A County Championship game against Northants plus the traditional T20 Vitality Blast against Yorkshire Vikings were the treats offered at the 2019 Festival. This famous ground once again had a capacity crowd for the T20 Vitality Blast match against Yorkshire. They saw a Derbyshire win with Chesterfield CC’s Matt Critchley once again making a vital late contribution to the victory. An added bonus was the presentation of a trophy to one of Chesterfield’s famous cricketing personalities.
County Championship: July 14 – 16 2019: Northamptonshire win by 72 runs
It was a fascinating first day with the Derbyshire bowlers being in charge in the first session when only 66 runs were scored in 29 overs. After the break it was a different story with 76 coming off just 12 overs, as Bavuma and Rossington took the Derbyshire spinners to task. Bavuma showed his true class as he moved to his second successive century, eventually out for 134, showing his usual style and flair. With good contributions from the middle and lower order, Northants posted a total of 342 and Derbyshire were left with a difficult twelve overs to the end of the day, during which they lost a wicket.
Only Hudson – Prentice had the measure of the Northants bowlers the following day as Derbyshire were bowled out for a disappointing 146 with right arm quickie Ben Sanderson doing most damage and finishing with 5-46. The Derbyshire bowlers then performed well and got their side back into the match by dismissing Northants for 122. All the bowlers played their part but outstanding was Tony Palladino who claimed 4-33 in 12 overs.
T20 Vitality Blast – Saturday 20 July 2019; Derbyshire Falcons win by 5 wickets
Yorkshire Vikings 164-8 (Thompson 50; Watt 4-19)
Derbyshire Falcons 166-5 (Godleman 70*)
Derbyshire came back well from their Championship defeat to claim their fifth successive T20 win over Yorkshire. Another capacity crowd saw a significant 5 wicket victory by Derbyshire. Derbyshire’s Scottish spinner, Mark Watt, claimed four cheap wickets as the Vikings collapsed from 31-0 in the fourth over to 77-6 in the 12th. They ended with 164-8 as Jordan Thompson smashed five sixes in a brilliant 50 off 27 balls and Jonny Tattersall added an unbeaten 39. It proved not to be enough as Derbyshire, anchored by a brilliant 70 not out by captain, Billy Godleman, kept up with the required rate. At no point in Derbyshire’s innings did they lose control of the chase, completing their victory with the first ball of the final over.
Many thanks are given to all who make the Chesterfield Festival an ongoing success, particularly Chesterfield Borough Council and the many volunteers from Chesterfield CC.
The Derbyshire players love playing at Queen’s Park and it is hoped they will do so for many years to come.
Two Friends members, Paul Robinson and Paul Hand share their recollections of a memorable match at Queen’s Park.
Paul Robinson is a lifelong resident of Chesterfield and has been attending Derbyshire games at Queen’s Park since the early seventies. His favourite Derbyshire players of all time are Bob Taylor and Mike Hendrick. Since taking retirement he’s been able to reconnect with the sport, becoming a member of Derbyshire CCC for the first time in many years as well as joining Friends of Queen’s Park Cricket. He’s also developed a taste for watching the England team abroad.
PR: I remember the summer of 1975 with fondness. At the grand old age of 16 I left school in early July and was due to start employment towards the end of August. In between times I was able to take in a lot of cricket at Queen’s Park including the County Championship game v Yorkshire and the Australian tour match featuring the likes of Ian Chappell, Rodney Marsh and Jeff Thomson. The biggest occasion though was the eagerly awaited visit of Middlesex in the Gillette Cup semi-final.
PH: I was ten at the time and in my first year of Derbyshire CCC Junior Membership. I’d been to see parts of Derbyshire matches at Queen’s Park previously – sufficient for me to know the names of some of the players and even recognise them. but this game was a different level. MY team were through to a semi-final and we were playing at the Park. The slight problem was we were playing Middlesex – a team full of test stars that had just got to the Final of the Benson & Hedges Cup. On the day we packed our huge supply of sandwiches and a flask and then we were ready. We got into the ground and there was still a reasonable choice of seats but as we got nearer the start time the crowd got bigger and bigger. The raised seating at the Lake end must have been strong as they were absolutely packed. People were already standing on the Bank and in the spaces between the raised seats.
