MAN for all seasons Craig Walmsley led Netherfield's batting onslaught with a magnificent 123 against Leyland Motors in the Northern Premier League at Parkside on Saturday.

Walmsley, who plays football for Kendal County during the winter and cricket for Netherfield in the summer, approaches both sports with a direct, attacking style and took full advantage of a flat wicket and a fast outfield in the May sunshine.

And with South African professional Dale Benkenstein also contributing a fine 88, Netherfield amassed a score of 264 for 5 before declaring with seven overs of their innings remaining.

Leyland failed to mount a serious challenge and were dismissed for 116 as Netherfield strolled to a comprehensive 148-run victory.

Opening batsman Walmsley and Chris Parry put on 66 for the first wicket when Parry was caught at slip for 31 in the 19th over. Two overs later Netherfield lost a second wicket when Gareth White was held at mid-on for five.

Benkenstein provided quality and stability when he joined Walmsley and they shared a productive 164 partnership for the third wicket in 26 overs, both batsmen attacking the bowling with committed strokeplay.

It ended when Walmsley steered one to slip for 123 off 147 balls (2 sixes, 13 fours), his first century for the club this season and from 236 for 3, 14 more runs were added before Benkenstein holed out for 88 off 68 balls (4 sixes, 7 fours).

When Rishi Girdhari was the fifth wicket to fall, stumped in the next over, Netherfield skipper Tommy Prime declared on 264.

Ian Lilley was the most effective of the eight Motors bowlers with 4-48.

When they batted Motors made a slow but steady start, reaching 42 off 12 overs before Netherfield made the breakthrough.

Two wickets then fell in successive overs and they reached three figures on 101 for four, but then lost their last six wickets for just 15 runs.

The dismissal of Pakistani professional Atif Ashraf, who was fifth man out for a top-scoring 53, signalled the start of the rot in earnest as stand-in pace bowler Phil Hartley - deputising with Scott Clement and Ryan Wilson both injured - rattled through the tail for eye-catching figures of 4-6 off 2.5 overs.

Leg-spinner Marc Hadwin finished with 3-32 and Benkenstein was in the wickets again with 2-49 The 15-point maximum win lifts Netherfield to third place in the league table, six points behind Morecambe.

COMING UP: Netherfield travel to Barrow in the league on Saturday and then hosts neighbours Kendal in the tradtional Bank Holiday derby match on Monday (both 1pm).