KENDAL pro Jamie How bowed out of the Northern Premier League against Preston with a man-of-the-match performance in another win that takes them to within 23 points of leaders Barrow.

He bowled a superb 4-21 and struck 49 not out in his last game before travelling back to his native New Zealand to be with his pregnant wife.

The Shap Road side started well, running Imtiaz Matak out for six and getting key man Lukman Vahulawala out for just eight when he was caught by wicketkeeper Shane Hyland off Jack White.

Preston rallied as opener Sajid Patel scored 35, with Soaib Dukunwala recording only one run less than Patel.

They were the main threats until How and Chris Miller (3-33) began to turn on the style for Kendal and in the 47th over, Preston had been bowled out for 121.

Opener Nick Phillips was caught by Charlie Williams off Vahaluwala for a duck to get Kendal’s innings off to a poor start, and the Preston pro proved to be a thorn in the Cumbrian team’s side as he regularly chipped away at Kendal’s batsmen to record 4-25.

But one batsman he couldn’t snare was How, and he was only one run short of an unbeaten half century as Kendal reached their target with five wickets to spare.

Kendal’s Readers’ Cup final against Preston at Shap Road was called off due to rain on Sunday. It has been rearranged for Sunday, September 2.