LANCASHIRE had to pull out all the stops to beat Durham in their opening Daily Telegraph Northern Counties League match at Heysham.

They lost the foursomes 4-2 and despite storming back by winning the top four singles the issue was in the balance until Reece Cranfield, on his debut, dispatched Andrew McCarrick 3&2 in the final tie to secure a 10-8 victory.

England international Paul Kinnear and John Carroll gave Durham, who finished bottom of the league last year after losing all five fixtures, an encouraging start to the foursomes by succumbing on the home green to Richard Asbitt and James Glenn.

Lancashire halved the next two matches then Joe Brice and Jack Shelley appeared to put them in the ascendancy after eclipsing Jason McGuire & Jamie Birkbeck 4&2 before Durham emphatically won the last two matches.

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