Kendal pulled further away from the bottom of the Northern Premier League after an emphatic 70-run victory against second-placed Chorley in a rain-affected game at Shap Road.

The contest, which was reduced to 27 overs aside, did not get underway until 3.30pm after persistent rain throughout most of the day.

However, after the rain had cleared Zachary McCaskie posted a first innings knock of 56 off 65 balls as The Auld Greys closed on a competitive total of 145-6. West Indian professional Jason Dawes returned figures of 6-36 as Chorley were bowled out for 75 off 23.4 overs while Chris Miller also contributed with a return of 4-21.

Kendal got off to a good start with the bat as Ryan Shepherd and McCaskie put on a first-wicket stand of 49. Both openers played clinical shots against a very strong Chorley attack. However, the visitors made the breakthrough when Shepherd picked out Andrew Holdsworth off the bowling of Chris Harty.

Once Shepherd had been dismissed Ben Phillips was clean bowled by Will Moulton as Kendal were held back on 61-2. However McCaskie and Dawes put on a third-wicket stand of 80 as Kendal surged onto 121. Kendal did run into some problems as Ian Oakes picked up the wickets of McCaskie, Saeed Bariwala and Miller, who was stumped by Harry Barclay.

Kendal though closed on 145-6 with Edward Price undefeated on 11 off 15 balls.

In reply, Edwin Moulton and Oakes made a quick start with a first wicket stand of 34. Both were hitting some powerful drives while Kendal struggled in the early exchanges.

Kendal gained the initiative with three quick wickets when Dawes bowled Ian Harty and Will Moulton, before Miller trapped Edwin Moulton LBW while the visitors toiled onto 46-3.

The Auld Greys continued to take wickets as Miller trapped Alexander Howarth LBW while Dawes bowled Kyle Dixon.

Dawes claimed two more scalps as Chorley professional Gayan Maneeshan and Holdsworth both fell to the West Indian as Chorley were on 60-7. Before Miller bowled Harry Barclay and claimed the wicket of Matthew Sedgeman as the Kendal captain finished with figures of 4-21.

Dawes picked up his sixth wicket of the afternoon after clean bowling Chris Harty as Chorley were all out for 75 off 23.4 overs.

Kendal travel to St Annes on Saturday.

*Alec Carradus returned figures of 7-29 as Kendal seconds defeated Chorley seconds by five wickets. Carradus’s seven-wicket haul saw Chorley all out for 98 off 37.2 overs, before Ryan Nightingale's knock of 51 eased Kendal home as they closed on 100-5 off 28.2 overs. Jack Bentham returned figures of 4-26 for the hosts.