Yorkshire v Derbyshire: ‘Headband Warrior’ runs amok to delight Yorkshire

When Brooks trapped Derbyshire’s last batsman Tony Palladino lbw to seal victory by an innings and 39 runs, he wheeled away in the direction of deep mid-off, punching the air in joyous celebration as his team-mates raced to share in his ecstasy.

When they eventually caught up with him, Brooks had already delivered a passable impression of a man who had won the National Lottery after his maiden five-wicket haul for Yorkshire helped complete a remarkable win.

There followed what could only be described as a group ‘love-in’ in the Headingley sunshine as Brooks and his colleagues became a sea of bobbing heads and beaming smiles as the cheers of the crowd resounded in their ears.

By his own admission, Brooks is the type of cricketer who runs on adrenaline and pretty much anywhere the mood takes him whenever he captures a wicket.

At other times yesterday en route to figures of 5-40 from 14.4 overs he tore off in such similarly random directions as third man and square-leg during the midst of a magnificent performance that showed exactly why Yorkshire were so keen to sign him from Northamptonshire during the close season.

Brooks and his colleagues certainly had plenty to celebrate after dismissing Derbyshire for 163 on a flat pitch, having earlier scored 677-7 declared – the joint fourth-highest total in Yorkshire’s history – in response to the visitors’ first innings 475, with Derbyshire’s Chesney Hughes finishing on the losing side despite scoring an unbeaten 270.

“I have a bit of a brain spasm sometimes and get a bit excited,” laughed Brooks, who produced a superb exhibition of reverse-swing bowling.

“I actually pulled up stiff this morning and I was moaning to the physio and Diz (coach Jason Gillespie) about my back and that I needed to be wheeled out in a wheelchair and stuff, and I probably shouldn’t be throwing myself around like I do.

“But the adrenaline got going and I get a little bit carried away because I just love taking wickets, and it was a magnificent win for us.

“It was also my first five-for here as well and hopefully I’ll get loads more in the future.”

Brooks, 28, put the finishing touches to a day to remember after Yorkshire declared after 50 minutes’ play, their total equalling their highest at Headingley made in the game in which Darren Lehmann scored 339 against Durham seven years ago.

The home team had resumed on 597-5 and they hammered 80 runs in 10 overs before pulling out, Adil Rashid striking a run-a-ball 36 and Liam Plunkett a punchy 21 after Gary Ballance slapped to backward-point and Tim Bresnan holed out to long-on.

Although records rightly never entered their thinking, another five runs would have seen Yorkshire eclipse their highest-ever score in Yorkshire – the 681-5 declared against Sussex at Sheffield in 1897.

The only larger totals achieved by the club are 704 against Surrey at The Oval in 1899 and 887 against Warwickshire at Edgbaston in 1896, the highest score by any side in Championship history.

Yorkshire’s total here was the highest Derbyshire have conceded in first-class cricket, eclipsing the 662 Yorkshire made against them at Chesterfield in 1898.

That was the famous game in which Yorkshire openers Jack Brown and John Tunnicliffe recorded a then world record stand of 554 for the first wicket, a benchmark eclipsed by the legendary Yorkshire pair of Percy Holmes and Herbert Sutcliffe with 555 against Essex at Leyton in 1932.

Derbyshire’s second innings here began badly when they slipped to 47-3 in the hour before lunch.

Billy Godleman shouldered arms to Bresnan, Hughes drove loosely to second slip and Shivnarine Chanderpaul edged behind to the excellent Plunkett.

Yorkshire were frustrated by a stand of 92 in the first 27 overs of the afternoon session as Wayne Madsen and Wes Durston looked to be guiding their side to a draw.

But Brooks had Durston caught at mid-wicket for 50 and then pinned Madsen for 52 before Rashid had former Yorkshire spinner David Wainwright lbw for seven. The game was still in the balance at tea, which Derbyshire took on 157-6, and effectively sealed in the first over after the interval as Brooks took two wickets in successive balls.

Dan Redfern edged behind and Tom Poynton was defeated by a fine yorker before Tim Groenewald just kept out the hat-trick delivery, the ball dropping down and rolling inches past the stumps.

After the impressive Rashid bowled Groenewald, “The Headband Warrior” sealed the spoils with the wicket of Palladino, sparking those memorable post-match scenes.