CHORLEY tail-enders Chris Maguire and Keiron McCullogh can expect a couple of bottles of champagne from Netherfield after they held on for a draw at Blackpool to hand the Cumbrians the Northern Premier Cricket League title.

It was desperate stuff at Stanley Park as Blackpool fought their way through the Chorley line-up.

Blackpool had to win to tie with Netherfield at the top of the table and edge the title as they had won more matches. However, they didn't quite make it.

Netherfield beat Morecambe easily and then had to wait an agonising half an hour as the Chorley game drew to a close.

Six wickets down and eight overs left; then seven down and five to go; before eight down and 12 balls to go.

However, Maguire and McCullogh held on grimly as last man Bill Smith waited in the pavilion.

The result was greeted with a great cheer from the listening Netherfield team for whom professional, Callum Ferguson had earlier hit 74 to set a new league batting record for a season.

His total of 1,381 eclipsed the 1984 record of Terry Hunte, who had amassed 1,351 which, in turn, had beaten the legendary Bill Alley's best back in the 50s.

Ferguson, 23, from South Australia said: “It was a slow start as I got accustomed to the slower wickets here but then it all came together. I’ve really enjoyed it.”

Darwen finished a disappointing season in style with a win at Fleetwood.

Darwen hit 169-6, pro Atif Ashraf being run out on 95, and Fleetwood collapsed to 122 after being 84-0. Skipper Andrew Cook took 4-6.

It was big-hitter Ashraf’s last inning for Darwen but he is hoping to find another club in the North West for next season. He holds the league’s individual batting record with an unbeaten knock of 208 against Barrow last season and has scored more than 800 league runs this season.

Netherfield finished the season on 209 points with Kendal, winners against Preston, moving up to second on 203.

Blackpool were third on 200. Chorley were seventh and Darwen eighth.