So close but Spondon edge win to stay ahead

SPONDON stay ahead in the Derbyshire Indoor Cricket League after a win over Rolls-Royce B, edging home with the scores level by losing one fewer wicket.

Spondon batted first and made 124-2, with Isaac Harrison 26 not out, Mitchell Wagstaff 26 not out and Adam Finlay 25 not out.

In a tense finish, Royces could only match their score with three wickets down, Spondon getting away with conceding 29 extras, while Zayn Malooq was left 29 not out and David Yeomans 27 not out.

A bonus for leaders Spondon was that their B team upset secondplaced Derby Congs by two wickets.

Trevor Archibald was Congs’ mainstay with 44 not out but, despite suffering four run-outs, Spondon B edged home with Steve Mountney on 34 not out and Rob Mountney 27 not out.

Congs played twice over the weekend, also beating Denby.

RESULTS: Ockbrook 119-3 (J Sharratt 29*, Z Ashdaq 25*) beat Derby Congs B 112-5 (A Nisan 41) by 7 runs. West Hallam 143-2 (T Brandrick 31*, G Brandrick 39*, M Tatler 27*, H Porter 25*) beat Elvaston 91 (R Lathbury 2-28, T Brandrick 2-18) by 52 runs. Spondon 124-2 (A Finlay 25*, I Harrison 26*, M Wagstaff 26*) beat Rolls-Royce B 124-3 (Z Malooq 28*, D Yeomans 27*) by losing fewer wickets. Spondon B 118-4 (R Mountney 27*, S Mountney 34*) beat Derby Congs 116-5 (T Archibald 44*, M Hinds 2-33) by 2 wickets. Rolls-Royce 122-5 (K Hussain 40*, B Ali 34, Z Hammed 25, M Toplis 2-39) beat Denby 107-4 (A Bhatti 4-34) by 14 runs. Derby Congs 103-2 (H Nawaz 25*, N Shaq 26*) beat Denby 102-5 (J Wilson 41*, H Nawaz 2-32) by 4 wickets.