Big-hitting Mills puts Lancaster to the sword on opening day of Palace Shield season

​The hosts posted a huge 348 all out thanks largely to Jackson Mills’s incredible 151 which came off 171 balls and included 15 fours and 11 sixes.

Noor Elahi smashed six boundaries and five maximums in a 27-ball 61 while Ryan Nelson was slightly more circumspect in his knock of 67.Ben Simm took seven wickets but conceded 123 runs. The shell-shocked visitors were left floundering with the bat as they were dismissed for 100 with Dylan Conroy taking 4-11.

It was a miserable return to the Palace Shield for Eccleston who were relegated from the Northern league last season.

Rufford’s Daniel Hodge (7-11) and Ben Montedoro (3-20) were the destroyers-in-chief as David Hewson’s men were bowled out for 80 at Cousins Lane.Matthew Ashcroft top scored with 34.

The host cruised to victory for the loss of two wickets.

Preston were well beaten by 42 runs against Barrow at West Cliffe.

The visitors batted first and posted 172-9 with skipper Jack Singleton hitting a half-century. Imran Patel was the pick of the bowlers, taking 5-30.

In reply, the hosts looked in all sorts of trouble as they slumped to 14-3.

However, Rizwan Sadiq (49) and Sajid Patel (25) gave them hope with a 82-run partnership.

However, Greg Reynolds’s 4-61 helped Barrow secure victory despite Harish Humsa’s 27.

​Penwortham’s hopes of getting off to a fast start were denied.

null