Preston lose first Palace Shield game of campaign as Great Eccleston triumph

After winning their first four games, they fell by two wickets.

Batting first, Preston were 199-8 in their 45 overs.

Muhammad Nauman was their top scorer with 64, the skipper hitting 11 fours and a six in his time at the crease.

Nazam Shahbaz added 39 and Jawwad Yaqoob 28.

For Great Ecc, Jim Procter took 4-45 and Peter Whittle 2-37.

Adam Green shone with the bat in the visitors’ reply.

The opener hit 82, with his knock featuring four sixes and 10 fours.

Joe Davies, batting at three, hit 27, with Robert Swale and Michael Rigby both unbeaten on 14 as Great Ecc saw the job through.

There were five wickets for Preston’s Asif Mahmood.

Morecambe closed to within a point of Preston with a 47-run win over South Shore at Woodhill Lane.

Ryan Pearson’s 82 and a knock of 66 from Deno Baker saw the home side put 200-8 on the scoreboard.

Tyne Davies took 6-42 for South Shore.

In reply, the visitors were bowled out for 153.

Nathan Bolus scored the bulk of their runs, hitting an unbeaten 80.

Batting at three, he came to the crease early but was to run out of partners.

Michael Hall came in at 10 and hit a rapid-fire 30 but it was not enough.

Lancaster squeezed to a one-wicket win at Standish to stay in third place.

Electing to bat first after winning the toss, Standish were 152 all out.

Usman Khushnood scored 43 for the hosts.

He was one of six victims for visiting skipper Ben Simm.

Charlie Swarbrick struck 67 in Lancaster’s reply but it was with their last pair that they claimed victory.

Eccleston were 98-run winners over Penwortham at Doctors Lane.

Invited to bat first, the home side put 261-7 on the board – Matthew Ashcroft struck 87 and Jack Parker 74.

Penwortham were 163 all out in reply, Martyn Brierley top-scoring with 69.

Brierley’s wicket fell to Thomas Wilkinson, who took 5-46.

Croston were eight-wicket winners in their visit to New Longton.

Given first use of the track, New Longton were 123 all out in 37.5 overs, Munaf Bavla the top scorer with 31.

That was a target Croston chased down in 25 overs, with them posting 124-2.

Akashdeep Cheema hit 53 and Adam Sexton 34.

Fylde and Vernon Carus’ meeting at Moorland Road ended in a tie.

Vernons were 154-8, Ian Dunn hitting 57 at the top of the order.

Fylde reached 154 in reply but lost their last wicket to the final delivery.