Leicestershire Foxes were unable to send their supporters away from Grace Road on a high note yesterday as they slumped to a four-wicket defeat against Surrey Brown Caps in the NatWest Pro40.

It was a game the Foxes ought to have won with something to spare, yet they were unable to find the killer touch when they had their opponents badly wounded.

Having set Surrey a challenging target of 226 on a docile pitch, the Foxes appeared to have the job well in hand when they reduced the visitors to 98-5 in the 19th over. However, the sixth-wicket pair of Matthew Spriegel and Tom Smith first of all steadied the Brown Caps and then turned the game entirely on its head with a stand of 126 in 20 overs.

The most disappointing aspect of that from the Leicestershire point of view was that Spriegel and Smith, hardly the most experienced players on the Oval staff, helped to steer their side home at a canter. They were not put under any sustained pressure by the Foxes bowlers and fielders and, batting with great sense, they consistently picked out gaps in the field to score ones and twos almost at will.

With a boundary here and there, they kept the target well within their sights without having to resort to anything out of the ordinary. In mitigation, Leicestershire's attack was not helped by an injury to Wayne White, who took two wickets after picking up a hamstring injury which restricted him to five overs.

That said, the rest of the bowling did not ask the required questions of Spriegel and Smith, adding up to the tamest of ends to the season. Smith ultimately fell for 65, bowled by James Benning but, by that time, Surrey were just two runs away from victory.

Spriegel deservedly took them across the line with a four from the first ball of the final over, ending unbeaten on 81. Whatever the shortcomings of the bowling he faced, it was terrific knock, a well constructed innings in which he barely offered a chance.

The Foxes' total of 225-4 was built around an entertaining fourth-wicket partnership of 86 in 10 overs between Paul Nixon and James Taylor which had plenty more runs in it before the former County skipper was forced off by injury.

He was in prime form, having reached 44 from 39 balls, including a mighty six over extra cover off Richard Logan.

Nixon regularly picked up runs from his tried and trusted reverse sweep as he and Taylor picked up the impetus from a solid start.

Tom New and Benning had put on 54 for the first wicket after the Foxes had been put in to bat and, although Benning would have been disappointed to fall for 47 against his former county, he could at least look back on again playing a significant part in setting solid foundations.

The Foxes added 88 runs from the final 10 overs and might have scored even more heavily had Nixon not had to limp out of the action. He was hit on the calf by a shy at the stumps from Jason Roy and immediately looked in trouble, hobbling off with a badly bruised calf which did not allow him to return.

At least the momentum was not lost. Taylor was poised at that stage and he and Jacques du Toit cracked 45 for the fourth wicket in just five overs, du Toit belting Tim Linley for a straight six which sent the gathering on the committee balcony scurrying for cover.

Du Toit was bowled for a quickfire 18 leaving Taylor to see Leicestershire through the closing overs with what at the time looked a healthy score. His unbeaten 83 was made off just 66 balls including six fours and a couple of sixes, the teenager generating tremendous power as he cleared the ropes at the expense of Tom Jewell and Chris Schofield.

That enterprise with the bat, however, was not matched with the ball and a game that was here for the taking, and with it the opportunity to end the summer positively, slipped frustratingly away from Leicestershire.

James Taylor has been voted player of the year by Leicestershire's supporters, adding to the Cricket Writers' Club young-player award.