Date-stamped : 01 May97 - 06:16 Maddy strikes gold with first hundred By Peter Deeley at Leicester Leicestershire (295-7) bt Nottingham-shire (218) by 77 runs ANOTHER aggressive innings from Darren Maddy helped Leicestershire to their second victory in three days in the Benson and Hedges Cup. They are now top of their group and seem assured of a quarter-final place. Maddy won a second successive Gold Award with his maiden hundred in the competition. On Monday, he hit 97 off 98 balls against Scotland and yesterday his 101 took 93 deliveries. As on Monday, Leicestershire registered the highest team total in the country. Nottinghamshire are still awaiting the arrival of their overseas player, Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Zahid - and how badly they need him. Their attack hardly looked first-rate apart from the untiring Kevin Evans, who took the first three wickets - by which time Leicestershire had already scored 202 runs in 35 overs. Maddy announced his intentions as early as the second over, taking 14 off Andy Pick, before pulling Evans for six out of the ground. Then a straight drive off Evans sent umpire Dickie Bird tumbling. Bird twice remonstrated with spectators moving behind the bowler`s arm, then when another ball needed changing, he picked up the box of spares only to find it empty. "Where`s me balls?" he inquired plaintively. Vince Wells helped add 122 in 18 overs with Maddy - who gave one chance - hitting 12 boundaries and one six before he seemed to get an inside edge coming down to Evans. James Whitaker had to retire with a pulled side muscle but Leicestershire supporters had a first sighting of their new overseas signing, Neil Johnson. On Monday, Johnson helped Natal win a one-day competition in South Africa. He arrived at Heathrow Airport early yesterday morning and at 10.05 am walked into Grace Road to be immediately drafted into the home side. No doubt still suffering from jet lag, he lasted only six balls before the best ball of the innings from Evans clipped his bails. Jonathan Dakin showed his one-day potential with an unbeaten 45, including two sixes, off 33 balls as he shared in a late partnership with David Millns of 57 in nine overs. Then Millns as bowler produced the perfect delivery, leaving Tim Robinson to be caught low down by Paul Nixon. Nottinghamshire were seven for two when Alan Mullally bowled Graeme Archer but Paul Johnson and Matthew Dowman raised visiting hopes with 79 in seven overs. Johnson, bowling at brisk medium pace, claimed wickets in his first two overs. Paul Johnson cracked him square for six but then Dowman got an attempted drive too far up the bat and skied to Dakin. It was Johnson and Johnson next, with the Nottinghamshire batsman hitting too soon at a slower ball from the South African and Dakin taking another catch. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)