ARRIVING a month later than expected, South African star Dale Benkenstein settled into life this week as the new professional at Netherfield Cricket Club, writes Richard Daniels.

Considering that so far his plans have not run too smoothly, a first-ball dismissal on his Northern Premier League debut was just about par for the course.

Fleetwood medium-pacer David Fish produced probably the day's best delivery to dismiss Benkenstein, who had hit 90 for an MCC side which played a Cumbria Cricket Board U21 team at Parkside on Friday.

The ball beat the bat and just clipped the top of the stumps to send the Kwazulu-Natal player on his way, though he had the consolation of having earlier bowled well to take three wickets.

It was Benkenstein's Fleetwood counterpart Zimbabwean Doug Marillier who undermined Netherfield's early position of strength when his rasping 105 put his side firmly back into the contest.

When the Netherfield batsmen collectively failed to make an impact in reply, Fleetwood looked hot favourites to go on and win.

However, the last-wicket pair of Marc Hadwin and Stuart Nixon - with more than a little help from the rain that swept in - survived the final five overs to deprive the visitors of maximum winning points and earn a draw.

Inserted by Netherfield, Fleetwood became heavily dependent on Marillier's exploits after his arrival when Benkenstein broke through, trapping Whalley lbw with the score on 35 in the 16th over.

Five balls later, the visitors lost Dewhurst, held by Tommy Prime at square leg, and then another four wickets fell for 18 runs.

Stuart Nixon - in for the injured Scott Clement - clattered Clinning's middle-stump; Wright was controversially adjudged run-out and then Clarke lofted a catch off the leading edge which Rishi Girdhari clung on to at third man.

Ironically, the successes prompted Marillier into the kind of indiscriminate hitting he revels in and he lashed 17 runs off Marc Hadwin's opening over of leg-spin and never looked back.

Stands of 40 and 76 with Sharrock and Ellis followed to move the score on to 175 when he was seventh man out, caught and bowled by Benkenstein, who finished with 3-34. Stuart Nixon took 3-74 and Ryan Wilson 2-26.

Marillier's 105 came off 92 balls with four sixes and seven fours.

After the professional's departure, Fleetwood's rem-aining four wickets added just sevens runs as they were dismissed for 182.

Netherfield made a good start in reply, Craig Walmsley hitting 32 out of 55 for the first wicket, The score progressed to 62 when skipper Prime was caught in the slips and then eight wickets fell for just 33 runs - Marillier helping himself to four slip catches.

Chief beneficiary was Fish, whose dismissal of the professional was the centre-piece of a great day's work for him with 7-42.

Netherfield's brittle batting left a lot to be desired but when the ninth wicket fell, the rain came to Netherfield's aid, the teams coming off as 11 overs were lost.

When they returned, Netherfield bowlers Hadwin and Nixon negotiated the last five overs to deny Fleetwood the win, closing on 108-9, leaving the visitors with 11 points to Netherfield's five.