Netherfield’s match at Stanley Park went down to the wire, with the visitors claiming a winning draw after being denied victory by Blackpool’s tail-enders.

Skipper Marc Brown carried his bat in the away side’s total of 178, dropping anchor on his way to an unbeaten 86.

Netherfield failed to get over the line as Blackpool finished nine wickets down at the end of their 50 overs having accumulated 153.

After being put in to bat by counterpart Paul Danson, Brown together with Ben Barrow put on 21 for the opening stand before the latter fell for 18.

Barrow was caught in the covers by Richard Gleeson off the bowling of medium-pacer Danny Gilbert, which brought Colin Ackermann to the crease.

Aside from Brown, the South African was one of only three Netherfield batsmen to make it to double figures as he put on 42 with his captain for the second wicket.

Gilbert accounted for Ackermann – caught at mid-wicket by Danson – on his way to figures of 3-52 off 17 overs.

The remainder of the Netherfield innings was dominated by Brown, who struck ten boundaries and cleared the ropes once during his 139-ball stay at the crease.

And despite wickets falling around him, the former Carlisle man carried on regardless, steadfastly batting his side to a defendable total.

John Huck only managed eight but hung around to share a partnership of 29 with Brown before offering a chance to Gurman Bains at extra-cover off Ben Eckton.

The same bowler dismissed Brendon Herron, recording figures of 2-40 from 14 overs while Steven Mercer took the late scalps of Shane Dixon and Matthew Goodall to finish with 2-53 from 12.

Bradley Earl was the only other batsman to overly trouble the scorers with a 25-ball 13 before becoming Gilbert’s third and final victim.

Netherfield struck early in the Blackpool reply and continued that momentum throughout the innings, constantly adding pressure by taking wickets.

Ackermann struck in his first over, bowling Matthew Houston for a duck while fellow opener John Mounsey fell shortly afterwards for 16.

Mounsey was caught behind by Huck off the bowling of Nathan Chambers, with the young paceman also bowling Craig Brown to leave the home side struggling on 27-3.

Danson and Andy Furniss set about rebuilding the innings, moving the score onto 62 before the former was removed for 27 by Earl, who would prove to be Netherfield’s most prominent bowler.

Professional Gleeson – who has featured for Warwickshire’s second XI as well as Cumberland – recovered the innings further alongside Furniss with a partnership of 35.

But in the 33rd over, 25-year-old Gleeson holed out to mid-off to give Earl his second wicket of the afternoon, while Dixon trapped Furniss leg before to reduce Blackpool to 107-6.

The home side were reeling further as Ash Moreau became Dixon’s second victim, caught at slip by Ackermann, for a duck.

At this stage victory was in sight for Netherfield with more than 11 overs remaining, although Bains set about dominating the batting and defying the visiting bowlers.

Gilbert was the next to go, run out after Barrow’s throw from the cover boundary, as Bains and Mercer frustrated Netherfield by holding firm until the final over.

With five balls remaining, Earl increased the tension by bowling Bains for a gutsy 28 from 63 balls, with Ben Eckton seeing out the final four deliveries to salvage a losing draw for his side.

Netherfield 178-7, Blackpool 153-9 - Netherfield awarded winning draw