DARWEN suffered one of the biggest upsets of the season as they lost their first match of the season against Leyland Daf, their first league defeat at Birch Hall for two years.

Darwen's innings appeared to be progressing well, at 46-1 after 15 overs but eight overs later they had lost five more wickets for the addition of only 14 runs and their innings stood in tatters.

A spirited stand of 46 between professional Keith Semple and Michael Horsfield raised hopes of a recovery but when Horsfield was unluckily adjudged lbw for 18 it was left to the admirable Semple to reach another half century until he fell in similar fashion and the innings closed on 122.

Darwen's bowlers tried to ensure they made up for their batsmen's failures and had soon reduced Daf to 40-4 and an unlikely victory seemed possible. It was not to be however and a fine unbeaten 48 from Alan Richardson saw Daf win by four wickets in a controversial match which saw an amazing seven lbw decisions in the 16 wickets which fell and with the remaining wickets either bowled or caught behind. DARWEN 122

LEYLAND DAF 125-6

DARWEN

M Hadfield b Liley...2

M Bennett b Liley...14

Semple lbw John...53

G Cordingley c Iddon b Liley...0

G Parkinson c Iddon b Liley...0

C Lawe b Liley...0

A Mercer lbw Prince...7

M Horsfield lbw Makinson...18

M Emery not out...9

I Nicol lbw John...2

D Heys b John...0

Extras...17

Total...122

Bowling: S John 15.5-1-36-3; I Liley 17-8-35-5; S Prince 9-2-24-1; D Makinson 7-1-12-1.

LEYLAND DAF

J Aspinall b Mercer...12

N Dasgupta lbw Lowe...31

A Afsar b Semple...2

S Catterall lbw Mercer...2

A Richardson not out...48

M Howarth lbw Mercer...1

D Makinson not out...13

Extras...16

Total (6wkts)...125

Bowling: K Semple 14.2-4-36-2; A Mercer 19-7-32-3; J Nicol 4-0-18-0; G Cordingley 5-0-10-0; C Lowe 6-1-17-1.