JAMES AND JACK SHOW IN RUN FEST

PILSLEY AND CLAY CROSS 287 FOR 5 DEC SHIPLEY HALL 2NDS 110 ALL OUT

DERBYSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET LEAGUE DIVISION 7 NORTH AT RUPERT STREET

28 MAY 2022 --- 1.30PM

JAMES ALDIS EYES ON THE BALL FOR 146 PILSLEY AND CLAY CROSS V SHIPLEY HALL

A massive 177 run victory for Pilsley and Clay Cross was set up by the James and Jack show in Aldis [146] and Warsop [92] as they took apart Shipley Hall 2nds attack, all this after they had stumbled to 1 for 2 in the opening moments.  There was though a great cameo appearance in this storyline from captain Tristan Bowers, who mindful of the clubs last two games ending in wining draws as they could not take the oppositions final wicket, he declared five full overs short of his sides allotment as they reached 287 for five.  Those extra overs would prove vital as the final Shipley wicket fell in the forty second to secure the large victory to secure 27 points.

Add to this Aldis also chipped in with two wickets sending back both of the visitors openers.

JACK WARSOP 92 FOR PILSEY AND CLAY CROSS

After recent weeks commitments this week I could make the mid range walk again to my adopted village or have I just twinned with Pilsley, however on arrival at just before 1.30pm proceedings were underway and the home side were in trouble with 2 wickets down and just one run on the board.  Last times poster boy Ian Knowles [1] was out and Pete Lacey did not trouble the scorers.  The visitors openers were proving a handful with Art Lacey and Rosco Cyster each dismissing one of the openers this had bought together Aldis and Warsop and slowly but surely they saw off the openers before moving through the gears before the blistering latter stages of their innings when they dispatched the ball to all parts of the ground.  Warsop was first to go eight off his century when he found Lacey [A] on the long on boundary.  Aldis moved on at a pace and he moved the scoring on at a ferocious pace before being bowled by the returning Cyster [R] going for another big hit and agonisingly four short of his 150.  There was a quick fire knock from Graham Turner [25*] who kept the scoreboard moving along at apace ably assisted by two big blows from Cameron Lee [8*] before upon completion of over number 35 captain Bowers called the innings to a close with a massive 287 in the book.     

JAMES ALDIS MANY RUNS AND THE FIRST OF THE PICTURES TODAY

The visitors opening bowlers were the pick of the bunch with Cyster [R] returning 3 for 36 and Lacey [A] 1 for 1 for 34 other than that it had been a hard work afternoon for the visitors who stuck to their task with fortitude.

JACK WARSOP HITS OUT WITH PICTURESQUE BACKDROP

Usual interval walk around back lane to the pit canteen and back in time for some wildlife spotting as the swallows flitted around the outfield the hare was still on his tea break, a nice selection of green grass you might have guessed, as the players returned to the field with Shipley looking at a massive ask.

BEST FOOT FORWARD EARLY ON FOR JAMES ALDIS

They were soon in trouble at 21 for 3 after seven overs and it was top scorer Aldis doing the damage as he sent back both openers Lacey [A] [10] and Owen Hodson [3] with the first ball of his first and second over.  The first ball phenomenon continued when captain Bowers with the first ball of his fourth over dismissed visitors captain and wicket keeper Robert Cockayne [7].  

JAMES ALDIS CENTURY MAKER

There was some resistance from Paul Thornhill [21] and Steve Cockayne [21] as Pilsley began to wonder if a winning draw was all their efforts would gain for a third match running but slowly but surely they got over the line with Lee dismissing both and then taking the final wicket when he bowled David Cyster with the second ball of the 42nd over and Pilsley were grateful for that Bowers early declaration leaving enough overs in hand to claim the 27 points.

CLASSIC ALDIS POSE AFTER ANOTHER BIG HIT

Some remarkably big hitting from the home side and at last for them they could secure a win that the previous couple of weeks had deserved but that's the nature of cricket at this level and thankfully it also allowed today for the added bonus of extra overs that Pilsley had not used up.