PR: Why was Queen’s Park selected to stage the tie? Well, apart from the obvious reason there was also the fact that the County Ground in Derby was closed for cricket for a couple of years due to a dispute with Derby Council. As a consequence, games were spread across the county (and beyond) with Ilkeston, Burton, Buxton (where snow stopped play v Lancashire), Long Eaton, Heanor and Darley Dale (yes, really) as well as Queen’s Park. As for the game itself, I remember taking my seat towards the front of the pavilion alongside the regular faces. Amongst us were a number of very loud Middlesex supporters who had made the trip from Lord’s to these far more salubrious surroundings. The park was heaving. I don’t know how many were there but I hadn’t witnessed as many before. Even the television cameras were making a rare appearance.
PH: The game didn’t start on time because of some early morning rain but when the players came on to practice, I was open mouthed at seeing my Derbyshire heroes and my Dad pointing out the likes of Mike Brearley, John Murray, Fred Titmus plus the other Middlesex players and every time he seemed to say, ‘and he plays for England as well’. The crowd had got even bigger when I thought it was full half an hour ago! I look back and shudder at the people literally packed like sardines in the ground – this was way before any Health and Safety considerations were imposed.
PR: Middlesex batted first and one of their openers was their captain, a certain Mike Brearley. I stand to be corrected but I believe this was his only appearance at the ground. They also had a batsman called Larry Gomes, who was to return to the ground the following year with the West Indies touring team. I only have 2 real memories of that Middlesex innings. One was the tremendous reception given to their veteran wicket keeper John Murray as he walked out to bat for the last time at Queen’s Park (I believe he was due to retire at the end of the season). The other was seeing Norman Featherstone hit 3 sixes, one of which was beautifully caught in the crowd just a few rows in front of me, on his way to a top score of 70. This went down well with the visiting contingent who referred to him by his nickname Smokey. I never found out why he was called that. The visitors scored a total of 207 all out, not quite using up their 60 overs. Whilst this total would be considered derisory in modern day cricket it was around par for the course back then. Even so, the general feeling amongst Derbyshire CCC supporters was that 208 in 60 overs was very ‘gettable’ and we were already planning our trip to Lord’s for the final.
PH: The word around the people we were sitting with was that it should be an easy game for the southerners to win but we were not without hope. Middlesex were only 29-2 after 12 overs thanks to a terrific performance from Mike Hendrick who would go on to figures of 4-16 off 11.5 overs. Unfortunately, our Mystery Spin Twins – Venkat and Fred Swarbrook, didn’t prove any mystery at all conceding 115 runs between them although Fred did pick up two big wickets.
PR: The Middlesex attack contained future England quick Mike Selvey and veteran spinner Fred Titmus. Left arm spinner Phil Edmonds was the new kid on the block having made his England debut against the Aussies just the previous week. They pegged us back early on and despite a bright start, with Headley hitting 57 in an opening partnership of 81, Derbyshire found runs hard to come by. Wickets started to fall too often and when Phil Sharpe was eventually out for a painstakingly slow but nonetheless valuable 55, we were 5 or 6 down for around 150. The run rate required had gone up from 3 and a bit to more than 5 an over. This was considered to be really challenging back then.
PH: All sporting events and crowds are inhabited by eccentric characters and Queen’s Park had one of the most significant and memorable at that time –‘ Hotcakes Harry’. Harry worked at all Derbyshire games selling scorecards, yearbooks, raffle tickets and souvenirs. He acquired his nickname because, no matter what he was selling, he’d shout “get ‘em now, last few, they’re selling like hot cakes”. ‘Hotcakes Harry’ gave me a rosette which I have still got today, (see photo).
