A RUN-OUT off the last ball of the innings denied Aston-on-Trent the chance to catch Rolls-Royce at the top of the County League.

The two big rivals – each with a predominantly Asian membership in recent years – managed to put together a superbly entertaining match, despite the weather, on Saturday at Aston.

It ended with the home side one run short of Royces' 201-8 with nine wickets down, meaning the league leaders nicked a winning draw in fading light.

However, they were then fined three points for a slow over-rate, so Aston actually finished two points better off on the day.

They had put Royces in after winning the toss, with the game reduced to 38 overs a side by the weather, and had an early breakthrough when Shahid Khan removed Abdul Habib.

His replacement, Muhammad Sultan, was to benefit from the difficult fielding conditions, as he was put down second ball by stand-in wicketkeeper Haq Nawaz and dropped again at slip on 14.

He hadf made 48 before he was dropped again, a difficult chance at midwicket and went on to make 93, from 90 balls, with 12 fours, before being bowled by spinner Zahid Mansoor.

Zaheer Abbasi made 33 but, otherwise, Aston largely kept the Royces innings in check and the pick of their bowlers was Ejaz Khan, who took 4-27 towards the end of the innings.

Aston's reply was stifled when they lost two early wickets but, at 33-2, Shahid Khan joined opener Omar Yussean to add 84.

Yussean went for 48 and Khan for 41 but, by now, Aston were behind the clock and needing 12 an over in poor light for the last 15 overs.

Aston were not best pleased by the time being taken by their opponents to get through overs at this stage – which was later to cost them points – but captain Faisal Khan and Mansoor kept them in the hunt, especially when Mansoor smashed Sultan for 40 from only two overs.

It meant the batting side reached the last two overs needing 12 to win.

However, one of those overs was to be bowled by Royces captain Naeem Akhtar, arguably the most difficult bowler in the league to get away,

He bowled Faisal Khan for 21 and, crucially, conceded only two from the over.

Aston needed 10 from the last over and looked in the driving seat when Mansoor hit Sultan's first delivery straight back over his head for four.

Sultan hit back, bowling Mansoor with a slower ball with his next delivery.

Fahad Shabbir was beaten by the next ball but the batsmen scampered a bye.

From the fourth ball, Raf Ali scored a single, leaving four to win from two balls.

Shabir took a single from the penultimate ball, before Ali drove the last and attempted a second run to tie the scores.

However, the throw from Kashif Hussain, from mid off, ran him out to leave Aston 200-9.

In the only other Division One game to be played, Wes Essex hit 122 as Shipley Hall scored 228-5 declared in 34 overs.

Riffatullah Mohmand was out for 99 in Clifton's reply and the game was drawn with them on 166-4.