Cricket: Curran puts Northants top

Round-up

Northamptonshire leap-frogged over Surrey to take first place in the AXA Equity & Law League yesterday thanks to a comfortable six-wicket win over Leicestershire at Grace Road.

After putting the home side in to bat they bowled them out for 133 and then raced to their victory target off 28.1 overs with Kevin Curran hitting an unbeaten 57 after reaching his 50 off 52 balls with eight fours. It took him past a total of 4,000 Sunday League runs.

Leicestershire made a solid start by reaching 60 for one in 13 overs but David Capel trapped Phil Simmons lbw and the collapse began, helped by three successive run-outs with Jeremy Snape twice hitting the stumps with direct throws.

Yorkshire's eight-wicket victory at Eastbourne put them level with Surrey and two points behind Northamptonshire.

Michael Bevan claimed the first five Sussex wickets to fall, ending with 5 for 29, as the home side struggled to 206 despite an opening stand of 108 between Rajesh Rao and Keith Greenfield.

Kent's hopes of retaining the Sunday League title were dented by a 10- wicket defeat at the hands of Worcestershire, who move into contention themselves.

Bowled out for 135 Kent's second-top scorer was extras with 30, something that both Tom Moody (53no) and Philip Weston (78no) passed with ease.