Gloucestershire net tense late victory

Chasing 162 for victory, the Scorpions required 14 runs with five wickets and 10 balls remaining and the in-form Dominic Cork unbeaten on 43. But the Derbyshire skipper was bowled by Mark Alleyne and the Scorpions snatched defeat from the jaws of victory as the home side lost four wickets in the space of nine balls for the addition of just five runs and finished on 154 for nine.

Scorpions all-rounder Graeme Welch grabbed five for 18 as the Gladiators were restricted to 161 all out with four and a half overs unused, while James Averis was the pick of the visiting bowlers with three for 44.

Opener Steve Stubbings appeared to be in the groove as Derbyshire began the run chase, striking three fours before he was caught at mid-on by Mark Hardinges off Mike Smith for 16. For the addition of eight more runs the home side were two down, Welch going for a duck when he edged Hardinges to Martyn Ball at first slip.

Andrew Gait (lbw) was next to go with the score on 74. The Zimbabwean opener made a careful 30 from 71 balls before playing across the line to one from Hardinges. Australian Michael di Venuto also looked assured, making 22 from 33 balls, before he edged behind to Jack Russell off Alleyne to leave the Scorpions on 92 for four after 23 overs, with 69 still required for victory. But Steve Selwood (12) was caught and bowled by Averis and when Cork went Scorpions were 147 for six with balls fast running out.

In double-quick time Jason Kerr (1) was caught and bowled, this time by Ian Harvey, Matt Dowman (15) was held at mid-off by Harvey off Averis and Luke Sutton was bowled by Averis for a duck to make it 152 for nine.

At the close Tom Lungley and Kevin Dean were unbeaten on three and one respectively, but Derbyshire had blown it.

Earlier, Gladiators' opening pair had put on only 17 by the third ball of the sixth over and when veteran Kim Barnett went for one he had faced 19 balls. Barnett was trapped lbw by Dean. Fellow opener Craig Spearman put on 56 for the second wicket in tandem with Harvey but, having moved onto 29 drove one from Welch straight to Lungley at deep mid-on.

That left the visitors on 74 for two after 17 overs, but with medium-pacer Welch finding a superb rhythm, Gloucestershire were to lose their next six wickets for the addition of 51 runs.

Russell had contributed a single when he fell to Lungley (lbw) with the score on 80 and one run later Welch accounted for dangerman Alleyne. The Gladiators skipper had made one when he offered an outside edge that was gobbled up by wicketkeeper Sutton to leave the visitors 81 for four. Then Lungley stopped Harvey dead in his tracks, the Australian having made 43 off 42 balls and striking nine fours when he edged one behind to Sutton to make it 90 for five.

With Harvey went most of the Gladiators' resistance and Welch capitalised to snatch three more wickets. Gait caught Chris Taylor at extra cover for a duck, Alex Gidman briefly responded to make 23 off 25 balls before going lbw and Hardinges (6) edged to Sutton to leave Gloucestershire on 125 for eight.

The Gladiators' tail then wagged briefly, with Ball (10) and Averis (20 not out) putting on 35 for the ninth wicket before the former was bowled by Dowman. Scorpions skipper Cork wrapped the innings up with the third ball of the 40th over when Mike Smith (1) was caught behind by Sutton.

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