DERBY spoils belong to Netherfield for another summer after Marc Brown’s side inflicted a four-wicket defeat on rivals Kendal at Shap Road.

Nathan Chambers starred with the ball, taking five wickets as Kendal were restricted to 186-8 from their 50 overs, Nick Lewthwaite top-scoring with a crucial half-century.

Professional Colin Ackermann then took centre-stage and proved the mainstay of the visitors’ innings as they reached their total with 15 balls to spare.

Kendal have not beaten Netherfield in a league fixture since 2004 and the home side looked unlikely to reverse this trend after starting poor having been invited to bat.

Chambers produced an inspired opening spell, taking three early wickets to leave the hosts reeling at 19-3 with Ryan Nelson, Jack White and Darren Moore all falling cheaply.

The trio fell for single figures as Chambers had Nelson caught at mid-wicket by Greg Hall for two before bowling White and seeing Moore caught behind, both having scored three.

By this stage Terry Hunte was at the crease and the 51-year-old scored the ten runs he needed to reach the milestone of 20,000 Northern League runs.

Hunte’s drive over the in-field to the long off boundary proved enough for this remarkable feat, but the veteran batsman failed to push on and was dismissed for 17.

Left-arm seamner Brad Airey – playing in place of the injured Scott Clement – was the man to strike, seeing Hunte caught at square leg by Chambers.

With the score on 34-4, Lewthwaite and vice-captain Gary Baker set about rebuilding the Netherfield innings and the pair went on to add 71 for the fourth wicket.

Lewthwaite was the main aggressor, hitting eight fours and clearing the boundary ropes twice en route to a 75-ball 56, until he became the first of two victims for Ackermann.

The 22-year-old had Lewthwaite caught by Chambers before bowling Darren Braithwaite shortly afterwards on his way to figures of 2-62 from 16 overs.

Only two runs had been added when Baker holed out to Barrow at mid-wicket off the returning Chambers for 30, with the paceman also accounting for Adil Raza.

At 136-8, there was still plenty of work for Kendal to do in order to post a competitive total but Adam Cowperthwaite and Chris Miller made sure there was a sting in the tail.

Cowperthwaite hit two sixes in an unbeaten knock of 34 while ex-skipper Miller remained undefeated on 15 as the pair shared a half-century stand.

In reply, Netherfield started watchfully with Brown and Ben Barrow putting on 25 until the former was trapped leg before by former Carnforth man Cowperthwaite in the tenth over.

Ackermann and Barrow then joined forces to advance the away side’s score to 71 before the latter edged behind to Baker off the bowling of all-rounder White.

Kendal continued to battle and Miller snared John Huck, caught behind for one, as the visitors reached 77-3 at the halfway stage.

Ackermann and Chris Parry then combined to ensure the pendulum swung back in Netherfield’s favour, adding 64 for the fourth wicket and taking the total to 138.

Pakistan professional Adil Raza struck with the final ball of the 35th over to see off Parry for 31 before a couple of quick wickets maintained Kendal’s interest in proceedings.

New man to crease Greg Hall added 13 with Ackermann before the ex-Penrith man was bowled by Miller, who finished with 2-60, with the last delivery of the 40th over.

Ackermann soon followed, top-edging Raza and presenting the 21-year-old with a caught and bowled opportunity which was duly taken.

The South African proved the lynchpin of the Netherfield reply, with his 92-ball 65 including four boundaries and three sixes.

A run-a-ball 14 from Craig Walmsley and a contribution of 17 from Brad Earl then saw the Parkside Road club home and maintain their winning hold over Kendal.