Match Day 19th July- 2003
CUP FEVER
COULD IT BE FOUR FROM THE NORTH
By Gerry Wolstenholme
With two games to go (except for Netherfield and Leyland who have only one) it could be that the four northernmost clubs will feature in the semi-finals of the Northern Premier League Smooth Beer Cup competition. Morecambe and Netherfield, in Group One, and Lancaster and Kendal in Group Two are favourably placed to make the last four.
Morecambe racked up a massive 268-5 against St Annes thanks to centuries from Phil Dennison, 102, and Ramesh Powar, 105.They then restricted St Annes to 223-9, despite 72 from Geoff Love, to win by 45 runs. Netherfield, having comfortably defeated Leyland in their re-arranged game last weekend, had a closer call against Chorley who batted first and made a modest 134 with 27 each from Tom Smith and James Fazackerley being the top score. All the Netherfield bowlers performed well with Scott Clement's 3-21 the best effort. Netherfield's reply owed much to Craig Walmsley who made 59 with two sixes and seven fours but it went to the final over before they finally made the 135-6 that earned them a four-wicket victory. Pieter Strydom made 25 and Tommy Prime, 11 not out, and Danny Welbourne, 10 not out, saw their side home with two balls remaining. Stephen John took 3-13 for Chorley.
In Group Two, Renier Munnik made 110 not out for Lancaster as they made 215-6 against Leyland Motors. Ian Parkinson made 41 while David Makinson was the best of the Motors bowlers with 3-28. Munnik then displayed his all-round ability with 3-30 and Chris Glover took 3-22 as Motors were bowled out for 147 to lose by 68 runs. Asif Ashraf made 50 and Lawrence Shackleton chipped in with 25 but only Braithwaite, 11, and Rounding, 14, of the rest made double figures.
Kendal meanwhile disposed of Fleetwood in a rain-affected game at Broadwater. The Cumbrians batted first and made161-6 with skipper Dave Fallows top scoring with 40 not out and Terry Hunte, 31, and Simon Little, 30, making significant contributions. Fleetwood's reply was interrupted by rain but they had already lost seven wickets by then for fewer than 100. On the resumption an eighth was lost and with it the game as their 86-8 meant a 44-run defeat in the re-assessed target. Newcomer John Hall made top score of 22 while Hunte took 3-8 in 5.3 overs.
Elsewhere in Group Two, Leyland defeated Blackpool at Stanley Park by 86 runs and that after making only 164 themselves. Zubair Patel made a top score of with the bat of 38 but Blackpool, as can be their wont, conceded 48 extras, as Steve Pallett's 17 was the next best effort with the bat. Darron Walton took 3-27 for Blackpool and he was left stranded at the end of the game with nine not out as Paul Haydock took the last four wickets, including taking a hat-trick. Steve Croft had once again top scored for Blackpool with 25 but a couple of rain breaks upset the Blackpool reply that at one time stood at 45-2. Eventually it was 78 all out with Haydock bowling Steve Metcalf, having Chris Bullen leg before wicket and bowling Martin Hackett for his hat-trick. He then ended the game by bowling last man Ross Parker to end with an impressive 4-26. And Patel took 3-11 as Leyland's slim hopes of a last four spot were maintained.
The other game in Group One saw Preston well beaten by Darwen who won their first game of the competition. Only 41 not out by skipper Glenn Johnstone saw Preston to a reasonable 146-7 after Munaf Bavla's 25 was the best of the top order and Jeff Hacking had taken 3-28. Darwen had won inside 30 overs as, after the loss of three early wickets, Keith Semple, 66 not out, and John Cordingley, 36 not out, powered Darwen home. But it may be too little too late for the east Lancashire side.
Results in brief (home side in bold):
Leyland 164, Blackpool 78 (Haydock 4-26)
Chorley 134, Netherfield 135-6 (Walmsley 59)
Kendal 161-6 (Fallows 40*), Fleetwood 86-8
Lancaster 215-6 (Munnik 110*), Leyland Motors 147 (Ashraf 50)
Preston 146-7 (Johnstone 41*), Darwen 147-3 (Semple 66*)
Morecambe 268-5 (Powar 105, Dennison 102), St Annes 223-9 (Love 72, Cotton 44)
In Group One Morecambe lead the way with three wins in three games with Netherfield in second place with three wins and a defeat in four games. Leyland in third place may still have a chance of qualifying (depending on other results) as they have two wins and two defeats from their four games. It is most unlikely that Chorley, one win, two defeats, Blackpool 1/2 and St Annes, 0/3, will be in contention when the final table is produced.
