CHRIS Miller and Nick Lewthwaite took four wickets apiece as Kendal claimed a routine seven-wicket victory after routing Morecambe for just 67 at Shap Road.

Opener Josh Dixon top-scored with 20 as Morecambe failed to generate any form of momentum during their innings, losing their final wicket in the 49th over.

Kendal comfortably chased down their target inside 20 overs with stand-in skipper Jamie How hitting the winning runs after Ben Harrison struck 24.

After being put into bat, James Law was the first wicket to fall, caught at first slip by Graham Baker off Miller for four, with Morecambe 14-1 after ten overs.

The Woodhill Lane club struggled to score consistently, finding the boundary rope only once in the first 20 overs, with professional Kelly Smuts the next man to go.

Miller – who bowled unchanged throughout – accounted for the South African, who was caught at cover by Darren Moore for five.

Dixon and Ryan Pearson were the only two visiting batsmen to reach double figures, progressing the score to 38 before five Morecambe wickets fell for the addition of just nine runs.

Despite navigating 84 balls, Dixon was trapped lbw by Lewthwaite in the 27th over before Miller’s off-spin trapped Jordan Willoughby in front for two.

Wicketkeeper Lewis Edge then top-edged Lewthwaite to Graham Baker at mid-wicket for a nine-ball duck before Phillip Dennison fell three balls later without troubling the scorers.

Lewthwaite was very much the man of the moment, claiming his fourth wicket by bowling Pearson, with Morecambe 47-7 after 35 overs.

Together with Ayush Sharma, skipper Tommy Clough offered some brief respite, leading the rearguard action as Morecambe added 19 runs in 12 overs.

After 44 balls of resistance which yielded eight runs, the returning Adam Cowperthwaite claimed the wicket of Clough, who was caught at mid-wicket by Graham Baker.

Miller bowled Jonno Gates for one in the next over as Kendal’s former captain finished with figures of 4-27 from 24 overs.

His partner in crime was Lewthwaite, who posted 4-10 from his ten overs, although it was Cowperthwaite who claimed the final wicket.

The right-arm seamer clung on to a sharp caught and bowled chance to dismiss Sharma for five as Morecambe were decimated for 67.

In reply, Kendal started confidently with ex-Carnforth batsman Moore smashing Sharma through mid-wicket for four and reaching the boundary rope again with a lofted drive over long on.

Moore and Ben Harrison kept the scoreboard ticking over before the former was stumped by Edge off Clough for 23, leaving the home side 32-1 in the 11th over.

Only two further runs were added before Darren Braithwaite was trapped in front by the off-spin of Clough for one, with New Zealand professional How joining Harrison at the crease.

After How’s first-ball shot dropped just short of backward point, the duo added 32 for the third wicket and guided Kendal to within sight of victory.

Harrison was caught behind by Edge off the bowling of Smuts for 24 in the 19th over, although by this stage the Shap Road club only required two more runs for victory.

How ended proceedings by smashing Law to the long on boundary to finish unbeaten on 17, as Kendal claimed their second 12-point haul in as many Northern League games.