League Cricket Conference President's Trophy final
by Gwyn Jones, 3rd September 2001

The Notts Willows Premier League 225-6 beat the Derbyshire Premier League 139 by 86 runs

This was an even contest right up to the twentieth over of the second innings when things went horribly wrong for the Derbyshire League.

Notts batted first and accumulated their runs sensibly. The outstanding innings was by Malcolm Brown who opened the innings and scored 110. He lost three partners fairly cheaply but set up a profitable partnership with James Hindson. They put on 109 runs for the fourth wicket when Hindson was caught behind by Simon King for a valuable 38. Wickets were lost in a chase for quick runs, but the final total offered a fair challenge.

For the Derbyshire League Duncan Player took 3-54 and there was one wicket apiece for Mark Tournier, Darren Pooley and John Trueman.

Derbyshire made a bad start to their innings losing Johnny Owen and David Smit with only nine runs on the board. There followed a very promising partnership between opener Adrian Marsh and John Trueman. They reached 87-2 by the end of the nineteenth over when rain started to fall. The rules of the competition state that if rain causes a game to be stopped after 20 overs the winner will be the side which has scored faster per over throughout the innings. On this basis Derbyshire were slightly behind and the two batsmen at the crease were urged to get a move on.

They took unnecessary risks and although 12 runs were scored off the 20th over both Trueman and Marsh lost their wickets. Rain continued as a drizzle but play carried on. Stuart Poplar was cruelly run out backing up when Dave Hallack's drive was diverted on to the wickets off the bowler. There followed some tight bowling, notably by David French and Paul McMahon, and the Notts side fielded like demons.

Hallack made a brave stab at scoring quick runs but he was caught by Richard Wyld off David French for 25, and the innings folded after 33.5 overs in an anti climax when Mark Tournier was run out by 22 yards. Credit to the Notts bowlers, with David French taking 4-32 and one wicket each for Jason Gorman, Tom Savill and Paul McMahon.

Derbyshire were the current holders of the Trophy and it is good to see it remaining in the East Midlands The Cup and trophies were presented by Mr Neil Edwards, the Secretary of the League Cticket Conference.

Match scorecard