Rolleston 1st XI suffered an eighty seven run defeat away to Denby which resulted in the team from the Copper Yard leapfrogging the visitors’ position in the Derbyshire County League Division One table.

Denby elected to bat but were soon questioning skipper Joe Greenhalgh’s decision when both he and England under-15 international Greg Cork were back in the pavilion without scoring, Alex Britton (2 for32) the bowler. Liam Glen (24) joined opener Tom Bullimore (55) but became the next batsman to fall, Mark Bellm pinning him leg before.

The following over proved quite eventful with Bullimore reaching his half-century thanks to a towering six off John Thomson (1 for 51) after seventy five minutes at the crease. His stay lasted not a minute longer when Thomson’s next delivery forced an edge to Paul Allen at first slip.

All-rounder Peter Burgoyne (31) notched five boundaries and helped take the score to 162 before his became the fifth wicket to fall, wicketkeeper Matt Ford’s gloves welcoming the nick from off-spinner Luke Nelson (2 for 65).

The home batsmen continued to punish a surfeit of short pitched deliveries, Ramesh Subasinghe (35) collecting three fours and two sixes in his knock prior to the return of Andy Cooper, who promptly removed the overseas player’s stumps. Hard hitting Steve Payne (37) and Dan Burgoyne (35) moved up a gear, the pair bludgeoning 51 runs off the last four overs to take the score to 260 for 7 with Payne falling in the final over when Thomson caught him out at the long-off boundary.

Rolleston opener Paul Allen was fortunate to avoid a golden duck when Subasinghe’s first delivery clipped his off stump and sped to the ropes but the umpire’s call of no-ball resulted in five runs to the vistors. Fellow opener Scott Cobley (10) had been promoted in the batting order to look for early runs but, within seven overs, Yaqoob (2 for 29) claimed Allen leg before and Cobley lost his stumps to Subasinghe (3 for 40).

Mark James (22) and Tom Rutter (12) shared a twenty eight run partnership, the latter becoming the second batsman to be bowled by Subasinghe and James falling to a deep square leg catch off Yaqoob.

Chances of an away victory seemed remote following Gareth Marshall’s leg before dismissal and, in the next over, Ford (25) received a similar decision, spinner Burgoyne the successful bowler. At 116 for 6, Rolleston needed to survive a further nineteen overs to avoid defeat, their situation worsening when Subasinghe’s pace forced a edge from Nelson to Payne at second slip.

The introduction of Cork, son of ex-England star Dominic, into the attack was soon rewarded when skipper Britton (18) fell to a catch behind. The left-arm seamer added to this success when Cooper lofted one up, encouraging Mitchell to sprint twenty yards to complete an impressive catch at deep extra cover. The match ended in the forty eighth over when Cork (3 for 23) found his way through the dogged defence of Bellm (18), the innings closing on 173 all out.

Rolleston entertain Aston-on-Trent next Saturday and travel to Stainsby Hall on Sunday, two games that will have a major bearing on which of those two opponents will suffer relegation to Division Two.

Ticknall 1st XI tightened their grip on promotion from County League Division One by securing a five-wicket victory over Rolleston at the Willows last Saturday. Away skipper Luke Harvey won an important toss of the coin, and invited the hosts to bat on a track that had absorbed plenty of rainfall earlier in the week.

Aware of the task ahead, openers Gareth Marshall (62) and Paul Allen (5) made a watchful start, clawing their way to a total of nine runs before, in the eighth over, miserly Zach Lucas trapped Allen leg before. Matt Ford (11) kept the scoreboard ticking with a series of quick singles. But he had escaped catching opportunities behind and at third-man prior to surviving a run-out attempt by Tom Cosford, eventually chancing a run to the same fielder at mid-off from where an underarm direct hit proved his undoing.

Lucas continued to tie down the batsmen, yielding just twenty-three runs from his allotted fifteen over spell. Eddie Ikin completed an accurate and economical seven overs, and was unlucky to have Tom Rutter (26) dropped by Jack Lamb at mid-wicket before all-rounder Zain Abbas claimed Rolleston’s number four, courtesy of a Jonny Thompstone catch at gully. The hosts’ third wicket stand had spanned eighteen overs and added fifty six runs in an hour of hard graft, taking the score to ninety-three.

Despite some erratic bowling, several wides and no-balls were quickly forgotten when the expensive Abbas (3 for 57) clean bowled both Alex Britton and Mark James to reduce Rolleston to 108 for 5, just ten overs remaining. Scott Cobley (12) shared a run-a-ball five over partnership with the determined Marshall before Shahid Khan (3 for 39) returned to the attack to wipe out both him and Luke Nelson, the pace-man going on to claim Bellm caught behind by wicket keeper Kniveton.