SLIPS LINE UP FOR PILSLEY

The return journey would now take in the regular stop off at the Pilsley Colliery pit memorial tub in a private garden just down from the ground on Rupert Street and well worth a visit in its refurbished state for the owners summer season of flower planting and additional and new display items of mining memorabilia.  Amazingly I had missed on the way up to the ground that the post box had been yarn bombed again this time with Queens Jubilee celebration party items.  The cake looked appetising but I guess would not have been to digestible so time to move on back top base.  

AND NOW WITH THE BALL JAMES ALDIS

Thanks again to Pilsley and Clay Cross CC and their captain for the warm welcome and also for the second visit running no need for a big jacket or an umbrella although you do have to fear that this will happen at some point this season at Rupert Street its got some great views but its position on a ridge sure invites the elements in. 

IAN KNOWLES PILSLEY AND CLAY CROSS WICKET KEEPER

PILSEY AND CLAY CROSS DOMINATE

PILSLEY AND CLAY CROSS 255 FOR 6 SOUTH WINGFIELD 3RDS 118 FOR 9

DCCL DIVISION 7 NORTH AT RUPERT STREET

15 MAY 2022 --- 1.30PM

TRISTAN BOWERS PILSLEY AND CLAY CROSS CAPTAIN

Pilsley and Clay Cross dominated this game against South Wingfield 3rds all bar taking the final wicket to confirm outright victory so much so that they had to settle for a winning draw which is still a result option in this level of The Derbyshire County Cricket League.  Posting a massive 255 for 6 in their 40 overs the visitors got nowhere near reaching just 118 but with that final wicket still in hand they would deny the home side.

IAN KNOWLES SOLID INNINGS BUILDING 65

A quick return to a village I should probably consider moving to as I spend that much time there and with football all but over with a nice day forecast no rain and no strong wind the option to take in the first game of the season for me at Rupert Street would see the most  clement weather I have experienced there.  Pilsley is always a pleasant club to visit and today was no exception with a nice feel added to that by the visitors from South Wingfield.

Having arrived for just before start time that I had planned for 1pm before realising it was actually 1.30pm I decided to pop down into the main village and take a look at Reeve Avenue a small collection of houses built on the former site of Reeve Burgess the bus body builders.  The site actually developed directly over the main road of Bridge Street as well but the original site had the houses situated on it and the original company name installed as its entry road.

Being of a certain age I well remember the two buildings and by all accounts as the company developed during the seventies and eighties the latter date after the deregulation of the bus industry saw a big uptake in orders for midi bus and sprinter type buses for increased frequencies and so Reeve Burgess benefitted so much so that they opened further operations in Stonebroom and Tibshelf.  The company was bought by Plaxtons who sadly closed the Derbyshire operations in 1991 and moved the order book to their Scarborough factory. 

The company was originally known as Harry Reeve founded in 1888 as a wheelwright and blacksmith, there was then a partnership with Kenning which was added to the Reeve title and now a variety of vehicles were in production from trucks to buses and coaches.  The Reeve family saw Kenning sell their part back to the original family but by 1974 Burgess was added to the title when the Worcester based company purchased the Bridge Street company.  Probably the most noticeable and successful period before Plaxtons took them over in 1980 and then just over ten years later with a full order book closed the operation down and moved it to North Yorkshire.

STEVE WOOD CONFIDENTLY MOVING THE SCORE ON FOR PILSEY

Back to the cricket and with arrival a few minutes to the start time there was time to familiarise before the blogs fourth cricket match of the season.  Pilsley were asked to bat after losing the toss and Pete Lacey was out early for four but the resilience and innings building knock of wicket keeper opener Ian Knowles [65] and Steve Wood [47] would prove vital to what became a large total.  

We took a short break in play at 2.09pm as a Lancaster Bomber offered a personal fly pass to all at the ground.  It was actually performing this duty at nearby Hardwick Hall for the 80 year anniversary of the Dambuster raids.

