DE WET HERO FOR CHORLEY
Chorley became the second team to qualify for T20 Finals Day at Stanley Park on Sunday, 27 July when they defeated Darwen by 11 runs at Windsor Park on Friday evening.
Chorley won three of their four group games, Leyland two and Darwen, holders of the T20 trophy, just one.
It was to the huge credit of both sides that the game was completed in the gloom at 9:17pm after rain throughout most of the day had left the Windsor Park playing area saturated.
Chorley opener Ian Oakes survives a run out attempt |
Friedel de Wet was the Chorley hero with an innings of 66 off 55 balls that included four sixes and three fours.
Chorley pro Friedel de Wet hits out during his innings of 66 |
De Wet's third-wicket partnership of 82 with Will Moulton (30) underpinned Chorley's 144 for 6.
But the South African professional was clearly affected by a dramatic incident after passing 50 when one of his sixes cleared the short leg-side boundary on the cemetery side of the ground, and amazingly and alarmingly hit a woman on the head who was tending a grave.
Friedel de Wet is bowled by Darwen skipper Andrew Cook |
Thankfully it is understood the victim has recovered from the ordeal but de Wet was very upset by the disturbing incident.
Darwen captain Andrew Cook and promising all-rounder Kamran Anwar each took two wickets in a tight Darwen display of out-cricket in the difficult conditions.
Darwen's reply wrested upon the shoulders of in-form opener John Cordingley and pro Atif Ashraf.
But after hitting 29 including three fours and a six Cordingley was caught and bowled by Kieran McCullagh.
Darwen opener John Cordingley hooks a six |
Ashraf had made ten when he fell victim to a wonder catch by Nigel Eastham on the mid-wicket boundary.
Eastham knocked the ball up in the air, stepped over the boundary then back into the field of play before completing the catch.
Despite resistance from Anwar (21), Andrew Brown (16) and Mark Bennett (20 not out) Darwen always faced a stiff task after that and they finished 11 runs short in a battling effort.
Jim Lee emerged as the Chorley bowling hero with a superb spell of 4 for 19, taking a wicket in each of his four overs, while Moulton chipped in with two dismissals.
Chorley join hosts Blackpool in the T20 finals with the winners from each of the northern groups still to be decided.
