WITHOUT their professional Kabir Khan, Kendal lacked the razor-sharpness necessary to worry the Northern

Premier League champions Darwen in a five-wicket defeatat Shap Road.

Kabir arrives this week after completing new immigration procedures.

His compatriot Ata Rehman, bound for Eshwinning in the Durham League, was a willing and able deputy but the team let him down in the field.

Asked to bat, Darwen's pace attack drew an immediate response from a bouncy pitch and wickets dropped as freely as the cherry blossom in the chill wind.

Opening bowler Andrew Mercer bent back Steve Cooper's middle stump with his third ball, but fellow opener Martin South's push forward failed to connect with Keith Semple's delivery for a caught-behind decision.

Of those who subsequently tried to restore equilibrium, Simon Little was most successful with a top-scoring 35.

An excellent catch ended what might have been the telling stand with Michael Horsfield at midwicket holding Hunte's full-blooded

on-drive.

Hunte had made 16 and Kendal were 37-3 after 12 overs.

Impetuosity got the better of all-rounder Kevin Howarth just when he seemed to be doing sterling work patching up the damage. He nicked one behind when waltzing down to Jeff Hacking, whose 4-11 confirmed he was none the worse for being hit on the temple by a deflected delivery fielding in the slips.

Stand-in pro Rehman chanced his arm only to depart to his first defensive prod.

Crucially, Little, best-equipped to launch any possible recovery, lofted a shot to deep square leg as the

pressure to hit out increased in inverse proporation to his number of possible partners.

Skipper Dave Fallows looked unhappy unable to play his usual dashing game and a defensive bat diverted a fourth catch of the day into Chris Lowe's gloves.

Newcomer, South African schoolboy Chris Florence looked technically sound but runs were crucial at this stage and he went leg before on the same score.

Darwen's charge was then delayed by the bowlers Richard Ellwood and Alan Fawcett, who added 29 for the last wicket as they extend the innings for 11 overs.

Kendal did themselves no favours when dropping three straight-forward catches and a couple of more difficult chances behind the wicket in the Darwen innings.

It let the champions off the hook and Keith Semple capitalised with eight fours in his top-scoring 44.

By the time Darwen started to wobble and lost three wickets for 16 runs, they were within sight of victory, which came up at 136-5 with more than 20 overs to spare.

April 25, 2003 10:30