LANCASTER'S First XI cricketers were made to toil in the sun by the Kendal batsmen, who piled up the days highest score in the Northern Premier League of 291 for five declared on a batsman's paradise at Lune Road on Saturday.

Opener Martin South led the way for the visitors with 81, which included 13 fours, all-rounder Kevin Howarth helped himself to 51 and professional Kabir Khan rattled off a rapid unbeaten 31.

It is a testament to the growing reputation of David Heywoods men that Kendal dare not make an early declaration, thus handing their opponents additional overs from which to attack the target.

And so Kendal ploughed on to a gigantic score which realistically always had the word draw written all over it.

After surrendering two early wickets with only 16 on the board, Lancaster recovered well without really finding anyone capable to providing the major innings, and the momentum necessary, to carry them towards the target.

Heywood fared best and held the innings together for his top-scoring 49 before he was seventh man out and South African professional Renier Munnik made 34.

Kendal's hopes of wrapping up the tail were dashed however when Gould (35) and Dennison (30) shared an eight-wicket stand of 59 which carried Lancaster on to 223 - defiant but still 68 adrift of the target.