​Leyland remain firmly in title hunt after win over St Annes

The visitors put Leyland in to bat in their rain-affected 26-over game and the hosts recovered from 8-2 to post 194-7 as Luke Hands made 60 and Liam Hurt 58 not out.

Opener Joe Pearson was Garstang's top scorer with 28 as four of the top five got into the 20s but could not move beyond.

Professional Sam Oldham took 4-31 as Garstang were all out for 138 in 23.4 overs.

Leyland remain five points clear of third-placed Carlisle and have now opened up an 18-point lead over Garstang in fourth.

They are still two points behind leaders Netherfield, who won by six wickets at Chorley.

In what was planned as a 24-over game, Chorley posted 177-6. They were indebted mostly to opener Miller Childs, whose 83 from 73 balls included five sixes among 12 boundaries.

He shared in stands of 57 for the second wicket (with Edwin Moulton) and 63 for the third with Keegan Petersen, who scored 36.

The Cumbrians faced 20.2 overs in reply and passed their revised target with 150-4.

Again an opener was the main man, Richard Everett scoring 55 from 36 balls (10 fours) and putting on 77 for the second wicket with Dushan Vimukthi (30).

Chorley have lost both games since league action resumed but at least picked up five points on Saturday, moving them six clear of the bottom two.

Longridge are in fifth spot although their game at Blackpool did not reach a conclusion due to the weather.

The visitors posted 188-7 in 41 overs at Stanley Park with No.6 batsman Alex Mason making 47 not out from 26 deliveries.

Alex Ryder took 4-53 for Blackpool, who only faced 16 balls in reply and reached 10-1.

Elsewhere, Carlisle defeated St Annes by 107 runs, while Settle were nine-run victors at Kendal.

​Euxton remain hot on the heels of the top two in NPCL division two.

James Bone’s men reached a revised target to win by seven wickets at Carnforth in division two.​

Jack Shovelton made 44 before an unbeaten stand of 58 between captain James Bone (29 not out) and Ben Houghton (23 no) saw the visitors home at 113-2 from 21.2 overs.

Euxton stay third but are now just two points behind Fulwood & Broughton, who they host on Saturday.

Preston gave leaders Fleetwood a fright but eventually lost at West Cliff

Skipper Sajid Patel (43) and Navazish Ali (42) put on 105 for the opening wicket, but the home side then collapsed to 153 all out after a devastating spell of 6-17 from Matthew Siddall.

Preston did not give up without a fight though as Talha Patel (4-38) bowled his men back into contention despite Muhammed Hurraira’s 43.

However, Fleetwood squeaked home by two wickets. Fulwood & Broughton remain second despite Myles Child, Archie Banks-Smith and Sahaan Sahaan all hitting half centuries in their 208-3 off a reduced 30 overs.

In reply, Ben Rosbottom (58 not out) guided F&B over their reduced target of 124.

Penwortham are looking nervously over their shoulder after they were bowled out for just 88 at Barrow.

The home side reached their reduced target of 58 with ease.

​​Vernon Carus kept their promotion hopes in the Palace Shield Championship alive thanks to an eight-wicket win over Westgate at Factory Lane.

Four wickets from Wes Royle helped restrict the visitors to 138-6 off a rain-reduced 27 overs.

In reply, David Fisher and Matthew Timms both hit half-centuries to ease them home by eight wickets. Timm, in particular, was impressive – smashing five sixes in his knock of 62.

Eccleston lost by 19 runs at basement club Garstang 2nds

The hosts reached 195-5 in 29 overs after Tom Wells (57) and Stan Collinson (41) shared 76 for the second wicket.

Set a revised target of 175 from 23 overs, Ecc fell short at 155-7, despite a late charge by Suhel Patel (45) and David Hewson, whose stand of 62 lifted them from 86-6.

The key wicket of Patel fell to Wells, who completed an excellent day with 4-38, as Eccleston slipped back into the lower half.