Chorley beat rain for big win

With the heavy rain causing mayhem with the fixture list, Chorley’s clash against Lancaster at Windsor Park was the only match in the division to reach a conclusion.

The reason Ian James Dickinson’s men managed to beat the weather and force a result was because of a fantastic bowling display.

It was the home side who won the toss and straight away asked the visitors to have first use of the wicket.

Chorley struck early as Jamie Heywood was bowled by Edwin Moulton for just two.

His fellow opener Alex Metcalfe snicked Keiran McCullagh behind to Harry Baclay for three.

No.3 Rajat Agarwal lasted just an over before he directed a catch to overseas star Nekoli Parris for one off McCullagh.

Lancaster skipper Samuel Moorby was then disastrously run out by Parris for two.

Abhimanyu Knod reached double figures before he was caught by Moulton off the bowling of Ian Oakes for 13.

Parris then came into the attack and immediately delivered as first he shattered the stumps of Liam Moffat for four before coaxing Reuben Orr into nicking a catch to Moulton for one.

Andrew Holdsworth then snaffled two catches off the bowling of Parris as Ben Simm departed for three while Iain Perrieman cracked two boundaries before being dismissed for 17.

It was left to Ian Oakes to take the final wicket as Jordan Sparks was stumped by Barclay for a duck to leave Lancaster floudering on 52 all out.

As the grey clouds gathering over Windsor Park, Chorley were in a race against time to knock the runs off.

They reached their victory target after 16 overs for the loss of one wicket.

Stuart Naden cracked a six and a four before holing out to Liam Moffat off Simm for 20.

Dickinson guided his men home thanks to a unbeaten 28 – a knock which included four boundaries and one maximum hit.

Elsewhere, Leyland’s match against Morecambe was abandoned without a ball being delivered at Woodhill Lane, while Preston’s game against Blackpool was abandoned after seven overs at Stanley Park.

The visitors had reduced the home side to 22-3, with Andrew Starkie taking two wickets and Afzal Kapadia chipping in with one.

All the other games in the division were called off without a ball being bowled.