KENDAL crashed to an agonising two-wicket defeat to Croston in the opening game of The Palace Shield.

Croston's overseas amateur Callum McIveen returned first innings figures of 7-37 as Kendal collapsed from 50-2 to 104 all out from 39.4 overs.

Having then reduced Croston to 19-4 in the second innings, the seventh-wicket partnership of 52 between Lewis Bland and Lee Childs saw Croston recover, before Bland saw the game out undefeated on 23 as Croston edged home to victory.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Kendal made a bad start as Shane Hyland picked out McIveen off the bowling of Jonathan Diver.

Lachlan Stewart and Ben Phillips led the recovery as the Auld Greys edged their way onto 50. But Croston gained the advantage when Stewart was bowled by McIveen for a top score of 21 off 51 balls.

From that point, Kendal collapsed to 99-8 as Phillips picked out Ian Dickinson off the bowling of Childs, while McIveen ripped through the Kendal innings as the Australian despatched of Ryan Shephard, Edward Price, Saeed Bariwala, James Park and Matthew Park.

Captain Chris Miller was the next to fall after he was caught by Adam Sexton off the bowling of Childs before McIveen finished with7-37 after trapping Harry Lee LBW as Kendal were all out for 104.

Kendal made an imposing start to the second innings as Miller picked up the wickets of Adam Sexton, Ian Dickinson and McIveen while Toby Tyson despatched of Suhel Gathya while Croston collapsed onto 19-4.

Stephen Langton and Bland dug in with a fifth wicket partnership of 26 as Croston moved onto 45. Kendal broke the partnership when Langton was caught behind by Shane Hyland off the bowling of Toby Tyson.

But Croston stunned Kendal as Bland and club captain Childs dug in with an imposing seventh wicket stand of 52.

The partnership edged Croston onto 97 before Lee picked up the wicket of Childs who top scored with 36.

Kendal continued to battle as Lee claimed the wicket of Jake Parsons, but Bland's undefeated 23 saw Croston chase down Kendal's total while the hosts closed on 107-7 off 32.1 overs.

Kendal host New Longton next Saturday with the wickets pitched at 1.30pm.