Another top innings from Tom Knight

Tom Knight (File Photo)

I don't know how many of you caught it, but there was another special innings from Tom Knight yesterday as Derbyshire's second team beat Yorkshire at Swarkestone.

Knight made 125 at a run-a-ball, only being run out by a direct hit from the boundary edge on the last ball of the innings, as Derbyshire posted 235-7 in fifty overs. The next highest score was Tony Palladino's 22, which indicates the importance of Tom's knock.

Yorkshire's innings got off to a strong start, with Hodd, Hodgson and Leaning all batting well, but when erstwhile county loanee Dan Hodgson was leg before to Palladino for 83, the wheels came off in spectacular fashion. The last six wickets fell for 33 runs as Tom Taylor completed an excellent spell that saw him return figures of 4-33.

It's quite amusing that the Yorkshire club site reports on their side being young, yet given that most of our second team was playing at Derby against India, the local lads were hardly in the veteran stage. Yet a win by 29 runs ensued as Yorkshire finished their innings on 205-9, an excellent result in the circumstances.

There's quite a sea change going on at this level, where traditionally we haven't beaten the white rose county all that often. Yet at both academy and second team level we are starting to be the dominant side, something that can only augur well for the years ahead.

Well done to Tom Knight, though, who is rapidly developing into a genuine all-rounder after a stellar summer with the bat.