IQBAL Sikander turned in another match-winning performance as Leigh CC grabbed one of their most improbable victories of recent seasons.

The ex-Pakistan international leg-spinner terrorised league leaders and Lancashire Cup winners Ormskirk as Leigh came back from the dead at Beech Walk.

The visitors, on 80-3 and only needing 105 to win, were shot out by Sikander who finished with 5-37 and collected a hat-trick along the way.

The weather clearly played a big part in a low scoring game. Runs were hard to come by as Leigh's top order struggled in the face of an accurate attack that offered assistance to both seam and spin.

No batsman was able to put together a score of any real significance and when Ronnie Davis joined Andy Mullaney at the wicket, Leigh were in deep trouble at 55-7.

Mullaney, however, bludgeoned four 6s and four 4s in an entertaining inngs of 47 and together with Davis added a priceless 46 for the eighth wicket. But his departure signalled the end for Leigh and they wuickly folded to 104 all out.

Having already lost 45 minutes through rain, the weather intervened again to leave Ormskirk 20 overs to achieve their victory target of 105.

The openers set about the task with relish and had 49 on the board after nine overs. Colin Smith removed the dangerous Snellgrove with a stunning one-handed catch off his own bowling and Sikander chipped in with two more wickets.

But at 80-3 the odds were in Ormskirk's favour but Sikander's first hat-trick since his school days and further victim for Smith left the visitors needed 15 to win off the last over.

Smith pulled off another breathtaking return catch off the first, Davis forced a run out off the third and when Smith clean bowled Steele off the fifth, Leigh had snatch a tremendous victory.

Sikander's five-wicket haul took his season's tally to 81 while the equally impressive Smith finished with 4-26.