PRESTON FALL AGAIN
Fleetwood 200-8 Preston 114 all out
By Gerry Wolstenholme
On a day when overnight rain prevented any play further down the coast at Stanley Park, Preston must have wished the same had happened at Broadwater. They won the toss, put Fleetwood in to bat and, after a promising start, allowed the home side to rattle up 200-8 in their 57 overs. And then in reply they stumbled from the start and after the loss of two very early wickets never really recovered to finish on 114 all out and suffer defeat by 86 runs.
Fleetwood's start was a reasonable one as the Preston bowlers produced good line and length to restrict free scoring. But John Wright, 30, and Michael Dewhurst, 27, put on 54 in 62 minutes before the former slashed at a short wide ball from Rudra Singh and edged a catch through to Paul Mann. Dewhurst followed him to the pavilion at 97 when he ran himself out when thinking of a run in which his partner, professional Gulam Bodi, had no interest.
Bodi and Michael Clinning then took the total to 138 before Bodi played a rash shot that ended in the safe hands of James Anyon. Paul Mann had earlier missed him from a routine stumping chance from Manoj Parekh but he was finally gone for 54, made from 97 balls with five fours. Clinning followed two runs later when he holed out to James Wright off Parekh for 17 and thereafter it was only the flashing blade of Mark Wilkinson that kept the scoreboard ticking over. He crashed 35 from only 22 balls and hit three gigantic sixes before he was eighth out at 193 when he tried once too often to smash Raouf Akbar to the boundary and was bowled.
By that time Singh had accounted for his fellow Lancashire Cricket Development Officer Bobby Denning, caught by Paul Mann for two, and Rob Clark, bowled for two. And with Akbar having Paul Hague caught by Glenn Johnstone for two, it was left to Alex Laird to scamper 11 runs that took Fleetwood to a final 200-8. Singh was the most successful bowler with 4-53.
Preston's reply could hardly have begun less favourably as both openers were back in the pavilion with only two runs on the board. Both made one as first Oliver Clayson was caught by Keith Riley off his glove and then Anthony Mann played on, both wickets falling to the impressive Dave Fish.
Ian McDonnell and Singh then threatened to build a partnership but both perished to the bowling of Laird as the total climbed to only 35. Singh, having played one delightful straight drive for four, found himself caught at point for 11 by Fish in the same over as a ball seemed to stop on him and he could not halt his stroke. Then McDonnell, who had also played one sweetly timed drive for four through extra cover, played away from his body and Clinning at slip snapped up the catch and he too was gone for 11.
Fish then quickly dismissed Paul Richardson, bowled for one, and Anyon, bowled for nought, before Akbar and Parekh threatened to dig in and take Preston to safety. But it was not to be for Parekh suddenly seemed to lose patience and carved Fish high wide and not very handsomely to Hague at point and he was gone for two as Preston were 62-7.
Akbar continued to play his shots and with Johnstone as his partner the pair looked as though they were determined to save the game. But Bodi deceived Akbar in the flight and a return catch was the result as the professional made his way back for 49 made from 67 balls with three sixes.
Johnstone and Paul Mann put up some resistance before the former holed out to Fish off Bodi and when the South African bowled Wright for one, Paul Mann was left not out 11 and Preston were all out for 114 to lose by 86 runs. Dave Fish finished with an impressive 5-26, Bodi had 3-26 and Laird 2-38.
Fleetwood's topsy-turvy season continues while Preston will have to put more stern resistance in their batting if they are not to fall the same way each week.
Division Two Results in brief (home team in bold):
Lancaster 146-9 (50 overs) (Higson 4-37, Wood 4-43),Kendal 21 (16 overs)
(Dawson 7-9)
Kendal 2 points, Lancaster 15 points
Blackpool 79 ( 45 overs) (Hatton 4-14),Leyland 80-6 (27.1 overs)
Blackpool 1 point, Leyland 12 points
Netherfield 157-5 (33.5 overs) (Haddrick 71, Dodds 44*, Hogan 4-75),
Leyland Motors 67 (32.1 overs) (Nixon 4-24, Hartley 4-32)
Netherfield 15 points, Leyland Motors 0 points
Morecambe v Chorley - match abandoned
Morecambe 4 points, Chorley 4 points
Preston 123 (34.1 overs)(Paynter 59, French 4-38), Fleetwood 80 (38 overs) (Kaye 5-27)
Preston 15 points, Fleetwood 3 points
St Annes 72 (39 overs) (Bonner 5-12), Darwen 73-4 (30 overs)
St Annes 0 points, Darwen 12 points
BAY 96.9 NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE
SECOND DIVISION TABLE
| Club |
P |
W15 |
W12 |
D4 |
D1 |
L |
NR4 |
BP |
Pts |
| Netherfield |
8 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
79 |
| Lancaster |
8 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
11 |
77 |
| Morecambe |
8 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
6 |
66 |
| Fleetwood |
8 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
13 |
64 |
| Leyland |
8 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
6 |
49 |
| Preston |
8 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
8 |
48 |
| Kendal |
8 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
7 |
40 |
| Darwen |
8 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
5 |
39 |
| Chorley |
8 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
37 |
| St Annes |
8 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
35 |
| Blackpool |
8 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
6 |
27 |
| Leyland Motors |
8 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
2 |
3 |
23 |
