No sting in Scorpions tail

Averis kept his nerve in the final over

Norwich Union League D2, Derby: Gloucestershire 161 all out (40.3 overs) beat Derbyshire 154-9 (45 overs) by 7 runs.

Match scorecard

Gloucestershire's seam attack strangled Derbyshire at the County Ground as the home side failed to get home by seven runs chasing a low target.

Derbyshire needed only 162 to win but could only manage a paltry 154 for nine from their 45 overs after a middle-order collapse.

The looked well placed to overtake Gloucestershire in the second division table on 147 for five, with skipper Dominic Cork at the wicket.

However, his opposite number Mark Alleyne intervened, bowling Cork for 43 and the England man could only watch from the pavilion as his team fell apart in a last-ditch scramble.

James Averis was the hero for Gloucestershire, removing both Matt Dowman and Luke Sutton in the final over to ensure the victory, with Derbyshire losing their last four wickets for just seven runs.

Earlier, Graeme Welch decimated the Gloucestershire middle-order as the Gladiators slumped to 161 all out

Welch took 5 for 18 as Gloucestershire slumped from 80 for 2 to 125 for 8, undermining any hopes of a significant score.

Australian allrounder Ian Harvey made 42 but it was only an unbeaten 20 from Averis which took Gloucestershire past 150.

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Derbyshire: S D Stubbings, M J Di Venuto, M P Dowman, A I Gait D R Hewson, D G Cork (Capt), S A Selwood, L D Sutton (Wkt) J I D Kerr, G Welch, K J Dean.

Gloucestershire: C M Spearman, K J Barnett, A P R Gidman C G Taylor, M W Alleyne (Capt), I J Harvey, R C Russell (Wkt) M C J Ball, J M M Averis, M A Hardinges, A M Smith.

Umpires: B Leadbeater and N J Llong