The home sides innings continued apace with contributions from Tom Hewitt [25] and captain Tristan Bowers [27] who kept the scoreboard ticking along and then arrived Jack Cartwright [68] who hit a blistering knock including 19 off the the first five balls of the final over, he was assisted by Shaun Fisher [15] as Pilsley and Clay Cross reached 255 for 6 in their 40 overs.

For South Wingfield Jack Radford returned 3 for 50 with a special mention for the frugal bowling of Nicky Marshall 1 for 30 in his nine over spell.

FLY PAST OF LANCASTER BOMBER

Tea interval would take me on the regular trip along Back Lane and past the old pit canteen adjacent to the former colliery.  Upon return a brief look across the fields saw a couple of hares frolicking merrily away oblivious to the importance of the cricket match about to restart in the adjoining field.

DRINKS INTERVAL DRYING

It was not a great start for South Wingfield's reply when captain Bowers sent back the opening three batsman Jonathan Briggs [12], David Shore [1] and William Jones without troubling the scorers.  The resilience came from Tom Marshall [19] and captain wicketkeeper Anthony Crick [34] who top scored for the visitors before he was dismissed late on bowled by Lacey.

TOM HEWITT QUICKFIRE 25 FOR PILSEY

At the half way stage the visitors had reached 47 for 5 and it was clear now that it was all about survival in the wicket stakes as the run chase was well and truly off.  The ninth wicket fell with just over four overs remaining and it would be a crowd the bat with close in fielders scenario to try to secure that final wicket.  I'm not a fan of wining/losing draw results but in fairness it made this game a nice tense finish with the game pushed to a full allotment of overs as South Wingfield fought on.

JACK CARTWRIGHT BLISTERING BATTING

There was now a nice selection of banter on the field but all pretty fair and funny at the same time non more so when upon completion of the game young batsman Richards [5*]was congratulated on how well he had batted out the closing overs.  Andy Mitchell also remained not out having protected his wicket rather than pushing to get off the mark.

STEVE GARDINER DURING HIS SPELL FOR PILSLEY

The bowling for the home side saw Bowers return 3 for 14 with Wood 2 for 13, Gareth Hatton 2 for 23 a wicket apiece for Lacey and Steve Gardiner.  

From a game of cricket point of view it was a full match with the allotted eighty overs bowled and although Pilsley and Clay Cross were dominant they could not take that final wicket thanks to the rear guard action of the final South Wingfield batsman.

DAVID SHORE BOWLED BY PILSLEY CAPTAIN TRISTAN BOWERS

A lovely afternoon of watching cricket in the best weather I have spectated in at Rupert Street.  There may be a small break now in watching local sport as a few other commitments take over hopefully this will only be a few weeks but I couldn't ask for a better visit than to Pilsey before this break.

Return journey on a beautiful evening saw a brief look at the pit tub and miners tools at the house just below the cricket ground, which I have featured before, it was now planted out with an array of colourful flowers after having a winter refurbishment.

Return to base was around 7.30pm.

STEVE WOOD BOWLING FOR PILSLEY

WINSON WINNING WAYS FOR ASHOVER

ASHOVER BARBARIANS 191 ALL OUT V ILKESTON RUTLAND 2ND'S 113 ALL OUT

DERBYSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET LEAGUE DIVISION 3 NORTH AT MILKEN LANE

7 MAY 2022 --- 1PM

ASHOVER BARBARAIANS V ILKESTON RUTLAND AT MILKEN LANE

In the end this win for Ashover was fairly comfortable with the 78 run margin but when the home side had faltered to 102 for 6 the outcome looked far from in their favour.  But with an excellent performance from Ben Carley [38] able assisted by wicket keeper William Bygrave [31] a defendable target was reached.

DARREN CUNDY 40 FOR ILKESTON

Back to the comfort zone of a journey to Ashover and the westward bound walking train would at last set off on the scenic route after weeks of heading east, indeed both of the cricket games so far featured this season took in this direction in Holmewood and the game of the season so far at Grassmoor Works on the opening day of The Bassetlaw League.

