SEAMER Mark Clarkson came to the fore with the ball as Netherfield took a giant stride towards TWP Wealth Twenty20 finals day with victory over Kendal at Shap Road.

With qualification a straight fight between the two derby rivals, Netherfield posted 134-4 from their 20 overs with Saliya Saman top scoring with 45 and Marc Brown adding 39.

In reply, Kendal fell 25 runs short of their victory target despite Gary Baker and Terry Hunte both making 40, as Clarkson blew away the home side’s top order to claim 4-12.

After choosing to bat first, the visitors reached the third over unscathed before Kendal captain Stu Parkin claimed the wickets of openers Ben Phillips and Craig Walmsley in successive balls.

At 14-2, Saman and John Huck progressed the score to 40 before the latter was bowled by off-spinner Chris Miller for 14, with Netherfield 40-3 in the eighth over.

Saman and Brown then assumed command of the innings, sharing a half century partnership in seven overs and taking the Netherfield tally to 98-3 in the 15th over.

With three figures in sight, Saman holed out to Darren Nightingale off Nick Lewthwaite to depart for a 38-ball 45, a knock which included four fours and two sixes.

Brown and Ben Barrow shared a pivotal stand of 36 in the remaining overs, before Adam Cowperthwaite returned to bowl the Netherfield skipper in the final stages.

With an impressive strike rate, Brown cleared the boundary rope twice in scoring 39 from his 36 balls at the crease, as Barrow finished unbeaten with a useful 15.

Parkin was the pick of the Kendal bowlers in terms of wickets, with 2-35 , although Cowperthwaite and Miller only conceded 31 runs from their combined eight overs, taking a wicket apiece.

The Kendal response started sluggishly with Clarkson continuing his impressive form since joining Netherfield from Bolton le Sands with a wicket in each of his first three overs.

Opener Darren Moore was the first to go in the second over, caught behind by John Huck for two, with the Kendal score on four.

Clarkson claimed the prized wicket of Jamie How in his next over as the New Zealander also departed for two after being snaffled by Ben Phillips.

The next to go was Ryan Shepherd, with the former Burneside batsman edging behind to Huck to leave Kendal in serious trouble at 19-3 after six overs.

Hunte and Graham Baker added 20 before the latter fell to the left-arm spin of Brad Earl for six, which brought his brother Gary to the crease as Kendal batted themselves back into contention.

The duo added 43 in six overs before Earl removed Hunte, stumped by Huck, for 40 after an enterprising 31-ball innings which contained six fours.

Three balls later, Huck claimed another stumping, this time Nightingale for a duck off the bowling of Brown, as a string of late wickets put pay to any prospect of a late Kendal charge.

Despite Gary Baker remaining on the offensive, Saman returned to bowl Lewthwaite for three in the penultimate over, as Clarkson removed Cowperthwaite with one ball remaining.

Baker finished on 40 not out from 34 balls, with Clarkson the pick of the bowlers with 4-12, while Saman and Brown also bowled tightly for a wicket apiece.