Local Rivals. Capacity Crowd. Final over tension. The Twenty20 clash between Derbyshire and Yorkshire at Queen’s Park in 2017 had it all.
It’s the highlight of the sporting calendar for many and the first fixture supporters in North Derbyshire look for each season. Set in the close-knit, open-air Queen’s Park, the historic ground generates sporting drama.
Hoping to harness that energy, Derbyshire went into the fixture on the back of a seven-wicket win over Leicestershire which left them joint-top of the North Group table and midway through the campaign, sights were firmly set on a top-four finish and only a second T20 quarter-final for the club.
2017 had been a marked turning point for the Falcons in the game’s shortest form, with South Africa leg spinner, Imran Tahir, showcasing his vast experience to turn matches in Derbyshire’s favour, the Falcons starting to win more of the 50-50 moments which, by their own admission, they had often let slip in previous seasons.
The talismanic spinner was joined by New Zealand quick, Matt Henry, and fellow seamer Hardus Viljoen in a well-rounded bowling unit.
In the batting department, Wayne Madsen was enjoying his best-ever T20 campaign, and would ultimately go on to win the PCA’s Most Valuable Player award in the format. Added to the likes of Billy Godleman, Gary Wilson and Alex Hughes, the Falcons had depth and experience across their side.
Wilson, in his first season with Derbyshire and immediately given the T20 captaincy, won the toss and the hosts went out to bat first in front of a sold-out crowd of 5,000 – a mix of travelling Yorkshire followers and raucous home support.
Chesterfield-born opener, Ben Slater, struck three well-timed fours but he was bowled for 14 and fellow left-handers Godleman (5) and Luis Reece (9) were also out early, leaving Derbyshire 31-3 in the seventh.
Madsen became the mainstay of the Derbyshire innings, with trademark sweeps, late-cuts and drives down the ground to manipulate the strike and take the Falcons past 100.
He was joined by Henry, who pulled powerfully against the seamers in a quick-fire 28 off just ten balls, before he and Madsen fell in the space of six runs just as it seemed 180 was in sight.
A late cameo of 30 not out from Daryn Smit took Derbyshire to 165-8 after their 20 overs and the game finely in the balance, but with the crowd sensing it was 10 or 15 runs short against a visiting side packed full of international experience.
Young opener, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, was bowled by Madsen in the first over, the all-rounder used as an option to sneak a quick over in before the opposition batsmen had time to set themselves. It was a ploy largely used to good effect in that campaign, Madsen going on to claim 13 wickets at an average of 27.
A 55-run partnership followed as David Willey (42) and Adam Lyth (68) powered the visitors ahead at the end of the powerplay to put them firmly in control despite the early wicket.
It took the pace and bounce of Viljoen and the guile of Tahir to slow the run-rate and take vital wickets which would bring Derbyshire back into the game.
Tahir had Willey caught by Wilson, while Viljoen dismissed the dangerous Australian Shaun Marsh (2).
By the time Jack Leaning (4) was out at the end of the 16th over, Yorkshire still needed 42 runs from 24 balls, with five wickets remaining.
Lyth (68) was eventually out in Viljoen’s last over, well-caught by Madsen as he attempted to clear the ropes and set up an easy final-over task.
18 runs were needed from the final over and Tim Bresnan struck two fours in the first four balls, which coupled with a single and a hastily-run two, gave the Vikings hope.
Despite a wide with the sixth delivery, Henry held his nerve to close out the game, Bresnan caught by Reece in search of a boundary off the last, Derbyshire winning by three runs, much to the delight of the jubilant home support.
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