Lives in Cricket No 6 - Bill Copson

The visit of the Australians in 1938 might have provided a further opportunity for Bill to show his mettle on the wider stage, but this was not to be. Derbyshire slipped further down the county table this season, finishing in fifth position. Yorkshire were champions for the second successive year, winning no fewer than twenty of their twenty eight matches at the superior average of 9.14 points per match. Derbyshire’s record was an average of 6.40 points from twenty eight games played, with eleven victories. They drew only six matches but went down to defeat eight times. Bill Copson had a more satisfactory season and enjoyed much better health than the previous summer. He played in twenty three Championship games and took 101 wickets. He captured five or more wickets in an innings on eight occasions, though without taking as many as ten in any match. He did not come anywhere near selection for any representative match, although his county 48 Test Cricket, At Last Bill Copson sets off with Albert Alderman and Denis Smith to net practice at the start of the 1938 season. He has the ball: they have the thigh pads.