Spondon bid for the top

CHAMPIONS Spondon missed the chance to overhaul Ockbrook & Borrowash's lead at the top of the Derbyshire Premier League table as they had to settle for a losing draw at home to Ilkeston Rutland.

With Ockbrook's match at Quarndon abandoned without a ball being bowled due to bad weather, second-placed Spondon had an opportunity to boost their bid to retain the title in a rain-affected clash at Locko Road.

But they were met by a solid display from an Ilkeston side still searching for their first victory of the season.

They might well have got their win after posting an impressive 187-5 declared from 31 overs before reducing the hosts to 16-3 in reply.

Spondon skipper Sam Kellogg (57) and South African Warren Bell (60) put on a century stand to get their team right back in contention but Derbyshire paceman Wayne White (5-41) almost won it for Ilkeston, who fell two wickets short in the end.

Earlier, openers Kevin Leatherday (69) and captain David Smit (38) had given Ilkeston a solid platform after winning the toss and choosing to bat first in damp conditions.

It was a credit to both teams and umpires Alan Crooks and Peter Gibson that a match took place at all, something that looked unlikely after steady rainfall had fallen overnight and all of Saturday morning.

But play eventually got under way at 3.30pm, with the match reduced to 32 overs per side.

Despite virtual constant drizzle and two further rain interruptions, the sides managed to produce an entertaining game of cricket which could have gone either way.

Smit and Leatherday got Ilkeston away to a good start, showing positive intent from the very first over.

The first runs came from Smit, who flashed at a wide one from Neil Gunter and, although he sliced the shot in the air, the ball ran safely for four.

Meanwhile, Leatherday was soon into his stride, sending a Paul Cook delivery racing to the boundary in the second over.

The pair were riding their luck at times but without too many alarms as the score reached 50 in the 10th over.

Bell was introduced into the attack, only to see his second delivery launched onto the pavilion roof for six by Smit.

But he had the breakthrough the very next ball when Smit, offered some width, slashed and edged to wicketkeeper Dave Hartley.

George Moulds' arrival at the crease kept the scoreboard ticking over but, on 10, he ran out of patience and was caught in the deep by Bell off the bowling of Ben Ashdown.

With the score at 90-2 from 16 overs, the rain became heavier and the umpires called for the covers.

But the players were back on after a 15-minute delay and Ilkeston continued the charge.

Leatherday took the aerial route to hit Bell for four, while a mis-field gifted new batsman, South African Jay Adendorff, a boundary which brought up the 100 in the 18th over.

Left-arm spinner Chris Windmill was brought into the attack and he started well, with a maiden.

The next over, from Ben Ashdown, saw Leatherday strike a beautifully-timed four to the long off boundary, followed by a mis-hit which cleared the rope at third man.

Spinner Joe Ashdown began his spell with a big wide as he struggled to grip the wet ball but he got a wicket in his first over when Adendorff was well caught for 14 by Joe Kellogg as he attempted a big hit.

Leatherday was still going strong, though, and lofted Joe Ashdown for a straight six down the ground.

However, Windmill soon removed the threat of White, trapping him lbw for seven, much to the annoyance of the Derbyshire man.

Leatherday brought up his half-century in the same over before rain stopped play again at 5.35pm with the score at 151-4 from 27 overs.

Tea was taken before Ilkeston resumed their innings in the brightest conditions of the day.

Because of the stoppages, it had become a “time match”, meaning the game would end at 8.30pm, seven hours after the scheduled start.

Ilkeston looked to force the pace and Leatherday was eventually out for 69, caught by Joe Ashdown off the bowling of Windmill. He hit nine fours and two sixes.

A late cameo from Ian Banks (24 not out) helped take the score to 187-5 before Smit decided to declare after 31 overs.

Windmill was the pick of the Spondon bowlers with 2-23 from seven overs, figures which would have been even better had a simple chance to dismiss Andy Flindall not been shelled late on.

Under the rules of a “time match”, in the event of a declaration made after 30 overs, the opposition will face the same number of balls in reply.

This reply got off to the worst possible start for the home side as Ben Ashdown walked across his stumps first ball and was pinned lbw by White.

White almost picked up his second wicket when opener Tom Good edged a sharp chance to Smit at second slip but the catch went down.

Good was dropped again at slip, this time by Banks, off the bowling of Rob Green but he did not survive long.

Bell struck the ball firmly to Adendorff, who returned the ball to wicketkeeper Andy Hislop. With the batsmen having fatally hesitated over the run, Good was left stranded in no man's land.

Spondon's troubles deepened when Joe Ashdown gloved one that rose sharply from left-armer Green to Banks at slip.

Sam Kellogg joined Bell at the crease with the score at 16-3 but the pair batted positively, while Ilkeston – with one eye on the clock and the weather – raced through their overs, with White switching between long and short run-ups to save time.

One full-blooded bouncer from White in the ninth over was hooked for a massive six by Kellogg as the hosts began to edged their way back into the match.

The 50 came up in the 12th over and both batsmen were now seeing the ball well, despite the fading light, as the boundaries started to flow.

Another mix-up should have seen Kellogg run out but a poor throw allowed him to make his ground.

With 10 overs remaining, Spondon needed 89 to win with seven wickets in hand and victory looked a distinct possibility.

A lot depended on Kellogg and Bell and they were motoring along, with 45 runs coming between overs 21 and 24.

Bell hooked a short ball from Moulds for six to bring up his 50 and Kellogg reached his half-century soon afterwards, which he followed with another maximum after pouncing on a full toss from Green.

at 135-3, Spondon required 53 from seven overs at a reasonable run rate of just over seven and a half.

This prompted the return of White, who made an instant impact as Bell top edged his first ball high in the air, with Banks safely under the catch.

Bell will have been annoyed at himself but he made a valuable 60, including six fours and a six.

Kellogg followed his team-mate back to the pavilion in similar style moments later when he took on another short ball from White and skied his shot behind him to Matt Wakefield, who took the catch.

Kellogg's fluent 57 came off 53 balls, featuring four fours and two sixes.

This might have signalled the end of the run chase but new batsman Windmill had other ideas, smashing Green for back-to-back boundaries down the ground to reduce the target to 38 from five.

But he soon perished, again to White, attempting another big hit which went straight down the throat of Paul Burrow.

Spondon may have been better served trying to nick singles off White while attacking from the other end but they did not learn their lesson and Ollie Baum became White's fifth victim, caught by Adendorff for three to leave the home side on 151-7.

This became 156-8 when Hartley was trapped lbw by Moulds and suddenly Spondon had lost five wickets for 21 runs.

Ilkeston sensed victory again while Spondon's thoughts turned to survival and Joe Kellogg managed to repel White.

The match ended with an element of farce as White, bowling his final delivery off one pace, sent down three successive wides before completing the innings with Spondon 19 runs short of victory.