Marshall was quickly running out of partners but Andy Cooper (8 no) rose to the challenge and accompanied the left-hander as he notched his fifty and within the final three overs, increased his score by 25 per cent. The pair accelerated to 163, the opener falling to a sharp Paul Borrington run-out off the last ball of fifty grinding overs and three hours at the crease.

The visitors’ target seemed far from daunting but, as early as the sixth over, Cooper (2 for 27) pinned Thompstone (12) leg before and dismissed star batsman Borrington (8) in similar fashion two overs later. A rapidly improving swing bowler, Cooper almost took another prized wicket in the same over but wicketkeeper Ford failed to grasp Harvey’s fine edge. Ikin (16) batted sensibly and had struck three boundaries before Ford regained his pride with a smart catch off John Thomson, three down for 61 runs.

It was time for the highest partnership of the day to emerge as Khan (24) and Harvey (58) took the game away from Rolleston, but both players were lucky to survive their third over together. Firstly, Harvey played wide of mid-off and called for a single, Khan showing reluctance to leave his crease. A comfortable run out seemed inevitable but the fielder’s return sailed over Ford and down to fine-leg. Khan, who had eventually made it to the striker’s end, smashed Britton’s next delivery through James’ attempted catch at mid-off, and earned the bonus of a boundary. Thomson found Harvey’s edge in the next over, Ford just failing to hold on, but from that point onwards the chances dried up.

Britton persevered tenaciously, unlucky on several occasions, but gained little reward on a track that was gradually drying out. Nelson bowled Khan with one that kept a shade low but there was plenty of batting to come, Tom Cosford (27 no) stamping his authority with a four and towering six off two consecutive deliveries from the off-spinner. Harvey secured his ninety minute half-century with a well timed drive off Bellm, and added two more boundaries before offering Rutter a straightforward catch at point off the same bowler.

Jack Lamb came to the middle purely as an onlooker as Cosford creamed two more fours to complete victory on 166 for 5 and almost ten overs to spare. Twenty two points ensure that Ticknall remain at the head of the table. Rolleston appear destined to finish in mid-division with their three remaining fixtures all against lower placed opposition, despite those teams boasting a professional or overseas player in their ranks.

RAIN SCUPPERS NELSON'S VICTORY CRUISE

Heavy showers failed to dampen the enthusiasm of Rolleston and promotion chasing Swarkestone in their Derbyshire County Division One fixture played at the Willows last Saturday. The rain delayed start initially reduced the match to one of a re-scheduled seventy four overs, with the visitors invited to bat following skipper Jamie Guthrie’s incorrect call of the coin.

The hosts made an excellent start when, in the fourth over, Guthrie received an unplayable out-swinger from Andy Cooper which he edged to the safe grasp of Paul Allen at second slip. Young Tom Hamilton joined left-hander Luke Thomas who quickly took his seasonal league runs tally passed nine hundred, the pair easing the score to 49 before torrential rainfall halted proceedings after only thirteen overs.

With dark clouds above and little promise of a resumption in play, an early tea was taken before players from both sides joined forces to remove the covers, and mopped up wet patches on the periphery of the square. Their efforts were rewarded when, at 4.30pm, the umpires informed both captains that the match had become a ‘time game’ and play was to continue.

Thomas (52) continued to bat superbly but his partner Hamilton (57) was first to reach fifty after just seventy five balls which included six boundaries. Two overs later, the opener passed the same milestone off seventy deliveries, leaving the visitors well set on 132 for 1 after twenty seven overs.

But the balance was to shift alarmingly in the next over when Luke Nelson (5 for 32) claimed two victims, and a third fell to a familiar run out by Tom Rutter. Thomas played a rare rash shot across the line and lost his stumps, and Jonny Owen sensibly refused a second run as Rutter retrieved from deep backward point, the ball whistling into keeper Matt Ford’s gloves to leave Hamilton in no-man’s land. Hard-hitting Gary Smith blocked one ball from the off-spinner before attempting to launch him out of the ground. He failed and his wickets fell behind him.

Owen suffered a similar fate in the next over when Alex Britton’s pace proved too much, and Rolleston’s skipper secured Nelson another wicket when he dived forward to catch Chris Fulton at cover. The spinner’s next over enticed both Harry White and Anthony Giles out of the crease, enabling Ford to claim two lightening fast stumpings to round off an incredible three over spell from Nelson in which he conceded just six runs whilst removing five batsmen.

Swarkestone had slumped to 145 for 8, but soon earned a bonus point by passing 150 prior to returning shell-shocked to the pavilion as the heavens opened yet again. Rejecting the opportunity to score a further twenty two runs from their last three overs in order to gain an extra bonus point, Guthrie declared on 153 for 8, allowing an hour and a quarter to claim as many Rolleston wickets as possible.

