DARWEN had to settle for seven points on Saturday as Lancaster shut up shot at Birch Hall in the Northern League.

Darwen were put into bat, Hadfield and Jackson gave them the best possible start adding 65 for the first wicket before Hadfield was unlucky to be run out for a solid 23 in the 24th over.

Professional Keith Semple then joined Jackson and the pair added a further 56 runs as both continued in the promising form from last week. Jackson was eventually stumped for 60 off the bowling of Barnes his first of six victims. Semple went on to make 569 before he too fell to Barnes with the score on 179 in the 52nd over. The remainder of the Darwen innings was held together by Lowe who scored a quick 20 to help Darwen take the final total to 209 for the loss of eight wickets.

Lancaster's reply had progressed to 28 without loss in the eighth over when htey suddenly hit a brick wall as Mercer and captain hacking ripped out the hear of their batting taking five wickets for the addition of just 24 runs in 13 overs.

Hacking struck first having Johnstone trapped lbw for seven and bowling Phillips for two. Mercer then had Atkinson caught for a stubborn 26, Hetherington bowled for four and Heywood caught for 0 in a four over spell.

It was left to club professional Munnik and Newell to close the door as the two then spent the next 23 overs keeping the Darwen attack at bay. Munnik eventually fell to Mercer in his second spell for a creditable 60. Newell remained defiant and was there at the close on an undefeated 36 from 35 overs to leave Darwen settling for a frustrating draw.

Mercer finished with impressive figures of 4-33 from his 19 overs. Next week Darwen entertain Fleetwood.

Darwen 2nd were defeated by seven wickets with the pick of the performances being an undefeated 20 from veteran Dave Bonner and three wickets from Michael Grant from his 10 overs for 24 runs.

Darwen 7 pts

Lancaster 4 pts

DARWEN

G Jackson st Barnes ... 60

M Hadfield run out ... 23

K Semple b Barnes ... 59

G Cordingley c Simm b Barnes ... 10

C Lowe c Hetherington b Barnes ... 26

J Cordingley c Hetherington b Barnes... 3

G Ainslie c Heywood b Munnik ... 10

A Mercer c Newell b Barnes ... 0

J Hacking not out ... 2

S Grant not out ... 2

Extras ... 14

Total (8 wkts) ... 209

Bowling: R Munnik 19-0-69-1; S Gould 5-2-17-0; S Barnes 23-3-64-6; B Simm 10-0-47-0

LANCASTER

C Atkinson c Lowe b Mercer ... 26

S Johnstone lbw Hackingh ... 7

L Phillips b Hacking ... 2

R Munnik c Ainslie b Mercer ... 60

B Hetherington b Mercer ... 4

D Heywood c Lowe b Mercer ... 0

S Newell not out ... 36

I Burstow not out ... 8

Extras ... 10

Total (6 wkts) ... 151

Bowling: A Mercer 19-9-33-4; J Hacking 13-2-40-2; G Cordingley 9-4-12-0; K Semple 9-3-17-0; A Cook 3-0-11-0; J Corrdingley 3-0-27-0