RAIN helped Preston move to equal joint bottom of the league with Leyland.

Batting first at West Cliff, the home side were dismissed for 143.

Only professional Manej Parekh and captain Graham Standring, with 25 and 24 respectively, had any answer to Chorley's veteran off-spinner Keith Eccleshare who finished with 8 for 45.

After only 21.5 overs of the Chorley reply rain put a premature end to the visitors innings when they appeared to be heading for victory at 82 for 3.

Nevertheless, because sufficient overs had been bowled it was constituted a match and Preston finished with a winning draw and three vital points.

This puts Chorley eight points behind league leaders St Annes who had a comfortable seven wickets victory at home over Blackpool in the seaside derby.

Leyland DAF made an abortive mission to the Lake District, where their match against Netherfield at Parkside was abandoned without a ball being bowled because of incessant rain.

Rain also brought an early finish to the game at Fox Lane where Leyland had to settle for a losing draw against Darwen.

The visitors made 220-6 from their allotted 50 overs.

Their Australian professional Peter Skuse top scored with 72, and Gareth Cordingley contributed 55.

Leyland established a solid foundation in their run chase, with professional Paul Tebay making 53.

But when the rain arrived they were 65 runs short of their first victory of the season with six wickets remaining.

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