A DEPLETED Netherfield bowling attack failed to dismiss the Lancashire Colts on Sunday, but their batting got back to better ways in the first innings.

The Parkside Road outfit reached 260-7 off their allotted overs as they welcomed back Chris Parry, and a few good partnerships were struck up to give Netherfield a firm advantage at tea.

In another change to the batting order, Chris Williams was first to bite the dust when Charles Taylor caught him for 12 off Ben Roberts.

John Huck came in at number three and he put on a partnership of 59 with opener Marc Brown before he was unluckily run out by Matthew Taffe.

Brown (23) hit the ball onto Taffe’s hand, which deflected onto the non-striker’s wicket with Huck out of his crease, meaning the wicket-keeper was forced back to the pavilion after hitting 45.

John Mason and pro Cobus Pienaar were the next two to put on a good show, scoring 81 together before skipper Mason was caught by Sam Holden off Roberts for 56 to leave Netherfield 161-4.

Ben Haddrick got one of his best scores of the season at number six when he scored 70 not out, picking up 79 runs with Parry to put Netherfield in a commanding position, and the Cumbrians finished their innings 260-7.

Netherfield got off to the best possible start with ball in hand, despite being without Stuart Nixon, Stuart Dixon and Marc Hadwin.

Pienaar and Williams bowled 32 overs between them to make up for the shortfall, and the former bowled Sam Hunt out second ball to give Netherfield a dream start.

The next two in the order Tom Steel and Daniel Pawson failed to get off the mark, Liam Livingstone scoring the first runs for the Colts in the fifth over.

Holden and Mark Friend scored 57 between them before the former was dismissed for 45, leaving the Colts 100-4 and batting for a draw from then on.

Friend followed a few overs later for 42, and Charles Taylor scored a solid 33 to frustrate ‘Field’s bowling attack as Lancashire Colts finished 170-8, meaning Netherfield had to settle for a winning draw.