Kendal fire up for Lancashire Cup (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Kendal fire up for Lancashire Cup

9:49am Friday 20th July 2007

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POT-hunting Kendal aim to fire up their second half of the season with a concerted bid for a first-ever Thwaites Lancashire Cup final appearance.

An 18-run home victory over Denton St Lawrence from the Lancashire County League on Sunday took them into the cup's last eight.

There is little time to rest upon their laurels, however, as the quarter-finals take place this Sunday.

Skipper John Trewenneck takes his side to Heywood in Greater Manchester, who play in the Central Lancashire League, with the 45-over showdown set to start at 2pm.

Kendal went into last Sunday's tie licking their wounds after a nine-wicket defeat at home to Darwen on Saturday cost them top spot in the Northern League.

So much so that after winning Sunday's toss against Denton, Kendal held a team meeting before electing to bat on the same wicket upon which they had been trounced 24 hours earlier.

Fortunately, the batsmen made a much brighter effort, openers Ikram Ullah (52) and Kevin Howarth (22) adding 64 before the latter was stumped in the 16th over.

A major innings looked on the cards for Ullah, but he had just brought up his half-century when departing with the score on 89, and Terry Hunte (13) followed in the next over, both to lbw decisions.

Effective hitting from skipper Trewenneck (22) and Tony Yasin (26) restored Kendal's equilibrium, but a marvellous unbeaten 36 from No. 9 Stuart Parkin, (three sixes and two fours) enabled a 200-plus to be posted.

Tailenders Parkin and Chris Miller forged a ninth-wicket stand of 47 with Chris Miller (8) to lift Kendal to a very respectable 221-8 off their 45 overs, with P. Green taking 4-35 for Denton.

In reply, Denton made 81 before Kendal made a breakthrough, but Miller struck two vital blows to remove West Indian big-hitters Steve Dublin and Guyanan professional Esuan Crandon and they had plenty still to do at 117-4 after 27 overs.

Paul Green compiled his runs mainly through singles but could not be budged and a stand of 47 with M. Wake put the visitors back on course.

The turning-point for Kendal came with a return to the opening attack of Graeme Aldridge and Parkin, who both grabbed a wicket in successive overs.

Aldridge had Green, who had played very correctly before prematurely deciding to throw the bat, caught by Howarth at long-off for a top scoring 78. Kendal took a grip on their opponents at 169-6 and they subsided to 193 all out - 18 short - in the penultimate over.

n Kendal host a Thwaites 20/20 match against Netherfield at Shap Road on Tuesday (6pm start) .

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