Kendal defeated Preston by four wickets in the final game of the season at Shap Road.

However, despite the result, Kendal finished second from bottom in Division One as Barrow ensured their survival with victory over Morecambe.

The Auld Greys must now hope that one of the top two teams in the Palace Shield decide to remain in that division with promotion optional for current contenders Garstang, Fulwood and Broughton and Vernon Carus. If the top two teams elect to go upn Kendal will be relegated with Lancaster, with a decision due at the end of the month.

In a rain-affected contest that saw the game against Preston reduced to 38 overs aside, Saeed Bariwala returned figures of 4-6 while Jason Dawes picked up 3-55 as Preston were bowled out for 116 off 37 overs. Kendal chased down the runs in 34.3 overs as Zachary McCaskie’s knock of 35 and Edward Price's undefeated 25 guided Kendal to victory as they closed on 117-6.

After winning the toss and electing to field, Kendal made the early breakthrough when Toby Tyson picked up the wicket of Sabbir Patel who was caught behind by Shane Hyland.

Preston dug in with Geeth Malinda and Lukman Vahaluwala guiding their team onto 41. Kendal regained the initiative when Dawes clean bowled Malinda for 21, before Chris Miller picked up the crucial wicket of Vahaluwala who picked out Ben Phillips with the visiting professional dismissed for a top score of 41 off 55 balls.

Kendal reduced Preston to 102-6 when Dawes picked up the wickets of Jitendra Kumar and Irshad Desai, while Bariwala despatched of Preston captain Sajid Patel.

Bariwala ripped through the lower order as Yasin Patel, Usman Alam and Yasin Boda were all dismissed. Patel was the first to be dismissed as he saw his cover drive well taken by Oliver Tyson, before Alam picked out Miller while Boda was caught behind by Hyland.

Chris Miller picked up the final wicket as Andrew Starkie picked out Phillips as Preston were all out for 116.

In reply, McCaskie and Bariwala laid the platform for the hosts with a dominant first wicket stand of 41. The pair were in relentless form, hitting fours and sixes while Preston toiled.

Preston pulled the game back when Bariwala was caught and bowled by Sabbir Patel before McCaskie was stumped by Malinda as Patel picked up his second wicket.

Kendal's batting problems returned when Phillips was caught behind by Malinda off the bowling of Patel, before Vahaluwala picked up two quick wickets as the visiting professional trapped Oliver Tyson LBW before bowling Hyland, with Kendal under pressure on 79-5.

Price and Dawes edged Kendal closer to their victory target with a sixth-wicket partnership of 30. Preston did get the wicket of Dawes who was trapped LBW by Jitendra Kumar.

However, Kendal knocked the runs off with Joseph Dodds striking the ball over the boundary ropes as Kendal closed on 117-6 off 34.3 overs.

It was a case of too little, too late for the Shap Road side as the win was not enough to move them clear of the bottom two, while it remains to be seen what league they will play in next year.