KENDAL failed by three runs to beat Chorley in a frantic finish which saw them enter the last over at Shap Road on Saturday wanting seven to win with three wickets standing.

Chorley's Pakistani professional Stephen John restricted Gareth Ashburner, 28 not out, and partner Richard Ellwood to four singles by pitching the ball up.

However, the bonus-point system enabled Kendal to minimise the collateral damage as they took eight points from the losing draw and moved up a place in the table to third.

It was one of those days when batsmen got in and got out without building a major innings: there were 388 runs in the match but nobody got above 50.

Chorley opener Tom Smith came closest with 44 after his side were asked to bat and supportive knocks from Jim Fazackerley (33), Neil Senior (34) and John (34) hoisted the visitors to 195 when all out in the penultimate over.

Professional Kabir Khan was Kendal's most successful bowler with 5-64 off 22 overs and Adrian Potts took 2-31.

When Kendal replied, Steve Cooper was lbw to John off the fourth ball.

Terry Hunte went for 24 out of 33 on the board in the tenth over, before Martin South and Chris Florence shared a useful stand of 63.

After Florence went for 34, two spectacular catches put Chorley back on top.

South, who had moved on to 38, edged a ball that looked to be well wide of first slip until Fazackerley launched himself and it stuck to hand. Kevin Howarth followed in similar fashion for 39. This time Smith pulled off a full-length diving catch on the mid-wicket boundary.

From 157-5, Kendal were left needing 22 for victory off the last five overs when skipper David Fallows was run out for 12 and then Khan went the same way on 4 after falling over in a tangle with his bat in the scramble for runs.

With seven wickets down, Kendal could score only four of the seven required off the last over as John’s accurate bowling gave Chorley the last word.