KENDAL 124 CHORLEY 63/4

Vaux Northern League FITTINGLY, perhaps, the rain had the final say as the curtain came down on Chorley's season.

Chorley did well to dismiss the home side for 124, particularly as Kendal had been 99/2 at one stage before a collapse of England proportions saw them lose their last eight wickets for a paltry 25 runs.

After Marquet had removed openers Mawson and Cooper, Hunte and professional Veenstra seemed to be guiding Kendal to a substantial total.

However, when Purnell's juggling catch dismissed Veenstra, the Kendal innings subsided dramatically.

Eccleshare quickly removed Fearnyough and Fawcett and, after Purnell had caught Wilson off an ill-advised slog at Patel, Eccleshare got into the act again.

Hunte unluckily played on for 57, Purnell snapped up his fourth catch off Boardley's bat-pad edge and Ellwood was LBW first ball to leave Eccleshare on a hat-trick.

Dowker survived - just - but in the next over Greaves wrapped things up to leave Chorley chasing a surprisingly low target. The evergreen Eccleshare finished with 5/25.

Chorley's reply was pedestrian with Yardley and Cake watchful. Cake, in his last game for Chorley, was caught off a skier with the score just 38 in the 20th over and Horridge went in similar fashion shortly afterwards.

Fazackerley was run out in as comical mix up and Yardley's Boycott-like effort, 21 off 101 deliveries, ended when Ellwood trapped him plum LBW.

At this point the rain poured down with a vengeance to bring an end to the proceedings and leave Chorley fourth in the final table.

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