Lives in Cricket No 6 - Bill Copson

performance. In forty one balls he clean bowled seven batsmen and actually took five wickets for one run in his last eleven balls. Bill’s future Derbyshire colleague, Tommy Armstrong, a slow left arm bowler who had first appeared for the county in 1929, also played for Clay Cross Park at this time. Copson’s steady improvement was duly noted by the Morton Colliery secretary, Fred Marsh, who recommended him to the Derbyshire county authorities and he was given a trial at the nets. He also played three games for the Derbyshire Second Eleven this summer but without any conspicuous success. Early Days and Family Origins 15