Just three overs were completed before 7pm and the final hour of play in which a minimum of seventeen overs had to be bowled. The time and over constraints seemed to offer Rolleston little chance of gaining many bonus points but a wayward over from Giles and some lusty blows by Allen (32) off Derbyshire Academy’s Harry White saw the score rocket to 47 off six overs. The in-form Allen included a six and four fours in his twenty six ball innings which ended when he missed a straight one from Fulton that sent him packing. Ford added six quick runs but danced down the track to the experienced Bruce Dilks (2 for 37) and found himself on the wrong end of an Eric Lummis leg before decision.

Rutter (18) immediately showed his intent by driving his first delivery to the cover boundary and, whilst he remained, a bonus batting point looked a distinct possibility, with some home supporters even daring to dream of victory. It was not to be as the batsman took one liberty too many and Dilks sent his stumps tumbling after just twelve balls.

Britton joined opener Gareth Marshall (25 no) and the match fizzled out to what is technically termed a ‘no result’. Rolleston closed on 94 for 3 after twenty overs and earned ten points whilst their high-flying opponents were reasonably satisfied with their nine point haul on a day that could so easily have been completely lost to the elements.

Rolleston 1st XI suffered defeat to relegation threatened Shipley Hall at the Willows when visiting skipper James Cokayne notched 3 for 53 and followed up with an impressive 85 run contribution. The experienced all-rounder, who has over five thousand league runs to his name, was well supported by Rowan Jobling (31), Matt Hardwick (37) and eventual match-winner Daniel Hanson (36 no) as Shipley reached their 237 run target with three balls to spare.

The home side had started brightly, openers Gareth Marshall and Paul Allen easing the score to 29 when, in the ninth over, Allen played to mid-on and called for a risky single. Fielder Ryan North picked up and scored a direct hit at the bowler’s end but the batsman received the benefit of what little doubt there appeared to be – not out the decision.

Youngster Tom Starr completed a fruitless spell of seven overs to be replaced by Cokayne who, in tandem with Graham Farnsworth, immediately slowed the run-rate. Allen survived a dropped catch at point and had moved confidently onto 35 when, in the 23rd over, Cokayne claimed his first victim by bowling Marshall (28). James fell leg before to the same bowler before Matt Ford (15) and Allen shared a forty-five run partnership with both players keen to take any quick singles.

The opener reached his half-century in ninety minutes but soon lost his partner who’s attempt to fine-cut North (2-79) ended in wicketkeeper Martin Starr’s gloves. At 124 for 3 and fourteen overs remaining the hosts needed to press the accelerator and Tom Rutter’s timely arrival seemed made-to-measure. Smart running between the wickets added thirty five runs in five overs, only curtailed when Allen (71) lofted Cokayne to long-on where Starr took a clean catch. Allen’s one hundred and forty minute stay at the crease helped prepare a solid base on which Rutter was soon about to build.

Stylishly stroking four boundaries and a six, Rutter completed his fifty in only thirty three deliveries and combined with Alex Britton (12) to add forty eight runs in six overs. Rolleston’s skipper missed a straight one from Hanson and Adam Bowering (10) chipped in at a run-a-ball before being stumped off North. Rutter (63 no) continued to pile on the pressure and failed to score from just three of the last twenty seven balls he faced, forcing the hosts’ total to a very respectable 236 for 6.

Shipley’s response faltered in the first over when Tom Rimmington (0) gloved a sharp rising delivery from Britton (4-66) to stand-in wicketkeeper Marshall. Andrew Cooper was swinging the ball and beating the bat with regular monotony, but the next opportunity for a dismissal arose when Starr cut to point and Rutter swept in to throw down the stumps as Jobling stretched desperately for the line. Once again the umpire favoured the batsman but Starr’s safe arrival at the other end led to his downfall when, in the next over, Britton beat him for pace and sent his wickets tumbling.

Rolleston seemed to be gaining the upper hand when Mark Bellm and John Thomson shared an eleven over spell in which the vistors mustered only ten runs. However, the batsmen grew in confidence and the second wicket stand of thirty nine runs had been matched by Cokayne and Jobling before the latter was unfortunate to miss a Luke Nelson full toss which rebounded off Marshall’s pads to secure an unlikely stumping.
The day’s highest partnership of 104 was soon to emerge as Hardwick and Cokayne dispatched all home bowlers to the ropes, the skipper passing fifty in seventy five chanceless minutes at the crease and including eight fours along the way. Bellm dropped Hardwick at slip, but no more chances were given until the same batsman drove Britton for two fours and the bowler took his revenge, the wickets spreadeagled. Cokayne’s master-class came to end two overs later when he middled Britton to extra-cover where Marshall, having been relieved of his stumping duties by Ford, dived forward to take an excellent catch.

At 196 for 5 and seven overs to go, the game looked well balanced, but North fell to a sharp run-out by Rutter in the next over, and the scales were tipping in Rolleston’s favour. A tight over from Britton left Shipley needing thirty eight runs off five overs and, by virtue of the fact they had only ten players, just three wickets remaining.

