SPONDON suffered a second defeat of the season in the Derbyshire Indoor Cricket League – but they still hold a four-point lead at the top of Division One.

Neither side closest to them could capitalise, as Brailsford slipped to a one-run defeat and Lullington Park were without a game.

Reigning champions Aston-on-Trent surprised Spondon, after Mohammed Tariq matched the highest individual score of the season, hitting 79 out of 105 all out.

It proved to be eight runs too many for the leaders, despite 33 from Dean Vickers.

Brailsford were up against a good Elvaston total of 144-3, in which Charlie Ault made 43 not out.

The game went to the last ball but, despite having three wickets in hand, Brailsford finished a run short, Ault also picking up two wickets.

Ilkeston, with Paul Buttow on 40 not out, made the weekend's highest score, 164-5, to beat Rolls-Royce by 34 runs, despite veteran Malc Mason's 55 not out.

Bottom club Swarkestone could not follow up their first win of the season, Nutbrook overhauling their 109-4 with only one wicket down.

In Division Two, long-time leaders Alvaston & Boulton seem to be making every effort to throw away a title which was theirs for the taking.

They were rattled out for 44 by second-bottom Elvaston, falling to their third defeat in a row, and now lead Stainsby Hall by only two points, although they do still have a game in hand.

Stainsby kept up the chase when Mark Greaves hit 49 not out in a total of 113-3, which was 12 too many for bottom club Marehay.

RESULTS

Division One: Aston 105 (M Tariq 79, T Williams 2-40, D Vickers 2-34) beat Spondon 97 (D Vickers 33, K Hussain 2-32) by 8 runs. Ilkeston 164-5 (M Brandrick 28, P Burrow 40*, R Slater 27) beat Rolls-Royce 130-5 (M Mason 55*, F Ahmed 27) by 34 runs. Nutbrook 110-1 (A Lever 26*, B Eaton 25*, A Hutchinson 25*) beat Swarkestone 109-4 (T Hamilton 31, J Gregson 28*, M Jones 29*, A Lever 2-30). Elvaston 144-3 (C Ault 43*, P Birch 37*, R Kettlewell 25*, M Dowling 2-34) beat Brailsford 143-3 (D Bould 25*, A Park 32*, M Dowling 27*, C Ault 2-46) by 1 run.

Division Two: Stainsby 113-3 (M Greaves 49*, T Wood 26*, M Cresswell 28*, D Lanyon 2-36) beat Marehay 101 (D Lanyon 32, A Worth 2-36, S Kooner 2-33) by 12 runs. Elvaston B 126-4 (Harrold 37*, R Clark 38*, C Stevenson 2-21) beat A&B 44 by 80 runs. Brailsford B 85-5 (B Gartside 25, L Barrow 4-25) beat West Hallam 84-5 (L Barrow 44*, T Hall 3-23) by 1 wicket. Rolls-Royce B 120-2 (S Venkattappa 26*, R Mahmood 27*) beat Spondon B 118-2 (S Mountney6 29*, J Rigg 26*, A Copey 26*) by 4 wickets.