A RAIN affected encounter at Parkside Road on Saturday ended in defeat for Netherfield against a Fleetwood side whose dramatic last ball win has sent them to the top of the table.

Josh Dixon’s first innings knock of 55 and Lewis Edge’s undefeated 41 off 24 balls saw Netherfield post a relatively competitive score of 157-6 in a game reduced to 43 overs a side.

However, Alex Ryder scored the winning run off that final delivery to clinch a thee wicket win.

Netherfield were on the wrong end of the toss and were put into bat on a damp and dreary day, but Dixon and skipper Ben Barrow started the innings relatively well with a steady first wicket partnership of 37.

However, the visitors broke the crucial partnership when Barrow was caught behind by Keegan Armstrong off the bowling of substitute professional George Linde, the South African who usually plies his trade with Lancashire League Ramsbottom.

And there was further joy for the visitors when Ryder bowled New Zealand professional Bevan Small for a duck to put Netherfield in trouble on 38-2.

Dixon and Earl battled on against a strong bowling attack before Linde, who was deputising for the injured Neels Bergh, trapped Earl lbw.

Netherfield continued to struggle when Ryder bowled Fraser Kay for 5, but Dixon and Edge then restored some parity as the duo of former Morecambe players guided Netherfield on to 104, at which point Dixon finally saw his innings come to end as he was caught by Armstrong off Linde.

Edge and Lewis Richardson mounted a further fightback, taking the total on to 125 before Richardson fell to James Amor, but Edges battled on and helped see Field to a respectable 157-6 at the close of their innings.

In reply, Rana Singh and James Gregson gave Fleetwood a solid start with a hard fought first wicket stand of 31 before Edge ran out Gregson.

That dismissal spurred Netherfield on to seize control and after Hadwin trapped Singh lbw, Blain picked up the wickets of Linde and Declan Clerkin to reduce Fleetwood to 87-4.

But Armstrong’s knock off 33 and a good supporting innings from Adam Sharrocks saw the visitors edge towards their victory target.

But as an absorbing game ebbed and flowed, Netherfield battled back as Matt Jackson and Small picked up the crucial wickets of Armstrong and Sharrocks.

Tom Wilson pushed the visitors ever closer before being run out by Edge, and it went down to the very last ball when Ryder held his nerve to clinch victory.

However, Netherfield managed to put that defeat behind them the following day when they crushed Penrith by 9 wickets in their final Twenty-20 group game.

Field have already qualified for Finals Day but still took a relatively strong side up to Tynefield Park, where Penrith won the toss and elected to bat.

But they were possibly regretting that decision when excellent bowling by the visitors saw them restricted to 77-5 off a rain reduced 17 overs, Joel Blain returning figures of 4-10 while Lewis Richardson picked up 1-14.

And Netherfield wasted no time knocking off the runs, taking just 7.3 overs to hit their victory target, Lewis Edge finishing undefeated on 55 from just 25 balls.

Netherfield seconds continued their good run in the league as they won by 5 wickets at St Anne’s, Samuel Medhurst returning figures of 4-19, while Joel Bibby returned 3-30 as St Anne’s were restricted to 139-9 before Daniel Gaunt’s 55 eased his side home.

However, they were brought back to earth on Sunday as they suffered a five wickets defeat by rivals Kendal 2nds in a John Scott Cup tie.

Gary Baker top scored with 55 and Gaunt made 45 as Netherfield closed on 158-9 off 40 overs with Harry Lee, Chris Marshall, and Andrew Dugdale picking up two wickets apiece.

Kendal knocked the runs off on 34.4 overs, David Batty top scoring with 49, Chris Marshall hitting 40 and Samuel Medhurst returning figures of 3-12.