NETHERFIELD won the bragging rights over Kendal in the Twenty20 last Friday night but from then on both sides enjoyed very different weekends.

While Netherfield went on to lose in a tight game at Morecambe, Kendal destroyed Blackpool by 10 wickets as Adam Cowperthwaite smashed the club record with a nine-wicket haul, before a depleted side dumped a strong Lytham team out of the National Knockout Cup on a very busy weekend at Shap Road.

Kendal captain Chris Miller was full of praise for Cowperthwaite, saying that he would keep the opening strike for Saturday’s match at champions Fleetwood despite the return of Stu Parkin.

“Saturday was just a tremendous performance by Cowps with the new ball and a nine for 40-odd is just what we needed,” said Miller.

“Adam has won the right with the new ball so it’s up to him to continue that form and it’s up to Stu to back up his work.

“Gary Baker kept wicket with some quality catches and we held our catches which we’ve not been doing in the league this season.

“Darren Moore has struggled a little bit this season so to see him play so fluently was fantastic and Ryan Nelson was steady away as per usual.

“Sunday was a fantastic result for the whole club and we’re immensely proud that we stepped up and turned over Lytham.

“Friday was obviously a little bit disappointing after doing really well to get Netherfield to only score 85.

“It was a very average game for batting It was good bowling and fielding but Netherfield backed that up and won.”

Miller also thanked the huge crowd for their attendance at Friday’s game, and added that the club were still looking for a sub-pro to replace Alex Doolan for this weekend’s trip to Fleetwood, with Doolan away on Australia A duty.

Netherfield skipper Marc Brown was understandably delighted with his side’s Twenty20 two-run win at Kendal in a game where defeat looked the most likely outcome for his side for most of the game.

With Twenty20 Finals Day being hosted by the winners of the Kendal, Netherfield and Barrow group, Brown wants another win this Friday night at Parkside Road when Field entertain Barrow to put his side in the driving seat to host the money-spinning final.

Brown said: “We were ecstatic to steal a victory from the jaws of defeat and we made it a low-scoring thriller.

“Both teams were poor batting-wise but we were really pleased because it’s a competition we want to do well in.”

Netherfield entertain Chorley on Saturday as the club finally look to get some home games under their belt, with Field completing just one home game so far this season.

“We’ve got to get a good performance on the board,” said Brown.

“We’ve had one home game this season and that’s where we’ve been strongest in the past so we’re pretty positive and confident about getting a good win.

“On Saturday against Morecambe we didn’t take our chances and we were about 20 runs short. We were a bit down on our luck but they chased it reasonably well.”

Scott Clement gets married this weekend so he is unavailable for the two Parkside Road matches, and Nathan Chambers will replace him in the side.

Netherfield

1st XI v Barrow (home, T20) Friday (6.30pm): M Brown (cap), J Huck (wk), B Barrow, C Parry, G Hall, C Walmsley, R Wilson, N Chambers, S Nixon, B Earl, Ackermann

1st XI v Chorley (home) Saturday: M Brown (cap), J Huck (wk), B Barrow, C Parry, G Hall, C Walmsley, R Wilson, N Chambers, S Nixon, B Earl, Ackermann

Kendal

1st XI v Fleetwood (away) Saturday: C Miller (cap), G Baker (wk), R Nelson, D Moore, J White, T Hunte, D Nightingale, R Herron, A Cowperthwaite, S Parkin, sub-pro to be announced.