THERE was pleasure beach weather at Blackpool on Saturday but Netherfield had a rocky ride as they fell 28 runs short of the victory target and took six points from a losing draw after finishing on 180-9 chasing 207-6.

Blackpool won the toss and opted to bat in optimum conditions, but suddenly found themselves at 18-2 in the fifth over with both opening batsmen out.

Four of the six Blackpool dismissals were run-outs and a smart piece of fielding accounted for Martin Pickles. In the next over Chris Simock was lbw to Scott Clement.

Blackpool retrieved the situation in decisive style with a stand of 149 for the second wicket between Steven Croft and Mark Lomas.

Croft was the dominant force, hitting 12 fours in his unbeaten 109, with Lomas contributing 57. Together, they lifted the score from 18 to 167 in 47 overs before Lomas became the third wicket down, caught by Girdhari on the long-on boundary.

Three more wickets went as they tried to push the score along in the final five overs, and South African professional Deon Kruis was unbeaten on 13 out of a total of 207-6.

Strydom finished with 1-55 off 17 overs and Clement 1-51 off 15 overs.

Netherfield's innings suffered an immediate blow when Gareth White was lbw to Croft in the second over.

Craig Walmsley and Graham Clarke added 56 for the second wicket before Walmsley played on for 31.

Clarke was then bowled by Kruis off a ball that kept low for 24 in the next over to leave the visitors at 56-3.

Once again, they looked to be getting back on course when Strydom looked content to let Girdhari push the scoring along and they added 44.

No one could build the major innings required, however, and with the score on 100 Strydom was lbw for 16 - a big wicket for Croft and Blackpool.

Netherfield required just over four an over at this stage, so were not fighting a lost cause. Girdhari and Chris Parry moved the score along by 33 until the former was stumped for 43 trying to force away Dave Higham's spin.

When skipper Tommy Prime was out for nought to a catch behind that he felt did not quite carry, Netherfield were 136-6.

Winning hopes waned further when Parry was dismissed for 16. It was left to Ben Haddrick gave his side an outside chance of victory with a useful 31 but when he was eighth man out with three overs left, Netherfield’s minds turned towards the draw, which they achieved, despite the loss of another wicket, on 180 for nine.