Date-stamped : 22 Sep97 - 06:22 Friday 19 September 1997 Rescue act from Byas and Blakey By Neil Hallam at Derby First day of four: Derbys (0-0) trail Yorks (267) by 267 runs A SIXTH-WICKET stand of 118 between Richard Blakey and David Byas and another of 46 for the 10th wicket between Ian Fisher and Paul Hutchison just about took Yorkshire to par on 267 as their bid to finish in the top three in the championship for the first time since 1975 met lively resistance from Derbyshire`s seamers. Yorkshire`s purely theoretical chance of winning the title vanished yesterday and hopes of a first championship win at Derby since 1928 were not much advanced despite a diligent recovery from 58 for five on a pitch tinged with green. The ball did move off the seam, but lavish swing was as much of a problem, especially during a potent opening spell which earned Phil DeFreitas three wickets at a cost of two runs in 15 overs in his final match as captain, prior to relinquishing the reins to Dominic Cork. Trevor Smith, like Ben Spendlove making his championship debut for Derbyshire, was in action early to remove Michael Vaughan with a catch at mid-off and Anthony McGrath soon followed, run out chasing a third run off a back-foot drive through cover. A slower ball accounted for Darren Lehmann, Alex Morris per- ished with only a token stroke in the same over and Bradley Parker un- wisely flirted with Smith`s outswing to leave Byas and Blakey to re- build. Byas` half-century, his third on the trot and fifth in seven innings, came off 98 balls with eight fours and Blakey reached this mark off 100 balls with six fours before Derbyshire renewed their grip. Byas left with evident irritation after hooking to long-leg and Blakey clipped uppishly to square leg but Fisher, a left- arm-spinner in his first championship game, found an equally re- sourceful ally in Hutchison to earn Yorkshire a second batting point. Derbyshire`s reply lasted three balls without score before the thickening gloom ended play 17 overs early. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Silverwood lights up brief passage By Neil Hallam at Derby Second day of four: Derby-shire (30-1) trail Yorkshire (267) by 237 runs YORKSHIRE`S impatience for action, stimulated by the prospect of collecting prize money of -L16,000 for third place in the cham- pionship, went largely unfulfilled as persistent drizzle and a dank, au- tumnal gloom permitted only 11.3 overs. No play was possible until 3.30 and within 45 minutes there were four lights showing on the scoreboard to send Derbyshire off. Three of the bulbs were already lit when Derbyshire resumed an innings which had occupied only three balls on the first day, making Chris Silverwood`s bouncer to Kim Barnett with the first ball of the day unwisely provocative, and there were regular con- sultations be- tween the umpires before their first offer to leave was accepted with alacrity. Barnett speared Paul Hutchison behind point for two fours but when Karl Krikken, volunteer opener in the absence of the in- jured Adrian Rollins and Dominic Cork, went on the attack against Silver- wood, his attempted hook provided a catch off the glove. Silverwood had claimed 15 wickets in Yorkshire`s two previous games and his ability to generate sharpish pace on a pitch of- fering movement off the seam repeatedly made Barnett and Tim Tweats hurry their strokes until the murk closed in. Better weather is forecast for the next two days and if the pitch continues to encourage the seamers, that could still be more than enough to produce a positive outcome. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Barnett opens Derbyshire`s floodgates By Neil Hallam at Derby Derbys v Yorks DERBYSHIRE purged themselves of the cares of a bitterly trou- bled season with a record-breaking batting display from Kim Bar- nett and Tim Tweats, whose stand of 417 spelled mounting frustra- tion for Yorkshire`s attempt to claim the -L16,000 prize for third place in the championship. The partnership was the county`s best for any wicket in their 127-year history, beating the 349 of Charlie Elliott and John Eggar against Notts at Trent Bridge in 1947. It established a new second-wicket record by any county against Yorkshire, beating the 349 from C B Fry and E H Gillick for Sussex at Hove in 1901, and was only the second stand of more than 400 by anyone against these opponents, the other being the 444 from Bobby Abel and Tom Haywood for Surrey`s fourth wicket at the Oval in 1899. It was also the highest stand at the County Ground, overtaking the 338 from Mike Brearley and Mike Gatting for Middlesex in 1981. The stand propelled Derbyshire to 473 for three and a lead of 206 to offer the chance of only their second championship win. Bar- nett made an unbeaten 210, his 52nd first-class century for Derbyshire and his fourth double, while Tweats` 189 was his maiden hundred in the sixth season since his first-team debut. A major satisfaction for Barnett, who suffered more than most in the aftermath of Dean Jones` departure in June, came when the stand passed 278 - breaking the county`s record for any wicket against Yorkshire set by the Australian and Johnny Owen at Abbeydale last sum- mer. Both have now left - Jones citing a lack of support from senior players and Owen leaving last week after a new contract offer was with- drawn. It seemed likely that Barnett would also leave after a contest of wills with the committee over fines totalling -L1,500 for re- marks to the media about the Jones affair, but all distrac- tions were put aside as he reached 180 to complete 1,000 first- class runs in the season for the 14th time - another county record. By the close Barnett had batted for more than seven hours, hitting a six and 22 fours, the only obvious blemish coming on 20 when an edge off Gavin Hamilton fell just short of gully. Tweats, too, offered precious little to comfort the bowlers until a miscued hook against Paul Hutchison spooned to slip after he had faced 339 balls and hit a six and 23 fours. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Captain logs off with 10 wickets By Neil Hallam at Derby Final day of four: Derbyshire (473-3dec & 64-1) bt Yorkshire (267 & 267) by 9 wkts DERBYSHIRE`S season of strife and upheaval ended in success with Phil DeFreitas claiming six for 98 and 10 wickets in the match, his last as captain before reluctantly passing the reins to Dominic Cork. Derbyshire`s declaration at their overnight 473 for three, built around Saturday`s record-breaking stand of 417 between Kim Barnett (210 not out) and Tim Tweats (189), left Yorkshire to make 205 to avoid an innings defeat. This seemed beyond them until tailenders Chris Silverwood and Ian Fisher hit out to add 80 for the last two wickets and secure a lead of 61 which Derbyshire surpassed in 21 overs to win by nine wick- ets. Any suggestion that Yorkshire might attempt to bat out the day was soon dispelled as the innings rattled along at around five runs an over and DeFreitas, "hurt and disappointed" to lose the cap- taincy after less than four months in charge, preyed on a ripe as- sortment of slap-happy strokes. Derbyshire`s second championship win of the season beckoned when Bradley Parker`s diligent 73 ended with a hook to square leg. It seemed appropriate that Barnett and Tweats, whose first-in- nings stand was the highest for any wicket in Derbyshire`s 127-year history, were again together at the close. Charlie El- liott, who shared the old record of 349 against Notts in 1947 with John Eggar, was there to offer his congratulations. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)