Date-stamped : 30 Aug97 - 18:04 Cloud lifts over Barnett By Neil Hallam at Derby First day of four: Derbys 73-2 v Somerset ON A day when the County Ground was draped in damp clouds which permitted only 25 overs, Derbyshire`s new chairman, Vic- tor Brownett, sought to dispel the gloom which has settled over the county since the departure of Dean Jones in early June. Eight weeks after the committee`s imposition of fines to- talling -L1,500 on Kim Barnett for alleged breaches of the club`s ban on statements about Jones`s exit to the media, Brownett issued a complete climb-down. The fines were quashed a fortnight ago but Barnett then re- fused to withdraw his appeal to a disciplinary tribunal at Lord`s, claiming he had still not been exonerated. He got his wish yesterday with a statement which said: "It is now clear that it was inappropri- ate for officers of the club to ban the players from speaking to the media in such circumstances." It went on to accept the players` entitlement to make state- ments in line with English Cricket Board guidelines and conclud- ed: "We agree, therefore, that Kim Barnett has never been in breach of his contract." Barnett promptly withdrew his appeal, saying: "It is a great relief and I owe a debt of thanks to my team-mates and to the Profes- sional Cricketers` Assocation, particularly David Graveney, for their unstinting support." All this came on the day that another former captain, Ian Bux- ton, who had already resigned as cricket committee chairman, stood down from the general committee. Mike Horton, chairman for the last four years, resigned last week with Brownett replacing him after leading the committee back from 10 weeks of confrontation. Not that that ends the club`s problems. Brownett yeterday ad- mitted that he could see no way of persuading batsman Chris Adams to abandon his latest bid to gain his release and would, if he failed, advise the committee to terminate his contract with a year unexpired. Adams misses this game with a recurrence of tonsillitis and opener Adrian Rollins is not expected to reappear this season after having his left knee-cap fractured by a ball from Kevin Shine during the morning. Derbyshire also lost Michael May, driving at width, and Tim Tweats lbw in reaching 73 for two after being put in on a slug- gish pitch. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Derbyshire anchored by Cassar By Neil Hallam at Derby Second day of four: Somerset (24-0) trail Derbyshire (323) by 299 runs MAIDEN championship half-centuries from Matthew Cassar and Si- mon Lacey and a muscular flurry from Phil DeFreitas enabled Derbyshire to put on 170 runs for their last four wickets and turn a flimsy start into a position of some promise. Rain, which permitted only 25 overs on the first day and ended play 18 overs early yesterday, may demand some ingenuity in con- triving a positive outcome but Derbyshire have given themselves a basis for negotiation by turning 153 for six into 323 all out. With Kim Barnett dislodged by one which nipped back sharply, nightwatchman Andrew Harris wafting round a straight one and Do- minic Cork slicing to second slip, Derbyshire were in need of sus- tained application and it came in an impressive display from Cassar. The Australian-born all-rounder, who achieved residential quali- fication this year, has endured much frustration since wrench- ing ankle ligaments during a pre-season knock-up with his wife Jane, a member of the England women`s team, but there was no sign of rustiness in only his fourth championship appearance. He took the anchor role in a stand of 103 in 15 overs with De- Freitas, and he had surpassed his previous best score in first-class cricket by a dozen runs when he was held off bat and pad for 78. Lacey had five fours in his 50 and with Adrian Rollins return- ing with a runner after suffering a broken kneecap on the first day, Derbyshire were able to add a third batting point in their attempt to avoid finishing bottom. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Somerset fail to dislodge Cork By Neil Hallam at Derby Third day of four: Derbyshire (323 & 97-2) lead Somerset (251-5) by 169 runs THE banality of a pitch begrudging encouragement to seam or spin makes it hard to imagine how even Somerset`s declaration 72 runs in arrears and Derbyshire`s brisk progress to 97 for two might enable this rain-blighted game to avoid a final day of fruitlessness. Nothing in the way Somerset breezed to 251 for five declared suggested Derbyshire have the weaponry to bowl them out in less than a full day on a surface neutered by a soaking during a colts game last weekend. Derbyshire may, furthermore, take the view that, having been put in, they are absolved of an obligation to offer Somerset anything but the most improbable target in a game which poor weather has al- ready abridged by 121 overs. An alternative scenario, in which Somerset dislodge Derbyshire cheaply enough to be left with an achievable task also looked un- likely in the gathering gloom of the final session as Dominic Cork, opening in place of the injured Adrian Rollins, made an un- beaten 55. Derbyshire`s hopes of enforcing the follow-on perked up when Somerset lapsed to 85 for four, with Cork removing both openers in his first two overs, but were extinguished as Marcus Trescoth- ick scored an unbeaten 83, his best of the season, incorporat- ing stands of 102 with Michael Burns and 64 in nine overs with Graham Rose. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)