Kendal 153-9

Leyland 155

Winning draw to Leyland

Chorley Building Society Northern Premier League

A DRAMATIC match ended with Kendal failing to beat Leyland by three runs on a day of mixed emotions.

Kendal had Leyland all out for 155 with a great bowling performance, but the top of the Shap Road side’s batting order struggled and it was left up to the tail as the home side limped over the line to claim a draw.

Leyland won the toss and batted first. Batsmen struggled from the start as jack White and Adam Cowperthwaite made work difficult for them, with Nick Lewthwaite adding to Leyland’s troubles.

Lewthwaite was 3-19 from his 6.2 overs, but bowling 15 overs apiece, White claimed three wickets for the loss of 54 runs, but Cowperthwaite continued his good form and trumped him with 4-42 as Leyland struggled.

They were 74-7 before an invaluable 72 runs off 79 balls was scored by number seven Karl Cross meant the batter scored half his side’s runs as they were bowled all out in the 43rd over for 155.

The next highest scorer after Cross was Nathan McDonnell with 19, as the rest failed to give Cross the back-up he needed before he was caught by Chris Miller off Lewthwaite.

Kendal's inning almost mirrored Leyland's in the frequency of wickets falling and at 64-7 and 88-8 victory seemed nigh on impossible.

The usually-reliable Terry Hunte only managed 19 off 54 balls, while sub-pro Brad Moses scored the same number of runs.

Andrew Makinson and Brett Pelser bowled 17 and 15 overs respectively to make life difficult for the home side, and with Cowperthwaite and Miller at the crease, Leyland looked like they would claim the victory that would close the gap between themselves and Barrow.

Cowperthwaite was able to add 20 runs to the tally off 47 balls before he was caught by David Makinson off Tayyab Afsar, meaning Kendal were 104-9 with a massive 18 overs remaining.

However, the duo put on a mightily impressive partnership and showed real character to put on a last wicket stand of 49 to creep slowly but surely towards Leyland’s target.

With the last over to be bowled by Leyland's captain Dave Makinson, the home side needed eight runs to win, but only five were gained as the match was drawn.

Miller was hugely impressive, scoring five fours on his way to an unbeaten 44, while Stu Parkin scored nine not out off 38 balls to secure five points for Kendal, with Leyland recording eight points from the game.