​Promotion hopes are dealt a blow as Clifton take victory

Clifton were 28-run winners of a Derbyshire County League game dominated by bowlers.Batting was not easy with the ball moving around for the seamers and the outfield slow.

Chesterfield, who won the toss, appeared to have taken a firm grip on the Division One contest when they reduced Clifton to 83-9. But the visitors eked out 24 runs in a crucial last-wicket stand.

Chasing 108 for victory, Chesterfield collapsed to 40-7. The lower order made a valiant attempt to turn the match around but they were eventually all out for 79.

Brothers Tom and Harry Wanford gave Chesterfield a good start by reducing Clifton to 31-3 before Muhammad Zaroob ripped out the Clifton middle order.

Bowling a full length and moving the ball both ways, he proved a real handful, taking 6-30. That was reward for bowling straight because he hit the stumps four times and his other two victims were lbw.

But Clifton gave themselves renewed hope with the last-wicket stand between skipper Craig Williamson and Joe Wilson. They looked in little trouble and battled through eight overs before Williamson became Zaroob's final victim.

He was lbw for 17, which remained the highest individual score of the game.

There appeared few problems for Chesterfield as they reached 17 before Luke Westwell fell in the fourth over.

But alarm bells started to ring in the following over when Zaroob and Alex Hibbert went to successive deliveries, making it 18-3.

Clifton bowled accurately and Williamson set superb fields. The slow outfield meant it was difficult to hit fours and a ring of close catchers and fielders inside the circle made singles almost impossible.

Chesterfield slumped to 40-7 against opening bowlers King (5-40) and Danial Zaheer (4-33).

Ben Lodge hinted at a Chesterfield revival as he played several crisp shots before falling to an outstanding catch in the gully by Adeel Arshad for 13.

When Harry Wanford was bowled by King, Chesterfield were 58-9.

As in the first innings, the final pair looked more comfortable than many who batted earlier. James La Brooy and Tom Keenan added 21 in eight overs before La Brooy drove a low return catch to Mehran Ibrahim, who hurled the ball aloft to signal Clifton's win.

Chesterfield stay in the second promotion spot on 266 points, three ahead of Sawley and 54 behind leaders Belper Meadows.

Chesterfield seconds' game at Eckington was abandoned following an accidental collision between two fielders.

At that stage Eckington were 130-8 in reply to Chesterfield's 188 all out.

Chesterfield stay third in Division Four North on 275 points, nine behind Belper who hold the second promotion place.

The third team lost by 26 runs at Riddings in Division 10 North when they were bowled out for 117.

On Saturday Chesterfield have two vital clashes against Belper, the firsts at Queen's Park and the seconds away. The third team host Whittington Wanderers at Holmewood.

On Monday Morton Colliery meet South Wingfield at Queen's Park in the Marston's 61 Deep Trophy final.