Champions Gloucestershire beaten in first outing

Leicestershire Foxes snatched a dramatic victory from the jaws of defeat in a thrilling Norwich Union league match against Gloucestershire Gladiators at Grace Road.

Chasing a target of 117, the Foxes looked on the road to certain defeat when they slumped to 14 for 5 in the first 11 overs against last season's champions.

Ian Harvey with two wickets for two runs in five overs, and Jon Lewis with 3-20 in eight did the damage, and there seemed to be no way back for the home side in a game reduced to 41 overs because of rain.

But Aftab Habib and Neil Burns began a remarkable fightback with a stand of 37 for the sixth wicket. Even then the game swung back in the Gladiators' favour as the Foxes slipped to 76-8 with 9 overs to go.

Then all-rounder Jon Dakin joined forces with Janes Ormond to put together a match-winning stand of 41. The winning runs came with just three balls to spare.

Dakin finished with 36 not out, while Harvey must have wondered how he was on the losing side, having taken two wickets for just seven runs in nine overs.

The Gladiators, put in to to bat, slumped to 116 all out having been 44 without loss.

Devon Malcolm took 3-34 and Billy Stelling 2-20, while Rob Cunliffe top-scored for the visitors with 32.