PR: I have vague memories of both Fred Swarbrook and Phil Russell being run out as we tried in vain to chase runs towards the end of the innings. Alan Ward came in and hit a six at the pavilion end but they were his only runs and before you knew it, we were all out for a disappointing 183. Apart from our 2 openers, who had both hit half centuries, Bolus was our top scorer with 18. We didn’t even have the consolation of winning the man of the match award. I thought Mike would be nailed on for his 4/16 but it went to that man ‘Smokey’ and he stepped up to receive his trophy in front of the vociferous visiting fans, who by now were beginning to get on my nerves.
PH: At 120 –1 with just under twenty overs left I was dreaming of going to a Lord’s Final in my first year of membership. I checked that my membership card (see photo) was still in my pocket as I would probably need this to buy tickets for the Final. Although we had a collapse to 142-4 there were still 11 overs left and surely, we would still get there? Things got worse and we tumbled further to 162-7. The final part of the game was more than ade described by Alan Gibson in his report for The Times the following day. ‘The last phase of play became hysterical … Derbyshire seemed to have forgotten reason in their calculations. They died swishing when they still had time for a nudge or two.’
PR: A disappointing end to a promising day. Ah well, there’s always next year and we had our consolation when Middlesex lost to Lancashire in the final with ‘Smokey’ Featherstone being dismissed for a duck. At least that made me smile.
PH: I was devastated – I wouldn’t be going to Lord’s and I tried to relieve the disappointment by joining a huge queue for autographs, which were freely given. It was a great day despite a defeat which really should have been a win – it was a crushing disappointment. Little did I know that my dream of going to Lord’s would be realised just three years later when the mighty Derbyshire CCC got through to the Final of the Benson & Hedges Cup!
Derbyshire bowling
Overs
Mdns
Runs
Wkts
Hendrick
11.5
4
16
4
Ward
11
1
32
0
Russell
12
2
30
1
Venkataraghavan
12
2
62
1
Swarbrook
12
2
53
3
Derbyshire innings
Runs
RGA Headley
b Gomes
58
PJ Sharpe
c and b Edmonds
55
JB Bolus
c Barlow b Titmus
18
AJ Borrington
c Titmus b Edmonds
0
H Cartwright
c Titmus b Selvey
12
FW Swarbrook
run out
4
*+RW Taylor
c Murray b Gomes
6
S Venkataraghavan
not out
14
PE Russell
run out
1
A Ward
b Lamb
6
M Hendrick
b Selvey
1
Extras
(6 lb, 1 nb, 1 w)
8
Total
(all out, 56.1 overs)
183
Fall of wicket: 1-81, 2-126, 3-128, 4-142, 5-152, 6-155, 7-166, 8-175, 9-182, 10-183 (56.1 ov)
Janet Murphy wrote the book ‘Cricket in Chesterfield – A Century of Club and County Matches at Queen’s Park’ in 2008. Janet is a well-known cricket supporter and local historian who wrote a companion book ‘For the People of Chesterfield For Ever: a short history of Queen’s Park’. She was Chair of the Friends of Queen’s Park for many years and is still an active member of the Chesterfield Cricket Lovers’ Society.
Janet has kindly agreed for us to use extracts of her book – copies of which are still available by going to the SHOP section on the website. We are extremely grateful to her for allowing us to do this.
Queen’s Park was officially opened in August 1893, but the cricket ground wasn’t used until the following season. In February the Parks Committee met to lay down the rules for the cricket ground. The Chesterfield Town Cricket Club was granted the privilege of playing on the ground upon payment of half the annual subscription per member providing that the subscription was not less than 10s. Only members could practice and play in matches.
