CENTURY FOR TAUFEEQ UMAR IN LANCASTER 2020 VICTORY
Taufeeq Umar hit a superb 105 to spearhead Lancaster's convincing 65-run victory over Carnforth at a sunlit Lune Road and get his side's Twenty20 campaign off to a flying start.
Taufeeq Umar hits his first century for Lancaster |
The Pakistan star, with 40 Tests for his country behind him, shared an opening stand of 157 in 18 overs with Mike Stevens that underpinned Lancaster's imposing total of 174 for 3.
Taufeeq Umar hoists Ryan Bailey for one of his 13 boundaries |
Stevens, Lancaster's stand-in captain for the evening, played an impressive supporting role with 46.
Mike Stevens uses his feet to hit Gareth Denwood through mid-wicket |
Umar then struck the decisive blow when he had Carnforth professional Ryan Bailey lbw for 11 and the visitors subsided to 109.
Carnforth's deputy captain Darren Moore had an evening to forget.
Moore sustained a finger injury when he spilled a steeping Umar shot in the deep with the Lancaster total on only 45 and was unable to bat in the Carnforth reply.
Bailey has taken over the Carnforth captaincy from the injured Moore for the league game at Morecambe on Saturday and the Thwaites Cup tie at Barrow on Sunday with club captain Adam Hornby unavailable.
Umar and Stevens gave a batting exhibition to savour for the healthy crowd at Lune Road, reaching their 50-partnership in the 8th over and moving past 100-mark in the 14th over.
Stevens eventually fell in the closing stages just short of his 50, caught by Pearce Jones in the deep off Gareth Denwood, who went on to emerge from the evening with figures of 3 for 32.
Umar drove Bailey for four to reach his hundred in the penultimate over before he was caught by Bailey at mid-wicket. The high class left-hander hit 11 fours and two sixes in his 67-ball innings.
Carnforth's victory hopes effectively ended when Umar snared Bailey early in their reply.
Rob Parker, whose lightning fast running between the wickets was a feature, hit 26 and Ben Hornby smashed two sixes in his innings of 31 before he was unluckily run out.
Ben Hornby hits two sixes as he top scored for Carnforth |
But Lancaster cruised to a convincing victory just after 9pm. Liam Moffat and Iain Burstow each picked up two wickets.
