Preston 96 all out - 98-2 Netherfield. Netherfield win by eight wickets.

AUSTRALIAN batsman Rick Potter took his league tally up to 900 runs as Netherfield smashed bottom club Preston by eight wickets in the final match of the season at Parkside Road on Saturday.

Liam Dugdale returned figures of 4-26 as the Lancashire outfit crumbled to 96 all out before Potter hit the 52 runs required to reach the milestone.

The result meant Netherfield ended the season in joint-seventh position with Barrow - and with two cups in the trophy cabinet.

"I would say that is an improvement on last year," said skipper Marc Brown. "The disappointing thing in the league was losing to teams that were below us. You're going to get that inconsistency but every year you've got to try and improve and that will be the aim next season.

"Rick has had a tremendous season. From what we've seen all year it just shows the level of club cricket in Australia. He adjusted so well and is a very calm-headed batter. His Netherfield days might not be over, he's keen to get back next year. It's not 100 per cent yet but I couldn't imagine anywhere else that he would want to come after having a good year - but he will now assess his options and go from there."

The match was also South African professional Dieter Klein's last innings - and Brown was happy with the all-rounder's contribution despite not claiming as many scalps as hoped.

"Dieter admitted himself in the league he didn't pick up the amount of wickets we thought he was going to but he pretty got us to the t20 finals day single-handedly.

"It just goes to show the league is a decent standard with some good teams and he is human at the end of the day. Just because he is a professional doesn't mean he was going to come here and rip through teams every week."

Rain reduced the game to 39 overs aside with Preston winning the toss and putting themselves in.

Netherfield got the early break through as Klein bowled Preston's captain and professional Sajid Patel (1).

Ryan Wilson then got in on the action as he clean bowled Banglawala for 27.

Preston's start of 48-2 then collapsed to 59-8 as Gurman Baines and Miya Lunat fell to Dugdale, before Wilson bowled Rowan Dunbabin.

Dugdale then clean bowled Mohammed Patel whilst Shabnan Ali picked out Brown as Wilson finished with figures of 3-13.

Dugdale claimed his fourth as Afzal Kapadia picked out Wilson before Mark Clarkson bowled Andrew Starkie for 13 and Potter ran out Rehman Shah for 30 as Preston were all out for less than 100.

Netherfield eased home in just 11.2 overs.

Potter top scored with 52 off 28 balls, before picking out substitute fielder Ben Barrow, who was standing in as one of the Preston players got injured in the first innings.

Dugdale was the only other wicket to fall as he was bowled for three by Mya Ahmed Lunat.

Brad Earl drove the ball home for a boundary to seal the win with Netherfield closing on 98-2.

Brown added: "We will now take a couple of weeks to see where everyone is at and get away from cricket for a bit before coming back and seeing what the player's thoughts are for next season."