LEYLAND DAF were unlucky not to have beaten current league champions Netherfield in a rain-restricted match at Parkside Road.

Put in to bat after a delayed start which saw 20 overs lost through rain, Daf lost their first wicket at nine when Alan Murray was bowled by David Wheatman for one.

Neil Dasgupta and David Makinson added 25 runs for the second wicket before Dasgupta was stumped by Simon Dutton off Netherfield professional Geoff Foley for 16.

Daf lost their third wicket at 45 when Stuart Catterall was caught by Wheatman off Danny Welbourne for 2.

Six runs later Stephen John was caught by Jimmy Moyes off Welbourne for four runs.

Then Daf captain David Makinson and Alan Richardson monopolised the Netherfield bowling attack.

They featured in an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 99 runs.

Richardson top scored with an unbeaten 63. In only 30 minutes he faced 44 balls and hit 12 fours and one six.

Makinson was undefeated with 58. He batted 49 minutes, faced 79 balls and hit 7 fours. In reply, Netherfield, who were left with 26 overs, found runs difficult to accumulate.

They lost their first wicket at 16 when Craig Walmsley was stumped by Phil Iddon off Nassar Afsar for seven.

Netherfield were reeling at 39-5 when Simon Dutton was caught by Stuart Catterall off Stephen John for eight.

Wickets then fell at regular intervals until Netherfield were 91-9, but unfortunately Daf could not take the last wicket to win the match.

Jimmy Moyes, who was the backbone of the Netherfield innings, was undefeated with 58.

He batted 57 minutes, faced 44 balls and hit 11 fours.

For Daf, David Makinson took 3-18 and Nassar Afsar 3-25, while Stephen John was the most expensive with 3-63.

This Saturday, Leyland Daf play the only other Cumbrian team in the league when they entertain Kendal at Sandy Lane.

If Daf can contain Kendal professional Ross Veenstra - who finished top of the league batting averages last season - and the holder of the most runs scored in a season, Terry Hunte, then they could achieve their sixth win of the season.

Final result: Netherfield 114-9 Leyland DAF 150-4 dec.

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