DARWEN professional Alan Kruger made an instant impact as he claimed five wickets as the Towers won for the first time this season – and how.

The Towers, with a losing draw and a heavy defeat to show for their two Chorley Building Society Northern League games to date, crushed Blackpool to lift spirits and raise the South African’s temperature at a chilly Birch Hall.

Kruger only landed on Thursday afternoon and while most East Lancashire folk were casting away the coats on what was the hottest day of 2013 to date, Kruger was complaining it was cold.

He must have felt like he had landed in the Antartic on Saturday – but you’d have never guessed as he ripped through Blackpool.

Neil Cordingley had already sent Simon Long back to the pavilion – to a catch by Kruger – before the paid man removed Paul Danson, Andy Furniss and Gurmandeep Bains as Blackpool collapsed to 6-4.

They did rally to a degree but fell from 26-4 to 26-7 and it was a minor miracle that the Seasiders got up to 62 before they were finally bowled out with Kruger claiming 5-18 from 15 overs to make an instant impact of the fans.

While Blackpool perhaps got 20 more than they could have done, Darwen were big favourites and Ammer Mirza was in flying form as he made 27.

He, like fellow opener Danny Fradd, was trapped leg before to Gleeson and Blackpool’s paid man also sent Kruger back, although the South African had reason to feel less than impressed as he was given out caught at second slip when the ball seemed to hit him squarley in the box.

But Chris Clarke and John Cordingley got the Towers over the line before 5pm to get their season properly up and running.

Chorley’s tough start continued as they were hit by the brilliance of Louis Reece against Leyland.

Reece made 110 and Henry Thompson chipped in with 49 as Leyland racked up 220-9 at Windsor Park.

Chorley pro Guarav Dhar claimed five wickets and Billy Smith the other four.

Despite 27 from Dhar, Chorley never got going with the bat and were eventually all out for 130 in the 49th over with veteran former Lancashire man David Makinson once again proving his class as he claimed 3-14 from eight overs.

Elsewhere champions Fleetwood were stunned by St Annes and Barrow beat Morecambe despite 71 from Vishal Tripathi.