White Coppice 1st XI slipped to sixth place in Division Five of the Palace Shield League after a frustrating 39-run defeat against second-placed Thornton Cleveleys 3rds.
Thornton Cleveleys play their home matches at St Aidans School on the only artificial wicket in the division.
It meant the players had to wear trainers when batting to avoid damaging the pitch.
Captain Jake Smalley won the toss and asked Thornton to bat first.
Coppice leading wicket-taker Matt Tinsley bowled 12 overs without luck to finish wicketless as Thornton’s openers Andy Brown (23) and Alistair Mews (49) combined to compile a match-winning partnership of 77 for the first wicket.
After the drinks break, Ryan Adderley made the breakthrough when Brown was well caught by Tinsley at mid-off.
Top scorer Mews fell to a brilliant catch by Amaan Ughradar at mid-on one short of his 50.
Adderley burgled figures of 3-28 – taking him to 25 league victims in an impressive debut season – but the best bowling performance came from Ibby Akram, who took 4-49 off 15 overs.
He was well supported in the field by Joe Seager, who took one catch and a run-out as Thornton collapsed to 140 all out.
Openers Bobby Wood and Chris Maguire returned from holiday and were both dismissed for 4.
Only Ryan Adderley (32) and Ibby Akram (21) reached double figures as Coppice’s batters failed to come to grips with playing on an artificial wicket.
Thornton took several good catches and ran out deserving winners.
Coppice head to New Longton on Saturday.
Both Sunday games fell victim to the weather.