Gloucestershire Gladiators stayed on course for a place in the Norwich Union First Division after a seven-run win over Derbyshire Scorpions but they left it late in a low-scoring affair against their promotion rivals.

Chasing 162 for victory, the Scorpions required 14 runs with five wickets and 10 balls remaining and the in-form Dominic Cork unbeaten on 43.

But the Derbyshire skipper was bowled by Gladiators' counterpart Mark Alleyne and the Scorpions snatched defeat from the jaws of victory as the home side lost four wickets in the space of nine balls for just five runs and finished on 154-9.

Scorpions all-rounder Graeme Welch grabbed 5-18 as the Gladiators were restricted to 161 all out with four and a half overs unused.

Opener Steve Stubbings appeared to be in the groove as Derbyshire began the run chase, striking three fours before he was caught at mid-on by Mark Hardinges off Mike Smith for 16, to leave the Scorpions on 36-1.

For the addition of eight more runs the home side were two down, Welch going for a duck when he edged Hardinges to Martyn Ball at first slip.

Andrew Gait (lbw) was next to go with the score on 74. The Zimbabwean opener made a careful 30 from 71 balls before playing across the line to one from Hardinges.

Australian Michael di Venuto made 22 from 33 balls, before he edged behind to Jack Russell off Alleyne to leave the Scorpions on 92-4 after 23 overs.

But Steve Selwood (12) was caught and bowled by Averis and when Cork went Scorpions were 147-6 with balls fast running out.

Jason Kerr (1) was caught and bowled, this time by Ian Harvey, Matt Dowman (15) was held at mid-off by Harvey off Averis and Luke Sutton was bowled by Averis for a duck to make it 152-9.

At the close Tom Lungley and Kevin Dean were unbeaten on three and one respectively, but Derbyshire had blown it.

Earlier, Gloucestershire opener Craig Spearman helped put on 56 for the second wicket with Ian Harvey, who went on to make 43 off 42 balls.