Chesterfield back on track
by Mike Taylor, 29th June 2003

It was a good homecoming for Chesterfield after three consecutive losses on the road over the previous two weekends. With Wirksworth skipper David Greatorex inviting them to bat, they had first use of the same Queen's Park strip that had provided totals of over 300 in two days of Second XI cricket.

Adams on the booze

Graham Dawson punctuated a bright start by Chesterfield by bowling Adam Whiteley (16) and gaining a leg before decision against Andy McCarroll (2). With the departure of the two young players, skipper David Adams joined opener Andy Brown and the vastly experienced pair put together a century partnership for the third wicket. Brown, after a run of low scores for Chesterfield, had found good form with Suffolk earlier in the week when his innings of 90 and 44 helped to secure a win against Bedfordshire. This form was in evidence as he glanced Andy Barlow to the fine leg boundary for his fifty, although the bowler soon had his revenge as Greatorex held on to a catch to dismiss Brown (67).

The arrival of Alan Gofton at 145-3 cannot have been a welcome sight for the fielding side. Chesterfield’s most consistent batsman, averaging close to 70, had been forced to vacate his opening role due to the failure of his train to complete its advertised journey from London to Chesterfield. Normal service (at the crease) was resumed as he saw his skipper past his fifty and the run rate started to accelerate.

Adams’ century, the first by a Chesterfield player this season, was a disciplined innings which saw his side advance to 263-3 before he became Dawson’s third victim. Adams (107) gave way to Simon Lacey (7*) who saw out the final overs with Gofton (67*) as Chesterfield reached their highest score of the season at 285 for 4.

Wirksworth seemed to be focussed on containment, even after their early breakthrough, but the only time they had much success was in the closing overs when they denied Chesterfield a final flurry that would have seen the home team past 300. Graham Dawson (with 3-44 off 10 overs) was the pick of their attack.

When Fran O’Neill bowled a scoreless Darrell Williams and Rahim Karim accounted for the dangerous Jeff Pfaff (6), Wirksworth were reduced to 22-2. There was an admirable urgency about the Chesterfield attack as Kevin Hunter joined Lee Mousley. The pair worked hard in adding 40 for the third wicket before Chesterfield made further inroads.

Rahim Karim bowling opener Lee Mousley for 36

The introduction of Lacey accounted for Hunter (11) and Mousley (36) followed shortly afterwards, his stumps rattled by the indefatigable Karim. With Barlow (2) being stumped off Adams, three wickets had fallen in the space of a dozen runs.

At 74 for 5, the Wirksworth innings was at the crossroads, but the later batsmen applied themselves on a good wicket and were difficult to dislodge. In spite of ringing the bowling changes over the next 30 overs, Chesterfield never looked like securing a much-needed win.

Neil Smedley (35) played an attractive innings before being unaccountably bowled by Dean Hopkinson in his first spell with the ball for over a year. But it was late in the day when skipper Greatorex (30) had his two-hour occupation ended to leave Nicky Briars (25*) and Dawson (5*) to see their side through to 187 for 7 at stumps.

After a meagre return from the visits to Quarndon and Ilkeston Rutland, Chesterfield will have been pleased with their 19 points although other results on the day conspired to relegate them one place to fifth position. They may well slip down a further place next week as they sit out of the action, it being one of their “Langley Mill” weekends. But captain Adams will be pleased with this latest performance which augers well for the second half of the season.