By Michael Latham
Morecambe brought the curtain down on the 2008 season in fitting style, earning a nerve-wracking five runs victory over Preston in a low-scoring Furness Building Society Cup Final at Woodhill Lane.
It was a case of third time lucky for Mark Lomas's side who overcame their disappointment at missing out in the league title race and earlier in the season a place in the Twenty20 finals day by lifting the newly-sponsored league cup competition after the final had been rained off on each of the two previous Sundays.
Furness Building Society chief executive Rob Cairns was on hand to present the cup to the Morecambe captain as dusk settled on the ground bringing to an end a thrilling season of Northern Premier League cricket.
Morecambe's triumph was especially memorable for Phil Thornton, who has called time on his cricketing career but the day ended in disappointment for Preston captain Glenn Johnstone, who was playing his final game for the club before retirement.
The home side, invited to bat by Johnstone, had struggled to 122 for 9 in their 40 overs on a slow-paced pitch. Their innings, briefly interrupted by a spectacular fly-past of a Wellington Bomber from a nearby air show, was in ruins after Manoj Parekh helped inspire a collapse from 52 to 2 to 58 for 6. Parekh collected three for 13 from his eight overs, claiming the wickets of Mark Woodhead, Tommy Clough and Gareth Pedder.
Preston captain Glenn Johnstone brilliantly catches Mark Woodhead |
Joe Davies weighed in with the wickets of Thornton, for a battling 21 and Phil Dennison after Lukman Vahaluwalla had claimed the early wicket of opener Vishal Goyal, adjudged lbw for 10.
Johnstone made two superb catches in the outfield and then claimed a direct assist to run out Damian Gudgeon.
Morecambe were indebted to outgoing Kiwi pro Bruce Martin for setting a respectable target. Martin batted sensibly to nurse the tail and finish with an unbeaten 40 from 75 balls, hitting two sixes in the final over bowled by Munaf Bavla. Graham Lee leant valuable support in an ultimately vital ninth wicket stand of 28.
Despite losing openers Munaf Bavla and Sajid Patel, both victims of the accurate Jono Gates Preston looked in control of the game as Vahauwala and pro Bilal Asad added 50 for the third wicket.
But Gates kept Morecambe in contention, winning an lbw shout against Vahauwala to leave Preston 70 for 3 in the 16th over.
Gates bowled his eight overs at the start of the innings and finished with an impressive return of three for 21.
The complexion of the game turned when Bilal Asad was bowled by Graham Lee's second delivery of the game for 21 to leave Preston 74 for 4 in the 17th over.
Lee and spinners Martin and Clough exerted a powerful stranglehold on the game as the runs all but dried up for Preston's batsmen.
Yasin Patel was next to go, caught by Lomas at slip off Lee before Clough's off-spin accounted for Joe Davies. And when Faruq Saiyed was run out by a brilliant Gates throw in the deep Preston were rocking at 100 for 7.
Jonty McDonald looked secure until he was deceived by the flight and miscued a Clough delivery to Goyal at cover, as Preston slumped to 103 for 8 after 30 overs.
Parekh and Johnstone attempted to see their side home but the Preston captain fell lbw to Martin for 6 with his side 12 short of victory.
In a tense finish Parekh survived a chance at slip off Pedder before Clough came up trumps, bowling last man Charlie Williams to signal the start of wild Morecambe celebrations.
Preston CC prepare to take the field |
Morecambe skipper Mark Lomas lifts the Furness Building Society Cup |
The victorious Morecambe team |
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