ST ANNES needed just one run for victory off five and a half overs in their Northern Premier League Division One game at Fleetwood on Saturday.

But then the umpires headed for the pavilion and the game ended as a rain affected draw!

Stunned St Annes batsmen Adam Cotton and Sean Bickerdike could not believe it was all over, and it was several minutes before they accepted the inevitable and left the field.

What puzzled the St Annes players was that earlier in the innings they had been allowed to play on through a heavy rain squall and very bad light.

In the over before the game was called off, Joe Davies had hit a boundary and three runs to bring the scores level. But he was caught for 72 off the second ball of the next over. Bickerdike then defended against the next delivery only to discover that it was the last one he would be receiving!

Fleetwood had earlier suffered from the rain when they had to leave the field with their total at 93-4. When play resumed they collapsed to 103-9 but, frustratingly for St Annes, Jeremy Newman and Steve Hill shared in an unbroken last-wicket stand of 47 to take Fleetwood's final score to 150-9.

In reply St Annes were soon in trouble at 21-3, but Davies, Callaghan (22) and Cotton (37 not out) seemed to have put them on the road to victory, until the umpires stepped in.

St Annes Fourths ended their losing run in style with a 10-wicket victory over Anchorsholme "A."

Mick Auty took the honours and added to his growing all-rounder reputation. He blasted away the Anchorsholme top order to finish with 4-25 and also held three good catches. Tom Heap took 3-28, Mick Kelliher had 1-10 and young Martin Robinson grabbed 2-12 on his senior team debut.

Anchorsholme were all out for 83 and St Annes passed the total without loss with Auty ending on 49 not out after batting with a runner due to an achilles injury. Derek Dearden supported him with 25 not out.

THE RAIN may have kept alive Blackpool's hopes of overhauling Northern Premier League leaders Netherfield, who were their opponents at Stanley Park. Blackpool batted first and were dismissed for 133. Netherfield were 97 for four with five overs to go when rain finally put an end to the day's play.