Morecambe underlined their title challenge with a convincing six-wicket victory over Barrow at Woodhill Lane, eventually cruising to a modest victory target of only 121.

Barrow will be disappointed to go away from a game in which they competed well without a single bonus point to show for their efforts, but their disappointing batting on a slow, seaming wicket proved their undoing.

Mark Lomas, the Morecambe captain, invited Barrow to bat after winning the toss and the visitors made a disastrous start.

Cumberland batsman Darren Clark was deceived by Gareth Pedder's slower ball and was caught and bowled for a duck, before teenage opener Jon Miles was caught behind off Pedder to leave the visitors struggling at 7 for 2 in the fifth over.

It might have been worse for Barrow had professional Pasan Wanasinghe not been dropped in the slips by Lomas off Pedder in the seventh over, but it was a very difficult chance to one of the league's best slip fielders.

Wanasinghe went on to bat through the rest of the innings and barely looked in trouble after that let-off, although he did survive a stumping appeal after good work by Damian Gudgeon from Graham Lee's bowling.

But while the Sri Lankan looked a class batsman, he never looked to dominate the bowling or put pressure on the field by looking for sharp singles and so Morecambe were rarely troubled as the innings ambled along.

Ian Kermode and Ian Allington never got on top of the bowling despite long stays at the crease, the former falling LBW to Jono Gates for 15 and the latter bowled by Morecambe professional Bruce Martin for 22.

Morecambe's four-pronged bowling attack looked impressive, with Pedder bowling a good early spell and Gates reeling off 12 overs that deserved more than his single-wicket haul.

Left-armers Lee and Martin then bowled for the second half of the innings and each picked up a couple of wickets, Lee finishing with 2 for 45 off 17 overs and Martin 2 for 29 off 13.

Wanasinghe reached his half century in the closing stages and batted through to finish unbeaten on 63, in his side's disappointing total of 120 for 8.

The Sri Lankan was soon in action again with the ball, troubling the Morecambe batsmen with his movement off the seam.

Wanasinghe had Vishal Goyal caught behind off the first ball of the innings, bowled Mark Woodhead forsix and then saw Lomas play-on for four to leave Morecambe struggling at 20- 3.

But former Morecambe skipper Phil Thornton survived the early carnage and in partnership with Martin settled the ship.

The pair's fourth-wicket partnership of 76 took Morecambe safely towards their victory target, before Martin was caught behind for 36 to become Wanasinghe's fourth victim.

But Thornton, who batted impressively, and Phil Dennison, steered More-cambe home with nearly 20 overs to spare.

Thornton reached a well-deserved half-century just before the close and finished 52 not out.

n ON Bank Holiday Monday, Morecambe faced Chorley at Woodhill Lane, and the visitors won the toss and decided to bat.

Openers Tolley and Catterall got them away to a good start, Tolley eventually going for 54 and Catterall 41.

The middle order then collapsed, the next four batsmen mustering just seven runs between them, before Moulton's unbeaten 40 pushed the final total to 169-8.

Vishal Goyal put his first-ball duck on Saturday behind him and his half-century was the mainstay of Morecambe's reply.

But despite late support from Martin, Pedder and Dennison, the chase fell short at 142-7, as Chorley secured a winning draw.