in sub one hour and its pretty close depending if there is any miss appropriation in timing points or comfort breaks.  The usual route found the alpacas in place and as the ground came into view it appeared Derby Caravan Club where in a nearby field.  With fine weather forecast the inevitable happened with the first hour seeing a constant dodge of light showers that threatened from the west but thankfully not sharp enough to take the sides off.

ENGLISH SUMMERTIME RETURNS WITH LITTLE SHOCKS FOR THE PREPARED

It would appear Ashover like to chase and that may appear the best option on this wicket but for Holmesfield who arrived undefeated it looked like being a stern challenge for an improving home side.

Indeed the visitors got off to a solid start before losing opener Mayank Sharma with the score on 42 caught by Roche [J] off opening bowler Jon Branson.

TAKE THAT

The innings then stumbled under the influence of Roche [J] he bowled fellow opener Dan Holmes and when he sent the stumps flying of Matt Daft and Joe Poste without scoring Holmesfield were reeling at 48 for 4. The fifteenth over had been a remarkable three wicket maiden with once again a bowler on a hat trick the third time this season and the third time it had not happened in a game attended.  Branson returned the favour to Roche by grabbing a catch offered by visiting captain Jimmy Pearson for a duck and when the efforts of Williams Helliwell were finally ended by a sharp caught and bowled from Jonathan Taylour the same player also bowled David Ward and it was damage limitation at 73 for 7.

JACON ROCHE SECURES HIS THIRD WICKET BOWLING JO POSTE

There was a sterling effort from Russel Parker [35] and Nick Crapper [25] which rescued Holmesfield towards the end of the innings the latter became Roche's fifth wicket.  As partners ran out for Parker he was bowled by John Green four ballS short of the forty overs which had seen the visitors achieve an in the end respectable 141 all out.

RUSSEL PARKER LOOKS TO ANGLE ONE AROUND THE CORNER

Ashover Zoo I know it sounds unbelievable but over the previous two visits I had taken the picture of the former house and gardens that housed this remarkable set up.  It was a property that I had been privileged to go into after a family friend bought it in the early 70's after the zoo had closed.  I well remember the families efforts to restore this property over the next two years something which meant them living in a large holiday type caravan in the grounds while trying to hold down jobs as well.  In the end in the owners words he 'just ran out of money'.  The tales he told fascinated a younger me about the property being a former zoo and although I have always known this surprisingly I had never done any further research until speaking to the family friend on the morning before this game and mentioning the property.  It sits superbly on top of the hill at Ashover with excellent views over the Matlock main road, village and surrounding area and is the most prominent property in sight from the cricket ground.

THE FORMER HOME OF ASHOVER ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS NOW A FANTASTIC RESIDENCE

Also known as Pan's Gardens the establishment was set up in 1955 and closed down in 1972 with its residents the Keeling family, Clinton and his wife Jill had a selection of exotic animals including I believe monkeys and I seem to remember our friend mentioning larger ferocious animals although that may have got lost in time translation.  There are certainly mentions of former visitors and employees of animals being in sections of the house although these were of birds in the kitchen and water based animals in the bath, as well of course within the grounds.  It would appear that groups and schools would visit and in later years Mr Keeling would go to educational establishments to give talks to impart his knowledge, he would it seems have been an interesting character.  The family interest clearly passed onto his son Jeremy who is the co founder and animal director of Dorset Monkey World.  An amazing little piece of history from a small rural village in a time when many of these creatures would only have been viewable for most people in books.

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC COOKE SECURES VICTORY AND A CENTURY WITH A MAXIMUM

So after a wander around the village in the tea interval and some further views of the wonderful properties time was well judged as Ashover were just about to embark on what looked like a fair challenge.  However as per last week if Cooke gets away he will hit big and confidently with the able support of Jack Fletcher who holds up in a supporting role these two can be a danger to any opposition.

The second over of the innings saw Sharma concede seventeen runs and at 23 without loss the Barbarians were off to a great start.  Although Holmesfield did pull it back somewhat with three consecutive maidens one for Sharma and the others for Nick Crapper.   At the ten over stage Ashover were setting a pace at 4 an over and providing nothing untoward happened were well on target.  Slowly but surely Cooke increased his tempo even more with some mighty blows all around the Parish grounds and into the adjoining showgrounds requiring a few stone wall climbs to retrieve, indeed one straight maximum disturbed the grazing sheep by the pavilion end but Cooke didn't care he was enjoying this too much, as were most of the spectators,  

As partner Fletcher [33] came out of his supportive shell his strike rate was increasing and with a few wides thrown in to the equation Cooke was looking like he may be stranded in the nineties.  Thankfully he secured a single off the last ball of over 22 and with three required to win he was a maximum short of his century.  The second ball of over 23 was sent down by Archie Crapper a nice full toss but cometh the hour cometh the man as Cooke launched it for just about the straightest maximum you could achieve and the sheep were disturbed once again as the Barbarians captain held his bat aloft and victory was achieved.

MESSERS MARSHALL AND THOMPSON LOOKING SMART ON A BRIGHT AFTERNOON

This had been a wonderful display from Cooke and add to that the bowling of Roche [J] a dominant victory by an Ashover side who in this form are now looking like the side to stop in this mini season.

Return was achieved in sub one hour and just for the record the alpacas are still not talking to me.