DARWEN remain 21 points clear at the top of the Northern Premier League after cruising to a four wicket win at St Annes on Saturday in a game that also saw the long-standing wicket taking record fall to Andrew Mercer.

With St Annes batting first, Andrew Mercer was keen to get the two wickets that would see him overhaul Dave Bonner's record of 69 wickets by a Darwen amateur set in 1987. He was not kept waiting long as in his fifth over he had Kelliher and the St Annes professional Love trapped lbw in consecutive balls to take his tally to 70. He also took the wicket of Bickerdike to finish with 3-43 from 17 overs.

This season has now seen him claim 71 victims for just 635 runs from 284 overs in just 17 games and with a further three games to come, he will be looking to set an unassailable target.

The St Annes innings struggled along after Mercer's early successes with only Evans (52) and Bickerdike (29) offering any early resistance to take the total to 102. Davies (21) and Whalley (20) then helped to take the score to 168 at the close.

Darwen lost their three top batsmen for only 36 before run machine Gareth Cordingley came to the crease to steady the innings. He added 29 with Lowe (12) and then 62 with brother John (26) and 37 with Ainslie (20) before he fell for 64.

Cordingley's innings included only five boundaries, it was a classic exhibition of controlled batting in a tight game with wickets falling regularly. He has now scored over 750 runs in the league this season including one century and seven half centuries.

It was left to Grant to hit the winning runs as Darwen cantered home with more than six overs to spare.

Darwen Seconds also won. Securing a three wicket victory over St Annes thanks to an undefeated 36 from Emery and another five wicket haul for Davies.