Match Day 13th July 2002 NO CHANGE AT THE TOP By Gerry Wolstenholme There was no change at the top of the Northern Premier League table after this last weekend's round of games. All the top three won and therefore maintained their cushion over their challengers. Leaders Darwen had Andrew Mercer in fine form once again, continuing his rampage through Northern Premier League batsmen. He took yet another seven-wicket haul, this time 7-21 including a hat-trick, as Lancaster gamely tried to hold on but were bowled out in 51.4 overs for 89. This followed Darwen's 185-8 to which the prolific Gareth Cordingley contributed a top score of 66. Morecambe had little difficulty in beating bottom club Leyland Motors. They first of all rattled up 214-2 before declaring after only 47 overs with openers Phil Dennison and Mark Woodhead making 97 and 85 respectively. Motors were then shot out for only 53 with Ramesh Powar taking 4-16 and Peter Stephens 4-29. And third-placed Netherfield also won comfortably. At Parkside they dismissed Preston for 153 with only Oliver Clayson showing much resistance, as he remained undefeated with 69. Scott Clement took 4-20 and Pieter Strydom was a little more expensive with 4-41. Grahame Clarke made 70 in Netherfield's reply of 154-4 that took them to a six-wicket victory. Other winners on the day were Blackpool and Chorley. At Stanley Park, Blackpool won a low scoring game by three wickets but not after a few scares. Visitors St Annes pressed the self-destruct button and were bowled out for just 100 with Marcus Sharp taking 4-8 from 13 overs. Blackpool's reply stumbled along but an undefeated eighth wicket partnership took the to a three-wicket victory at 101-7. Chorley meanwhile made short shrift of Fleetwood. At Windsor Park Chorley rattled up 246-8 with Nigel Heaton scoring 62 and Stephen John 45 as Gulam Bodi had four rather expensive wickets for 80 runs. And it was John who led the way when Fleetwood batted. He took 5-42 as only Nick Coultas with 26 and Michael Dewhurst, 39, contributed significantly to the all out total of 112. The only game that did not end up in a definite result was at Leyland where the home side held on at 181-9 in reply to Kendal's massive 263-6 and this despite Richard Ellwood's return of 7-71. Main contributors to the Kendal score were Kabir Khan who made 80, Terry Hunte with 79 and the in-form Kevin Howarth with 51 not out. Results in brief (home team in bold): St Annes 100 (39 overs) (Sharp 4-8), Blackpool 101-7 (33.2 overs) St Annes 1 point, Blackpool 12 points Chorley 246-8 (57 overs) (Heaton 62, John 45, Bodi 4-80), Fleetwood 112 (47 overs) (John 5-42) Chorley 15 points, Fleetwood 2 points Darwen 185-8 (57 overs) (Cordingley G 66),Lancaster 89 (51.4 overs) (Mercer 7-21) Darwen 15 points, Lancaster 2 points Kendal 263-6 (57 overs) (Khan 80, Hunte 79, Howarth 51*), Leyland 181-9 (53 overs) (Ellwood 7-71) Leyland 4 points, Kendal 9 points Morecambe 214-2 dec (47 overs) (Dennison 97, Woodhead 85), Leyland Motors 53 (25 overs) (Powar 4-16, Stephens 4-29) Morecambe 15 points, Leyland Motors 0 points Preston 153 (56.3 overs) (Clayson 69*, Clement 4-20, Strydom 4-41),Netherfield 154-4 (27.3 overs) (Clarke 70) Preston 1 point, Netherfield 12 points BAY 96.9 NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE DIVISION ONE Club P W15 W12 D4 D1 L NR4 BP Pts Darwen 13 3 5 3 0 0 2 9 134 Morecambe 13 2 8 0 1 1 1 2 133 Netherfield 13 2 4 2 0 2 3 11 109 Kendal 13 3 1 2 1 3 3 14 92 Chorley 13 2 2 1 3 3 2 9 78 Fleetwood 13 1 2 2 2 4 2 18 75 Blackpool 13 2 1 2 2 5 2 13 73 Lancaster 13 1 0 3 3 4 2 24 62 St Annes 13 1 1 0 5 3 3 17 61 Preston 13 2 0 1 0 7 3 10 56 Leyland 13 0 2 0 1 7 3 17 54 Leyland Motors 13 1 0 2 0 8 2 15 46 ACTION REPLAY LOW SCORING THRILLER AT STANLEY PARK St Annes 100 all out Blackpool 101-7 By Gerry Wolstenholme It was a low scoring thriller at Stanley Park on Saturday as visitors St Annes were reduced to 100 all out in 39 overs to which Blackpool replied with 101-7 in 33.2 overs. Amazingly both sides were the same total after two overs - perhaps not normally surprising but when that total was 0-2 it is somewhat unusual. Jack Kelleher was undone by Marcus Sharp in the first over when he edged one of Sharp's stock balls through to wicketkeeper Martin Hackett and then professional Geoff Love ran himself out when, perhaps rather foolishly, taking on Steven Croft's arm for a quick single in the second over. And when Russ Bradley was caught at slip by Mark Lomas