BLACKPOOL'S interest in the Thwaites LCB Knock Out Cup was extinguished at the quarter-final stage at Stanley Park on Sunday.

Liverpool Competition side Ormskirk took revenge for an earlier defeat in the National Knock Out by winning a tense tie by 12 runs.

The afternoon began promisingly enough for Blackpool as Marcus Sharp had opener Burns lbw for five when the total was only nine in the seventh over. David Snellgrove made 21 and Evans only made seven before Bartholomew bowled the pair of them and Ormskirk were rocking at 63-3.

The fourth wicket added 46 runs, with Pilon making the major share. His partner Armstrong, 14, was dismissed when he was bowled by Darren Walton and then Bailey made a quick 26 and helped Pilon add 43 for the fifth wicket.

But both were out within the space of six runs. Bailey was superbly caught by a diving Chris Barrow at extra cover off the unlikely bowling of Mark Lomas, and then the same fielder held another good catch to dismiss Pilon off Brooks for 71 made from 96 balls with seven fours.

The rest of the innings subsided as Sharp returned and superbly caught and bowled Taylor for one and bowled Eckstein for nought. And with Brooks bowling Unsworth for five, the innings closed at 170-9 with Sharp taking 3-19.

Blackpool's reply began in catastrophic fashion as a complete mix-up between Walton and Lamb ended with the latter being run out for two. Walton himself made 21 before he was bowled by Taylor and, with Paul Danson bowled by Snellgrove for 12, Blackpool were struggling at 67-3.

Skipper Lomas found help from Andy Kenyon on his first team debut and the pair steadied the ship to put on 65 runs in 16 overs. Lomas, the man whom Ormskirk needed to dismiss to be in with a chance of victory, was then caught at backward square leg when trying to pull Snellgrove. His 59 came from 101 balls with five fours.

Bartholomew did not last long, dismissed lbw to Snellgrove for one, and when Snellgrove bowled Kenyon, who made a fighting 36 , the end was near for Blackpool. Snellgrove also bowled Armstrong for 10 and, with Unsworth bowling Barrow for one, it was left to Sharp and Brooks to try and do the impossible in the final two overs.

SCORES:

Ormskirk 170-9 Blackpool 158-7