Double defeat for Kendal as they fall behind Fleetwood and Cockermouth kick them out the cup (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Double defeat for Kendal as they fall behind Fleetwood and Cockermouth kick them out the cup

9:28am Wednesday 18th July 2012 in Sport By Scott Kirk, Reporter

KENDAL lost ground on the league leaders as they slumped to a seven-wicket defeat against table-topping Fleetwood and were dumped out of the Cumbria Cup against Cockermouth.

Fleetwood won what would prove to be a crucial coin toss on Saturday and put Kendal into bat, receiving immediate results from the decision.

Kendal’s superb recent form came crashing down as they lost openers Donovan Du Plessis (0) and Graham Baker (0) inside the first three overs to leave the home side struggling on 2-2.

Kendal never really recovered from the early blows. Pro Jamie How has scored heavily at times this season but Saturday was not his day and he was bowled by Sam Bell in the eighth over for 18 to leave Kendal 23-3.

Darren Braithwaite lasted a further four overs before Bell bowled him clean out for 14.

Adam Parker had a sensational day for Fleetwood as he claimed the remaining five wickets for 29 runs, firstly dismissing Terry Hunte (22) as he was caught behind by Lee Jones to leave Kendal 58-5.

Parker tore into the lower order and the home side were 92-9 by the 33rd over.

But Nick Lewthwaite batted well at number nine for 30 not out, and put on a partnership of 25 with Stu Parkin to give Kendal’s score a bit more respectability at 117 all out.

Kendal needed an early wicket if they wanted any chance of victory, Fleetwood needing just over two runs an over with their allotted 55 overs to secure the win.

But Parker’s great day continued with the bat as he punished anything short to hit seven fours and three sixes on his way to 74 not out in just 77 balls.

His partnership of 59 with opener Mike Clinning was the precursor to putting the game to bed, with Lewthwaite bowling Clinning for 30 in the 14th over.

Jack White and captain Chris Miller could not work reproduce their magical performances of late, and the second wicket fell when Fleetwood had posted 100. Dean Bell nearly forced the ball down Hunte’s throat at short mid on, and the West Indian did very well to hold onto the ball at pace.

Naveed Yousaf was caught by Parkin off Lewthwaite for five to put the Lancastrians on 111-3. But with only seven runs needed to secure victory it was a case of too little too late for Kendal, and Parker finished his innings in style by smashing a maximum onto the clubhouse roof.

On Sunday at Cockermouth Kendal got off to a terrible start as How was bowled second ball by the home side’s professional Amila Weththasinghe.

Graham Baker was dismissed shortly after to leave Kendal 22-2, but Terry Hunte (87) and Nick Phillips (34) helped restore the Shap Road outfit’s innings with a 52-partnership, while Hunte and Gary Baker (24) scored 44 together as Kendal were 190 all out in the last over.

Cockermouth got off to a good start in reply as Richard Webster scored 59 and Alan Grainger 52.

But their run rate did not improve until Weththasinghe came into bat, and his game-changing 38 off 20 balls put Cockermouth in the driving seat as they crossed the line with six wickets and 13 balls spare.