Croft keeps Blackpool in the lights

Blackpool's Croft hits 86 not out

Lancashire's Steven Croft returned to his roots in Blackpool to help his old side retain their pole position in the 3D Sports Northern Premier Cricket League with a heroic all round performance which led to a nine wicket defeat over Preston.

Their lead was cut to six points by Leyland who encountered few problems against bottom of the table Fleetwood, taking the maximum 15 points for a 99-run win.

Blackpool romped to a nine wicket victory over Preston at Stanley Park, bagging 12 points with 14.3 overs to spare.

Croft, playing his third game of the season for his hometown club, claimed the vital wicket of Preston professional Bilal Asad, who was bowled for 24 and then hit eight fours and four sixes in a superb innings of 86 not out.

He shared an unbroken second wicket stand of 144 with Luis Reece (56 not out) as Preston's 150 for 9 was comfortably overhauled.

Earlier, Blackpool professional Sajeewa Weerakoon claimed 4-43 and a run out as Preston opener Sajid Patel battled through 27 overs for 27.

Caught & bowled for Saj Weerakoon

Up the coast, Leyland professional Ameer Khan enjoyed a superb all round performance at Broadwater hitting 107, his second century of the season, including four sixes and seven fours off 130 balls after surviving a dropped catch to Fleetwood pro Nisitha Ripasinghe when on seven.

Peter Cummings weighed in with 50 off 52 balls, including three sixes, in Leyland's 202 for 7.

Khan then took 5-30 with his leg-spin as Fleetwood were dismissed for 103 despite a battling 44 from Adam Parker.

Kendal achieved a seven wicket victory at Lune Road in double-quick time, overhauling Lancaster's 140 for nine with 26.1 overs in hand.

Ben Simm and Stuart Parkin each took three wickets for Kendal and Terry Hunte hit 40, pro Ross McMillan 34 and Oliver Killiner 28 not out off only 13 balls as the visitors romped home.

Chorley gained only two points from a losing draw at Parkside Road when rain cut short the game.

Netherfield's Australian professional Callum Ferguson kept up his pursuit of Ryan Bailey at the top of the league run scoring charts with 115 not out off 102 balls, including six sixes and ten fours while the promising John Huck hit 46 and shared in a fourth-wicket stand of 114.

Chasing 219 to win, Chorley were 114 for four after 26 overs when the rains came, professional Friedel de Wet making 51.

Morecambe had to be content with a winning draw at Ernest Pass as Barrow hung on with nine wickets down.

Opener Vishal Goyal hit 45 and Kiwi professional Bruce Martin 50 in Morecambe's 169 for seven and despite 35 from opener Jonathan Mile, Barrow were never really in the hunt as two overs were lost to the weather.

Gareth Pedder took 3-31 in 17 overs, Martin 2-41 in 19 and Graham Lee 3-13 in seven as Barrow closed 47 runs short.

The Darwen-Carnforth game was abandoned without a ball bowled.