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The much anticipated Cup clash between the top two teams in the Northern League resulted in a resounding victory for Darwen as they defeated St Annes by 39 runs after one of the most impressive batting performances seen from a Darwen side for many years.

Batting first, the Darwen openers Ainslie and Lowe set their tempo for the innings with a stand of 64 and the Darwen youngster Lowe then shared in partnerships of 56 with professional Petrie (40 from 47 balls) and of 71 with Gareth Cordingley (45 from 40 balls) as the ball was hit to all parts of the ground.

Lowe finished with a splendid 71, his highest score for Darwen and skipper Hacking added a belligerent 25 from 19 balls at the end to totally demoralise St Annes as the Birch Hall side reached 233 from only 40 overs.

Set with an asking rate of six an over, St Annes were always behind the clock in the face of tight Darwen bowling and keen fielding, and the game was effectively over with 10 overs still remaining and St Annes still requiring 120 to win to give Darwen a home tie in the next round on August 1 against Morecambe who Darwen defeated earlier this season in the Vaux Samson Cup in a last ball thriller. Another batting masterclass from Roland Horridge guided Chorley out of trouble against Lancaster at Windsor Park and secured a second round home tie with Leyland in the Vaux Bitter Cup. Leg spinner Keith Eccleshare took 5-24 as Lancaster were bowled out in the final over for 154 but in reply Chorley were soon up against it at 43-4.

Partnerships of 40 and 51 for the fifth and sixth wickets between the unflappable Horridge and Michael Critchley and Rex Purnell respectively rescued Chorley's cause and the match really turned their way when Horridge imperiously square cut Phil Dennison for four boundaries in five balls. After Horridge finally departed for 80, professional Josh Marquet finished the proceedings in style, striking the luckless Dennison for four and six off successive deliveries to see Chorley to victory by three wickets with six balls to spare.