Hanson dominated the strike and launched Bellm’s final over for a huge six and a quickly run three whilst the more subdued Martin Starr (8 no) added a boundary to take the score to 227 with two overs left. Despite the home attack’s best efforts it was Hanson who secured Shipley’s first victory of the season when he flicked Thomson to mid-wicket and scampered through for three runs to the delight of his team-mates.

Rolleston 1st XI once again fell victim to an outstanding individual performance by an overseas professional when Sri Lankan Eranga Gangoda firstly contributed an unbeaten 115 runs, and then claimed five for twenty-six in Clay Cross’ 153 run victory. However, the all-rounder’s efforts were compounded by the visitors’ indifferent fielding and lack of application with the bat.

Clay Cross were asked to set a target, but left-handed opener Chris Fletcher immediately notched an unwelcome golden duck when he carelessly steered Andy Cooper’s first delivery to Richard Wyatt at mid-on. Alexander Eyre repeatedly struck Mark Bellm (3 for 80) to the ropes before the visitor’s leading wicket taker tempted Brad Clarke from his crease, prompting an inevitable Matt Ford stumping.

The dangerous Sunil Bhatt settled in quickly but was lucky to survive a leading edge that Wyatt failed to secure at mid-on off Cooper (3 for 76). The drop proved inexpensive when, three overs later, the batsman drove Michael James (2 for 66) straight to brother Mark at mid-off, the catch held comfortably. Eyre (40) had included eight boundaries in his fifty minute innings before Cooper claimed him leg before to reduce the hosts to 68 for 4 off fourteen overs.

The burly Richard Greenhalgh (29) then joined Gangoda in an impressive seventy two run partnership, slicing James through extra-cover for four boundaries but being dropped at slip by Wakefield before the returning Bellm trapped him in front.

Skipper Bill Hartley (30) was next to the crease and made a very hesitant start until, possibly inspired by Gangoda’s fluency, he opened up and secured a handful of fours off Bellm and Cooper. The former removed Hartley’s stumps in the forty-fifth over, by which time Gangoda had notched eighty-one runs and was about to launch an onslaught as the hosts pressed on towards a formidable total. He escaped a dropped catch at mid-on and proceeded to add two sixes to his dozen fours and was instrumental in plundering a further 52 runs from the last five overs as Rolleston’s fielding disintegrated.

Cooper and James both claimed a wicket each at the death to earn the visitors an extra bowling point, just small compensation as Clay Cross closed on 276 for 8.

The home opening attack appeared only modest as both David Greaves (1 for 34) and youngster James Redfern (0 for 24) conceded early runs, but a catalogue of batting blunders was soon to commence. A throw from the deep point boundary was taken by wicket-keeper Hartley before Mark James (6) could recover his ground having been sent back when partner Marshall refused a risky and unnecessary third run.

Matt Ford blasted thirteen runs off nine balls but fell in the next over when he middled Greaves straight to Gangoda at point, who entertained with a brief juggling exhibition before sealing the batsman’s fate. Tom Rutter (30) made a sensible and determined start, taking a good look at the bowling on offer, and combining with Marshall to supply the visitors’ highest stand of thirty-four runs. Marshall (14) insisted in playing back to Gangoda’s biting spin bowling and it was no surprise when he eventually tickled one to Greenhalgh at first slip.
Adam Bowering (32) had barely settled in before Rutter smashed the Sri Lankan to mid-wicket, the ball falling just short of fielder Fletcher but the batsmen too busy watching events and refusing to take an obvious single. A promising innings was brought to a disappointing end when Rutter played a similar shot off the next delivery, Fletcher receiving gratefully.

Michael James clipped Gangoda to Eyre at short-leg leaving Bowering the unenviable task of accompanying the lower order for a possible twenty six overs in an attempt to save the game. Having blocked out for twenty minutes, the normally attack minded Wakefield was adjudged leg before to Gangoda, and Bowering responded by smashing the spinner back over his head for six.

Luke Nelson edged Andrew Ogden (2 for 36) to Greenhalgh at slip and Wyatt attempted to pad away Gangoda but the spinner knew too much and Hartley ensured the batsman’s removal with a quick stumping. Bowering continued to get on the front foot and smother the spin but to no avail as his hour in the middle was soon to end when an apparently well-timed drive off Ogden sailed to Fletcher at extra-cover.

With Rolleston two runs short of their first batting point, Bellm blocked five balls from the spinner, edged the sixth and set off to keep the strike. But number eleven Cooper was slow to react and the innings closed on a lowly 123 all out. Next week’s home fixture against bottom placed Shipley Hall takes on more significance as the men from the Willows strive to reverse a mid-season spell of poor form.

A stunning all-round performance by Clifton’s Kasun Bodisha sent a weakened First XI crashing to a disappointing defeat at the Willows.

