KENDAL are still waiting for their first win in The Palace Shield after losing by two runs to New Longton Cricket Club at Shap Road.

Matthew Park returned first innings figures of 5-45 as Kendal restricted New Longton to a relatively competitive first innings total of 156-8 off 45 overs.

However, Kendal’s woes with the bat continued in the second innings after the Auld Greys collapsed from a winning position at 103-2 before being restricted to 154-9.

Kendal won the toss and elected to field, however it was the visitors who made the better start when Paul Fairhurst and Ben Simpkins put on a first wicket stand of 70. Kendal broke the partnership after Park bowled Simpkins for 34, before Shane Hyland stumped Fairhurst off the bowling of Park as New Longton fell ‘sto 78-2.

Lee Bolton and Munaf Bavias third wicket stand of 28 saw New Longton battle their way onto 104, before Kendal regained control when Park bowled Bolton while Chris Miller trapped Moshin Modhi lbw.

New Longton frustrated through Husein Yusuf and Munaf Bavia as the visitors moved onto 143. Kendal though regained full control when Park finished with figures of 5-45 after picking up the wickets of Yusuf and Bavia as New Longton struggled onto 144-6.

Kendal from that point ripped through the lower order after Toby Tyson bowled Adam Gillibrand and Paul Haydock as New Longton were restricted to 156-8.

In reply Kendal made a poor start when Lachlan Stewart picked out Ben Simpkins off the bowling of Paul Haydock.

However, both Ben Phillips and Saeed Bariwala put on an imposing second wicket stand of 80 as Kendal raced onto 103. From that point Kendal should have won the game, however New Longton battled back in dramatic fashion, when both Phillips and Bariwala were dismissed by Chris Hadfield.

Once the main partnership had been broken, Kendal collapsed after Edward Price fell to Hadfield while David Batty was run out as The Auld Greys crashed onto 125-5.

Hadfield ended up with a return of 4-40 after trapping James Park lbw, before Kendal saw Shane Hyland, Harry Lee and Matthew Park dismissed by Munaf Bavia as the Auld Greys fell onto 149-9.

Chris Miller and Toby Tyson edged Kendal closer to victory however New Longton held on while Kendal fell short on 154-9.

Kendal travel to play undefeated Vernon Carus on Saturday.

Picture captions, - left: Saeed Bariwala batting for Kendal, right: Ben Phillips, whose partnership with Bariwala managed a knock of 80.

Both taken by Richard Edmondson.