NETHERFIELD'S bowlers did a great job with the bat as they staved off impending defeat by Lancaster in the Northern Premier League at Lune Road on Saturday.

Scott Clement, Ryan Wilson and Marc Hadwin all produced stubborn stays at the crease after their side looked to be heading for defeat at 112-7 in reply to Lancaster's haul of 220 for four.

Clement and Wilson shared a match-saving eighth-wicket stand worth 44 and then Hadwin helped to negotiate eight more overs until Clement was bowled off the last ball of the innings with Netherfield remaining defiant on 170-9.

Earlier, the Lancaster batsmen had prospered after Netherfield had removed openers Ian Burstow and Craig Heywood with 18 on the scoreboard.

There was a long wait for the next breakthrough as South African professional Renier Munnik and skipper David Heywood settled down to put on 162 for the third wicket.

With the score on 180, two wickets then fell in two balls as Clement bowled Munnik for 92 three sixes and 12 fours -and then Luke Phillip was caught behind off his next ball.

Lancaster added another 30 off the last four overs to reach 220 for four with Heywood unbeaten on 94, while Clement the pick of the visitors' bowlers with 3-50.

Netherfield's innings suffered an early setback when Craig Walmsley continued his poor run of form, caught on the boundary from a straight hit with just one to his

name Professional Pieter Strydom was also disposed of before doing much damage, having hit four fours in his 17 when a well-struck stroke went straight to point.

From 46-2, Gareth White and Chris Parry put on a

half-century partnership before White's dismissal, caught behind for a top-scoring 44, started the rot and five wickets fell for 16 runs.

Parry was next to go for 13 and stand-in second-team wicketkeeper Lee Sparks added Rishi Girdhari and Grahame Clarke in single figures to his four victims, while Tommy Prime, who had lost his fifth successive toss,

did not have a happy day, when adjudged lbw for eight.

Clement's arrival stopped the slump and at least enabled Netherfield to salvage four points and deny Lancaster the same number from a maximum 15-point haul.

May 16, 2003 09:00