The left-handed Sri Lankan followed up a vital innings of 54 with a devastating spell of 7 for 16 off just 8.3 overs to help his side to gain maximum points as the home side collapsed in spectacular fashion after seeming in no great danger of defeat.

Missing four regular first-teamers, acting captain Mark James won the toss and asked Clifton to have first use of a pitch which offered early encouragement to the seam bowlers.

Mark Bellm and Andy Cooper took full advantage to reduce their opponents to 23 for 3 after twelve overs.

It was sixteen- year old Cooper who drew first blood, clean bowling Matt Wilson. A confident shout for caught behind was then erroneously turned down, much to the chagrin in particular of stand-in ‘keeper Ian Wakefield who had leapt like salmon to take the ball, putting those of us of a certain age in mind of former Liverpool goal-keeper Tommy Lawrence.

Fortunately, the lucky batsman, Camplell Oglivie did not survive much longer, falling lbw to the consistent Bellm a couple of overs later.

The aggressive Charlie Wedgewood was next to go, edging Cooper to Wakefield who this time took a regulation catch.

This brought together Bodisha and Faisal Khan, who set about repairing the damage. Starting circumspectly, they negotiated early awkward overs before starting to accelerate. Bodisha in particular looked dangerous, being particularly severe on anything short and reaching his fifty at a rate of a run a ball thanks to nine fours and a six.

However after a partnership of 79 and with the score on 102, an intelligent piece of bowling by Michael James deceived Bodisha and he departed to a slower ball for 57.

Khan and the positive Simon Moore then put on over fifty for the next wicket before the captain recalled his opening bowlers after a typically mean spell from John Thomson.

Bellm (four for 54) clean bowled both batsman with balls which nipped back and then showed the advantages of bowling full and straight “at the death”, as did Cooper (three for 44).

Nevertheless a final total of 200 for eight was a challenging target.

With the ball still moving about, Rolleston lost an early wicket in reply when Michael James was adjudged lbw to Peter Hort.

Brother Mark replaced him and with Gareth Marshall saw off the opening bowlers. James, batting with increased confidence and style, found the boundary five times, and with the score on 83 for one off 23 overs, the foundations seemed to be in place for a realistic victory attempt.

However, the introduction of slow-left-armer Bodisha was to prove the turning-point. James was lbw playing forward to an arm ball for 40, and it was this dismissal which precipitated an amazing collapse with 7 wickets falling for just 10 runs in the space of just five overs.

It was a lethal cocktail of good bowling, poor shot selection and controversial decisions which killed off the home side.

Clifton’s raucous appealing would have drowned the noise from a whole stadium of vuvuzelas and brought its perverse reward when Tom Rutter was given out caught behind off Ogilvie after the ball had clearly brushed the pad. Ian Wakefield was bowled leg-stump trying to force an arm ball through the off–side and it was a similar delivery which had Luke Nelson lbw.

In between, Adam Bowering was given out stumped after the ‘keeper had fumbled the first attempt and Naill Dawkins then paid the penalty for playing across the line as the procession became a rout.

Gareth Marshall (24), meanwhile, had been helplessly surveying the carnage from the non-striker’s end but then got a good ball from Ogilvie which seamed away to hit the off-stump.

At 93 for eight with over 20 overs remaining, Bellm and Cooper found themselves well and truly with their backs to the wall, but put up stout resistance for half an hour before Bodisha bowled Bellm and then finished off the innings with his seventh wicket in the 41st over, leaving a shell-shocked Rolleston to lick their wounds and reflect on why only three batsmen had managed to reach double figures in a total of 123 which had been boosted by 40 extras.

In a game of fluctuating fortunes, Rolleston 1st XI lost a low scoring encounter with Rolls Royce Leisure by just one run as the hosts’ renowned strike bowlers Naeem Akhtar (2 for 31) and Shahzada Khan (4 for 29) inspired their team to the narrowest of successes. Rolleston players had earlier been in a confident mood following just thirty five overs in the field limiting the home side to a meagre 101 all out.

Invited to bat on a bowler friendly track, opener Waseem Mohammed (26) wasted no time in crashing Alex Britton (2 for 32) for three fours and two sixes, predominantly to the short boundary on the left-hander’s leg-side. But he was bowled by Britton in the fifth over, the score on 27 and fellow-opener Sahd Shafiq not yet off the mark.

John Thomson (2 for 27 off 15 overs) was giving nothing away at the other end and soon had Khan caught at first slip by Paul Allen. Following a watchful half-hour Shafiq fell, bowled by Britton, and the hosts looked in trouble when the introduction of Mark Bellm (3 for 32) reaped an instant leg before reward of Kashif Hussain.