As ever the road from base gives confidence of arrival at Ashover quickly but this Ashover Road is about an hour and just over three miles away from the destination.  It was though great as ever to pass former Derbyshire and England cricketers Cliff Gladwin's old house.  Cliff had formed a devastating bowling partnership with Les Jackson as the county had discovered this top class seam attack.  He became known as being very miserly in his bowling and runs were more than 'earned' off of his bowling in 1947 in a test match at Old Trafford against South Africa he conceded just 58 runs from 50 overs.  He also secured the only wining run off the last ball of a test match in Durban South Africa in December 1948 when he secured a leg bye with Alec Bedser haring down on him from the non strikers end Cliff flew up the other end and both men made their ground and England had won by 2 wickets.  My memories of him though were as a child with the now retired cricketer running his South Street sports shop in Chesterfield and my dad consulting him on golfing equipment, he was a tall man in a very low roofed shop as I seem to remember.  In his retirement Cliff also became an expert Chrysanthemum grower and showed his blooms in local shows.

MARK WINSON ON HIS WAY TO FOUR WICKETS

While the nostalgia is flowing the visitors today from Ilkeston ply their trade on a facility that became an out ground for Derbyshire County Cricket Club and again in my very young watching days I remember being taken in 1977 to a Gillette Cup quarter final game against Somerset with Barry Green the former landlord of The Royal Oak and another cricket loving local Arthur Thompson.  Sadly Derbyshire lost this tie in front of a large crowd my only memory was the defeat and sitting on a bank to view the game.  How big a game cricket was in those days spoken about in wide circles and certainly over the media whereas today you struggle to find much on county cricket outside the first few weeks of the season.  I shall certainly have to visit the Rutland Sports Park for a bit more nostalgia soon.

JONATHAN TAYLOUR GOOD OPENING SPELL WITH A WICKET IN HIS SECOND SPELL

    

Today would see the steep climb out to Ashover joined by the spring sights and sounds of bird song, sheep and green green fields and it was great to be back in Ashover in about an hour with much of the walk spent remembering the previously encountered experiences and a few more.

The ground and pretty village have been covered many times before so I wont do that again.  The outfield looked bare and hard in places were some kids football had been played over it and that's a shame because everything else is set fair at Milken Lane.  The bells of All Saints the parish church of Ashover were ringing out for a good portion of the afternoon in the hope of a signal for the return of the cricket season, although I think it was more the fact that two people were tying the knot.

JAMES TAYLOR BOWLED BY THE VISITORS ADAM SLATER

Ilkeston Rutland had won the toss and elected to field there is always a sinking feeling when captain and big hitting opener Russell Cooke [16] is out and this occurred early today alongside his fellow opener Jack Fletcher [4].  There were steady contributions without going on to develop big scores from William Saxton [23], James Taylor [20] and Edward Bygrave [15].  With the steady fall of wickets the home side had somewhat struggled to 102 for 6 and a defendable total was needed that's were Carley stepped in with a great knock including one massive straight six in the concluding overs he was well supported by Bygrave, W too.  Ashover had reached a very respectable 191 all out on the first ball of the last over certainly something that didn't look likely just over an hour earlier.

For the visitors Joshua Banks took 3 for 37 and Adam Slater 3 for 51.

WILLIAM SAXTON AND JAMES TAYLOR IN MID WICKET DISCUSSION

The tea interval walk took in the usual circuitous route around the village and a pleasant twenty minute amble filled in the time before the players returned to the field.

Ilkeston got off to a fair old start even after loosing captain Ian Banks to a second ball duck bowled by James Taylor they reached 43/1.  The top order chipped in with Joshua Banks [17] and Matthew Winfield [23], but thss reply saw its foundations built on by match top scorer Darren Cundy [40].  However when the left hander was stumped by Bygrave W off the bowling of Mark Winson the score was 91 but the game was up with the last five wickets falling for just 22 runs.

The pick of the Ashover Barbarians bowlers were Winson who returned 4 for 27 and Carley 2 for 27 the other three bowlers, James Taylor, Jonathan Taylour and Russell Cooke all chipped in with a wicket apiece.

