KENDAL opened their Northern Premier Cricket League campaign with a dramatic winning draw against Chorley at Shap Road.

Chris Miller bowled the last over and restricted the visitors as Kendal collected most points, closing with 10 compared to Chorley’s seven.

Kendal, who won the toss and elected to bat, were all out for a total of 161 off 48.4 overs.

In reply, Kendal’s Tom Aspinwall returned figures of 5-15.

Chorley’s Indian professional Siddesh Lad top scored with 54 before his side closed four short of the first innings total, finishing with 157-8 off 51 overs.

Kendal made a strong start to the first innings after both Miller and Darren Nightingale posted a first-wicket stand of 49.

Chorley eventually made the breakthrough when Miller was stumped by Harry Barclay off the bowling of Ian Oakes. The Auld Greys from that moment suffered a batting collapse where they slumped to 71-4. Saeed Bariwala and Ed Price recovered the Kendal innings after posting a sixth-wicket stand of 73, pushing the side to 144.

Will Moulton pulled the game back for the visitors after he saw off Bariwala, Toby Tyson, and Price and Kuldeep Singh.

Lad finished the first innings off after he dismissed Matthew Park, who was caught by Barclay with Kendal all out for 161.

Lukman Vahaluwala and Aspinwall made a stunning start in reply after they picked up the respective wickets of Andy Holdsworth and Ben Simpkins with Chorley in trouble on 17-2.

Holdsworth was the first to fall as he was caught by Bariwala while Simpkins picked out Nightingale.

Lad and Barclay edged Chorley into a winning position with Lad posting 54 as the visitors were on 114.

Aspinwall pulled the game back in Kendal’s favour when he claimed the wicket of Barclay who was caught behind by Richard Dakin, before Vahaluwala trapped Lad LBW. Aspinwall went on to dismiss Joseph Tiffin, Alfie Dobson and Louis Johnson, with Chorley toiling on 133-7, before Vahaluwala bowled Samuel Steeple as the Lancashire club fell even further behind at 149-8.

Moulton’s knock of 27 pushed Chorley back into a winning position where they required 12 off the last over.

However, Miller bowled superbly in the last over as the visitors finished on 157-8 off 51 overs.