PRESTON lost to league leaders Netherfield by six wickets in a rain affected match on Saturday.

They suffered a further blow when two points were deducted for bowling a slow over rate in the previous match against Chorley.

Batting first against the Cumbrians, Preston were bowled out for 163 with Shah (63) and Akbar (24) the top scorers.

Hadwin did the most damage for the home side taking five wickets for 29 off nine overs.

Walmsley with 53 top scored while Graham Clarke hit an unbeaten 36 for Netherfield as they cruised to 166 for the loss of just four wickets.

Leyland Motors secured a winning draw when they hosted Morecambe. Put into bat after the start was delayed by rain, Motors professional Atif Ashraf opened the batting and top scored with 55 before the innings closed on 154 for six. Andrew Makinson was next highest scorer with 39.

In reply Morecambe could only muster 81 for the loss of five wickets with Makinson following up on his good knock by claiming three wickets for nine runs off six overs.

Leyland's poor league form continued as they were skittled out for just 67 at Barrow as home professional Raul Lewis took four wickets in four balls to leave himself figures of five for 35. Steve Pallet 21 was the top scorer. Barrow had totalled 172 in their innings. As at Fox Lane in the reverse fixture earlier this season, no batsmen dominated the scoring, but a collective performance down through the order was the significant factor.

Chorley's Tom Smith scored a century in the Northern League's victory over the Bolton Association at Leyland on Sunday which puts them in the final of the Manchester Evening News trophy.

Smith was the man of the match for an outstanding 127 out of a total of 277 while Blackpool's Stephen Croft contributed 62. When the Bolton Association replied they were bowled out for 177 exactly 100 runs short, with Tom Smith taking four wickets for 36.