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