​Zaroob and Zazai star in fine Chesterfield away victory

Ilkeston, having scored 170, looked to have the edge during most of the second innings of the Division One clash at Queen's Park.

The pitch offered plenty of movement for seam bowlers and, with Robert Green, Franklin Henshaw and Scott Law using the conditions well, Chesterfield stuttered to 87-4 after 21 of their 50 overs.

Only Muhammad Zaroob, who got off the mark with a straight drive for six, had batted with fluency and he had played and missed on several occasions.

But then the game took a sudden twist. Zaroob and Reece Johnson took three boundaries off the 22nd over, which yielded 17 runs.

Zaroob then cut loose. He pulled the first ball of the following over for six over square leg to bring up his half-century and lifted the next over long on for another maximum.

He drove the following delivery to the extra-cover boundary and, for the last ball of the over, unfurled an audacious switch hit for another four.

Johnson followed suit and hit four successive boundaries, taking Chesterfield's tally to 40 runs off 11 balls - 20 to each batsman - and the contest was effectively over.

Three overs later Zaroob finished it in style. He hit three successive fours before another massive pulled six over square leg took Chesterfield to their target for a six-wicket win. They scored the last 87 runs off 35 balls.

Zaroob, who often advanced down the wicket, finished on 97 not out off 54 balls.Johnson played in more conventional fashion in giving invaluable support with 35 not out off 34. Their unbroken stand of 100 was the highest of the match.

Earlier Ilkeston made a flying start after winning the toss, racing to 61-0 off nine overs with Green making 40.

But their innings stalled when Ahmad Zazai switched from the Pavilion End to the Lake End.

The left-arm swing bowler took three wickets in the first two overs of his second spell and continued to beat the bat repeatedly. He finished with 4-47 and Zaroob 3-35 as the visitors slid to 125-8.

Ian Banks made a fine 45 to lift them to 170 and, for much of the Chesterfield run chase, that looked defendable. But Zaroob and Johnson had other ideas.

Two teams are promoted and Chesterfield are second in the table on 188 points, 37 behind Belper Meadows and 16 ahead of Morton Colliery. Chesterfield have a game in hand on both rivals.

Chesterfield's seconds made it six wins on the trot with an 87-run success at Ilkeston.

Opener Alex Fowkes' 82 guided Chesterfield to 197 all out.

Opening bowlers Harry Wanford (5-44) and Jacob Madin (2-26) reduced the home side to 21-5 and they were eventually bowled out for 110.

Chesterfield are fourth in Division Four North on 155 points, 24 off the second promotion spot.

Matt Grant hit a second successive unbeaten century as Chesterfield's third team beat Matlock and Cromford Meadows by eight wickets.

Opening bowler Ben Jenkins took 4-36 as the visitors were restricted to 179-8 off 40 overs in the Division 10 North clash.

Grant then made 102 not out as Chesterfield raced to victory in the 20th over.

On Saturday Chesterfield have two games against Morton Colliery with the first team away and the seconds at Queen's Park. The third team are away against Buxton fourths.