Kendal collapse

Kendal batted first and made only 88 not out, an improvement from an early collapse to 27-6, with Deon Kruis taking 5-36 and Kabir Khan making a top score of 37. Blackpool's reply faltered, only Mark Lomas with 30 making any impression, and it was eventually left to last pair, the dependable Martin Hackett and Ross Parker, plus a helpful 18 extras, to steer them to victory at 89-9.

* St Annes meanwhile comfortably disposed of Lancaster at Vernon Road. Lancaster's modest 152-6, Ben Simm 43 not out, was never going to be enough to win the game. St Annes, with Gareth Evans in fine form making 75 not out including 11 boundaries, raced to 154-2 for victory by eight wickets. Youngster Michael Baer bowled well in the Lancaster innings and took 4-61.

* LYTHAM'S assault on the Liverpool Competition League Cup ended in failure at Church Road on Sunday as they were well beaten by Bootle, a side that they had already defeated in a League game.

Bootle's 223-5 from their 45 overs was always going to be too many for Lytham once they got off to a very slow start and only reached 50 for the loss of four wickets in the 24th over. They eventually closed on a very modest 116-8 to lose by 107 runs.

Bootle's innings owed much to two former Lancashire players in Graham Lloyd, who made 59 from 86 balls with one six and seven fours, and Ian Cockbain whose 38 was a more subdued affair.

Cheshire's Richard Hignett then struck a quick-fire 51 from only 35 balls with nine fours and with John Hitchmough contributing a useful 36, Bootle closed on 223-5. Marcus Sharp was the most successful bowler with 3-35 from his nine overs.

Lytham's reply never really got off the ground as openers Richard Clinton and Nick Knight had only nine on the board in the first 10 overs. Thereafter wickets fell at regular intervals and only a late onslaught from Hall, who made 30 not out when the game was won and lost, helped Lytham to their final 116-8.

Bootle skipper Cockbain collected the trophy from Jim Kenyon and said: "It has been most enjoyable particularly as we have never won this trophy before."

"And", he added referring to the Lytham lads: "it has been nice to get one over on you as you rolled us over earlier this season in the League."

* IN THE footsteps of such as Colin Cowdrey, Mike Denness and Derek Underwood come the men of Kent next Tuesday when they arrive to take on Lancashire in a four-day Frizzell County Championship fixture at Stanley Park.

Cowdrey scored 56 on a pitch 'of doubtful lasting qualities' in 1966 and in the same game Underwood took match figures of 10-68 to condemn Lancashire to defeat by an innings and 30 runs.

That was the third and last time Kent visited these parts and it was the only game that ended in a definite result. Kent's first visit was in 1961 and this was quickly followed by a second in 1964. Both games ended in draws. In 1961 Kent's leg spinner David Baker took the bowling honours with a first innings return of 5-87 but Roy Collins replied in kind with 5-39 as Lancashire took control with only England opener Peter Richardson making any headway with 34. After a declaration, Kent began a run-a-minute chase but rain prevented a finish. The 1964 visit saw Lancashire make only 169 and Kent replied with 212 as Brian Statham and Ken Higgs restricted the lead to 43 runs. Duncan Worsley then scored his first century for Lancashire,

This visit sees the counties at opposite ends of the table, Lancashire vying for the title and Kent striving to avoid relegation.

* IT WAS a game of two South African professionals at Broadwater on Saturday when Fleetwood's Lloyd Ferreira scored 114 not out from Fleetwood's total of 208-6. But he was outshone, if not outscored, by Netherfields' Pieter Strydom who made a well-timed and blemish-free 84 not out that helped his side 208-5 and victory by five wickets.