PRESTON suffered a double blow on Saturday as Darwen knocked them out of the Slater Cup and club professional Akbar suffered a broken finger that sees him sidelined for the rest of the season.

Darwen chose to bat on a good track at Birch Hall and amassed 173 runs from the allotted 40 overs.

Professional Keith Semple and leading amateur Gareth Cordingley once again led the way, putting on 93 for the third wicket partnership from just 19 overs.

Semple top scored with an undefeated 87 from just 123 balls, including ten fours and one six, while Gareth scored 30 from just 45 balls.

It was during the Darwen innings that Preston's professional Akbar broke his finger that prevented him from completing his overs or batting.

The Preston batting faced a Darwen bowling attack back at its very best as Hacking, Semple, Nicol and the Cordingley brothers tied them down from the first ball.

Only three batsmen got into double figures as wickets fell steadily throughout the innings. Neil Cordingley topped the table, taking two for 16 from his eight overs. Hacking took two for 22 as did Gareth Cordingley.

The Preston innings eventually finished 62 short of the target when Darwen's part-time bowler Horsfield took the final wicket.

The defeat and an injury to Akbar will be a bitter blow to Preston whose season has improved dramatically after a disastrous start.

Preston seconds were defeated in the Latus Trophy by 12 runs by Darwen thanks to contributions from Sharples (36) and Grant (30) with the bat and Cook's three wickets. Darwen 173 Preston 121

DARWEN

G Jackson b Anyon...13

M Hadfield b Shah...9

K Semple not out...87

G Cordingley run out...30

J Cordingley not out...9

Extras...25

Total (3wkts)...173

Bowling: J Anyon 8-2-27-1; P Richardson 8-2-30-0; R Akbar 6-1-17-0; D Shah 8-2-10-1; R Shah 8-0-52-0; R Dixon 1-0-11-0; A Mann 1-0-11-0. PRESTON

PRESTON

A Mann c Jackson b Hacking...5

J Anyon c Nichol b Semple...21

R Shah lbw G Cordingley...7

P Richardson b G Cordingley...20

P Shah c Hacking b Nicol...20

P Paynter b N Cordingley...3

T Hesketh c Hacking b N Cordingley...3

G Johnstone not out...6

P Mann b Semple...6

R Dixon c N Cordingley b Horsfield...3

Akbar...injured

Extras...17

Total (9wkts)...111

Bowling: K Semple 8-2-22-2; J Hacking 7-2-18-1; G Cordingley 8-1-22-2; N Cordingley 8-2-16-2; J Nicol 8-1-27-1; M Horsfield 0.2-0-0-1.

Murray Walker

LET SPORTS EDITOR