A DEVASTATING spell of bowling from Jack White and Adam Cowperthwaite wrestled the initiative from the Lancashire Colts and laid the foundation for Kendal’s victory in a low-scoring clash at Shap Road.


The home side were struggling at 41-5 before Gary Baker and Nick Phillips combined to rescue the innings and post a total which gave the Kendal bowlers something to defend.


Despite an unbeaten knock of 34 from wicketkeeper James McDonagh, the Colts lost wickets consistently in their reply and lacked the necessary batting power to topple their hosts.


The Colts team, currently second bottom in the Northern League table, features emerging players from the Lancashire system, providing them with an opportunity to play matches against strong opposition.


And the visitors started in positive fashion, opening bowler Ben Roberts taking the first of five wickets with the early scalp of Ryan Nelson who was caught behind.


Nelson walked for three and was soon followed by Cumberland all-rounder White who proved to be skipper Richard Dempster’s only victim, caught by Matthew Semple for one.


Terry Hunte and sub professional Richard Waite looked to rebuild the Kendal innings but when the former fell for 22, this triggered the loss of three wickets for the addition of only seven runs.


The final delivery of the 20th over saw Northumberland batsman Waite pick out Dempster at mid-off for just eight, with Hughes taking his second wicket en route to figures of 3-16.


And Kendal were further in the mire at 41-5 in the 24th over as Hughes returned to clean bowl Darren Moore for one, as Phillips joined Baker at the crease.


The pair put on 59 for the sixth wicket as the hosts established a foothold in the game, with the partnership broken when Roberts accounted for Baker, caught by Guy Dunbavand.


Phillips moved on to 37, a knock which contained three boundaries and a six and proved the top-score of the innings, before being bowled by Roberts.


The Kendal tail managed to take the score to 131, largely thanks to 15 from Cowperthwaite who was final wicket to fall, also bowled by Roberts who finished with 5-36.


Staring down the barrel, the home side shot out the blocks in the field, taking four early wickets to put pressure on the Colts’ middle and lower-order.


Hughes, James Drummond, Nathan Armstrong and Ben Sharp all fell for ducks as the away side were reduced to 9-4, with White and Cowperthwaite taking two wickets apiece.
 

White took his third with the score on 33, trapping Semple in front of the stumps before Chris Miller joined the party, his off-spin dismissing Dunbavand leg-before for a spirited 24.


The Colts then added 59 runs for the loss of only one further wicket, Matthew Critchley falling to the off-break bowling of Waite for 18, with McDonagh leading the visitors’ charge.


In the end, McDonagh ran out of partners as Stu Parkin bowled Dempster – who hung around for a 30-ball eight – and Shakruhk Khan to post two wickets from his three-over spell.


Cowperthwaite had the final say to finish with figures of 3-26, accounting for Roberts who failed to repeat his bowling heroics with the bat, as the Colts were all out for 98.