LANCASTER travel to Cumbria this Saturday to play Kendal. Only 13 points separate the two side, with Lancaster one place above the Kendalians so this match is too close to call.

This Saturday, Morecambe return to Woodhill Lane to play the rapidly improving Chorley. Only three points separate the two clubs.

Morecambe are fourth , and the visitors are two places below them, so obviously there is much to play for.

Lancaster enjoyed a six wicket victory over bottom club Preston at Lune Road on Saturday..

The home side won the toss and put Preston into bat and it appeared a prudent decision when Graham Barnes bowled Paul Greenwood for four with only eight runs on the board.

Preston got on top with a second wicket partnership of 45 between Antony Mann and Paul Paynter. Then Lancaster professional Gareth Breese had Paynter caught behind by Brendan Hetherington for 29.

Opener Antony Mann was trapped LBW by Barnes. Preston professional Scott Henderson top scored with 31 before being bowled by Neil Jordan. He was ably supported by the middle-order batsman Jabir Namajee who contributed 22 before being stumped by Hetherington off Breese and Manoj Parekh who made 14 before being caught behind off the same bowler. The visitors' tail enders chipped in, especially Julian Edwards who made 15 before being bowled by Breese. Preston were dismissed with two balls of their innings remaining.

Gareth Breese returned his best bowling figures of the season, taking 6-38 from 21.4 overs.

In reply Lancaster took 46.2 overs to record their third win of the season.

Luke Phillips made an excellent 52 before being caught and bowled by Jabir Namajee. Unfortunately, he was dismissed with Lancaster requiring only five runs to win.

Phillips and Phil Dennison had virtually won the game with a 45 run partnership for the fourth wicket, which brought the score to 140.

Opener Paul Taylor, deputising for Lancaster captain David Heywood, made a solid 37.

Morecambe recorded their fifth victory of the season with a 17 runs win over next to bottom Leyland at Fox Lane.

Put into bat, Morecambe had opener Mark Woodhead run out without scoring. They found runs hard to accumulate, and Andrew Mashiter opening the batting for the first time this season was the backbone of their innings before being trapped LBW to Neil Kenyon for 36.

Morecambe were struggling at 117 for 8 before Gulam Maje, and wicket-keeper Damien Gudgeon shared a match winning unbroken partnership for the ninth wicket of 49. Maje was unbeaten on 36 and Gudgeon ended on 11 not out.

Nasser Afsar was the pick of the Leyland bowling attack, and took 4-51 from 19 overs.

Leyland made an attempt to go for the runs but fell 18 short of the target. Their professional Neil Rimmer led the chase with 48, before he was caught by Ashwell Prince off Peter Stephens for 25.

Gulum Maje became the man of the match by taking 4-30 from 15.1 overs. Opening fast bowler Peter Stephens supported him with 4-63.