LEYLAND DAF were defeated by one wicket at Sandy Lane by Darwen in a pulsating finish, albeit with the last ball of the match. DAF were put in to bat and lost their first wicket at 29.

Phil Iddon was second out with the score on 41 in the match on Saturday (July 12).

Leyland DAF professional and captain David Makinson and Stuart Catterall took the score onto 71 before Makinson was bowled by Gareth Cordingley for 21.

James Atkins was caught by Chris Lowe off Gareth Cordingley for eight, leaving DAF 88 for 4.

Six runs later Alan Richardson was run out for 2.

Nathan Braithwaite was sixth out with the score on 116 for 6, lbw to Paul Rodden for 9.

Catterall and Ben Henderson retrieved the situation with a 42 runs partnership for the seventh wicket before the latter was caught by Gareth Cordingley off Jackson for 19.

The eighth wicket fell at 188 when Stuart Catterall was caught behind by Bolton off Jeff Hacking for 56.

His fifty came in 95 minutes and included 5 fours.

Two runs later DAF's ninth wicket fell at 190 when wicket keeper Charlie Williams was trapped lbw by Jackson for 18.

Simon Hogan and Sifton Prince stayed together until the Leyland DAF innings closed out 195 for 9.

Hogan was not out 4 and Prince not out 1.

Darwen captain Gareth Cordingley was the pick of the visitors attack, taking 3 for 48 from 16 overs.

The visitors made a determined effort from the start to chase the runs required for victory.

Keith Greenbank, Darwen's Australian professional and Gary Jackson added 31 runs for the first wicket before Greenbank was caught behind by Charlie Williams of Sifton Prince for 22.

Jackson and Simon Paynter added 37 runs for the second wicket before Jackson was lbw to Makinson for 35.

The third wicket fell at 104 when Paynter was run out for three.

Gareth Cordingley and Beesley took the score on to 137 before the former was caught and bowled by Makinson for 35.

Half the Darwen side were dismissed for 162 when Beesley was caught behind by Williams off Makinson for one. Five runs later Neil Cordingley was lbw to Catterall for four.

Darwen lost two wickets at 188, Nigel Robbins was caught for 43 and Jeff Hacking was lbw for nought.

Chris Lowe was run out for 16, with the score at 193. Paul Rodden struck a boundary off the last ball of the game to see his side home to victory.

Rodden remained 9 not out and Bolton 1 not out. Stuart Catterall, the off-spinner, was the pick of the Leyland DAF bowling attack with 3 for 17.

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