BOTH our local sides have home fixtures this Sunday.

Lancaster have the tougher of the two games. They play current league champions Darwen at Lune Road who are currently second in the table, 13 points behind league leaders Netherfield.

At Woodhill Lane, Morecambe's task is easier because they entertain bottom club Leyland DAF and should record their fifth victory of the season.

Last Saturday, Lancaster came away from Vernon Road with a deserved winning draw against St Annes.

Put into bat, David Heywood and Ian Parkinson put on 43 for the first wicket, before Heywood was caught by Whalley off Joe Davies for 17.

Parkinson and Luke Phillips took the score on to 69 before Phillips was caught behind by Whalley off St Annes professional, Dave Callaghan for 11.

Ten runs later, Phil Dennison was trapped LBW by Callaghan for four.

Then, David Derham and Ian Parkinson featured in an 87 run partnership for the fourth wicket, before Derham was bowled by Callaghan for 35.

Half the Lancaster side were dismissed for 178 when Mike Smethurst, the Lancashire star deputising for injured professional Gareth Breese, was bowled by Dave Callaghan for a single.

Opener Ian Parkinson was out just four runs later for a magnificent 104 off 146 balls.

St Anne's Dave Callaghan recorded impressive figures of 7 for 60 from 20 overs.

In reply, St Annes lost opener Adrian Darlington with only ten runs on the board.

He was caught by Phil Dennison off Mike Smethurst for six.

Andy Kellett and Dave Callaghan restored the balance with a 53 run partnership for the second wicket before Kellett was LBW to Smethurst for 25.

Callaghan and Steven Twist added 38 runs for the third wicket, before Twist was caught behind by Brendan Hetherington off Smethurst for 18.

The fourth St Annes wicket fell at 130 when Callaghan was trapped LBW off Smethurst for 68.

Six runs later, Russ Bradley was LBW to Graham Barnes for nine and St Annes fell further behind the asking vote.

At this point, St Annes seemed to play for a draw, and at the close, Adam Cotton was unbeaten with 16, and St Martins College student Gareth Evans had not opened his account.

Morecambe enjoyed a resounding nine wicket victory over Preston at West Cliff.

Put into bat, Preston lost their first wicket at six, when Munaf Bavla was caught by Mark Woodhead off Farouk Patel for three.

The Mann brothers, Antony and Paul, took the score onto 36 before the former was caught by Phil Thornton off Peter Stephens for 13.

Preston professional Scott Henderson deputised without any addition to the total.

He was caught behind by Damien Gudgeon off Peter Stephens.

Preston's fourth wicket fell at 43 when Paul Mann was caught by John Eccles off Peter Stephen for 23.

Half the Preston side were dismissed for 48 when Jabir Namajee was bowled by Stephens for a single.

Manuj Parekh and Tony Hesketh put on 20 for the sixth wicket before Hesketh was caught behind by Gudgeon off Stephens for 18.

Preston then collapsed, and lost three wickets with the score on 72.

The last pair of Glen Johnstone and Julian Edwards added ten runs for the last wicket before Johnstone was caught by Phil Thornton off Ashwell Prince for ten, while Edwards had still to get off the mark.

Peter Stephens bowled impressively to take 5-30 off 22 overs, and John Eccles supported him with 3-15 off 10 overs.

In reply, Morecambe opener Mark Woodhead and Ashwell Prince built the foundation for victory with a 32 run partnership.

Woodhead was caught by James Anyon off Jabir Namajee for 17.

Then Morecambe professional, Ashwell Prince, and Damien Gudgeon showed an unbeaten second wicket partnership of 52 runs to secure victory.

Prince carried his bat for 55 and Gudgeon remained undefeated on eight.

Morecambe chairman, Ian Hanson, said afterwards: "I am delighted with the fine performance, but I am not surprised because we have been threatening to bowl a side out cheaply all season."