Weekend cricket round-up

Their nine-wicket victory over Eccleston, coupled with defeat for previous leaders Fulwood and Broughton, sent Kyle Helm’s men top.

Only 11 points separate first and fourth, with eight games left.

Longridge put Eccleston in to bat in their meeting at Chipping Road and then bowled them out for just 68 in 29.1 overs.

Rory McDowell and Jonathan Millward claimed four-wicket hauls.

In reply, Longridge chased down their target inside 28 overs, Joshua Mullin hitting 31 not out and John Simpson an unbeaten 25.

Fulwood and Broughton’s visit to Factory Lane saw them beaten by Vernon Carus by 25 runs.

Vernons put 193-6 on the board after electing to bat first, Ian Dunn hitting 62 at the top of the innings.

Dunn’s knock featured a six and eight fours, Wes Royle weighing in with 46.

Dominic Jackson took 3-31 for the visitors.

F&B were bowled out for 168 in reply, their last wicket falling in the final over.

Matthew Smith top scored with 58, his knock coming off 55 balls.

Ben Llewellin took 4-37, while Matthew Timms and Adam Parker claimed three wickets apiece.

Third-place Garstang were six-wicket winners against Penwortham at Riverside.

Gareth Jennings returned figures of 5-16 as Garstang 
dismissed the visitors for 124.

In reply, they knocked off the runs in 30 overs, with Mark Walling hitting 45 and Michael 
Wellings 31.

There was a four-wicket for Great Eccleston away at Croston.

Batting first, Croston were 112-7, with Stepehen Langton and Sam Marsh both hitting 23.

Mohammed Nadeem took 3-38 and then hit 40 off 41 balls to launch a successful chase.

Thornton Cleveleys won their visit to Freckleton by seven wickets.

Batting first on their Bush Lane track, Freck were 114 all out – James Fiddler hit 31.

In reply, Thornton were 117-3, Jordan Beech scoring 28 and Daniel Howard 27 not out.

Torrisholme completed a resounding 149-run win over Rufford at Boundary Meadow.

They piled on the runs in the first innings, scoring 247 all out – Chris Parry hitting 42.

Rufford were 98 all out in reply, Graham Lee ripping through the visitors’ order with 7-39.

Chris Harty produced a fine spell of bowling in Chorley’s nine-wicket Northern League First Division victory over Preston.

Harty took 7-19 in 13 overs in the Windsor Park clash, ripping through the Preston batting.

Preston had been invited to bat first and were 100 all out in 45.1 overs.

They had little answer to Harty’s bowling, his figures including six maidens.

Geeth Malinda was the visitors’ highest scorer with 24, Yasin Patel and Rizwan Ali adding 19 apeice.

Chorley chased down their target with some ease in 30 overs, putting 104-1 on the scoreboard.

Lancashire second-team player Ediwn Moulton hit an unbeaten 34, his brother Will joining him at the crease to strike 38 off 31 balls.

Victory kept Chorley in second place but they have plenty of work to do if they are to catch Netherfield.

The Cumbrians lead the table by 33 points, their 10th win of the summer coming against Penrith.

In a low-scoring clash at Parkside Road, they won by nine runs.

A half-century from Ben Barrow helped Netherfield to 132 all out, the leaders then bowling Penrith out for 123.

Tom Williamson took 5-23 and Marc Hadwin 4-44.

In third place are St Annes who were comprehensive winners over Kendal in their meeting at Vernon Road.

They won by 10 wickets, bowling out the visitors for just 62 .

Matthew Grindley took 6-24, 10 maidens a striking feature of his 17 overs.

Ravi Teja returned 3-15 from a 12.5-over spell.

St Annes knocked off the runs in less than 15 overs without losing a wicket.

Atiq Uz-Zaman struck 41 off 41 balls, hitting a six and six fours, opening partner Gurman Bains scoring 17.

Leyland’s title defence has faded in recent weeks and they had a drawn game with Morecambe at Fox Lane.

Batting first after winning the toss, Morecambe were 143-7 in their 50 overs.

Tony Palladino was their top scorer with 31, with Adam Derham adding 28.

For the home side, Ross Bretherton took 4-39 and Steve Pallett 3-23.

After his knock with the bat, Palladino performed well with the ball too.

He took 3-29 off 13 overs as Leyland were restricted to 129-9 – hanging on to their last wicket to take a draw.

Their top four batsmen lost their wickets for single figures, Bretherton at No.5 steadying the ship with a knock of 45.

Blackpool beat Lancaster by 52 runs at Stanley Park.

An unbeaten 88 from pro Chris Williams, featuring 10 fours, helped the home side to 176-8.

They bowled Lancaster out for 124, Andy Furniss 
taking 6-36.

Fleetwood won their visit to Barrow by eight wickets, Dean Bell scoring 109 not out.