LANCASTER recorded their fourth victory of the season when they beat Morecambe in the local derby by three wickets in one of the lowest scoring fixtures of the season.

This weekend sees the victors face St Annes at Lune Road while Morecambe tackle Preston, currently holding up the rest of the table, at Woodhill Lane. Lancster will need to focus on St Annes' professional Dave Callaghan but the weekend should see Morecambe getting back to winning ways

For the derby clash heavy morning rain saw the surrender of half an hour's play in the morning as the pitch had become sodden. When the game eventually got under way, the Lancaster captain David Heywood appeared to have made a prudent decision to put the visitors into bat. His opening bowlers, Graham Barnes and Ian Burstow set Morecambe reeling at 5 for four as they exploited the conditions well with the new ball. At this juncture the two pace bowlers had taken a pair of wickets each and Burstow claimed two wickets in three deliveries during his second over.

Morecambe's deputy professional, Claude Henderson, from East Lancashire in the Lancashire League and Tommy Clough stopped the rot with a 25-run partnership for the fifth wicket before Clough was trapped LBW by Barnes for seven.

At the same score of 30 Gulam Maje was caught by Neil Jordan without opening his account which gave Graham Barnes two wickets in three balls in the 11th over.

Henderson and John Eccles added 22 for the seventh wicket before the latter was excellently stumped by Brendan Hetherington off Barnes for eight. This left Morecambe 52-7 and only 12 more runs were scored before Morecambe were dismissed in the 29th over. The mainstay of their innings was Claude Henderson who top scored with 35 before he was caught behind by Brendan Hetherington off Lancaster professional, Gareth Breese. Henderson faced 68 balls in 87 minutes and Graham Barnes retuirned the superb bowling figures of 6-15 from 14.3 overs -- he was supported by Breese with three for nought from three maidens.

Lancaster 68 for 7 Morecambe 64