Walkden and Kearsley are on course to meet each other in the final of the Thwaites Lancashire Knockout.

In the quarter finals, both hammered Northern League opposition, Walkden thumping Chorley at Windsor Park by 67 runs and Kearsley humbling Blackpool by 89 runs.

They now both go into the semi-finals when wins would put them head to head in the September final at Old Trafford.

Kearsley opener Steve Davies was his side's hero at Blackpool.

He shrugged off the loss of his opening partner Jordan Thornley through a run-out to punish the Blackpool bowling attack with a magnificent innings of 117.

With captain Steve Thomson providing solid support and Darron Foy and Tom Whittle also pushing the ball all around the ground, the Bolton League side reached 257-4.

Against that Blackpool made a terrible start losing two quick wickets while they also lost opener Pickles with a facial injury after being hit by a ball that reared up off a length.

Croft, 68, and Barrow 35 managed to steady the Blackpool innings but once they had gone the tail collapsed leaving them 168 all out.

Foy was Kearsley's top bowler with 4-37 off seven overs while pro Akber had 3-61 off nine.

By Peter Mensforth