A VALIANT lower-order partnership between Darren Braithwaite and Adam Cowperthwaite denied St Annes victory as the visitors left Shap Road with a winning draw.

Despite Terry Hunte’s half-century, Kendal were staring down the barrel of defeat until the pair combined to see out the best part of 20 overs, finishing on 188-7.

Earlier, Nathan Armstrong put the home side’s bowling to the sword, top-scoring with 80 as St Annes posted an imposing 239-8 from their 50 overs.

Kendal skipper Stu Parkin won the toss and decided to bowl first, a decision which paid an instant dividend.

Sub-pro Adil Raza made an immediate impact, trapping Nanthesh Kiruparan in front of the stumps with only the fourth ball of the innings.

This brought Matthew Taafe to the crease but the Cumberland batsman only managed five before edging behind to Ryan Nelson off the bowling of Cowperthwaite.

St Annes opener Lukman Vahaluwala survived a couple of early scares before building an impressive partnership with Armstrong for the third wicket.

Vahaluwala was the main aggressor initially, brining his fifty up with a crisp cover drive in the 21st over before drilling a Jack White delivery to Raza at mid-off.

The former Preston captain fell for 65, a knock containing nine boundaries and a six, with Toby Bulcock joining Armstrong to continue the away side’s momentum.

Armstrong was in top form, leg-glancing a single off Chris Miller to bring up his half-century and attacking the Kendal bowling as St Annes continued to rack up the runs.

Miller made a much-need breakthrough, snaring Bulcock who edged behind for 26 before Armstrong top-edged Raza to Kendal’s ex-captain as the score approached 200.

Armstrong enjoyed an 86-ball stay at the crease and clocked up 14 boundaries as St Annes pushed the total along to 239 with Andy Kellett finishing unbeaten on 24.

Former Pakistan under19 international Raza returned figures of 3-42, with Miller also taking three wickets from his 16 overs, conceding 69 runs.

In reply, Kendal openers Ryan Nelson and Jack White withstood early pressure to put in place a solid foundation.

The left-handers brought up their fifty partnership in the 11th over before the wicket of Nelson –with the score on 65 – triggered the loss of four wickets for 16 runs.

Matthew Grindley claimed the first three wickets to fall, seeing Nelson caught by Bulcock at short cover and White at gully in the same over.

Grindley then trapped Nick Phillips leg before with the final ball of the 16th over before the left-arm spin of visiting professional Bulcock accounted for Raza.

Raza came to the crease with the intention of accelerating the score but was caught at extra cover with Hunte and Oliver Field taking the score to 108-4 at the halfway stage.

Hunte once again proved Kendal’s most resilient batsman and together with Field put on 37 for the fifth wicket before the latter fell lbw to Bulcock.

The 22-year-old claimed his third wicket by bowling Nick Lewthwaite shortly after Taafe had chalked up his only wicket of the afternoon as Hunte was caught by Armstrong.

Hunte hit eight fours and two sixes in his innings of 52 with Braithwaite and Cowperthwaite’s rearguard action salvaging a draw for the home side.

Braithwaite finished unbeaten on 22 and Cowperthwaite 25 from 64 and 56 balls respectively as Kendal remain seventh in the league standings.