Date-stamped : 22 Jun97 - 14:20 By Neil Hallam at Derby First day of four: Derbys (3-2) trail Sussex (200-9 dec) by 197 runs AGAIN the focus for Derbyshire`s perplexed supporters was di- rected away from the pitch and towards the pol- itical turmoil which has engulfed the club in the aftermath of last week`s sud- den res- ignation of captain Dean Jones. Only when a club statement on this vexed affair was pinned to the office door was there sign of animation from spectators tran- quilised by Sussex`s 200 for nine declared. This statement offered little new apart from a first public acceptance that "an overwhelming majority of players found the leadership of Jones and coach Les Stillman unproductive", but a second statement revealing that former captain Kim Barnett had been fined -L500 - with a further -L1,000 supended for the rest of the year - ignited a fresh outbreak of internecine strife. Barnett, it was alleged, had defied an order from cricket com- mittee chairman Ian Buxton in discussing `The Jones Affair` in a lo- cal radio interview last weekend. Barnett stayed off the field after tea to issue another unau- thorised statement criticising this punishment and revealing that all the players bar Chris Adams, a staunch supporter of Jones, had made a public commitment to settle the fine if an ap- peal to the ECB`s disciplinary committee did not succeed. Chairman Mike Horton next announced that Barnett had now be- come liable to pay the suspended -L1,000, and so it went on. Adams`s isolation was already evident in his withdrawal from slips, where he is a world-class performer, on the grounds that his mental state was making it hard for him to concentrate. And with Barnett off the field too long to be allowed to open the innings, Derbyshire lurched to three for two. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) By Neil Hallam at Derby Second day of four: Derbyshire (209-8) lead Sussex (200-9 dec) by 9 runs THE torrent of accusation and recrimination which has swept over Derbyshire subsided yesterday, only for a downpour of the meteorological variety to blight attempts to put cricket back at the top of the agenda at the County Ground. Unusually, there were no crisis meetings, no "clear-the-air talks" and no new official statements attempting to put a lid on the up- heaval caused by the resignation of captain Dean Jones. Unfortunately, action in the middle was limited by the weather to only 45 overs in which Derbyshire claimed a first batting point and a lead of nine runs without suggesting that their minds were yet ful- ly on the job. Tim Tweats was bowled shouldering arms and the lateness of Kim Barnett`s stroke when his stumps were also splayed by Vasbert Drakes prompted the suspicion that his thoughts had been divert- ed by his -L1,500 fine for unauthorised media statements. Johnny Owen misjudged the line but the innings gained substance when Chris Adams took the fight back to Sussex. A fusillade of powerful off-side strokes was followed by a bludgeoning straight drive as one over from James Kirtley yielded four fours and Adams had rattled up fifty off 56 balls before he miscued to midwicket. Karl Krikken was pinned on the back foot and Phil DeFreitas swatted Kirtley`s slower ball to mid-on but Vince Clarke made an un- beaten 48 to carry them into modest profit. An operation on the hernia which has kept Dominic Cork out since April was described as "routine and successful" last night by the club`s secretary, Stewart Edwards. He must now convalesce for six weeks. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Clarke finds some crumbs of comfort By Neil Hallam at Derby Third day of four: Derbys (233-9) lead Sussex (200-9 dec) by 33 runs IN a season in which little has worked out well for Der- byshire, the emergence of Vince Clarke as a middle-order batsman of promise is offering a modicum of comfort. Clarke, who was born in Liverpool but raised in Australia, was signed as a leg-spinner after being released by Leicestershire last season. He had done little in two years at Grace Road or during a pre- vious summer with Somerset - only 144 runs from 13 first-class in- nings - to indicate all-round potential. Now, however, he is established in the top six in the Der- byshire order and with an unbeaten 65 in this rain-blighted game against Sussex has secured his lead in their batting aver- ages. Only 58 balls were possible before yesterday`s washout, but this was enough for Clarke to complete his fourth first-class half-cen- tury, take his average to 45 and steer Derbyshire 33 runs into prof- it in a game even a dramatic change in the weather is unlikely to re- suscitate. Resuming at 209 for eight, they failed to add to this before Paul Aldred`s mis- directed drive gave seamer James Kirtley the second four-wicket return of his career. But Clarke, who had demonstrated his strength with a languid six over midwicket the previous day, soon showed that there is quality as well as power. A back-foot cover-drive off Vasbert Drakes yielded a sixth four as he reached his fifty off 81 balls, but there was less authority in a slice through the slips and Andrew Harris went close to being caught and run out off the same miscued stroke before drizzle turned to downpour. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)