THE ROAD towards a Lord's final ended for Milnthorpe with a six-wicket defeat on their trip to Streethouse near Pontefract to play in the last 32 of the Wadworth 6X National Village Cricket Championship on Sunday.

Awaiting the visitors was a very green, damp wicket and on losing what was a vital toss, Milnthorpe were invited to have first knock and mustered 109.

Openers Mike Wills and John Naylor were soon in trouble against a tight bowling attack with the ball seaming and swinging awkwardly and both had departed by the 10th over and only 11 runs had been scored.

Steve Bowman (20) and skipper Chris Baldwin (14) went some way to repairing the early damage, but neither looked comfortable and fell in successive overs to leave the visitors 50-4 with half of their 40-over allocation gone.

It was crucial that some dug in and played responsibly and Nathan Burr batted extremely well for 24 before being caught off a rising delivery at backward point.

From there on, only Lee Hargreaves took the attack to the bowlers and played well for his 15 as Milnthorpe got into three figures.

Any thought Streethouse had of an easy passage were dampened by the Milnthorpe bowlers Kevin Stevenson and Baldwin.

Stevenson took two early wickets to have the home side in trouble at 6 for 2.

Two tight decisions went against Milnthorpe appeals and when Wills missed a difficult caught-and-bowled chance with Rhodes on 22, things were definitely not going the visitors' way.

However, Milnthorpe struck twice in successive overs to reduce Streethouse to 44-4 after 20 overs and suddenly it was game back on.

Despite a superb nine overs of swing bowling from Wills, who finished with figures of 9-3-1-16, Rhodes and Hughes took the Yorkshire side through to a winning total of 110-4 in the 35th over, with Rhodes batting solidly for an excellent unbeaten 59.

It ended a tight, entertaining struggle enjoyed by a 200-strong crowd.