By Michael Latham
Morecambe will play Darwen in the final of the
Division One Readers Cup on Sunday 29 August 2010. In the
Division Two Readers Cup Final Chorley will be at home to St
Annes on Sunday 5 September.
Morecambe completed a five wickets win over
Fleetwood at Woodhill Lane after bowling out the visitors for
160. Fleetwood lost their first three wickets for 26 but
valuable contributions by professional Matthew Frith (37),
Michael Clinning (44) and Adam Sharrocks (42) helped set a
competitive target. Graeme Cassidy took three for 36 with Reg
Cupit, Tommy Clough and Chris Williams each taking two
wickets.
Morecambe made a poor start, losing three
wickets for 23 but Phil Dennison (60 off 102 balls) and pro
Mandla Mashimbyi (50 off 61 balls) then added 109 for the
fourth wicket. With victory in sight both fell to Frith who
finished with three for 19 after also having Lewis Edge caught
behind. But Ryan Smith and Alex Thistlethwaite saw Morecambe
home with four balls to spare.
There was another thrilling finish at Birch Hall
where Darwen beat Blackpool by four wickets with seven balls
to spare. Alex Smith (37), Michael Moore (47) and Richard
Gleeson (29 not out) were the major contributors to
Blackpool's 180 for 8 after the start was delayed by 20
minutes due to morning rain. Four Darwen bowlers, Kamran
Anwar, Chris Clarke, Neil Cordingley and pro Mohammad Zaman
Khan each took two wickets.
Zaman Khan and Jordan Clarke then posted 82 for
the first wicket but when Clarke was caught at long on for 32
it heralded a collapse that saw Darwen lose five wickets for
17 runs. The pro was still there and added 41 with Chris
Clarke before he was caught brilliantly in the deep by Steven
Mercer for 72 off 84 balls to give Richard Gleeson his third
wicket. At 140 for 6 Blackpool were favourites but Clarke (36
not out) and Kamran Anwar (20 not out) batted brilliantly to
steer their side home.
In the Division Two Cup there were thrilling
last over victories for St Annes and Chorley both by three
wicket margins.
In the outstanding Division Two league game
Kendal caused a major surprise by defeating title-chasing
Blackpool by 51 runs at Shap Road.
RESULTS
Readers Cup
Semi-Finals
Division One
MORECAMBE v FLEETWOOD
Morecambe won by 5 wickets
Fleetwood 160 (39.1overs) (M Clinning 44, A
Sharrocks 42) Morecambe 164 for 5 (39.2 overs) (P Dennison 60,
M Mashimbyi 50)
DARWEN v BLACKPOOL
Darwen won by 4 wickets
Blackpool 180 for 8 (40 overs) (M Moore 47)
Darwen 182 for 6 (38.5 overs) (MZ Khan 72)
Division Two
BARROW v CHORLEY
Chorley won by 3 wickets
Barrow 150 (39.2 overs)
Chorley 151 for 7 (39.2 overs) (I Mawdsley
41)
ST ANNES v LANCASTER
St Annes won by 3 wickets
Lancaster 100 (34.4 overs) (M Liver 41) St
Annes 101 for 7 (39.3 overs) (A Taylor 43no)
League
Furness Building Society Northern Premier
Cricket League (in association with Readers Cricket
Balls)
Division Two
KENDAL v BLACKPOOL
Kendal (15pts) defeated Blackpool (1pt) by 51
runs
Kendal 175 for 5 (C Marshall 77no) Blackpool
124 (A Dugdale 6 for 15)