A workmanlike 25 run partnership between Mohammed Waseem (21) and R.S.Haider (11) was ended by Thomson when Haider lashed out needlessly and Tom Rutter took a comfortable catch at point. Akhtar made his intentions clear by launching Thomson for six over the short boundary but his lofted cover drive off Bellm flew straight to Britton patrolling the ropes.

Off-spinner Luke Nelson announced his arrival by claiming two wickets in his initial over. Waseem crashed what would have been a very flat six over the square-leg boundary but again Britton was on hand to nonchalantly take delivery. Following a dance down the track and a huge blast for six by Atiq Bhatti, a repeat attempt succeeded only in testing young Niall Dawkins’ nerve as he swept round to mid-on to wait an eternity for the ball to finally land in his safe keeping.

Nelson (3 for 8) struck again when Vasif Ali became victim of a well practiced and sharp Matt Ford stumping which left Bellm to polish off the innings by bowling Malooq and the visitors hopeful of chasing down a very modest 101 runs.

Given the opportunity of using no less than sixty five overs in their quest to score 102 runs, Rolleston had a difficult thirty five minutes to bat prior to the tea break. Opener Paul Allen was lost as early as the third over when Akhtar lured the batsman into an unsuccessful pull shot and removed his stumps. Talisman Gareth Marshall followed two overs later, looking aghast to be given caught behind following a raucous and prolonged appeal from all and sundry, a habit which eventually earned the fielders a warning from umpire Divers.

An extremely brief spell from Waseem which consisted of seven wides in a thirteen ball over quietly introduced the break for tea, Rolleston on 20 for 2.
(And what a tea it was – an exquisite offering of coleslaw baps, politically correct cheese butties i.e. one brown piece of bread and one white, pink iced cakes and some x-certificate spicy bhajis all included in a value for money £36 – good effort!)

Refreshed following the break, Derbyshire 2nd XI bowler Khan soon made his trip down from Bradford worthwhile by quickly claiming both Tom Rutter and Mark James leg before. With Rolls Royce firmly back in contention, the most substantial partnership of the day emerged between Matt Ford (34) and Scott Cobley (12). The pair displayed great determination over eighteen overs and kept out the rampant Khan and Akhtar but, possibly too relaxed when the dangerous strikers were removed, Ford missed a tame one from Haider and returned to the pavilion after an eighty minute occupation that included seven boundaries.

With the score on 76 for 5, Britton arrived to bolster the reply but his stay was brief, middling Haider (2 for 13) hard and low to Hussain who secured a good catch at point – 85 for 6. Just one run had been added to the total when Nelson inexplicably lofted spinner Hussain into the safe hands of Waseem at mid-on, piling pressure onto next man in Dawkins who immediately rose to the challenge by cutting his first ball to the ropes.

Royces’ main strike bowlers had only three overs each remaining and the visitors requiring five more runs for victory when the returning Akhtar bowled to Dawkins who struck sweetly to cover and set off for single. Cobley, who had batted manfully for over a hundred minutes and faced 85 balls in his 12 run innings set off, stalled and re-started his run as his partner flashed past him but the hesitation proved fatal, Bhatti credited with the run out.

Rolleston moved into the fortieth over on 98 for 8, Bellm pushed a single and Khan picked the wrong time to deliver his first wide of the day, taking the score into three figures. The ex-Harrogate paceman bent his back and Dawkins’ attempted shot for victory edged into Mohammed’s gloves. The tension was unbearable as Thomson survived two unplayable deliveries from Khan but the replacement delivery for the wide proved vital as it nipped back and flicked the off-stump bail on it’s way to sealing success for the hosts which takes them to the top of County Division One.

A superb 118 run fourth wicket partnership between Gareth Marshall (57) and Matt Ford (52) provided the impetus which resulted in Rolleston 1st XI gaining a home victory over Marehay in Saturday’s keenly contested County Division One fixture.

The visitors included South African all-rounder Christoffel Visser in their ranks, a player who last season terrorised the hosts when representing promoted side Matlock. However, despite returning bowling figures of 3 for 61 it was not to be the overseas’ day, as his duck with the bat, the gifting of thirteen no balls and a total contribution of sixteen wides only served to spur the home team to success.

Marehay had earlier opted to bat on a swelteringly hot day but initially found runs hard to come by, with opening bowlers Alex Britton (2 for 39) and Mark Bellm (2 for 48) both in good form. Visser lost his middle stump to Britton in the first over and, in the eleventh over, skipper Andy Walters (24) was dropped at second slip by Nelson off the same bowler when he had scored only three runs.

Martin Camm’s (24) thirty five run partnership with Walters ended when Bellm pinned him leg before and off-spinner Nelson made amends by deceiving Walters in the flight and bowling Marehay’s dangerous left-hander. Within three overs and the eagerly awaited introduction of John Thomson (3 for 25), Steve Lee was caught behind by Ford and Pykett was desperately unlucky to receive a delivery that shaved his bootlaces prompting an inevitable leg before judgement. The visitors were perilously placed on 90 for 5 after twenty nine overs.

