Match report day 3 Yorkshire v Derbyshire in Championship 2004 by John Ward

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Scorecard:

Yorkshire v Derbyshire

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Overnight: Yorkshire 321/4 off 86.3 overs (Lehmann 25*, Craven 0*)
Lunch: Yorkshire 442/8 dec; Derbyshire 20/0 off 9 overs (Stubbings 8*, Moss 7*)
Tea: Derbyshire 172/3 off 48 overs (Adnan 76*, Bassano 35*)
Close: Derbyshire 240 all out

 

Despite the docile nature of the pitch, apart from the odd ball that keeps low, Yorkshire will enter the final day of their match against Derbyshire at Headingley Stadium with the chance of a possible victory. Thanks more to bad batting than anything else, the visitors declined to 240 all out, a deficit of 202 which will doubtless result in their being forced to follow on.

 

Play began under almost clear blue skies and with brilliant sunshine, conditions as far removed as can be imagined from the dreary weather of the first two days. The field was a brilliant emerald green and an ever-increasing number of spectators could relax in the warmth and enjoy the sight of Yorkshire’s batsmen being firmly on top – or such was the expectation.

 

From the start, Yorkshire’s policy was to seek quick runs, and Darren Lehmann soon announced his intentions by driving Graeme Welch through the covers for four. Vic Craven got in on the act, with a square drive to the boundary off the same bowler, but at the other end Derbyshire had opened with off-spinner Chris Paget, who again kept the scoring within bounds, although he did not show quite the same control as he had on the first day.

 

Craven’s innings was cut short at 11 as he tried to force Welch on the off side with diagonal bat, and chopped the ball on to his leg stump. Yorkshire were 347 for five. 13 runs later, the second new ball was taken in the 97th over, and it soon accounted for Ismail Dawood (5), as he groped outside the off stump to Welch and edged a catch to the wicketkeeper Luke Sutton; 361 for six.

 

Another square drive took Lehmann to his fifty, scored off 93 balls. He looked to flourish against the expensive Paul Havell, but when he had 66 the bowler got a ball to keep seriously low, trapping him lbw. This was a major blow in Derbyshire’s favour, and Yorkshire were 393 for seven.

 

Shortly afterwards Richard Dawson drove Welch handsomely through the covers for four to bring up the 400 and Yorkshire’s fourth batting point. Many felt Yorkshire should have declared at this point – if not earlier – but they continued to bat, with appropriate aggression. Dawson made a brisk 22 before skying Mo Sheikh beyond extra cover, where Hassan Adnan took the catch; 410 for eight.

 

John Blain helped to spoil Paget’s reasonably impressive figures by driving him for six, and some other drives and slogs saw him concede more than three runs an over for the first time. Then, after 86 minutes’ batting in the morning, came the declaration at 442 for eight; Blain was unbeaten on 28 and Mark Lawson 6. Welch returned the best figures of three for 118 in his 31 overs, while Sheikh had two for 85. Paget finished with no wicket for 69 runs off 19 overs.

 

Steve Stubbings had some testing deliveries from Steve Kirby to face before he managed to drive him for two past mid-off. At the other end Ian Harvey, with whom Yorkshire have been most disappointed this season, bowled a variable maiden over to Andrew Gait.

 

With only 6 runs on the board, though, Gait, yet to score, turned his back on a lifter from Kirby and was hit on the back of the head. He retired hurt, bringing Jonathan Moss to the crease. Kirby bowled with more fire and skill than he has done for some time, but felt obliged to spoil the effect with bursts of verbal diarrhoea.

 

Yorkshire struck with the first ball after lunch. Blain came on to bowl, Moss (7) swung across the line and played the ball on to his stumps, swinging his bat in an unsightly display of petulance as he departed. Coupled with some of his behaviour as a bowler when appeals did not go his way, he should be in line for an interview or two with the ECB in the near future. But will he? Derbyshire were 20 for one and the sky was clouding over.

 

Adnan took his life in his hands once or twice as he slashed Blain away on the off side, while Kirby, less disciplined after the interval, contributed several no-balls to the Derbyshire total. Stubbings batted steadily and well for his 37, but eventually fell to Harvey, trying to cut a ball away on the off side and being very well caught low down at second slip by Matthew Wood. Derbyshire were 76 for two as Gait returned to the crease. He failed to survive the over as the improving Harvey brought a ball in to trap him lbw without a further run being scored.

 

Chris Bassano began slowly, while Adnan was constantly busy, reaching his 1000 runs for the season and swinging Dawson over long-on for six, but generally working the ball around the field for well-placed singles. Then he leapt backwards, swung the bat inside out, and lofted Dawson for another six, this time over long-off, to reach his fifty off 71 balls.

 

Again the interval produced a wicket for Blain, as straight after tea Bassano, who never really looked in form, fished at a ball outside his off stump and Wood took another superb low catch at second slip to send him back for 35; 175 for four. James Bryant scored just a single before playing over a full-length ball from Blain and having his leg stump knocked back; 187 for five.

 

Adnan was next to go, for 86: he became rather bogged down on 86, and finally slashed at a ball from Kirby a little too close to the off stump, and sliced a catch high to first slip, where it was well held by Harvey. His innings had been a mixture of care and impulse, well-placed singles and the occasional extravagant four or six. Derbyshire were 191 for six.

 

Sutton, after taking an age to score a run, suddenly broke the shackles with two boundaries off Blain in the same over. Then he subsided into his shell again, but Welch (1) became another of Blain’s victims. The ball kept low and beat the outside edge to hit the bottom of the off stump; 202 for seven.

 

The follow-on began to loom. The Derbyshire batsmen were playing a dangerous game by playing across the line, and Mo Sheikh paid the penalty, trapped lbw by Kirby without scoring; 210 for eight.

 

Paget came in, and Harvey made the mistake of trying to frighten the youngster by bowling short instead of pitching the ball up, allowing him to settle in without threat to his wicket. Sutton, though, was unable to dominate, and he finally lost Paget (7), trapped lbw by Lehmann who replaced the uninspired Harvey. Derbyshire were 232 for nine.

 

Yorkshire struggled for the last wicket but, in the final over of the day, leg-spinner Mark Lawson bowled a leg-side full toss that Sutton (35) helped down the throat of Kirby at long leg. Havell was left unbeaten with 1 as Derbyshire were dismissed for 240.

 

202 runs behind, they will certainly be asked to follow on, and will need to show more determination to save the match – although, with disciplined batting, that should be well within their scope. Blain, with four for 38, was their most successful bowler, while Harvey took three for 38.

 

(Article: Copyright © 2004 John Ward)