A Serendipitous Afternoon in East Staffordshire
Buxton having cried off the scheduled game with just 72 hours notice, and with grateful thanks to Dave Pickering, a replacement fixture was found at short notice at Rolleston Cricket Club. Heavy rain during the drive up the A38 threatened a significant delay but the game ultimately started just 15 minutes late, and with the full 40 overs per side scheduled.
Upon arrival at the previously undiscovered ‘Willows’, and via a sharp right turn, the travelling Nomads were delighted to come across a splendid Derbyshire League ground, not withstanding the fact that it is actually in East Staffordshire, together with a glorious clubhouse and changing rooms complete with first floor balconies.
Jon Loxley won the toss and elected to bat. The redoubtable Pete Gardner, alongside Dave Rolfe - who didn’t have to worry about wicket keeping duties - made a solid start with the 50 partnership coming up after 13 overs. The fall of Gards for 17, with the score on 54, led to a rapid decline in Nomads fortunes. Rolfy followed not long after having amassed 35, thereafter some poor shot selction, aligned with excellent fielding by our largely youthful opponents, saw us slump to 105-8 with 13 overs still remaning.
A splendid unbeaten knock of 48 by Andy Gibson, aided by Ten and Jack, saw us through to 156-9 at the close. 30 more than looked likely at one stage but, in all honesty, 50 less than we should have achieved. Slings, arrows, outrageous fortune and all that.
We were served a quite splendid tea with all sorts of hot and cold delights. Oh happy day!
The Rolleston youngsters set off on the front foot and were soon ahead of the rate. LBW decisions in favour of Gibbo and Ryan Clenton had them at 39-2 but ultimately unbeaten retired half centuries by James Fern and Edward Frost helped see our opponents home by 7 wickets, with Ian Hughes getting the third LBW decision in our favour in what proved to be the final over.
Upon reflection we fielded fairly well, but older limbs struggle to match eager youth. If we’d set a target of 200+, which we should have, then the game could have gone down to the wire but we still did reasonably well taking it into the last 6.1 overs.
What is beyond a shadow of a doubt is that Rolleston were magnificent hosts and we thanked them by putting a weighty amount behind the bar on the Sunday evening. Let’s hope this can become a regular fixture.
[Disclaimer: Any offence caused by this article is unintentional, any praise is well deserved]
Date: 3 Aug 2025
Start time: 1:45pm
Venue: The Willows, Rolleston
Competition: 40 overs friendly
Scores: Lichfield Nomads 156 for 9 v Rolleston 159 for 3
Result: Rolleston won by 7 wkts
Toss: Lichfield Nomads won the toss and elected to bat.
Scorer: Rolleston CC
Umpires: Keith Stanley and Various
Report: Tony Jordan
Weather: Start delayed by rain, but thereafter dry and mostly cloudy but with some sunny spells
6 Aug 2025