Blackpool CC frustrated by final pair

It could have been even better but for the dogged resistance of Kendal who just clung on for a draw at Shap Road.

Blackpool posted 189-7 in 50 overs after winning the toss, but they could not press home the victory with the home side hanging on with one wicket remaining at 149-9.

It meant Blackpool picked up 11 points in a winning draw.

Kiwi Daryl Mitchell impressed with a half-century for Blackpool and he had solid support from openers Matthew Houston (35) and Ciaran Johnson (31)

Kendal never got within striking distance of Blackpool’s total, but put up dogged resistance, this despite the fact that Chris Baines (4-24) and Daniel Pile (3-19) were in fine form.

However, Blackpool were unable to dislodge the number 11 partnership, so they missed out on another win.

Blackpool head the standings after the latest round of matches on 185 points ahead of Fleetwood and Leyland, who are both on 167, with Barrow fourth on 165.

Fleetwood had the best result of the day, easily disposing of Chorley at Windsor Park in a one-sided affair.

Travis Dean (5-19) and Adam Parker (4-38) did the damage as the home side were bowled out for a meagre 62 – no Chorley batsman scored more than 12.

There was an early scare for Fleetwood when openers Dean and Parker fell for a duck and two respectively, but it was only a temporary setback and Dean Bell (25 not out) and Wayne Clarke (32 not out) settled the issue and were there at the end as Fleetwood finished the job on 66-3.

St Annes lost a low-scoring encounter against Barrow at the Ernest Pass Memorial Ground.

The visitors must have felt that they were in with a shout as Barrow, who won the toss and elected to bat, could only attain 151 in 47 overs.

Shadley Van Schalkwyk was in tremendous form for St Annes with impressive figures of 4-40 in 15 overs while Tom Higson chipped in with three wickets.

Disappointingly, St Annes fell 44 runs short in reply as Barrow dismissed them for just 107.

Only three St Annes batsmen mustered two figures; the top score of just 29 by number eight batsman Tom Higson was symptomatic of their problems.

n Visitors Lytham Cricket Club slumped to a rapid-fire defeat at the hands of Ormskirk in the Premier Division of the Liverpool and District Competition.

Winning the toss they were skittled out for just 85, Lancashire and England spinner Simon Kerrigan doing plenty of damage.

The Lytham batsmen could not fathom him at all as he took three wickets for just 10 runs in 11 overs.

Josh Bohannon had a good day too for Ormskirk with a three-wicket haul.

Wicketkeeper Gary Knight, one of Kerrigan’s victims, was the Lytham top-scorer with 30.

Ormskirk knocked off a score of 89-2 without any undue bother as they cemented a crushing home success.