In Group Two Lancaster and Kendal have three wins and the only other side in with any reasonable chance of a last four spot is Leyland Motors with two wins and one defeat. Darwen, one win and two defeats, will need a miracle while Preston and Fleetwood, both 0/3, are most definitely out of the running.
ACTION REPLAY:
DENNISON AND POWAR LEAD THE WAY
Morecambe 268-5, St Annes 223-9
By Gerry Wolstenholme
A Cup tie of almost 500 runs at Vernon Road on Saturday was almost just what the spectators ordered. The only down side was that the visitors came out on top by 45 runs as their 268-5 was too many for St Annes who posted a creditable 223-9 in reply.
There was even joy at the start for St Annes as Morecambe's prolific opener Mark Woodhead was bowled by Roger Banks for three and that after Geoff Love had uncharacteristically dropped Phil Dennison at slip when he was on four. The mistake cost 98 runs for Dennison was eventually out for a magnificent 102, plundering the bowling at all times and hitting four sixes and 11 fours in a rampaging display. He added 158 with Ramesh Powar who himself made a more subdued 105 with two sixes and seven fours.
Dennison perished when he skied Banks to Steve Twist at mid-on after which Phil Thornton asserted his usual powerful self on the game. He only made 30 but it came in quick time and when he was bowled by Love there was only one over left. Powar fell to a run out and Gareth Pedder perished in the chase for quick runs when caught by Gareth Evans off Twist for two. Faruk Patel, one not out, and Tommy Clough, five not out, saw Morecambe to their 268-5.
The St Annes reply got off well as Adrian Darlington hit 20 of the first 21 runs before he was caught behind by Lewis Edge off Powar and the same duo accounted for his opening partner Evans. He was stumped for 10 and when Twist was also caught behind off Peter Stephens, St Annes were in trouble at 65-3.
Adam Cotton did his best to hit them out of it but when he had made a speedy 44 from 41 balls with one six and seven fours, he skied to square leg where Dennison took the catch off Patel and that was 81-4. Duncan Whalley made five before he was fifth out at 87 when Patel bowled him but then Love and Russ Bradley made a fight of it by adding 95 runs in 15 overs. Dennison was then brought into the attack and he bowled Bradley for 37 which left Love to fight on to 72, made from 85 balls with two sixes and seven fours, before he top edged to third man where Clough held a tumbling catch.
By then it was almost all over for David Bartholomew had been bowled by Andy Bird for two and later Dave Taylor was caught and bowled by man-of-the-match Dennison for two that left Banks on 17 not out, Michael Baer on one not out and St Annes 223-9 defeated by 45 runs. Their interest in the competition has now evaporated and their final two games are of academic interest only. Morecambe meanwhile lead the way with three wins out of three.
Second Division scores in brief (home side in bold):
Fleetwood 155, Kendal 156-2 (Dodds 61*, Caswell 44),
Leyland 119 (Taylor M 4-10), Blackpool 122-7
Leyland Motors 132-8 (Baines 46), Lancaster 67-1
Lancaster won on faster scoring rate
Netherfield 203-8 (Rodham 45, Goldstein 44), Chorley 166-4 (Dixon 90, Hotham 68)
Chorley won on faster scoring rate
Morecambe 134-8 (Fisher 41), St Annes 64-2
Morecambe won on faster scoring rate
Preston 137 (Dixon 51), Darwen 130 (Clarke 47, Wright 4-19)
In Group One of the Second Division Morecambe are the only team with three wins while Blackpool have two wins and a defeat. Netherfield in third place have played four games (as have Leyland) and have a 2/2 record. St Annes and Chorley, both 1/2, and Leyland, 1/3, bring up the rear.
In Group Two it is Preston with a one hundred per cent record of three wins, while Lancaster and Darwen have two wins and one defeat, Kendal and Leyland Motors have a 1/2 record, and Fleetwood have lost all three games.
