By Michael Latham
League chairman Norman Poole presents the cup to Chris Dovey |
Leyland just beat the weather and their local rivals to lift the Furness Building Society Second Division Cup.
Chris Dovey's side defeated Chorley at Fox Lane on run rate in the final after the weather intervened.
After posting an imposing 208 for 6 in their 40 overs Leyland had one eye on the threatening rain clouds as Chorley began their reply.
With a minimum of ten overs needed to be bowled to constitute a result Leyland succeeded not only in keeping Chorley below the required run rate but also capturing four wickets.
Chorley were 40 for 4 after 13 overs when rain stopped play at 4.42pm and with no let-up in the conditions play was abandoned at 5.30pm.
League Chairman Norman Poole presented Leyland captain Dovey with the cup and Chorley skipper John Hotham with the runners-up cup on the steps of the Fox Lane pavilion.
It was to the huge credit of the Leyland groundstaff and players that play was able to commence on time after extensive mopping up operations following a week of heavy rain. A good-sized crowd had gathered as play began in weak sunshine but with rain forecast to move in from the west around four o'clock.
After being invited to bat Leyland made a brisk start as openers Wes Royle and Martin Brown took advantage of the fielding restrictions in the first 15 overs.
Brown hit five fours in his 28 before being caught off Matthew Critchley while Royle hit three fours and a six before he was second man out caught off Louis Sweeney for 37 with Leyland 80 for 2 in the 15th over.
Wes Royle gave the Leyland innings an early impetus with 37 |
Ian Farrington and Andrew Makinson, who both hit unbeaten half centuries in the league game at Carnforth on Saturday, continued their good form to consolidate the good start.
The pair added 90 for the third wicket in 19 overs with some selective hitting and fine running between the wickets.
Though Makinson fell to a fine stumping by Rowan Mitcham off Kieran McCullagh for 37 (including four fours and one six), Farrington continued to provide the backbone of the Leyland innings.
Farrington had reached a fine 70 and seen his side past the 200-mark when he was caught off Richard Flood in the last over, having hit four fours and two sixes.McCullagh and Flood each took two wickets for Chorley.
Ian Farrington hits out in his innings of 70 |
Chorley's reply began disastrously when McCullagh was caught at mid off off Stephen Cartwright in the second over.
Mitcham was trapped leg before by Steven Pallett and skipper Hotham superbly caught behind by Stuart Parker off Pallett.
Monty Cottam bowled Ian Mawdsley immediately after entering the attack and Chorley were struggling to make much headway when the rains came. David Catterall was unbeaten on 16 having hit the only three boundaries of the Chorley innings.
The victorious Leyland side |