WILLIAMS SAXTON FENDS OFF A HIGH ONE

Game over and there is always the steep incline walk out up Milken Lane before the views from atop the ridge take me westwards and back to base.  Oh yea and no aloof alpacas today they weren't even at home.

WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT WITH THE SIGHT SCREENS JUST IN VIEW MID PICTURE

HOLMEWOOD FALL TO RIDDINGS FIGHTBACK

HOLMEWOOD CC 93 ALL OUT V RIDDINGS 127 ALL OUT

DERBYSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET LEAGUE DIVISION 4 NORTH AT OLD COLLIERY LANE

30 APRIL 2022 --- 1230PM

HOLMEWOOD CC V RIDDINGS CC OVERVIEW

Riddings fought back from what looked looked like a low total but they skittled out the last half a dozen Holmewood wickets for just two runs off the bat to win by 34 runs.  All this after the home sides Sri Lankan player Rushan Jaleel had taken 5 for 34 devastating the visitors top order after they too had made a confident start.

So to the build up there would be no chippy and today would be a comfortable fifty minute walk to the Old Colliery Lane ground and Holmewood had been on the cards for a cricket match for a while.  Having watched a few football games on the same ground were the grounds share outfield and football pitch I had an understanding of the set up plus my dads story of his times at Holmewood pit in his younger working days always lead to an interest in the village.

So approaching by the old Williamthorpe Hotel site, now of course houses, it was time to have a look around the back streets of the village which was dwarfed in its heyday by its two collieries Williamthorpe and Holmewood, whose title was really Hardwick Colliery.  The meat in the sandwich was the village with the two pits the bread either side of it.  With Holmewood sunk in 1870 and coal coming out around 1896 at its height in 1959 it employed 1,410 men an amazing figure.  Its neighbour just to the north survived until 1970 after opening in 1905 so the feel for the history of the area and its mining past is still there with people of a certain age although the younger generation will of course have little idea.  The remaining welfare and 2 memorials in the parish gardens are the only recognition now with the obligatory winding wheel but to its side an extra plaque reminding everybody of the terrible conditions these men had to work in and they they were a large part of the industrial workforce that put the 'Great' in Great Britain.

Times move on and the sporting structure of the pits has also long gone the former Holmewood cricket ground was adjacent to Williamthorpe colliery but the club now play on land which is adjacent to the former Holmewood colliery site.  One of the most interesting features about the 'old days' was the two pits had between them an aerial ropeway that sent tubs of Williamthorpe hard coal over to the wash plant at Holmewood.  Probably a journey of about a quarter of a mile in the skies above the streets with buckets full of coal making their way to the neighbouring pit.

MASEFIELD MEMORIAL STEPS

The journey into the heart of the village is today via Masefield Avenue which within the gathering of houses has the former football pitch which moved to its new site because of the lack of changing rooms but its looking in steady condition today with grass cut and posts still up, I'm not sure if it is still used other than by the local kids.  Rolling back a little and halfway down Masefield Avenue is a new little cul de sac, Poets Close, there is a memorial set of steps to the poet John Masefield.  A gentle bit of research found this out and that he spent from 1930 to 1967 as Poet Laureate and so becomes the explanation of the feeder roads name, although his relevance to Holmewood I could not discover.  But as with this last couple of seasons local blogs its amazing the revelations on your own doorstep that you previously knew nothing about.

CENTRE OF HOLMEWOOD

With time approaching the start of play a sharp walk past the main row of shops to cross over the road by the library, an asset the village is fortunate still to have and to keep the nostalgic part going entry to the ground was via Old Colliery Lane which led to Holmewood pit in those days gone by.  For the record both former colliery sites are now taken over by large industrial estates.  Off to the cricket before a tea interval look at a little more nostalgia.

CHRISTOPHER STEELE TOP SCORING FOR RIDDINGS

The pavilion sits to one side of the welfare and is used for changing facilities for both football and cricket alongside a club room it is very much a collection of modern cabins but from experience a few years ago is quite smart inside.  Outside is an excellent electronic scoreboard which was well run all afternoon and to its side a mini cabin for the scorer, the whole collection is within a green steel fenced area to protect the site.

