The 2025 BRM Chesterfield Festival of Cricket, in association with Chesterfield Borough Council, saw records tumble, historic firsts and a number of legendary players grace Queen’s Park.
With support from Chesterfield Borough Council, Chesterfield Cricket Club, BRM, Friends of Queen’s Park and local companies, such as Fredericks of Chesterfield and Brampton Brewery, almost 10,000 spectators enjoyed the action throughout the week-long cricket Festival, which included the sold-out T20 fixture between Derbyshire Falcons Men and Yorkshire, which reached capacity earlier than ever before, with tickets going off sale four days before the fixture.
Derbyshire Falcons Women made their historic Festival debut, as they took on Worcestershire Rapids Women in a high-scoring Vitality Blast League Two encounter, while The Blaze faced Hampshire in a Tier One fixture stacked with international stars.
Derbyshire’s men’s team played red and white ball fixtures at Chesterfield, facing Lancashire and the legendary Sir James Anderson in the Rothesay County Championship, before closing out the festival with a thrilling win over Yorkshire in the Vitality Blast.
Anderson, England’s all-time leading Test wicket taker, was one of a long list of world-class players to feature throughout the week, with Jonny Bairstow, Ellyse Perry and Derbyshire-born England spinner, Sarah Glenn all in action across the week.
The Festival closed with Derbyshire Falcons Men claiming their eighth T20 win in-a-row over Yorkshire in Chesterfield, and history was made, as Nye Donald equalled the fastest T20 half-century in Vitality Blast history, taking just 13 balls to reach 50, before the evergreen Wayne Madsen saw the Falcons home.
Derbyshire Head of Marketing & Communications, Tom Skinner, said: “The BRM Chesterfield Festival of Cricket, in association with Chesterfield Borough Council, is one of the most popular weeks in the English cricketing calendar, and this year’s Festival was our biggest yet.
“We have fantastic relationships with BRM, Chesterfield Borough Council and Chesterfield Cricket Club, and we’re thankful for their support in putting on an historic Festival.”
Councillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “I’m delighted the Festival of Cricket has been a huge success once again, it is one of the most popular local sporting events each summer.
“The event allowed us to welcome both home and away supporters to Chesterfield, this is a fantastic economic boost for local businesses including cafes, restaurants and hotels.
“Being able to watch and enjoy first-class county cricket at Queen’s Park is something I know many residents look forward to, thank you to Derbyshire County Cricket Club for continuing to work with us to host such a fantastic event.”
Friday Finale: Falcons Double-Header!
Two huge Vitality Blast fixtures come to The Central Co-op this Friday, as the Falcons men’s and women’s teams play their final home T20s of the campaign.
A stacked day of T20 action kicks off with Derbyshire Falcons Women facing Northamptonshire Steelbacks Women at 2.30pm, followed by the final home Vitality Blast fixture of the season when the Falcons Men take on the Birmingham Bears from 6.30pm.
You can enjoy even more of the award-winning Falcons Experience, with fun activities for the whole family and a wide range of food and drink options for all tastes and needs!
With the Falcons Women still pushing for a place in Finals Day, it promises to be a thrilling day of Vitality Blast action.
