FOR the second successive week, the two leading sides in the County League were both beaten – but both still look safe in the race for promotion.

Aston-on-Trent and Rolls-Royce were each turned over by sides who needed the points badly as they try to avoid slipping out of the wrong end of Division One.

Rolls-Royce, at home to Staveley Welfare, endured a day to forget with the bat, as they slumped to 19-5 in the face of the opening attack from Tom Bullimore and Ben Peake.

They were indebted to Muhammad Alvi, who went in at number seven and scored 73 from 87 balls, with five fours and four sixes.

He put on 74 with Faheem Ahmed for the seventh wicket, Ahmed digging in for 62 balls for his 19, and Royces managed to use up their overs, finishing on 146-9.

Bullimore took 4-42 from 15 overs and Peake had 2-26 from 15.

With a relatively small target to chase, Staveley could afford to take care against Royces captain Naeem Akhtar, the division's leading bowler.

Akhtar took 3-29 from his 15 overs but Paul May and Chris Bullimore each hit patient 40s and Staveley collected the points with seven wickets down in the 47th over.

At Marehay, the home side would have been pretty happy with 228-7 from a slightly curtailed 48 overs against Aston.

Australian Dan Watson top-scored with 84, including nine fours and four sixes, while Chris Kerry added late impetus to the innings, hitting 51 from 31 balls.

In reply, Aston simply couldn't get their innings going.

Eight of their batsmen reached double figures but no-one got any further than opener Omar Yussean's 24 in the face of a good opening attack from Richard Wood (3-30) and James Kyte (4-31).

Veteran Neil Sparham weighed in with 3-40 and Aston were bowled out for 138 to miss another chance to overtake Rolls-Royce.

Staveley's win was not enough to stop them dropping into the relegation places because, for the second week running, Nutbrook – who looked doomed a fortnight ago – took maximum points.

It was nailbiting stuff at the EMEB Ground, as they edged Stainsby Hall by six runs.

Nutbrook posted 225-6, David Hack top-scoring with an unbeaten 59.

After a solid start, Stainsby endured a middle-order wobble, Andy Barlow, Tom Wood and Alan Worth scoring only Wood's two between them, but they got back on track and John Wood (35 not out) almost carried them to a win, before they lost their last wicket to the last ball of the 49th over, with the score on 219.

Nutbrook now have 208 points and Staveley 207, while bottom club Shipley Hall also won and are on 205 points.

Danny Haddon took 5-10 and Josh Buckley 4-36 as Rolleston were shot out for 101, Shipley knocking them off for the loss of two wickets.