Conners takes five wickets in tense Queen's Park encounter

Sam Conners claimed a maiden List A five-wicket haul, as Derbyshire and Yorkshire played out a thrilling fixture at Queen’s Park, Chesterfield. 

Chasing a target of 110, Sam Conners took 5 for 28 to reduce the Vikings to 88 for 7 and they lost two more wickets before Harry Sullivan got them over the line in the 32nd over.

Derbyshire were bowled out for 109 with Ben Coad taking 2 for 15 in 10 overs and Jack Shutt 2 for 5.

Harry Came top scored with 19 from 58 balls but Yorkshire also ran into trouble until George Hill, 21, and Sullivan sealed a tense victory.

After the Vikings won the toss, Derbyshire struggled from the start on a pitch of variable bounce that was extremely challenging to bat on.

Four batsmen were hit by balls that reared alarmingly while Came was almost bowled by one that skidded through.

Billy Godleman was surprised by a ball that stopped on him and Luis Reece, who was struck on the hand, was caught at point off a leading edge.

Shan Masood, who is expected to join Yorkshire next season, made only five before he was caught behind pushing forward at Matthew Waite.

Only one run came from the bat in seven overs which highlighted the problems facing the batsmen and when Brooke Guest drove Matthew Revis through the covers, it was the first boundary for 10 overs.

Guest was another victim of the pitch when he was lbw staying back to Coad, Anuj Dal cut Matthew Revis to point and when Came was bowled pushing forward at Sullivan, Derbyshire had slipped to 69 for 6.

Mattie McKiernan swung a full toss from Sullivan for six but was lbw to Shutt with the last three wickets falling in three overs to leave Yorkshire with what looked a modest target.

But they were soon in trouble with Will Fraine bowled by a shooter from Conners and Finlay Bean athletically caught at point by Dal off a leading edge against Aitchison.

Harry Duke, badly dropped at mid on by Luis Reece, was caught by the same fielder when he miscued a pull to give Conners his 100th Derbyshire wicket in all formats.

When Aitchison plunged forward to take a return catch off a leading edge from skipper Jonny Tattersall, the Vikings were in trouble at 37 for 4 but some firm blows from Waite eased the pressure.

The momentum shifted again when Conners returned to bowl Waite with another ball that kept low before Matthew Revis edged a drive to first slip.

Conners claimed his fifth wicket when he bowled Tom Loten and after Hill took his side to within nine of victory, he was caught behind trying to steer a wide ball from Aitchison.

With the scores level, Coad was yorked by Nick Potts but Sullivan kept his nerve to hit the winning run off spinner Mark Watt.

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