Ali stars in vital Kibworth win

by Sam Chambers

Leicestershire's Aadil Ali's five-for helped leaders Kibworth put on a dominant all-round display when they hosted nearest rivals Sileby Town in the Everards Premier League's stand-out fixture last weekend.

After being invited to bat by Sileby skipper Liam Kinch, Kibworth were led by an unbroken 134-run fourth-wicket stand  between in-form Pite van Bilijon (126*,109b) and Darren Shaw (51*, 77b), as they posted 231-3 from 44 overs.

In reply Sileby, despite a useful knock of 71 from Jake Gillett, could only muster a total of 181 as Ali (5-32) polished off the visitors' lower order after some earlier good work from Charlie Page-Morris (2-7) and Monik Patel (2-39).

The result leaves Sileby with a lot of work to do if they are to now catch Kibworth, the deficit currently standing at 51 points.

Ali's County teammate Zak Chappell, along with Kevin Innes, inspired Market Harborough to a 59-run home success against Leicester Ivanhoe.

Chappell posted 67 and Innes top-scored with 79 to take the hosts to 210 all out before Tim Juggins took 3-39 in Ivanhoe's response of 151.

Leicestershire Academy player Will Fazakerley picked up three wickets for Barkby United, who claimed a comprehensive home win over Hinckley Town.

After being put in by Hinckley, United blazed 276 for the loss of eight wickets to set the visitors a daunting target, with Tom Flowers (94) and former Fox Matthew Boyce (75) both hitting half-centuries.

Fazakerley's 3-11 and Ian Kirk's 3-24 then helped skittle out Hinckley for 69 as Barkby United completed a crushing 207-run victory.

The win allowed Barkby to move into third-place after Syston's match at Rothley Park was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Lutterworth were five-wicket winners away at Barrow after an unbroken stand of 88 between Alec Hill and Karl Smith guided them home.

Earlier, Tim Taylor's 58 helped Barrow to 197-7 and the contest was looking like it could go either way when Lutts fell to 115-5 in reply.

However, Hill (57*) and Smith (51*) steadied the ship to steer Lutterworth to their target.

A devastating bowling performance from Loughborough's Francis Robson saw his side ease to an eight-wicket win at Earl Shilton.

Robson's figures of 4-16 from 10 overs, allied with some tidy bowling from Kyle Saddington, Sam Grant and Leicestershire's Ollie Freckingham, reduced Shilton to 71 all out, before Anish Patel's 33* and Shyam Patel's 32* helped Loughborough recover from 10-2 and reach their target.

* In national competition, there was good news for county side Newton Linford who moved into the last eight of the Davidstow National Village Cup with a 32-run victory over the visiting Milford Hall of Staffordshire.

Useful contributions from David Woods (42*), Darren Bulpitt (42) and Matthew Bennett (39) saw Newtown post 235-8 from their 40 overs before the bowlers - including 3-42 from Dean Scaysbrook - shared around the wickets as the Staffs side fell to 203 all out.

Linford are now just two games away from Lord’s and will make the journey to Pembrokeshire to take on Carew on July 24, bidding to make the semi-final stage.