The site as previously mentioned is shared with football and both pitches overlap and with footy continuing we did have a set of goal posts incurring onto the outfield still.  Opposite the pavilion offers a nice tree lined back drop with the Five Pits Trail running behind and this is very much a semi circle route off the main trail but very relevant to its title taking in the two pits. 

RUSHAN JALEEL SPINNING OUT THE RIDDINGS TOP ORDER

It was a bright day with a gentle breeze occasionally more noticeable at some times though, there are few spectating facilities barring what chairs are on offer from the clubhouse, alongside two metal benches that are not in a particularly nice spot to view from.

Riddings won the toss and opted for a bat and all was going fairly well until the first wicket fell at 46 that of Andrew Steele [25] he fell to Jaleel and there started the collapse as the little spinner took out the opening four wickets leaving the visitors at 63 for 4 with Christopher Steele [36] top scoring.

David North [25*] offered the recovery but Jaleel completed his 'fivefor' with the eight wicket that of Dan Parkin [1] caught by Paul Blair with the score on one hundred.

In addition to Jaleel Jamie Horton returned 3 for 28 and Adam Cahill chipped in with two wickets. 

Five and half overs unused of the forty five it was time for tea for the players and a trip into nostalgia to the eastern end of the village that I had not visited so far today.

The former Holmewood Hotel was built right opposite Heath station, which is the neighbouring village but strangely is situated away from its centre.  The owners of the colliery including the Duke of Devonshire wanted a place for important visitors to stay and where better than adjacent to the railway station, which now forms of course part of the Five Pits Trail.  The hotel in mid life became known as The Pig and Whistle allegedly the whistle for the train station and pig because the landlord allowed a local butcher to use the backyard for his profession, it became colloquially known as 'the pig'.  The site is now operated by a private company as we move back towards the centre the latter site of the former village coop is passed along with the now replaced former bus shelter which was of a very large build clearly for the miners coming out of work who caught a normal service bus.  Strangely its modern replacement is of a similar extended size even though the residents of Devonshire Terrace will not have the same number demands of those miners in the 50's and 60's.

FORMER HOLMEWOOD HOTEL, PIG AND WHISTLE

After a look around the streets behind the main shops of Hardwick Close and Hunloke Street the newer council house style properties replaced the mass of terraced houses that would have been the staple accommodation for the mining families of the past.  It had felt like a late return for the restart and the game would be in play but it wasn't to be with a good ten minute wait for the players to re-enter the field of play.  So a good time to mention the two umpires today who seemed to put on a good performance scale and looked smart today with special mention to Mark Grayling who was smartly turned out.

UMPIRE MARK GRAYLING

The target did not look a big ask for Holmewood at under three an over it would be a matter of Riddings bowling them out and like the visitors they started strongly and reached 52 for 1 thanks to Gavin Horton [14] and Daniel Moss [26] who fell to Pieter Goosen, Moss would only lose out top scorer to Extras [27].  Luke Slater [12] contributed and Mark Brearley [10] held an end up but scoring became difficult and the pressure although not large on the run rate was now becoming the Riddings bowling attack.  Jack Mee had struggled with his line but took two wickets including the prize of Jaleel [2] whom he bowled and a striking spell from Gary Coxhead who returned 4 for 9 off 5.4 overs made the difference.

The last half a dozen Holmewood batsman had only notched up two runs and without a collection of extras and a few spilled catches the total would have been much lower.  It certainly felt like they had snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.  But the credit must go of course to Riddings who never gave up when they could have been forgiven for doing so and in the second half of the reply produced some restrictive and effective wicket taking bowling.

DANIEL MOSS TOP SCORING BATSMAN FOR HOLMEWOOD

With a finish just around 5.40pm a walk away via a local footpath onto the Springfield Road estate there was another discovery of an area in Holmewood that I had not walked before to start the journey back to base after a big chunk of nostalgia with an equally intriguing game of cricket making for an excellent visit.

CHRISTOPHER STEELE RIDDINGS KEEPER JOY AS VICTORY IS WRAPPED UP