STEVEN Croft had a dream day at Stanley Park on Saturday in Blackpool's Northern Premier League clash with Netherfield.

He made his first Northern League century, took two wickets with the ball and also took a stunning catch.

But he would undoubtedly have sacrificed it all if only Blackpool could have secured victory. As it was they had to settle for a draw after making 207-6 in their 57 overs. They then just failed to bowl out Netherfield who finished on 180-9 to earn a share of the points.

Winning the toss and choosing to bat Blackpool had 18 runs on the board in no time before two wickets fell at that total.

Martin Pickles and Chris Simcock chose to go for an unlikely third run and it cost Pickles, nine, his wicket as Ben Haddrick's throw beat him to the stumps. Without addition Simcock, also nine, fell leg before wicket to Scott Clement and that brought together Steven Croft and Mark Lomas.

The pair added 149 in 164 minutes for the third wicket with Croft taking the leading role as Lomas, hampered by a leg strain and using Pickles as his runner, often found it difficult to get the ball away.

Croft had a life at 61 when a skier into the deep was misjudged but that was the only alarm until Lomas, 57 from 140 balls with seven fours and one six, was caught at long-on by Rishi Girdhari off Pieter Strydom.

Three more run outs followed as firstly Chris Barrow, four, sacrificed himself in Croft's cause and later Paul Danson failed to beat Craig Walmsley's throw and he was gone for one. In between Croft went to his 100 in the grand manner, a six over long on, before, on 109 made from165 balls with 12 fours and one six, he slipped in going for a single and was run out as he lay prone in mid-pitch. Deon Kruis made 13 not out as Blackpool closed on 207-8.

Croft was quickly back in the action when Blackpool took the field for, with the first ball of his opening over, he had Gareth White leg before wicket without a run on the board.

Walmsley and Grahame Clarke then put on 54 before both departed. Walmsley, 31, was deceived by Danson's off-spin and Clarke, 24, was undone by a shooter from Kruis. Thereafter only Rishi Girdhari with 43 from 73 balls with five fours made any serious impression on some tight Blackpool bowling. Croft returned to trap Strydom, 16, leg before wicket at 100-4 and when Girdhari was stumped by Martin Hackett off Dave Higham at 133-5, Netherfield chase for victory was over.

Tommy Prime was caught behind off Kruis for nought at 134-6 and then after Ben Haddrick had contributed a little cameo knock of 31 he fell to Croft's magnificent catch. Haddrick drove Kruis powerfully to extra cover where Croft threw himself to his right and held a one-handed catch inches from the ground and that was 176-7. One run later, Chris Parry, 18, edged Kruis to Lomas at slip and when Higham bowled Ryan Wilson for three there were nine balls left for Netherfield's last pair to negotiate.

Marc Hadwin kept out Higham and then Clement, surviving a vehement appeal for lbw, watched three and played three of the final six balls to leave Netherfield on 180-9 and earning six points to Blackpool's 10.

The other Fylde Coast sides met at Vernon Road when 517 runs were scored and two centuries made. Gareth Evans made 109 with 11 fours and one six for St Annes while Lloyd Ferreira replied in kind for Fleetwood with 104 not out with three sixes and 11 fours.

Evans was supported by Adrian Darlington who made 48, Steve Twist, 42, and Mohammed Mansoor 40 not out as St Annes totalled a formidable 257-3. But it was not enough as John Wright, 46, and Michael Dewhurst, 86, got Fleetwood off to a good start and then came Ferreira and at 260-2, still with overs in hand, Fleetwood took the honours by eight wickets.