TAKING a breather from Vaux Northern League action, St Annes lost on the penultimate delivery to league leaders Chorley at Windsor Park.

Put in to bat, Adrian Darlington and Eldine Baptiste put on 46 runs before the former was caught behind by Neil Senior off Nigel Heaton for 18.

Only 12 runs later Bobby Denning was caught by Mark Richardson off Heaton for two.

Chris Harrison was run out for two with the score on 63 and Russ Bradley was dismissed in identical fashion for 12.

Half the St Annes side were dismissed for 107 when Steven Twist was caught and bowled by spinner Rex Purnell for 10.

Eldine Baptiste and wicket-keeper Duncan Whalley added 27 runs for the sixth wicket before the former was caught behind by Senior off Michael Critchley for 64.

Baptiste's innings lasted 130 minutes and he his a six and four fours off 88 balls.

Whalley perished at the same score, stumped by Senior off veteran leg-spinner Keith Eccleshare for seven.

Nevertheless the tail wagged as Sean Bickerdike and Brian Tennant featured in an unbroken 50 runs partnership for the eighth wicket.

Tennant finished on 27 and Bickerdike 14, with the St Annes total at 184-7.

Chorley lost opener Neil Senior for 15, caught behind by Whalley off Baptiste, but then Russell Cake and James Fazackerley steadied the reply.

Cake was run out for 25 and Fazackerley followed, caught by Chris Harrison off Joe Davies for 32.

Nigel Heaton and his captain Roland Horridge brought Chorley back into contention and Joe Davies suffered from their onslaught.

Heaton hit three sixes in his 38 before Tennant had him caught by Twist.

Then an inspired bowling change saw Bickerdike have Horridge caught by John Cotton for 39.

Nevertheless, Mark Richardson and Mike Critchley saw Chorley home to victory on 188-5, with Critchley hitting a boundary off Baptiste to win the game.

This Saturday (July 25) sees St Annes travel to Cumbria to play league champions Netherfield at Parkside Road.

It will be a tough task because Netherfield have a good all-rounder in professional Zander De Bruyn, while their captain Grahame Clarke and wicket-keeper Simon Dutton, the Cumberland captain, are prolific run scorers.

Incidentally, St Annes' wicket-keeper 18-year-old Duncan Whalley will be keeping wicket for Leicestershire seconds for the rest of the season.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.