Derbyshire slump to another defeat in National League

The Derbyshire Scorpions slumped to their fourth consecutive defeat in the Norwich Union National League, while the Surrey Lions continued their unbeaten start in the league.

However at one stage it looked as if the Scorpions would run away with the game. Asked to bat by the Lions skipper Adam Hollioake, the Scorpions openers raced away. Di Venuto in particular took a liking to Alex Tudor. He square cut Tudor for a four and drove the next ball through mid-on for another four. In the next over from Tudor Di Venuto whipped him off his toes for a four and cut the next ball for another four. Di Venuto had a life with the next ball when Adam Hollioake at point failed to hold on to the ball. The openers brought up the 50 in the eighth over and Di Venuto had scored 30 off them.

He was not to last much longer however. Di Venuto only added another single to his score when he lost his off stump to Ian Bishop. His score of 31 is his highest score so far in the National League.

The Scorpions lost their next wicket when Hollioake came on to bowl and bowled Dowman with his first ball which was a full toss. After 20 overs the Scorpions reached 100 for the loss off two wickets and looked set for an huge score, especially as the Lions' bowling and fielding looked subdue. Cassar had started to carry on from where Di Venuto had left off and reached his fifty in the 25th over.

It was at this stage that the Lions clawed their way back into the match. Tight bowling from Ratcliffe, Saqlain and Brown restricted the Scorpions to just 21 runs in 10 overs and took the wickets off Cassar and Titchard. Only Rob Bailey of the remaining Scorpion batsmen attacked the Lions bowlers. He scored 23 before he gave a simple return catch to Saqlain. His innings included one huge six off Brown over long on.

Dominic Cork scored his highest score off the season so far when he hit 11and the Scorpions closed on 197 for 9 in their 45 overs. For the Lions Saqlain playing in his first National League match off the season took three wickets for 36 in his nine overs.

The Lions openers Butcher and Ward looked in no trouble at all and reached 49 in the tenth over. Then Butcher was leg before to Munton for 14. Alec Stewart joined Ian Ward and they batted as if they would see the Lions home. However Stewart was leg before this time to Kevin Dean and the Lions were on the Australian unlucky number of 87 for the loss off two wickets. Ward was the next man out when he was run out backing up too far for 53. He hit eight fours in his knock.

Thorpe and Brown produced a workman like partnership off 56 for the fourth wicket. Cork dropped Thorpe when he had only scored seven off Tim Munton's bowling. Brown scored 34 before he became the Lions third LBW victim. Thorpe and Hollioake added another 20 before the Lions lost their next wicket.

After Cork had been barracked for a poor performance from the Scorpions he took two wickets in four balls. The first to go was Hollioake stumped down the leg side by Krikken. Ratcliffe survived two appeals for leg before but was given out on the third appeal. Alex Tudor hit seven before being bowled by Cassar and the Lions were 194 for seven with three and a bit overs remaining.

Saqlain who scored two and Thorpe who was unbeaten on 45 saw the Lions home with three overs to spare.