PRESTON'S final game of the season was badly affected by rain.

Eight overs were lost before the game and a further two during Darwen's innings.

Preston captain Graham Standring won the toss and put Darwen in to bat.

Gary Jackson and Nigel Robbins added 11 runs for the first wicket before the former was caught by Nick Holt off Roger Kaye for seven.

Robbins and deputy professional Billy Stelling took the score onto 34 before Robbins was caught by Graham Standring off Paul Richardson for 12.

The next wicket fell 10 runs later when Stelling was bowled by Preston's professional Manoj Parekh for 17.

Gareth Cordingley and Graham Parkinson featured in a 27 runs partnership for the fourth wicket before Cordingley was stumped by Paul Mann off Parekh for 30.

Half the Darwen side were dismissed for 81 when Parkinson was bowled by Paul Richardson for 14.

Chris Lowe and Simon Painter put on 13 runs for the sixth wicket before Painter was caught by Paul Paynter off Parekh for seven. The seventh Darwen wicket fell at 95 when Chris Lowe was caught behind by Paul Mann off Parekh for eight.

Darwen's innings closed at 105 for 7 off their allotted 40 overs.

Manoj Parekh bowled half the overs to take 4 for 35.

Preston started badly in reply losing opener John Fleetwood, caught by Alan Bolton off Stelling for five.

Their second wicket fell at 16 when Nic Holt was bowled by Stelling for 3.

Two runs later Antony Mann was caught by Graham Parkinson off Andrew Mercer for six.

The fourth wicket fell at 25 when Lee Kearsley was caught by Stelling off Mercer for five.

Nine runs later Graham Standring was caught by Stelling off first charge bowler Jeff Hacking for two.

The sixth wicket fell at 41 when Paul Paynter was caught by Shore off Mercer for seven.

Nevertheless, Paul Richardson and Manoj Parekh saw Preston through to the close for a losing draw, with the score on 64 for 6.

Richardson top scored with an unbeaten 16 and Parekh was undefeated with 11.

Teenager Andrew Mercer took 3 for 19 off 13 overs.

The local derby at Sandy Lane saw Leyland DAF record only their second victory of the season and leaving Leyland the wooden spoonists for the second consecutive season.

Leyland, batting first, were restricted to 91 for 9 off their allotted 49 overs.

Their professional and captain Paul Tebay, batting at number three, remained unbeaten with 24 and Paul Haydock top scored with 25.

Eighteen-year-old Duncan Catterall took 6 for 54 off 25 consecutive overs and Leyland DAF captain and professional David Makinson bowled superbly to take 3 for 32 off 24 consecutive overs.

Leyland DAF knocked off the required runs for victory in the 36th over for the loss of only two wickets.

Sixteen-year-old Neil Dasgupta carried his bat for 30, while Antony Moore supported him with 28 and Stuart Catterall was unbeaten with 22.

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