A superb 53-run knock by India's attacking batsman Mohammad Kaif for Derbyshire went in vain as Leicetershire won the nail-biting match by a run in the Twenty20 Cup in London on Tuesday.

With two points from this victory, Leicestershire earned a place in the final, to be played next month. The winners will get 42,000 pounds.

Leicestershire, after winning the toss, scored 171 for eight wickets in 20 overs, with India's dashing opening batsman Virender Sehwag contributing 15. B J Hodge was the highest run-maker with 37, while D I Stevens made 28 and P A Nixon 27.

In reply, Kaif who struck 53 from 40 balls, set up a thrilling finish.

But for a controversial dismissal of Steve Selwood with 11 balls remaining to score 19 runs, Derbyshire might have achieved the target.

Selwood was caught by Brad Hodge at long on, but the Derbyshire players, who were sitting a few yards away, claimed that the ball had been carried over the boundary in the process.

Umpire Roy Palmer, however, upheld the word of Hodge and Derbyshire ultimately fell one run short of the 14 runs required from the last over of Phillip DeFreitas. With six needed from the last ball, Neil Gunter could score a four.

Within minutes, however, Derbyshire had asked the England and Wales Cricket Board for a reversal, suggesting that footage from television cameras at the ground might confirm their view.

At Headingley, Yuvraj Singh was lucky. Though he made just four runs, his side Yorkshire beat Nottingham by 18 runs.