FORMER Parkside Road batsman Alex Atkinson starred with the bat as Penrith claimed a winning draw, with play abandoned as the Netherfield reply approached its business end.

Atkinson top scored with 70 as Penrith posted 199-9 from their 50-over allocation, with ex-Kendal all-rounder Jack White contributing 34 as Saliya Saman claimed three wickets.

Australian Ben Phillips led the Netherfield charge with a well-constructed 42 before play was halted with Marc Brown’s side requiring a further 86 runs from 12.5 overs.

After being invited to field, Saman claimed the first wicket to fall as Ryan Carruthers edged the Sri Lankan to Ben Barrow at second slip for eight, with Penrith 24-1.

The Northern League newcomers progressed to 32 before Ryan Wilson snared Karanjit Bansal, caught at point by Mark Clarkson, with the first ball of the 15th over.

Professional Paul Hindmarch then joined forces with Atkinson to add 69 for the third wicket inside 13 overs, before departing in unusual circumstances.

Hitting his wicket, Hindmarch fell for 25, with the leg-spin of Phillips also accounting for another former Netherfield man, Greg Hall, who was caught on the cover boundary by Wilson.

Nicky Burns looked in determined mood, clearing the boundary ropes en route to a quick-fire 16, before edging  Clarkson to Ben Barrow in the slips.

Atkinson soon followed, caught behind by John Huck off Saman, after an inspired knock of 70, which included nine fours and two sixes.

With the Tynefield Park club 144-6 from 42.2 overs, White and Asher Hart gave the Penrith innings some real impetus, adding 48 for the seventh wicket.

Hart was caught by Phillips off Saman, who finished with 3-67 off 17 overs, with the last ball of the 49th over, as White’s 22-ball 34 was brought to an end by Chambers.

White clobbered two sixes before being caught in the covers by Phillips as Tony Threlkeld was run out on the final ball of the innings, with Penrith closing on 199-9.

In reply, the right-arm medium-fast bowling of Hindmarch accounted for Brown early in the piece, with the Netherfield skipper caught by Bansal at point for two.

Phillips joined Barrow at the crease with the duo adding a solid 41 runs inside 16 overs, as Netherfield reached 71 before the loss of their second wicket.

Jonathan Osborne trapped Barrow in front for 30, a knock which included five boundaries, with his dismissal triggering a mini-collapse as Netherfield lost four wickets for 20 runs.

Phillips had struck eight fours by the time White intervened, bowling the Australian for 42, before the right-arm seamer snared Huck in his next over, caught and bowled, for two.

Brad Earl has enjoyed some productive batting knocks so far this summer, but accumulated only seven before holing out to Bansal at point off the bowling of Hindmarch.

Saman and Brendan Herron stabilised the Netherfield reply, with the Parkside Road club advancing to 114-5 from 37.1 overs before bad light stopped play.

White and Hindmarch ended with two wickets apiece as Saman was left stranded on 12, with Herron at the other end unbeaten on 14.