Battle of the A52 Ends in Historic Draw

Battle of the A52 Ends in Historic Draw

The sun-baked outfield of Gedling & Sherwood Cricket Club provided the perfect backdrop for the latest instalment of the Battle of the A52, as the Nottinghamshire Law Society (NLS) and Derby & District Law Society (D&DLS) met once again for their annual cricket clash.

After last year's fixture was abandoned due to rain, there was no danger of that happening this year. Following the heatwave of 2026, the ground was dry, hard, and fast, promising plenty of runs and the prospect of a few painful landings for anyone unfortunate enough to fall on the outfield!

Following some tactical discussions with umpires Paul Westbury and Neil Dudley, captains Aaron Singh (NLS) and Tom Glenister (D&DLS) agreed a 20-over format, with a batting change every 10 overs. The stage was set.

Derby Take to the Crease

With Derby's squad delayed by traffic across the city, Nottinghamshire had a full complement available to take the field as Derby opened the batting.

Out first came David Birchall and George Ottewell, facing opening bowlers Shoaib Azad and Lakhvir Singh. David's stay at the crease was brief as he became Derby's first wicket, bringing Peter Kidd to the middle.

Lakhvir continued to bowl with impressive accuracy and was rewarded when George Ottewell was caught. Derby captain Tom Glenister arrived at the crease and immediately signalled his intentions, striking the first boundary of the match. However, after helping Derby reach 14 runs, Tom was also dismissed.

Mooez Iqbal joined Peter Kidd, with George Neville introduced into the attack. The pair began rebuilding the innings before Mooez was brilliantly caught by NLS captain Aaron Singh.

With the score gradually increasing, James Birchall entered the fray. Peter Kidd contributed a valuable 13 runs before a superb catch by Paul Wakefield, making his NLS debut, brought his innings to an end.

Rob Devine was next to bat and faced the bowling of Kassra Powles, while James Birchell found the boundary as Derby looked to accelerate. A bowling change brought Vikky Lai into the attack and she made an immediate impact, removing both James Birchell and Rob Devine.

Martin Brierley then joined Tom Glenister, who returned to compensate for Derby's player shortage. Together they produced the partnership Derby needed. Boundaries began to flow, confidence grew, and Derby's hopes of reclaiming the shield strengthened as they reached 58 runs for six wickets after 11 overs.

Tom, in particular, was in fine form, the sound of willow striking leather echoing around the ground.

Derby Build Momentum

When Alastair Rose stepped up to bowl, some nervous glances appeared among the Derby ranks as he carefully measured out his run-up.

As David Birchell memorably remarked:

"He's measuring his run-up. That's not a good sign!"

Alastair and Ian Gill formed the next bowling partnership as Derby advanced to 78 runs after 13 overs.

Encouragement and cheers rang out from the Derby supporters, particularly from administrator Julia Saunders, urging her team forward.

The Glenister-Brierley partnership continued to flourish. Tom eventually retired on an impressive 28 runs, while Martin carried on accumulating valuable runs. Jak Ward took over bowling duties as Derby approached the final stages of their innings.

Returning batter Mooez Iqbal closed out the innings alongside Martin, who retired on an excellent 25 runs. Despite Nottinghamshire's efforts, Derby finished strongly on 135 runs for 7 wickets from their 20 overs.

With pizzas already en route, there was little time to waste before Nottinghamshire's reply began.

Nottinghamshire Law Society Head of Operations, Michelle Foster with Derby & District Law Society, Administrator - Julia Saunders

Nottinghamshire's Chase

Leading the chase were NLS captain Aaron Singh and debutant Harry Taylor.

Unfortunately for Harry, his first appearance in NLS colours proved brief as he was bowled for a duck. The Derby opening attack of Peter Kidd and James Birchall then produced another surprise when Aaron Singh was dismissed soon afterwards, a rare sight for those accustomed to seeing the captain bat through until retirement.

From the sidelines, one notable contribution was recorded for posterity:

After five overs, Nottinghamshire stood at 33 for 2 and the challenge of defending the shield looked increasingly difficult.

Next to the crease came Jak Ward and Paul Wakefield, but Jak was soon run out, bringing Ian Gill to the wicket.

Derby's bowlers, particularly Mooez Iqbal and George Ottewell, began exerting real pressure. Wickets started to fall more frequently and Nottinghamshire struggled to maintain momentum.

A moment of controversy followed when Nottinghamshire questioned a run-out decision, maintaining that:

"Knocking down a stump with your hand before the ball hits it is not fair game!"

Whether the appeal had merit remains a matter for the historians.

At 67 runs after 12 overs with four wickets down, Nottinghamshire still had work to do. Shoaib Azad was then caught by Martin Brierley, while both Ian Gill and Alastair Rose departed in quick succession.

With the game slipping away, George Neville and Kassra Powles mounted a determined fightback. Facing some excellent bowling from Mooez Iqbal and George Ottewell, the pair responded with a series of boundaries and kept Nottinghamshire's hopes alive.

As the tension built, spectators from both sides found their voices.

"Come on Nottinghamshire!"

"Keep going Derby!"

The runs continued to accumulate. The target drew closer. Every ball seemed to matter.

And then it was over.

A Historic Result

It was a draw.

For the first time in the history of the Battle of the A52, neither side could claim victory as the teams finished level after a thrilling afternoon of cricket.

Players from both sides congratulated each other following a fiercely contested but thoroughly enjoyable match.

Captains Aaron Singh and Tom Glenister thanked the umpires, Gedling & Sherwood Cricket Club for their hospitality, and everyone involved in organising the fixture.

Special thanks, of course, go to Michelle 😊 for helping make the day happen.

As a result, this year's shield will carry both Nottinghamshire Law Society and Derby & District Law Society on the engraving.

The only question that remains is:

Who will win the Battle of the A52 in 2027? 🏏🏆