Spinners Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar bowled Northamptonshire to a stunning 202-run victory over Leicestershire at Wantage Road – a result that keeps alive their hopes of staying in Division One next season.

Set 288 to win, the visitors reached 62-3 at tea with a draw looking comfortably the most likely outcome.

But the slow men were not to be denied on a pitch offering them plenty of fourth-day help, and Leicestershire lost their last seven wickets for 23 in the final session to be dismissed for 85 with half-an-hour to spare.

Swann snapped up a season's-best 5-34 while left-armer Panesar, the 19-year-old making his first-class debut, claimed 4-11 from 20 overs for an outstanding match return of 8-131.

Jason Brown also played his part, capturing the key wicket of Vince Wells. The Leicestershire skipper had survived 79 deliveries for his five runs but then padded up to Brown and saw the ball dribble back on to the stumps, dislodging a single bail.

Northants pressed on at the start of the day and David Ripley was able to declare on 302-8 shortly after lunch. Openers Mike Hussey (82) and Alec Swann (113) posted 164 in 41 overs, while Richard Davis was the main beneficiary of the hosts' urgency as he snapped up 6-73 to round off an excellent Championship comeback.

The result gives Northants a chance of avoiding the drop, although they must round off their campaign with difficult away trips to play Kent at Canterbury and Somerset at Taunton.

© CricInfo