Chesterfield CC have to settle for share of the spoils against Spondon

SPONDON 196-5

A game of fluctuating fortunes finally finished with an inconclusive result as Chesterfield’s game at Spondon in the Derbyshire Premier was abandoned with points shared.

Both sides scented victory at different stages of the game with Chesterfield hopes high after safely negotiating some testing early conditions having been put on to bat.

Spondon rued missed chances as a handful of catches were spilled before the Chesterfield openers settled into a lengthy partnership that had gone past 100 when the mid-innings drinks break was taken.

Shortly afterwards Mykylo Bird holed out for a hard earned 34 while trying to force the pace and Chris Windmill took a further three wickets including that of Ben Slater for a stylish 85.

Alex Hibbert took things on from 159-4 before becoming the second of Paul Allen’s victims (2-80) after a run-a-ball 37 but from 202-6 the tail failed to wag as three more wickets for Windmill (7-52) left Chesterfield at a disappointing 214-9.

Some late blows took the total on to 230-9 after 50 overs which was well below the score anticipated after such a promising start.

However, the total took on a better look as Spondon struggled against the new ball and both their openers dismissed with only 20 on the board.

After losing a third wicket at 55, Spondon started to take control of proceedings as Alistair Dixon and Joe Ashdown added 128 at a rate of five an over and it was only after a disturbance due to rain that Chesterfield curbed the run chase when Matt Higginbottom claimed two wickets including Dixon for 93.

With the weather closing in and intermittent drizzle made worse by poor light the Spondon chase was frustrated by a premature end to the game still 35 runs shy of victory with five overs remaining.

With the odds starting to go against them, Chesterfield were content to take 13 points from the abandoned game and grateful for the efforts of Higginbottom (3-63) and Michael Deane (2-54).

Chesterfield move up a place to seventh in the Premier League and face a testing time on Saturday with a visit to a Swarkestone side sitting on top of the table.

Spondon 13 points, Chesterfield 13 points.