Kendal put pressure on Blackpool

Darwen's Kamran Anwar

Summer finally arrived in the north to set up a thrilling round of sun-blessed matches as Kendal closed the gap at the top of the 3D Sports Northern Premier Cricket League to 11 points with a win over Barrow.

Blackpool won the local derby at Vernon Road in emphatic style, picking up 12 points after a seven-wicket win to stay top of the table. Richard Gleeson and Saj Weerakoon each took four wickets as St Annes were dismissed for 148, Stephen Twist top-scoring with 41.

Gleeson picked up the prize wicket of Atiq Uz-Zaman for nought. Luis Reece and Alex Smith, both aged 17, then added 83 for the first wicket with Reece making 59 to set Blackpool on the way while Weerakoon was undefeated on 35 at the close.

Kendal, though, picked up the maximum 15 points after defeating Barrow at Shap Road. Terry Hunte hit 111, his 42nd Northern League century, and shared a second wicket partnership of 196 with skipper Ikram Ullah (88) in Kendal's 253 for 3 declared.

Despite a brilliant 119 from professional Pasan Wanasinghe, Barrow were dismissed for 219, off-spinner Ben Simm collecting 4-42.

Darwen picked up 12 points at West Cliff as a mature innings by teenager Kamran Anwar steered them to a two-wicket win over Preston in a low-scoring game. Preston were dismissed for 120, losing their last ten wickets for 80 with opener Sajid Patel top-scoring with 24.

Anwar's 28 not out saw Darwen home in a tense finish after Mark Emery had hit the game's highest score of 32. Gareth Cordingley, who took 3 for 21, was lbw to Bilal Asad for 3 and requires a further ten runs for 10,000 in Northern League cricket.

With Leyland inactive, Morecambe took advantage to close the gap by earning a three-wicket win over Chorley in a low-scoring game at Woodhill Lane, Andy Holdsworth top-scoring with 40 in Chorley's 134 for 8 that the home side overhauled for the loss of seven wickets.

There was a brilliant century by Netherfield's Australian pro Callum Ferguson in his side's 36 runs win at Lune Road. Ferguson hit 114, including 15 fours off 132 balls, in the visitors' 170 for 9.

Chris Parry was next top-scorer with 19 as Tim Barry took 5 for 34. Lancaster were bowled out for 134, Wassem Khan scoring 50 but eclipsed by Scott Clement who took 5 for 29 including a hat-trick.

Clement trapped the father and son combination of Jamie and David Heywood lbw before clean bowling Michael Walling for his hat-trick.

Carnforth secured 12 points after defeating Fleetwood. The visitors were bowled out for 130, Joe Wilson making 32 not out after coming in at no9 after Adam Cowperthwaite took 4 for 63 and also ran out Fleetwood pro Nisitha Rupasinghe with a direct hit.

Darren Moore, Adam Hornby and Tom Barnfield all reached the 30-mark as Carnforth got home with 18 overs to spare, pro Ryan Bailey suffering a rare failure being out for 20.