PRESTON celebrated a new shirt sponsorship deal on Saturday but they had little to cheer about on the pitch as they were defeated at home to Lancaster by five wickets and so fell to fifth in the league.

Some tight bowling meant Preston got off to a slow start restricting them 155. Barnes and Simm did the damage with ball for taking four for 51 and four for 52 respectively.

Anthony Mann top scored with a painstaking 35 but their total was never going to be enough on a good batting pitch.

Lancaster were struggling on 75 for four at one stage but Luke Phillips (55) and Parkinson (30) put together a winning stand and they reached the target with ease.

Good news for Preston is that opening bowler Rhys Williams and wicketkeeper Paul Mann will both be back in action for the trip to Fleetwood on Saturday.

The team sported their new shirts sponsored by the Koh-i-noor Restaurant, Liverpool Road, Hutton. Preston also clinched a seperate sponsorship deal with Cranden Press Limited based on St Mary's St, Preston.

Leyland remain anchored at the foot of the table after they were hammered at Morecambe losing by nine wickets after posting a target of 172. Stephens was the pick of the home side's bowlers atking five wickets for 45 runs.

Leyland Motors manged to hanfg on for draw but never had any hope of ctahcing Darwen's score of 240. An unbeaten 56 from David Makinson helped the Motormen finish on 143 for eight and take four points from the match.

Leyland play hot to Balckpool on Saturday while Motors visit Netherfield.

PRESTON Cricket Club's long and colourful history has been recorded in a new book by Andrew Atkinson.

The book uncovers many fascinating episodes in the club's past including the controversial match against Burnley when, after heavy bets had been placed on the game, Burnley players wre accused of rigging the game by serving their Preston guests hard liquor the night before!

The book retraces the formation of the club and is packed with illustrations of Preston teams of the past dating back to the mid-nineteenth century.

The Citizen will be serialising this book, which is a must for local cricket fans, over the the following weeks.

*The History of Preston Cricket Club (price £6) will be available in August.