From the start, the pitch was recognised as excellent (the Parks Committee had paid £10 for the hire of a horse used for rolling and mowing the ground and paid the wages of the park keeper and his assistant to get the ground ready). Thoughts turned to having representative matches on the ground, Derbyshire having been given first-class status again in 1894. In 1897 Chesterfield Cricket Club applied for the Park to be closed for three days the following season for a county match, free of charge to the club who would make their own arrangements for the preparation of the ground. First however, a new pavilion was required, which was opened by the mayor on 28 April, just in time for the new season. The cost was £499 18s. 6d
The Pavilion 1898
The first Derbyshire XI to play at Queen’s Park v Surrey 1898
The first County Championship match at Queen’s Park was played on 30 June, 1 and 2 July 1898. Although Derbyshire were heavily defeated by Surrey, the match was a commercial success, and Walter Sugg asked for his benefit match against Yorkshire to be transferred to Chesterfield. The result was Derbyshire’s heaviest defeat ever as the Yorkshire openers amassed 554 runs in 305 minutes out of a total of 662 however Derbyshire did not have the best of luck. George Davidson broke down after bowling only one over.
By the time they batted the pitch was described as ‘worn’ and they were soon dismissed for 118. Following on they were 50 for one at the close of play with Frank Davidson not out 5. Despite the fact that Derbyshire were still 494 behind almost a thousand spectators turned up for the final day’s play. Unfortunately, Davidson had to retire on 5 because he had to go to Dudley to play in a club match; Charlesworth was unable to bat because of a broken finger and G. Davidson and Chatterton were also injured. The match had a farcical finish. When the luncheon bell rang the players left the field but, as the Derbyshire last wicket pair were at the crease, the players decided to return to the middle with the idea of bringing the game to a swift conclusion. Walker and Ashcroft, however, defended stubbornly and eventually lunch was taken with them still undefeated, only for the match to finish with the first ball after lunch. Sugg made £340 from the match.
The Derbyshire Times recounted the work involved in connection with the match:
‘The number of Press and ordinary work in connection with the County match reached the enormous total of 5,000 messages, the Press totalling 63,000 words, which is a record for the county. Although the local staff was reinforced by four telegraphists from Derby, in the charge of Mr Elks, and a Wheatstone transmitter, the pressure of work was so heavy that none of the men were able to leave the building from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and it is pleasing to be able to state that every item was disposed of in admirable time, the wants of the inner man being sacrificed to duty.’
In October 1898 Chesterfield Cricket Club applied to have exclusive use of the ground and pavilion with power to allow the use by other cricket clubs in the borough. They undertook to keep the ground in order, without any claim on the Corporation. They also had to pay for the days the Park was closed for cricket; the Corporation wanted £30 per first-class match but reduced the fee to £25 on appeal.
Watching one of the Park’s most remarkable matches – Derbyshire v Essex 1904
From the start, events in the Park were hugely popular and, in 1900, a terrace was built to the west of the pavilion at a cost of £264 8s. 6d. Seating was provided – planks of wood on iron supports. This also meant that all cricket clubs using the Park could charge admission to the terrace and pavilion. Admission to the enclosure was set at 2d., to be shared out amongst the cricket clubs.
As early as 1914 the Derbyshire Courier said that Chesterfield had been the venue of many remarkable matches; it then reported a sensational ending to the match with Yorkshire as Derbyshire collapsed from 67 for four to 68 all out. Arthur Morton, who opened the innings, scored 50 and was the last out. Six batsmen did not trouble the scorers and, for Yorkshire, Drake took five wickets for six runs including four wickets in four balls and Rhodes four wickets for 12. The writer put it down to Yorkshire’s good luck as Derbyshire had the worst of the batting conditions.
As well as maintaining the ground, Chesterfield CC was also responsible for the catering arrangements during matches, the provision and removal of extra seating at county matches and the employment of gatemen. They also had to pay the Corporation for the days the Park was closed for cricket matches. Income came from subscriptions and a percentage of the gate receipts from the County Club, which was often late in paying. No wonder that the club was frequently overdrawn. It continued to be responsible for the arrangements for the use of the ground by clubs as diverse as the Tube Works, Chesterfield Butchers, Holywell Cross Primitive Methodist Chapel, Chesterfield Grammar School and the County Police.
