Darwen slid through the gears smoothly to crush Preston at West View to maintain their good run and move into sixth spot.

Darwen professional Mohammad Zaman Khan hit his first century of the summer in his side’s crushing of Preston.

Khan was bowled by Imtiaz Matak off the last ball of Darwen’s innings for 101 off just 119 balls with five fours and four sixes.

Skipper John Cordingley hit 47 to provide great support as the Towers made light of a difficult track to post 226-7.

Off-spinner Chris Clarke then got to work as he was given the new ball and he claimed the first three wickets to fall before going on to record figures of 5-57.

Preston slumped to 40-8 but Paul Paynter hit 31 and put on 50 for the ninth wicket with Charlie Williams.

Zaman Khan then bowled a double wicket maiden for his first over as the home side were shot out for 90.

Darwen

A Davies ct Williams b Bariwala 8
N Burke b Vahaluwala 29
Zaman Khan b Matak 101
C Clarke LBW Vahaluwala 3
J Cordingley ct Crook b Bariwala 47
K Anwar run out 0
J Clarke b Vahaluwala 12
M Emery Not Out 2
Extras 24
Total (7 wickets, 50 overs) 226.

L Vahaluwala 17 6 45 3, S Nalbandh 4 0 16 0, S Bariwala 15 1 77 2, B Harrison 3 0 11 0, P Paynter 6 0 35 0, K Gandhi 3 0 15 0, I Matak 2 0 14 1.

Preston

S Patel ct J Clarke b C Clarke 6
S Nalbandh b C Clarke 5
L Vahaluwala ct Anwar b C Clarke 13
B Harrison ct Davies b Burke 4
S Bariwala b Burke 0
C Crook ct and b C Clarke 2
P Paynter b Zaman Khan 31
S Sheshank Raju LBW C Clarke 4
K Gandhi b Burke 2
C Williams Not Out 18
I Matak LBW Zaman Khan 0
Extras 5
Total (all out, 30 overs) 90.

K Anwar 7 2 8 0, C Clarke 14 1 57 5, N Burke 8 2 21 3, Zaman Khan 1 1 0 2.

Darwen won by 136 runs. Darwen 15 points, Preston 2 points.