off Sharp St Annes were in big trouble at 13-3. Stephen Twist and Adrian Darlington took the total to 44 before the former was bowled by Croft for 17 and one run later St Annes pressed the self-destruct button again. Joe Davies set off for a second run before he had received a ball and Darlington did not respond. Despite the throw being very wayward there was still time for it to be returned to the wicketkeeper before Davies made his ground and it was a lamentable 45-5. Sean Bickerdike gave Darlington some support and the total climbed to 88 before the skipper lost his off stump to a good length ball to Danson. He had made 21. Darlington went on to 44 from 74 balls with eight fours but when he was out at 100-7 that was virtually the end of the innings. Sharp returned to bowl the top scorer and then Adam Taylor fell to a Hackett catch off Danson for three, Roger Banks, nought, was adjudged leg before wicket to Sharp and Mark Winder went the same way to Danson and it was all over at 100 before four o'clock. Sharp whose opening spell had been 8-8-0-2 took 4-8 from 13 overs and Danson, ever improving with his under-used off spin, took 3-5 in five overs. Blackpool's reply went the same way as that of St Annes. Davies bowled Simcock in the opening over and Steve Mercer edged a catch to Banks in the slips off Twist in the second. So they were also 0-2. Lomas made five before he fell to a catch by James Ellis off Twist and it was 10-3. Richard Lamb's return to the side ended when he had made just four as he too fell to an Ellis catch off Winder and Blackpool had limped to 27-4. Steven Croft and Chris Barrow by a mixture of aggression and solid defence took the total to 54 before the fifth wicket fell. And that was Croft who was caught at point by Taylor off Davies for a well constructed 20. Danson went first ball to a high catch at slip by Bickerdike so it was 54-6. Barrow, who had an escape at 16 when he was bowled by a Geoff Love no-ball, had made 33 when he drove Twist to extra cover. Kelleher dived forward and took a splendid low catch so Blackpool lost their seventh wicket at 69. But that was the limit of St Annes success as Oliver Newby, celebrating his call up to the England Under-19 squad to play India next Friday, and Hackett blunted the St Annes attack. Hackett defended stoutly while Newby gathered in the necessary runs to win the game. And when he pushed the single that took Blackpool to 101-7 and a three-wicket victory, he had made 30 not out while Hackett was on two. After the game the match winner commented "I just stayed there and tried to hit the bad ball for runs while Martin defended at the other end." And Hackett commented, "When I went in I was determined that they would not get me out and I said to Oliver, we only need 30-odd to win so let's battle it out. When we had reduced it to 20 I spoke to him again and then again when we had got the target down to 10." He did add with a smile, "My heart was in my mouth when he attacked and I told him to take it easy - the impetuosity of youth I suppose!" But the blend of youth and experience worked for Blackpool in the end as they picked up the 12 points. Second Division results in brief (home team in bold): Darwen 197-4 (50 overs) (Grant 53, Painter 50), Lancaster 198-4 (45.3 overs) (Cunliffe 60*) Darwen 2 points, Lancaster 12 points Fleetwood 107 (44.2 overs) (Harty 4-12), Chorley 108-6 (43.3 overs) Fleetwood 1 point, Chorley 12 points Leyland 97 (45.1 overs) (Brown 7-40), Kendal 98-8 (43 overs) (Edwards 6-47) Leyland 2 points, Kendal 12 points Morecambe 221-5 (50 overs) (Izzat 90*, Fisher 55), Leyland Motors 112 (41.1 overs) (Lyon 5-34) Morecambe 15 points, Leyland Motors 0 points Preston 180 (45.4 overs) (Southall 52, Nixon 5-47), Netherfield 127-7 (52 overs) Preston 7 points, Netherfield 4 points St Annes 182-7 dec (45 overs) (Evans 57, Hill 51), Blackpool 173-9 (51 overs) (Cragg 55, Booth 5-38) St Annes 8points, Blackpool 3 points BAY 96.9 NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE DIVISION TWO Club P W15 W12 D4 D1 L NR4 BP Pts Lancaster 13 3 5 2 0 1 2 11 132 Morecambe 13 3 4 1 2 1 2 9 116 Fleetwood 13 1 4 4 0 3 1 20 103 Netherfield 13 3 2 0 4 1 3 14 99 St Annes 13 1 4 1 1 4 2 6 82 Darwen 13 0 5 0 2 4 2 9 79 Leyland 13 2 1 2 1 5 2 9 68 Chorley 13 1 3 1 0 7 1 7 66 Kendal 13 0 3 1 1 6 2 11 60 Preston 13 2 0 1 2 6 2 14 58 Leyland Motors 13 0 3 1 0 7 2 7 55 Blackpool 13 1 1 1 2 7 1 12 49

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