SKIPPER Stu Parkin’s purple patch continued as a disciplined bowling performance underpinned Kendal’s five-wicket win at Penrith, firing the Shap Road club to the TWP Wealth Twenty20 North One group summit.

Opener Nicky Burns top scored for the hosts in a total of 103-8, while Parkin epitomised Kendal’s economical bowling with an impressive four-wicket haul.

Despite reeling at 15-3, the visitors sealed victory with ten balls to spare as Terry Hunte once again took centre stage with the bat, enjoying a 72-run partnership with Graham Baker.

After winning the toss, Penrith failed to get the scoreboard moving in the face of tight Kendal bowling, As Adam Cowperthwaite managed a rare maiden over in this form of the game.

Parkin claimed the wicket of Karanjit Bansal for three, caught by Hunte at point, with Penrith struggling at 6-1 in the fourth over.

Burns and former Netherfield batsman Alex Atkinson combined to advance the score to 48-1 at the halfway stage, with the latter clearing the boundary rope twice before falling for 23.

Atkinson returned to the pavilion after holing out to Hunte off Darren Nightingale, with the youngster returning to dismiss Burns for 41, with Penrith 73-3 in the 15th over.

Off-spinner Chris Miller bowled Liam Trevaskis for eight as Penrith failed to generate any momentum in the latter stages of their innings, as Greg Hall and Jonathon Osborne fell in quick succession.

Parkin bowled Hall for 12 while Osborne picked out Darren Braithwaite at deep mid wicket off the same bowler to depart without troubling the scorers, with Penrith 96-6 off 18 overs.

Two wickets fell off the final two balls of the innings, with Tony Threlkeld run out for four as Parkin bowled Kieron Trevaskis for five, finishing with figures of 4-7 from his four-over allocation.

Darren Nightingale ended proceedings with 2-28 from four overs as Chris Miller returned 1-18, while Cowperthwaite only conceded 13 runs from his spell.

Kendal’s reply started in rocky fashion, with former New Zealand international Jamie How falling for a first-ball duck, caught at third man by Liam Trevaskis off Osborne.

The right-arm seamer has had some noticeable scalps in recent weeks, having snared ex-England captain Andrew Flintoff in his comeback game at St. Annes the previous weekend.

Hall bowled Braithwaite for three while an over later Osborne dismissed Shepherd for four, caught by Burns, as Kendal slipped to 15-3 in the third over.

Hunte and Baker joined forces as the visitors made steady progress towards their victory target, reaching 57-3 off ten overs, nine runs ahead of their opponents at the equivalent stage of their innings.

Hunte fell for 37 in the 15th over, caught by Bansal off Ben Davidson, after a 35-ball knock which included four fours and one six, while Baker was dismissed in the same over for 26.

However, the dup had steered their side to within sight of victory, with Kendal only requiring 15 runs from 30 balls with five wickets in hand.

Nick Lewthwaite was at the crease as Richard Herron’s single ensured Kendal’s win, which sees them occupy top spot in the North One group table after two wins from three in this season’s competition.