Derbyshire went through a difficult period after the war; in 1920 one match at Chesterfield was abandoned, the rest were lost. Unfortunately for Joe Humphries the abandoned match, which was against Nottinghamshire, should have been his benefit match – fortunately, he was insured. Chesterfield Cricket Club was frequently asked to contribute money raised by events such as whist drives to the County Club’s funds.
By 1921 the pavilion was reported to be in a dilapidated state. Three years later the borough surveyor was requested to provide ‘plans and estimates for substitution of glass for the slate veranda roof and increasing the seating thereunder ‘. There is no indication that this was ever carried out – it would surely have been extremely dangerous to sit there!
When the Park was originally opened in 1893 the bye-laws only allowed it to be closed for 12 days in a year. By 1923 there were five county cricket matches being played and the Park was also being closed for the flower show and sports such as cycling and athletics. To regularise the position a clause in the Chesterfield Corporation Bill of that year (which sought to extend the boundaries of the borough) included a proposal that the Corporation should be able to close the Park for 24 days a year.
In support it was stated that:
The County Cricket Club look to Chesterfield for the main support of the county. They get more out of Chesterfield than all the other parts of the county put together, and more is taken at Chesterfield in one match than in three at Derby.
The Australians visited Chesterfield for the first time in 1926. Arrangements for the match included a temporary enclosure (admission 2s.), a press tent furnished with two tables costing 8s. each, an R.A.C. man to direct traffic and white rosettes for the committee members. Despite the 2s. gate money and poor weather there was a crowd of several thousand on each of the two days.
The Australian press was not impressed with the performance of their team on that tour. C.G. Macartney of the Evening News wrote:
‘It was a poor exhibition of bowling… There was a lack of life about the fielding, while returns to the wicket were awkward and erratic… The Australians did not show to advantage in strategy in this game, nor was the batting, in most cases, impressive.’
Despite this critical report Australia won by ten wickets. For Derbyshire, Worthington scored 75 in 125 minutes and followed it with four for 103 including Ponsford, Jackson and Bradman, the latter’s batting was described as ‘scratchy’! He made up for it four years later when he made an elegant 71.
In 1929 the Corporation spent £105 on repairing and renovating the central portion of the pavilion. At the same time the pavilion was greatly extended thanks to the generosity of Alderman G.A. Eastwood, the club’s president and a past player. Additional changing-rooms were added at either side with office space above, and two small balconies. The balconies were made into one long one in 1953, but no major changes were made to the layout until the restoration in 2001.
Expenses increased as ground rental rose from £30 to £50 and the share of the county gate was reduced from 15 per cent to 10 per cent.
The 1930s were the golden years for Derbyshire, who were third in the County Championship in 1934, second in 1935 and winners in 1936. Of the winning eleven, six played for England at some stage of their career, Harry Elliott, Leslie Townsend, Bill Copson, Denis Smith, Stan Worthington and Tommy Mitchell. Three others played in almost every game, Alf Pope, Arthur Richardson (captain) and Albert Alderman. George Pope was missing for most of the season because of injury. The most remarkable game of the season at Chesterfield was against Northants when A.H. Bakewell carried his bat for 241 not out in the second innings to deny Derbyshire. Northamptonshire declared on 411 for 6 with Alf Pope taking all six wickets for 129 (10 for 187 in the match). Mitchell was unable to bowl in the second innings because of a broken finger; fortunately, it was almost the end of the season. Sadly, on the way home from the match there was a car accident in which Bakewell broke his arm so badly that he never played Championship cricket again. R.P. Northway, his opening partner, was killed.
Photo Credits: (1) Chesterfield Museum and Art Gallery, (2) TP Wood’s Almanac 1899, (3) D Tyler
