RAIN brought proceedings to a premature end at Shap Road with Darwen taking a winning draw despite the match being finely poised with all results still possible.

Professional Alan Kruger top-scored with 63 as the visitors posted 192, losing their final wicket with only a ball of the innings to spare.

In reply, the home side required another 48 from ten overs to secure victory before the heavens opened and Kendal were forced to finish on 145 with five wickets remaining.

Ammer Mirza and skipper Jordan Clarke enjoyed a productive opening stand for Darwen, bringing up the fifty-run partnership in the 13th over.

Mirza was awarded the Lancashire League under-23 Player of the Year award for his recording-breaking exploits with Church in the summer of 2010.

And the 22-year-old was the main aggressor here, looking comfortable against the pace of Adil Raza and batting with fluency.

The home side made a much-needed breakthrough in the 17th over as Clarke miscued Stu Parkin to Terry Hunte at backward point, falling for 16 with the score on 67.

Parkin’s spell proved a catalyst for Kendal as Mirza was dismissed in his next over, caught at first slip by Chris Miller two shy of his half-century.

Miller’s off-spin once again formed an integral part of the hosts’ armoury, claiming the wicket of Christopher Clark for 13 before trapping John Cordingley leg before for 20.

Cordingley, Darwen’s former captain, only dealt in boundaries as his 36-ball stay at the crease contained five fours, but departed with his side on 116.

And only two more runs were added before Chris Lowe fell lbw as Jack White claimed his only wicket of the day, finishing with figures of 1-20 from five overs.

Kruger then took centre-stage and batted effectively with the middle and lower-order to drastically increase Darwen’s score.

The big-hitting South African has four first-class centuries and 25 half-centuries to his name and clobbered seven boundaries and a six during his 72-ball knock.

And without contributing too many runs to the overall score, Reece Davies, Nathan Jackson and Mark Emery hung around to give the 32-year-old support at the crease.

Kruger was finally out for 62, another victim of Miller who finished with 4-56 from 18.5 overs, as Raza took 1-69 from 13.

Kendal’s openers, Ryan Nelson and White, once again built a solid foundation with the left-handers putting on 50 inside 14 overs.

The pair looked comfortable and in very little difficulty, accumulating runs where possible, until Chris Wade was brought into the attack. The right-arm seamer trapped Cumberland all-rounder White in front of the stumps with the opening ball of the 21st over with the score on 57.

This brought veteran batsman Hunte to the crease who signalled his intent immediately, dispatching his very first ball from Wade to the boundary fence with a straight drive. But as with the Darwen innings, one wicket triggered another and Nelson fell next over for 16, caught by Clarke off the bowling of Cordingley.

Hunte and Darren Moore then advanced the Kendal score to 111 before the latter lofted the off-spinner to Wade on the boundary fence to fall for a useful 22.

With 15 overs remaining, Kendal were three wickets down for 115, requiring another 78 for victory with seven wickets in hand.

Cordingley then went on to account for Nick Phillips and dangerman Hunte with the score on 134 and 145 respectively to end with impressive figures of 4-52 off 16 overs.

Hunte had only just departed when the rain intervened, leaving Oliver Field and Raza stranded at the crease with both sides still firmly eyeing victory.

Darwen 192 all (49.5 overs), Kendal 145-5 (40 overs) - Darwen awarded winning draw