Time indeed for the highest stand of the innings to emerge as John Bradder (53) and David Buckley (31) piled on 56 runs in the next twelve overs, the former particularly strong on the leg-side and bludgeoning eight boundaries in his ninety minute half-century. Brimming with confidence, Bradder took one chance too many and gave Britton a simple catch at extra cover off Thomson.

Following an hour at the crease, Buckley fell leg before to Britton leaving Adrian Vickerage (30 no) time to add a sparkling thirty run cameo before a high flier from Kyte landed on Mark James’ runway at long-on and the innings ended on 204 for 8.

A fired-up Visser ran in like an express train but started with a no ball that Paul Allen spanked to the boundary. Three deliveries later a more controlled offering nailed the opener leg before and, in his next over, a short pitched ball lured Mark James into an early hook shot that was edged into wicket keeper Pykett’s gloves.

Master of concentration, Gareth Marshall had clawed his way to just fifteen runs when his third partner Tom Rutter (20) departed after a torrid hour at the crease against Visser and an on-song James Kyte (3 for 54). Rutter had survived the onslaught and convincingly stroked Dean Mills for a couple of fours before the left-arm medium pacer surprised him with a quicker one that sent the stumps clattering.

With the hosts reasonably placed on 55 for 3 after twenty overs, Matt Ford arrived to support Marshall and did so in style. The pair had doubled the score within ten overs and dealt severely with any loose stuff from Camm and Mills. Visser and Kyte returned to add some punch to the attack but were relieved of their duties after just three overs apiece as skipper Walters sought to break an increasingly menacing partnership. Marshall drove Mills to the ropes to take him to fifty – a lesson in patience, willpower and technique that spanned two and a half hours. Ford reached his half-century off the same bowler but in a mere seventy minutes and fifty six balls.

Only thirty seven runs required, seven wickets standing and eleven overs in the locker, the hosts appeared to be sailing on calm waters. Having begun his third spell with a leg-side wide that flew over the ropes, Visser raised Marhay hopes by bowling Ford, and Kyte immediately made his mark when Nelson played loftily to Mills at mid-off and Britton clipped one to Lee in the slips. When the aggressive Kyte was next awarded a leg before decision against Marshall, the game looked anything but secure.

Scott Cobley (7 no) and youngster Niall Dawkins (8 no) joined forces in an attempt to stop the rot, Visser gave away another five wides and Cobley smashed him to the cover boundary to settle home nerves. Kyte moved in for the kill but Dawkins kept his composure and firstly cut the excitable bowler past backward point for four, and finished the game off with a glorious cover drive to the ropes, clinching twenty two points and a rise to third place in the table.

Rolleston 1st XI celebrated the halfway point of the 2010 cricket season with an emphatic seventy nine run home victory over Stainsby Hall, pocketing 27 points in the process and moving up to fifth position in Derbyshire County Division One.

A four wicket haul for Stainsby’s former England under-19 international Mark Footitt and three for support bowler Carl Cruz were not enough to hinder the home side’s steady march to a very respectable 228 all out, several batsmen making notable contributions.

Winning a fourth consecutive toss of the coin, skipper Alex Britton showed faith in his batting line-up, Paul Allen (8) and Gareth Marshall (59) immediately confronted by left-arm speedster Footitt and South African David Smyth who both opened up with maidens. Allen soon notched a couple of boundaries but Footitt (4 for 55) struck in the same over when he ripped out middle stump with a superb quick delivery.

Mark James (10) fell caught behind to the same bowler, prompting Matt Ford’s arrival at the crease. He and Marshall shared a forty seven run partnership prior to wicket-keeper Mark Greaves claiming his second catch when Ford (21) nicked Cruz into his gloves. Britton and Marshall combined once again and took the score to 140 before Rolleston’s innings suffered a series of setbacks.

Having crashed Rob Wood for three consecutive boundaries, and passing fifty in seventy one minutes, Marshall was adjudged leg before to Cruz, Cobley meeting the same fate two deliveries later. Britton (18) became the third leg before victim in the very next over, left-arm spinner Matthew Smith taking the credit. The same player dismissed Luke Nelson (22) with a return catch but not before he and Ian Wakefield (34 no) had added thirty five valuable runs to the total.

At 175 for 7 fifteen year old Niall Dawkins walked to the middle to make his senior league debut, six days after impressing with an unbeaten 49 in the Breweries Cup. By this time Wakefield’s unfortunate groin strain had necessitated the use of a runner but, despite the obvious handicap, the pair shared an eighth wicket partnership of fifty runs in just five thrilling overs.

Dawkins (25) gave Greaves his third catch when he was out-smarted by Footitt who, by this time had switched to spin bowling, the same action again successful when Cooper gave Smyth a simple catch at cover without scoring. Thomson soon joined the list of lbw victims leaving Wakefield to limp to the pavilion unbeaten, the score on 228.

