Worcestershire Royals have gone clear at the top of the first division in the Norwich Union League with a five-wicket victory over Kent Spitfires at Canterbury.

With Warwickshire Bears losing to Leicestershire Foxes it means the Royals have a four-point lead in the top division, while Gloucestershire Gladiators move to the top of the second division with victory over Middlesex Crusaders.

A fine spell of bowling from both the Royals Australia-born seamers decimated the Spitfires top-order in the key match in the top division at Canterbury.

Spitfires slipped to 52-5 before a brave counter-attack from Matt Walker (94) and Paul Nixon (60) saw them to a final total of 224-7. But on a good pitch, and facing Vikram Solanki, Graeme Hick and Ben Smith in fluent form, it proved an inadequate total, with the Royals coasting to victory with two overs to spare. Kent drop two places to fifth in the table.

Warwickshire Bears were equal on points with the Royals before this round of games, but slipped up with a four-wicket loss against Leicestershire Foxes.

Nick Knight hit a battling 86 for the Bears after struggling for form with England, but his team-mates were unable to offer much support and they were all out for 189.

Phil DeFreitas followed up his 1-24 in his nine overs and run-out of the influential Ian Bell with a beautiful throw from mid-wicket, with a brisk 49 as the Foxes appeared to be galloping to victory. But the arrival of Mo Sheikh to the attack brought a mini collapse, with three wickets falling for one run.

Michael Bevan isn't a bad player to have coming in at five however, and in a left-handed partnership of 102 with Neil Burns, he saw the Foxes to victory with an unbeaten 66 and helped push them away from the relegation area.

An injury ravaged Somerset Sabres attack (Caddick, Johnson, Rose, Francis, Tucker and Trego are all out, as well as skipper Jamie Cox) was put to the sword by Yorkshire Phoenix at Scarborough. Sabres were forced to re-sign ex-Yorkshire and England seamer Paul Jarvis, who celebrated his 37th birthday a couple of weeks ago and retired at the end of the 2000 season, but it did them little good.

Phoenix's batsmen posted a challenging 283-9, with Craig White's 64 and Anthony McGrath's 59 providing the main contributions.

Poor Steffan Jones! Last week Worcestershire Royals hit him for 80 from nine overs, and it was little better today, as he conceded another 72.

The Sabres never threatened in reply. Blackwell (30 in 19 balls) and Burns (49 in 40) flourished briefly, but an incisive spell from Craig White (5-19) ripped out their middle order, and they fell 135 runs short of their target. It will take a great effort if they are to avoid relegation now. Phoenix remain in secure mid-table.

Elsewhere in the top division, Glamorgan Dragons travelled to Trent Bridge to play Nottinghamshire Outlaws. The match was dominated by a stand of 117 for the third wicket between David Hemp (55*) and Matthew Maynard (80* in 69 balls) as the Dragons made light of a victory target of 221, crossing the line in just the 37th over.

Earlier, none of the Outlaws batsmen had managed to progress beyond 39, with Mike Kasprowicz taking 3-39. They remain deep in relegation trouble, while the Dragons, with games in hand, sustain their title dream.

In the second division Mark Alleyne led the way for Gloucestershire Gladiators against Middlesex Crusaders at Southgate as his side hit a formidable 272-7. The former England all-rounder hit 93 in 83 balls, after Craig Spearman had struck a quick-fire 78, with Alex Gidman weighing in with a quick 48.

An opening spell from James Averis brought three wickets when the Crusaders began their reply, with none of the batsmen able to flourish. They eventually fell short by 78 runs, with Paul Weekes unbeaten 53 receiving scant support.

The Gladiators go top of the second division table, while the Crusaders are left trying to avoid the wooden spoon.

Elsewhere, in what was, perhaps, the match of the day, Lancashire Lightning just sneaked home by one wicket against Derbyshire Scorpions at Blackpool.

Kyle Hogg, who has just celebrated his 19th birthday and Peter Martin restricted the visitors to just 169 in their innings, thanks mainly to Steve Selwood, who hit 52 to help revive the Scorpions innings from 102-7.

But when Lightning slipped to 82-6 in reply the Scorpions looked to be in pole position. David Byas stood firm with 78, however, adding 55 for the seventh wicket with Gary Yates to revive Lightning's hopes. But when he fell with the score on 137 and Yates followed shortly afterwards, the game swung back in the Scorpions favour.

Hogg helped add a further 23 in partnership with John Wood, but when he fell with three still needed, it was a breathless Stanley Park that witnessed Martin's match-winning boundary from his first ball.

Essex Eagles enjoyed a good start to their encounter with Hampshire Hawks at Southend, with Dakin and Robinson posting 48 for the first wicket. But the hosts then fell away, with Robinson and Flower falling to run outs, and Irani – just back from England duty – falling for a duck.

A half-century from Aftab Habib carried them to a respectable 200, before Neil Johnson, opening for the Hawks struck a fine 83 to take his side to the verge of victory. But a late wobble saw them subside from 177-2 to 195-8, with James Middlebrook's off-spin (4-33) proving crucial, and limiting the Hawks to just three off a last over in which they required nine.

The Eagles move ahead of the Hawks in the promotion race, but with both teams enjoying a game or two in hand on their promotion rivals, they still have plenty to play for.

Sussex Sharks clashed with Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Hove, with the home team desperate to lift themselves off the foot of the second division. The visitors won the toss and put the Sharks in, and though several of their batsmen made starts, none could progress beyond Chris Adams' 41 in their final total of 185-6.

The Steelbacks were progressing smoothly, but the wheels came off with the loss of four wickets with the score on 54. They struggled to come to terms with the setback and finally subsided to 147 all out, and a 38-run loss. This provided the Sharks with just the second win of their campaign, while the Steelbacks have done their promotion prospects no good at all.

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