A FINE all round performance saw Chorley gallop to 12 point win which has surely fatally damaged Kendal's title hopes.

The victory was founded on some terrific fielding backed up by excellent bowling.

On a wicket left damp by overnight rain Kendal surprisingly elected to bat - a decision that bordered on the bizarre if not quite suicidal.

Stephen John and Billy Smith produced a devastating opeing spell to reduce Kendal to 10/4.

John got rid of openers Little and South courtesy of two brilliant boundary catches by Smith before Smith himself had Ashburner caught behind and professional Khan superbly caough one handed by Paul Greenwood.

Howarth hit some belligerent strokes while Florence also hung around to get into the 20s but as batting became easier, the main partnership foe Kendal came from their last wicket pair of Raikes and Elwood who added 42.

John finished with impressive figures of 5 wickets for 59.

Chorley though set off at a tremendous lick with openers Tom Oatley and Michael Critchley racing to 50 by the tenth over before Oatley went for 32 with seven boundaries.

Mawdesley then joined Critchley in another half century stand before both fell in the space of three overs.

Critchley cracked nine boundaries before being adjudged LBW for a season's best 45 and Heaton and Senior then completed the job to see Chorley home in the 32nd over.

Chorley battled hard to hang on for a draw at home to league leaders Darwen on Monday. Another fine bowling performance from Stephen John who took four wickets for 53 runs helped restrict Darwen to 137/9. Chorley must have fancied their chances of victory but after losing early wickets were happy to see Billy Smith and Ross Demming bat out the final two overs to take five points.

On Saturday Chorley travel to Morecambe.

Scores: Kendal 148 Chorley 149/3

Chorley 102/9 Darwen 137/9