County League round-up: Thorpe Arnold CC keep their cool for fifth straight win

Once again they had to hold their nerve in a tense finale before edging home by one wicket at home to Leicester Banks.

Myles Hickman produced yet another five-wicket haul, supported by Joe Anderson (2 for 32) and two run-outs, as the visitors were bowled out for 171 in 42 overs.

In reply, Thorpe struggled to put partnerships together against the bottom side, with Sam Pollard’s 49 the main building block of the chase.

With just one wicket still intact, it was left to captain Richard Randall (9 not out) to hit the winning runs.

Having been anchored at the bottom of Division Two for much for the season, Thorpe now sit sixth and within 33 points of second-placed Egerton Park whom they travel to on Saturday (1pm).

On the flip side, Park go into the second derby of the season in poor form with three defeats in four after slipping up again at home to Broomleys on Saturday.

The hosts looked on track for their seventh win of the season when the visitors were bowled out for 161.

But the Park batsmen fared no better in the chase, bowled out for 136 with more than eight overs still in the bank.

* Up in the Premier, Syston Town lost further ground in the title race as they were narrowly beaten at home by Leicester Ivanhoe, who went second.

There were plenty of starts in the Syston scorecard, but Aleem Mahmood (45) and George Corbett (41) top scored as the hosts were bowled out for 237.

Skipper Mo Pardesi took 3 for 57 in reply, but Ivanhoe edged home by two wickets with three overs in hand.

Syston slipped to fifth, 26 points behind leaders Lutterworth.

* In Division Four East, unbeaten Queniborough made it nine wins for the season as they kept pace with leaders Ketton Sports.

They were run close at Illston Abbey, chasing down the home side’s total of 198-6 with just one wicket and four balls to spare.

It kept them just two points behind Ketton whom they host on Saturday (1pm), but extended their cushion in the promotion race to 62 points over third-placed Bitteswell.

* Thorpe Arnold Second XI kept their stranglehold on Division Six East with their ninth win of the campaign.

Openers Mark Carnell and Charlie Read both made 82, and Mel Picker hit an unbeaten 68 as Thorpe piled up an imposing 298-5 in their 45 overs.

Tim Hirst (2 for 33) removed both openers as the hosts struggled to match the run rate before Gerard Starling (4 for 27) mopped up the tail to bowl out Bitteswell for 151.

The 147-run win leaves them 37 points clear of their nearest rivals Bharat Sports and 59 ahead of third-placed Kibworth.

* In Division Nine East, wicketkeeper Callum Hull hit 58 as Melton Second XI were bowled out for 160 at Wakerley and Barrowden.

Trishan Panchal (4 for 44) did his best to drag the game back for the visitors, but Wakerley reached their target for the loss of six wickets.