By Michael Latham
Cumberland county off-spinner Chris Miller took five wickets for Kendal against the Colts |
Kendal earned their second win of the season and moved up to ninth in the Furness Building Society Northern Premier Cricket League (incorporating Readers Cricket Balls) with a three wickets win over Lancashire Colts at Shap Road.
Liam Watkinson top-scored for the Colts with 69 and opener Luke Perry made 38 as the Colts reached 195 after their 50 overs.
Cumberland county off-spinner Chris Miller wheeled his way through 21 overs and took five for 84 for Kendal.
After losing openers Jack White and Gareth Ashburner early Kendal consolidated thanks to skipper and professional Ross McMillan who went on to make a fine 71 before he was caught by Colts captain Jason Swift off the bowling of Perry.
Kevin Howarth made 52 and Terry Hunte 24 and though the Colts side fought hard in the field Kendal reached their winning target for the loss of seven wickets with eleven balls in hand, Miller combining with Mark Phillips to nudge their side over the line in a tense finish.
Watkinson and Will Chapples each took two wickets for the Colts.
Elsewhere there was misery for the four remaining Northern League clubs in the ECB National Club Championship.
Blackpool, St Annes, Darwen and Morecambe all lost their third round ties to leave the League without a representative in the competition.
Blackpool collapsed from 83 for 0 to 132 all out against Northern CC at Stanley Park. John Mounsey hit 63 before he was adjudged leg before to John Wildman while Saturday's centurian Alex Smith made 35 before he was bowled by former St Annes spinner Michael Baer.
Blackpool lost their last ten wickets for 49 runs as Wildman collected five for 15.
The home side gave one of their best bowling performances of the season but Northern won by two wickets with ten balls to spare despite Andy Furniss and Andy Hogarth each taking two wickets. Wildman completed a fine all-round game by top-scoring with 29.
Northern will meet fellow Liverpool Competition side Ormskirk in the next round after Ormskirk's emphatic 170 runs win over St Annes.
Nick Jones bowled an economical spell for St Annes at Ormskirk |
The home side rattled up 259 for 6 and then bowled out the reigning Northern League champions for 89. Only teenager Nathan Armstrong showed any resolve with a battling 36 for St Annes in a dismal batting display.
Nathan Armstrong grafted for 36 for St Annes in their heavy defeat at Ormskirk |
In the last fortnight St Annes have bowed out of four cup competitions after defeats also in the LCB Lancashire Cup and the League's Readers Cup and Latham Baxendale Twenty20 Cup.
St Annes skipper Andy Kellett is caught behind off Gavin Griffiths' fast rising delivery at Ormskirk |
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Darwen professional Mohammad Zaman Khan continued his golden summer but finished on the losing side as Bolton League outfit Farnworth won by two wickets in the last over at Bridgeman Park. Skipper for the day Zaman Khan hit his second century in the competition to bolster an injury-depleted Darwen side.
The League's misery was completed as Morecambe suffered a nine wickets defeat at home to Saddleworth League champions Bamford Fieldhouse at Woodhill Lane.
More detailed scorecards to follow.
In the Cumbrian Cup Barrow defeated Cleator at Ernest Pass by six wickets to reach the last four.
Carnforth progressed past round two after Westgate scratched and will meet the winners of the Furness-Kendal tie in the quarter-final.
At the halfway point of the season only Morecambe, who visit Earby next Sunday in the LCB Cup remain in the two main external cup competitions.
At least the league's fixture secretary will be sleeping more easily.
RESULTS
Building Society Northern Premier Cricket League (incorporating Readers Cricket Balls)
Division One
KENDAL v LANCASHIRE COLTS
Kendal (12pts) defeated Lancashire Colts (5pts) by 3 wickets
Lancashire Colts 195 (L Watkinson 69, C Miller 5 for 84), Kendal 198 for 7 (R McMillan 71, K Howarth 52)
ECB NATIONAL CLUB COMPETITION UPDATE
Twelve Northern League clubs entered the competition, Barrow deciding not to enter. Six were knocked-out in round one: Carnforth, Chorley, Fleetwood, Kendal, Netherfield and Preston.
There were two all Northern League ties in the second round stage with St Annes beating Lancaster and Morecambe prevailing over Leyland after a bowl-out. Blackpool and Darwen progressed with victories over Fulwood & Broughton and Prestwich respectively. In Round 3 the remaining four League clubs all suffered defeats.
Group 4
Round 3
Ormskirk v St Annes - Ormskirk won by 170 runs
Blackpool v Northern - Northern won by 2 wickets
Group 5
Round 3
Morecambe v Bamford Fieldhouse - Bamford Fieldhouse won by 9 wickets
Group 6
Round 3
Farnworth v Darwen - Farnworth won by 2 wickets
Full details of the competition can be found here:
https://static.ecb.co.uk/files/national-club-championship-draw-10848.doc
