Fylde coast cricket: Blackpool so close to victory, Higson's heroics in vain

Blackpool claimed 13 points in Cumbria, having chosen to bat and piled on 256-4 but the hosts clung on for the draw at 150-9.

The Blackpool total was built around a fourth century from professional Shivam Chaudhary, whose 110 from 107 balls (13 boundaries) took the Indian's average to 68.5. Shivam put on 134 for the third wicket with Josh Boyne, who was run out for 69 (74 balls, eight boundaries).

Netherfield looked doomed at 73-7 in reply but then scored 53 for their eighth wicket as Harry Lee hit 42 before falling to Chaudhary (3-35 off 13). The last pair came in at 146 but held on for two points.

Blackpool have taken fourth place from Fleetwood, whose four-match winning sequence was comprehensively ended by high-flying Kendal, winners by 102 runs.

The visitors chose to bat at Broadwater and recovered 25-4 to post 220-8 thanks largely to a seventh-wicket stand of 81 between top scorer Lewis Richardson, who hit 64 from 47 balls (10 boundaries), and captain Chris Miller (53).

Professional Tiaan van Vuuren removed five of the top six for figures of 5-79 from 15 overs, his third Fleetwood five-for. None of the Fleetwood batsmen reached 20, with the top five all out in the teens, as their reply closed at 118 from 38.4 overs. Having reached 91-3, Fleetwood collapsed to 96-8 as Miller took 6-36 from 14.5 overs and Freddie Fallows 4-37 runs from 15.

Kendal and Chorley are 10 points behind leaders Longridge, who defeated St Annes by 48 runs despite a big-hitting masterclass from opener Tom Higson.

Chasing 252-6, St Annes scored 156 for their first wicket as Higson blasted 111, his third ton of the season, from 52 balls and his 19 boundaries included 10 sixes.

But St Annes could add only 48 more, the innings petering out after Higson's opening partner Yohan de Silva was fourth out for 45. Longridge earlier chose to bat and had a centurion of their own in number three Matthew De Villiers, whose 110 off 96 balls included 12 boundaries.

He put on 115 for the fifth wicket with wicketkeeper Tom Turner, who finished 53 not out from 50 balls (seven boundaries) to pave the way for the leaders’ seventh win in eight games, though St Annes slip to 10th.

St Annes fared better in the Lancashire Cricket Federation Knockout the following day, reaching 184-4 to beat second-round visitors Read (183-8) by six wickets.

Great Eccleston also progressed to next month’s quarter-finals with a home win over Burnley opposition, in their case a 26-run success against Lowerhouse. An opening stand of 92 between Nisanth Nithian (45) and Matt Moat (41) laid the platform for Ecc's 203-8, captain Phil Booth adding a valuable 37 from 21 balls, with three sixes.

Joseph Hawke took 3-26 off nine overs and led the Lowerhouse reply with a run-a-ball 58, having come in at 80-5. He was last out at 177 with 6.2 overs remaining as Nithian completed a fine day with 4-41 from nine. Great Eccleston face a testing visit to Longridge in the last eight and St Annes host Darwen, who eliminated Blackpool by a 93-run margin at Stanley Park.

The Lancashire League visitors chose to bat and set a target of 190-6 after professional Punit Bisht scored 96, putting on 61 for the last wicket with Reece Davies (38 not out). Chaudhary was then Blackpool's top scorer with 22 as they were dismissed for 97 in 33.1 overs.

Fleetwood's 40-over Cup campaign ended at the first hurdle, beaten by eight wickets at home to Netherfield. The hosts chose to bat but had to settle for 133 with 10 deliveries outstanding, though Andy Drake set the right example at the top of the order with 43 (Sagar Udeshi 3-12 from eight overs).

A second-wicket stand of 87 between Aryan Varsani, who scored 81 from 51 balls, and captain Ben Barrow (31) took the visitors to the brink of a victory sealed at 134-2 in 16.1 overs. The win earned Netherfield a second-round tie at Leyland.

​Lytham Cricket Club are finding form after back-to-back wins in the Liverpool Competition First Division, their latest by six wickets at home to second-placed Liverpool.

After the visitors chose to bat, three of their top five failed to score but the innings was held together by opener Steve Rimmer, who hit 15 boundaries in his 74 and put on 90 for the third wicket with Jared Clein (35).

But the ending of that partnership sparked a collapse from 109-2 to 122-7 before Liverpool were all out for 189 from 61 overs. Professional Avinash Yedev enjoyed his fourth Lytham five-for with 5-82 from 29 overs.

Guy Roberts propelled Lytham to victory with 17 fours in his 101 (112 balls), putting on 109 for the second wicket with Matthew Wood (40).

Twenty two were still needed after Roberts' dismissal and Josh Holden (35 not out) saw Lytham home at 190-4 from 46.3 overs, completing what was only Liverpool's second defeat of the season and lifting the hosts to fifth spot.

Kirkham and Wesham won a low-scoring Palace Shield derby against Great Eccleston by six wickets to climb to fifth in the premier division.

Ecc opener Will Thistlethwaite made 40 but only one of his teammates reached double figures as the visitors were disimissed for 84 in 29.4 overs, Jamie Hogarth taking 4-26 from 7.4 overs and Justin Banks 3-23 off eight.

Christopher Wilson then carried his bat for 27 out of Kirkham's 85-4 as they wrapped up victory in 21.3 overs.

Defeat dropped Ecc to the bottom, though they fared better in the LCF Knockout the following day (see above).

Thornton Cleveleys stand one spot below fifth-placed K&W after piling on 278-6 in a 53-run win at Penwortham.

Opener Joshua Sackfield scored exactly 100 (113 balls, putting on 154 for the second wicket with Oliver Kyle, whose 80 came from just 66 balls. Both struck 13 boundaries.

Ryan Roberts took 5-53 from 12 overs but Thornton regained momentum with a late charge by captain Richard Jenkinson (38 not out).

The hosts had little hope at 93-5, though an unbeaten 60 from captain Robbie Sumner lifted them to 225-8 as Joshua Rolinson and Jake Apperley took three wickets apiece.

Fylde (142-4) won the division 1B derby at Wrea Green (139) by six wickets.