Terrible trio

This Saturday bottom club Preston have a difficult task when they meet joint second place, Lancaster at South Meadow Lane.

Leyland DAF's task is no easier at Sandy Lane, where they play hosts to joint second placed Chorley.

Leyland seeking their initial win are away at Birch Hall, facing fifth placed Darwen.

Last Saturday, Leyland DAF got a winning draw at Woodhill Lane against Morecambe, with the assistance of the rain which brought an early end to the proceedings with Morecambe looking likely to win. They had seven wickets remaining and only required 31 runs for victory.

The home captain, Michael Lamb won the toss, and put DAF into bat. Phil Iddon and Ben Henderson opened the batting and the latter was first out, caught by Johnny Eccles off opening bowler Peter Stephens for eleven.

Leyland DAF professional and captain, David Makinson and Iddon retrieved the situation with a 78 runs partnership for the second wicket, before Iddon was stumped by Damian Gudgeon from off-spinner Eccles for 35.

The Catterall brothers, Stuart and Duncan scored 4 and 17 respectively before becoming victims of Morecambe's South African professional Steven Pope. David Makinson was caught by Peter Stephens off Pope for 55. His innings included four fours.

The tail end wagged with a cameo of an innings from teenager Nathan Braithwaite who was undefeated 24. This included four fours. The Leyland DAF innings closed at 162 for 7.

Steven Pope was the pick of the Morecambe bowlers, taking 4 for 49 from 14 overs.

Morecambe always made a determined effort to go for the runs.

Opening batsmen Graham Fisher and Mark Woodhead gave them a solid base to build on, before the former departed caught behind by Charlie Williams off Simon Hogan for 24.

Morecambe professional, Steven Pope was bowled by David Makinson for eleven. Mark Wood head made an aggressive 66 before becoming Charlie Williams' second victim off Sephton Prince.

Phil Moffatt and Danny Welbourne stayed together until the close with 22 and 13 not out respectively, when Morecambe were 132 for 3.

Simon Hogan returned the best bowling analysis of 1 for 11, whilst Sephton Prince finished with 1 for 19 and David Makinson 1 for 25.

Preston managed a couple of points in their rain affected losing draw against Blackpool.

The home side battling first were dismissed for 184, in the 47th over. Paul Simmonite and Martin Pickles put on 41 runs for the first wicket before the former was caught behind by Mike Hancock off Paul Richardson for 31.

Chris Cornall and Martin Pickles took the score onto 106 before the former was trapped lbw to John Richardson for 38.

Blackpool captain, Gavin Wiggans only made two before becoming John Richardson's second victim, being well caught by Manoj Parekh.

Lee Yeomans was fourth out, with the score on 114, he was lbw to John Richardson for one.

Sixteen runs later, Blackpool's New Zealand test cricket professional, Heath Davies was caught behind by Mike Hancock off John Richardson without troubling the scorers. Half the Blackpool side had been dismissed for 130.

Martin Pickles and Tony Poxon added 27 runs for the sixth wicket before the latter was stumped by Mike Hancock off Preston professional, Manoj Parekh for 15.

Paul Danson fell at the same score for nought, bowled by Parekh as Blackpool were 157 for 7. This was Preston's bowling bonus point.

Wicket-keeper Pat Newell and Pickles took the score onto 178 before the former was caught by Lee Kearsley off Roger Kaye for eleven.

Five runs later, John Kirkby was bowled by Parekh for one, and the last wicket fell at 184 when David Cresswell was lbw to Parekh without scoring.

Preston's first change bowler, John Richardson returned the impressive bowling analysis of 4 for 59, whilst professional Manoj Parekh bowled 23.5 consecutive overs of leg-spinners to take 4 for 74.

Martin Pickles carried his bat for an impressive and solid 78.

Jonathan Fleetwood and Graham Dobson gave the Preston innings a solid foundation with a 25 runs partnership before Dobson was lbw to Tony Poxon for eleven.

Three runs later, Fleetwood was caught by Gavin Wiggans off Blackpool professional Heath Davies for twelve.

The third Preston wicket fell at 33 when Antony Mann was bowled by Davies for one.

Debutante, Paul Paynter was caught by Lee Yeomans for 9, to give Davies his third wicket, as Preston were 45 for 4. Lee Kearsley was dismissed at the same score, bowled by David Cresswell for one.

Preston captain, Graham Standering and professional Manoj Parekh stayed together until the end of the game, when Preston were 68 for 5.

Leyland were comprehensively beaten by ten wickets at Fox Lane by new league leaders Netherfield.

Leyland batting first struggled to 128 for 7 off their allotted overs.

The feature of their innings was a third wicket partnership of 61 between Lee Hayes and Neil Kenyon.

Hayes was sixth out, and top scored with 61. His innings includes six fours.

Neil Kenyon assisted him with a competent 34 before being caught by Netherfield captain Graham Clarke off Netherfield's South African professional Derek Crookes.

Crookes bowled 24 consecutive overs, taking 3 for 36.

Netherfield raced to victory in the 26th over with their opening batsmen Graham Clarke and Gareth White scoring 65 and 59 not out respectively. Clarke's innings included a six and nine fours whilst White scored ten boundaries.

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