Sandiacre creep up on Ockbrook

Sandiacre recorded their fourth win of the summer and moved up two places in the Beechwood Saab Derbyshire Premier League to crank up the pressure on leaders Ockbrook & Borrowash.

In one of the highest scoring ties of the week, Sandiacre needed 227 to beat Dunstall after Paul Shaw (85) and James Benstead (84) gave their side a strong platform for success. In reply James Chapman (72), Akhil Patel (41) and John Jordison (57 not out) all weighed in with winning contributions to give the visitors a five-wicket victory.

In a low-scoring affair at Rutland Sports Park, Ilkeston Rutland were soon in trouble after they were put into bat by Ockbrook & Borrowash. Former Rutland player Oliver Saffell took three quick wickets to flatten Ilkeston's opening efforts with the in-form Kevin Leatherday one of the three casualties in a perilous 19 for three scoreline.

Jay Adendorff (25) and Andy Hislop (27) threatened to turn things around until former Derbyshire spinner Liam Wharton came into the attack and turned a seemingly docile pitch into a nest of vipers, taking 4-14 from 13 overs and dismissing Ilkeston Rutland for a lowly 103.

League leaders Ockbrook were clear favourites but runs proved difficult to get as Wayne White produced one of his best bowling spells of the season so far, removing the top five batsmen by the time they had scored 64.

But a gritty innings of 29 from Ian Darlington saw Ockbrook home safely with two wickets to spare with White named man-of-the-match with figures of 6-41. Though close, the defeat left Ilkeston still needing a win this season to lift them out of the relegation zone.

Ticknall bounced back to form with a 22-point win at home to Elvaston despite two innings of 91 apiece from captain Nick Briars and Brett Crichton. Ticknall's Pakistan overseas player Tanvir Ahmed took 5-37 which set the standard for their batsmen who were set a target of 256.

Paul Borrington (37), Luke Harvey (36), Jonathan Thompstone (46), Jack Lamb (53 not out) and Tanvir Ahmed (53) all stepped up to the plate giving their side a three-wicket victory with two balls to spare and Elvaston their sixth defeat of the summer and the anchor spot at the bottom of the table.