PRESTON lost to Blackpool - their seventh defeat of the season - at Stanley Park by 86 runs, sending them to the bottom of the table along with unlucky Leyland.

Blackpool finished at 218-5 off their allotted overs. Paul Simmonite top scored with 114 and opener Martin Pickles made 60.

Preston professional Manej Parekh was the pick of the Preston bowlers taking 4-101 off 25 consecutive overs.

In reply, Preston had no answer to Blackpool's Sri Lankan professional Yasas Tillekaratne who took six for forty eight.

Leyland were involved in a losing draw at Netherfield.

The home side amassed 231-2, with Graham Clarke making 143. His innings included 13 sixes and 6 fours.

Leyland professional Paul Tebay top scored with 52 in Leyland's reply.

St Annes have emerged as the new league leaders after their crushing six wickets victory at Woodhill Lane against the current title holders, Morecambe.

The home side were dismissed for 117, with St Annes professional, Eldine Baptiste taking 5 wickets for only ten runs off 15.5 consecutive overs, six of which were maidens.

Only Mark Woodhead offered any real resistance with forty.

St Annes got the required runs for the loss of four wickets. Eldine Baptiste was the man of the match making sixty.

The win of the week went to Leyland DAF who beat the former league leaders, Lancaster by five wickets.

The visitors batting first made 186-8 off their allotted overs but Leyland DAF were always up with the clock in reply. Opening batsman Steven Knox gave them a solid start with 40, professional David Makinson made 43, and Stuart Catterall top scored wit 52.

Incidentally, Nathan Braithwaite took a hat-trick in DAF's third division match against Kendal which they won.

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