LANCASHIRE were put to the sword by their old enemy Yorkshire in an one-sided Roses battle at Ganton.
A humiliating 14-4 defeat - their second highest in 18 years - also cost them the Northern Counties League title as Cumbria leapfrogged them to the top of the table.

The only consolation was that the Tykes finished one below them in third place but the manner in which Lancashire capitulated will give skipper Cliff Bowman a few sleepless nights.

He admitted: "They were Premiership class and we were First Division. It's as simple as that but we're still on a learning curve and we'll get over this.

"Conditions were not easy because the course was bouncy and greens lightning fast - they must have been 13 on the stimp meter. Yorkshire adapted better but we did not cope as well as we could do."

Pledge

And Bowman vowed: "We will persevere with the youngsters. They are the players who will help us bounce back."

Lancashire, who have not beaten Yorkshire since 1997 when they last captured the league crown, gave no hint of the impending disaster in the singles after they had trailed by only a point in the foursomes.

It was their most inept performance since their rivals inflicted on them a record 15-3 defeat at Royal Birkdale three years ago and the sole winner on that occasion was Accrington's Trevor Foster who was again the only player to keep his self-esteem after walloping Alan Bradley seven and six.

Cheshire, who ended Yorkshire's league hopes this season when they beat them at Ringway, signed off with a five point win over wooden spoonists Durham at Castle Eden to finish fourth.