Cricket - Paceman Nixon's fiver pays its way at Lancaster (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Cricket - Paceman Nixon's fiver pays its way at Lancaster

9:57am Sunday 19th July 2009 in Sport By Gazette Sports

IT was a bowlers' day with bat and ball for Netherfield as they plundered 15 points with a nine-run win from a low-scoring Division 1 epic fought out at Lancaster's Lune Road ground on Saturday.

Netherfield top five batsmen mustered just 23 as Lancaster took a grip, but Ben Haddrick's 22 and Scott Clement's 20 were too prove invaluable out of an all-out score of 104.

The Lancaster pro Mario Oliver took 4-33 and teenager Charlie Swarbrick removed danger-men Chris Parry and professional Glen Batticciotto, while spinner BV Rhagavendra had 3-26.

Pace bowler Stuart Nixon was Netherfield's trump card as he produced a match-winning 5-15 to oust Lancaster for 95. Tim Barry top-scored with 27 and Oliver hit 17, but Netherfield completed the job in 45.1 overs.

Rain spoiled Kendal's promising run chase against Chorley at Shap Road.

Second-placed Chorley had set a target of 178-5 off 49 overs with Michael Critchley hitting an unbeaten 73 (seven fours and a six) as the backbone of the innings.

Kendal looked to have made a fine start with Kevin Howarth making 42 and Terry Hunte contributing 33. Professional Ross McMillan was still there with 29 not out when the rain stopped play with Kendal at 135-3 off 35.3 overs and they were left with a losing draw.