Chesterfield first team edge to nail-biting win over Alfreton

They pulled themselves back from the brink on two occasions before edging home by one wicket in a nerve-shredding finish. Alfreton looked strong favourites when, after scoring 261 all out, they reduced Chesterfield to 187-8. At that stage pace bowler Matt Taylor marched out to join Jordan Lemon. The one ray of hope for the visitors - and it was a faint one as the light started to fade at Alfreton Park - was that they were up with the required run-rate. At first the two batters played the ball around steadily, adding 27 in six-and-a-half overs. As the target got nearer, the duo became more expansive and the pressure began to transfer on to the bowlers. They had reached 250 when Lemon was caught at mid-off for an invaluable 37, Tom Bacon was faced with the task of going in at No.11 with 12 still needed. A Taylor boundary helped to reduce that target to four when Bacon faced opening bowler James Aspinall at the start of the 48th of the possible 50 overs. He guided the first ball uphill towards third man with what looked like it might be the winning stroke but it stopped short of the boundary and Chesterfield had to settle for two. Bacon edged the third delivery and this time the ball did go for four, giving Chesterfield a vital 22 points. It was Alfreton's first home defeat in the League this season. Taylor finished 42 not out with Bacon unbeaten on seven. Neither will play a more valuable innings for their team. Chesterfield had faced another crisis point in the first innings. A third-wicket stand of 122 between Matt New (57) and Ryan Bramwell, who had a runner for most of his 85 after suffering a leg injury, put Alfreton in a good position on 169-3. Then a whirlwind knock by Muhammad Asim threatened to put Chesterfield out of the contest. He survived a dropped catch to hammer five consecutive sixes, peppering a relatively short straight boundary. He raced to 49 off 21 deliveries before being caught off a skier by Tom Wanford from Kemira Wijenayake's bowling. That was to prove a key moment in the game. If he had batted a few more overs, Chesterfield could have been chasing a target of 300-plus. As it was, Wijenayake took four more wickets in his next 14 deliveries to earn figures of 5-51 and, with fellow off-spinner Harry Wilmott (3-60) striking twice with consecutive balls, Alfreton - who were put in to bat - were restricted to 261 all out. Luke Westwell (58) and Ben Kingham (34) launched the run-chase with a stand of 65 and Wijenayake's 37 helped Chesterfield to 124-2. Spinner New then ripped out the middle-order, taking 5-55 and appearing to put Alfreton in command. But that merely set the scene for the dramatic finale. Two teams are promoted from Division One and, with three matches left, Ticknall are top on 349 points with Chesterfield on 341 and Clifton on 317. On Saturday Chesterfield face Clifton at Queen's Park and the following week they travel to Ticknall.