Mounsey gets the runs for the Curry Club
John Mounsey was Blackpool's hero against Fleetwood |
Blackpool celebrated with a team curry in Poulton after becoming the second team to qualify for Finals Day in the Latham Baxendale Twenty20 Cup after a nail-biting last over win over Fleetwood at Stanley Park.
John Mounsey was in the runs, his mature and responsible innings of 71 not out the key feature as Blackpool chased down Fleetwood's 127 for 8 to win by seven wickets with two balls remaining.
Mounsey defied the glowering skies and a fired-up Fleetwood attack to steer his side home, facing 70 balls and hitting five fours and one six in what was a winner-takes-all decider in South One group.
John Mounsey survives a narrow scrape against Mark Wilkinson |
Mounsey and Alex Smith shared an opening stand of 61 in 10 overs and then Mounsey combined in a second wicket stand of 55 with pro Nimesh Perara that took Blackpool to the verge of their victory target.
Perera rode his luck and was dropped twice before he fell to a superb caught-and-bowled by Ryan Smith for 24 off 19 balls.
As the tension rose Smith ran out Andy Furniss and bowled a maiden over in the 19th over with the home side still five runs short of victory.
Mounsey and Andy Hogarth scrambled three singles off the first three balls of the last over bowled by Sam Bell. Hogarth was then dropped at extra cover off the fourth ball and the batsmen ran two to see their side through in the gloaming just before nine o'clock.
Nimesh Perera was Blackpool's bowling ace with four for 22 |
Stand-in wicketkeeper Ben Heath and pro Perera were the heroes as Blackpool restricted the visitors to a slightly below par score.
Heath, deputising for the unavailable Robert Sissons behind the timbers, pulled off a superb legside catch off Hogarth to dismiss Fleetwood pro and captain Matt Frith just when he looked like taking command.
Frith made 25 off 13 balls to give his side a quick start including four fours and one six.
Smith and Mounsey combined to dismiss the dangerous Smith who hit one six and one four before falling to Mounsey's well-judged catch off Smith's bowling.
Perera's leg-spin then dominated the Fleetwood batsmen as he reeled off four overs and took four for 22, claiming the wickets of Matt Clark, Mark Wilkinson, Chris Stanhope and Adam Sharrocks.
Richard Gleeson (one for 16) and Smith (one for 18) were other key Blackpool bowlers.
Tom Wilson (14 not out) and Adam Breakell (12 not out) helped steer Fleetwood towards respectability, Breakell hitting his runs off just five balls.
Tom Wilson makes late innings runs for Fleetwood off Steven Mercer |
South One winners Blackpool join North One winners Netherfield in the Finals Day on Sunday 25 July with the winners of the other two groups still to be decided.
Blackpool captain Paul Danson missed the game through a dislocated finger but hopes to be fit for Finals Day. Steven Mercer deputised as captain.
SCORES:
Blackpool 128 - 3 defeated Fleetwood 127 - 8