Stainsby’s response was initially subdued by a miserly spell of swing bowling by Andy Cooper (1 for 25) whose first five overs yielded just two runs. Britton (3 for 37) was firing away at the other end and quickly dismissed Marsh (10) and Daniel Wood (1), caught behind by Ford and trapped leg before respectively.

The visitors’ third wicket stand was by far their most successful as Smyth (39) and Tom Wood (19) grafted for twelve overs and added sixty four runs before Wood gave Ford a stumping opportunity he rarely spurns, Nelson (4 for 45) the grateful beneficiary. The off-spinner struck again by bowling Cruz for a duck and Thomson invited Smyth (7 fours) forward to one, prompting another Ford stumping. Alan Worth fine edged Nelson to Ford and the bowler went on to secure his fourth wicket by holding on to Footitt’s return drive, the reply reduced to 103 for 7.

The safety first approach adopted by Dan Hardwick (16) and Rob Wood (26) frustrated the home attack for more than eleven overs, but when Hardwick fell to another sharp stumping and then Greaves suffered a needless run out, the visitors’ hopes had faded significantly. Captain Wood held on stubbornly but his time was up when retired ex-first team star Dave Bowering fulfilled his substitute fielder duties by pouncing at long off to take a testing catch off the bowling of Britton.

Stainsby Hall still had more than twelve overs available but their efforts ended on 149 all out, one short of earning a further batting point, Rolleston well satisfied with another maximum reward of 27 points.

Rolleston 1st XI earned a maximum twenty seven points from Saturday’s Derbyshire Division One away victory at relegation threatened Aston on Trent. The visitors opted to bat but suffered the early loss of both openers when Paul Allen mistimed a short delivery from Fazal resulting in a catch at mid-on for Rafaqat Ali and, in the next over, Michael James nicked left-arm pace bowler Nasir Khan to wicketkeeper Shabbir.

Reliable Gareth Marshall (41) and Tom Rutter (23) combined to forge a thirty one run partnership, the latter smashing all-rounder Tariq for a four and a giant six before the lost ball was retrieved two overs later and the batsman played it onto his own stumps.

At 50 for 3, Matt Ford joined Marshall and the pair provided some stability to the innings, their fourth wicket stand of fifty runs developing over fourteen overs and doubling the score before left-arm spinner Arshad (3 for 54) claimed Ford as his first victim, bowled for 21.

Within a further ten overs, the visitors had slumped to 132 for 7 as Arshad lured Britton into offering Haq Nowaz a catch, Khan took Marshall leg before and Cobley set off for a run that never looked likely, and failed to recover his ground. A total collapse was avoided by a solid forty seven run stand between a very correct Mark James (25) and the more flamboyant Luke Nelson (26).

In attempting his third six in a lively half-hour, Nelson supplied the persistent Arshad with his third scalp, fielder Nowaz taking the catch with little difficulty. The same fielder took the catch of the day when, in the penultimate over, James launched the unconventional bowling of Mohammed Khan for six and then drove him low and hard to extra cover where Nowaz bent low to secure. Tariq returned to bowl Bellm and the innings closed on 191 all out.

Aston’s reply started briskly with both openers taking advantage of some erratic bowling by out-of-practice Michael James (2 for 46). Ansar Ali sustained a leg injury in the fourth over which was serious enough to require the use of a runner, a significant factor in the batsman’s eventual dismissal. James recovered his direction to bowl Nowaz and number three Fazal tried to take advantage of a mis-field but Ali’s runner was back on his heels and well short of the crease as Britton’s throw found Ford in time to complete the run out.

Just three overs later, the hosts were reduced to 31 for 4, Fazal returning a full toss to James’ delivery hand, and Yussain getting a faint edge to Ford off Britton (2 for 29). A dangerous looking fifth wicket stand of forty two runs emerged as Raja steadied the ship whilst Tariq (28) went on the rampage, smashing five boundaries in half-an-hour. He finally met his demise when Nelson (2 for 35) spun one through another attempted drive, soon to be followed by Raja, lbw to Britton.

Aston reached the drinks break on 96 for 6 after twenty five overs but tellingly had run only nine singles throughout.

Nelson struck again by bowling Arshad (23) who had previously whacked the spinner for two fours and two sixes but fell silently, offering an ineffective forward defensive. The late introduction of leading wicket taker Mark Bellm (3 for 20) seemed the perfect move to blow away the tail and so it proved. M Khan (10) was first to leave the scene pinned leg before, Ali fell to a sharp slip catch by Marshall, and the game ended when the patient Shabbir (10) presented Ford with his third catch behind the stumps.

The hosts ended on 136 all out with eleven overs left, Rolleston claiming a thoroughly convincing victory and twenty seven points, just six points going to the losers.