RAIN ruined the penultimate Bay 96.9 Northern Premier League Division One game between Blackpool and Lancaster at Stanley Park on Saturday.

It was perhaps as well for fifth-placed Blackpool, as bottom-of-the-table Lancaster had reduced them to a meagre 82-9 from 48 overs.

They made a very slow start and 18 overs had gone when the second wicket fell at 30. The first went when Martin Pickles, eight, was suicidally run out responding to a call from partner Richard Lamb.

That was 22-1, and eight runs later a strokeless Lamb was caught at short extra cover by Danny Hagen when he made his first forcing shot.

Chris Barrow was promoted to number three, and responded with a hard-hit 34 before he, too, was carelessly run out by the same fielder -- Luke Phillips -- with a throw from the same position, backward square leg.

He was fifth out and he had been preceded to the pavilion by Mark Lomas, lbw to Lancaster professional Gareth Breese for seven, and Paul Danson, caught behind by Brendan Hetherington off Breese for nought.

Steven Croft and Andy Kenyon both made five before the former lofted a gentle catch to Graham Barnes at backward square leg off Breese, and the latter fell lbw to left-arm spinner Chris Glover. Breese then had Darren Walton snapped up at silly mid-off by David Heywood off Breese, and Glover accounted for David Brooks lbw for one.

Marcus Sharp and Martin Hackett batted on to 82-9 in the drizzle, but once it became heavier the umpires took the players off the field.

Lancaster were disappointed, Blackpool not so, as both sides gained four points.

For once St Annes were glad to see the rain, which probably saved them from defeat at Leyland. The home side's innings closed on 150-9 with St Annes pro Dave Callaghan taking three wickets for 39 in 22 overs.

But St Annes were soon in trouble at 10-3, and with the score at 88 the last pair were at the wicket with eight overs still to be bowled.

Then the rains came and the game was declared a draw.