FLEETWOOD OVERCOME DARWEN
Fleetwood 164-8, Darwen 92
By Gerry Wolstenholme
John Wright won the toss and elected to bat at Broadwater on Saturday when rain reduced the game to one of 78 overs, 41 to Fleetwood and 37 to Darwen. Fleetwood made 164-8 in their allocation but Darwen only used 34.5 of theirs as they were bowled out for just 92.
Fleetwood, as has often been the case this season, lost an early wicket when Wayne Clarke, one, cut Andrew Mercer to John Cordingley in the gully and that was 8-1. The two Michaels, Dewhurst and Clinning, then embarked on a fruitful partnership of 50 before Dewhurst, 25, played a poor shot and was caught by Keith Semple at extra cover to give Gareth Cordingley the first of his five wickets. Doug Marillier quickly followed Dewhurst back to the pavilion for when he had made just three he drove Gareth Cordingley to mid-on where Mercer took the catch and he had gone for three at 65-3. And Wright's stay at the crease was also a short one as, on two, he rather lamely presented Semple with a simple catch at short extra cover and it was 71-4.
Clinning was dropped off a relatively simple chance at mid-on by Stuart Grant when he had made 39 as he and Rob Clark took the total to 97 before Clark, 15, was caught by Jeff Hacking off Gareth Cordingley. Clinning did not prosper much after his good fortune for when he had made 45, from 87 balls with five fours, he followed a wide one from Gareth Cordingley and was caught by Graeme Parkinson and it was 101-6.
There followed the most enterprising batting of the innings as Adam Sharrocks and James Ellis ran swiftly between the wickets to give Fleetwood a chance of defending a reasonable total. Sharrocks took the lead and in a sparkling innings, made 43 not out from just 35 balls with three sixes and two fours. Ellis made 17 before he was run out in the final over and Hill followed similarly when he and Sharrocks tried to gain an extra run when the ball went through to the wicketkeeper. Parkinson's underarm throw beat Hill's raised bat and Fleetwood closed on 164-8 with Gareth Cordingley's five wickets costing him 55 runs.
When Darwen replied Fleetwood immediately struck savage blows and eight wickets were lost before the half-century was reached. Marillier took a stunning, diving catch at slip to dismiss John Cordingley, one, off the bowling of Tom Blundell and it was 4-1. And it was 4-2 when Gary Jackson, one, edged Hill to Ellis. Gareth Cordingley perished for two when he too edged Blundell to Marillier at slip and Darwen had lost three key wickets for just 10 runs, It could have been even worse but the usually safe Marillier dropped Semple at slip before the Darwen professional had scored.
Neil Cordingley made two before Dave Fish forced him to play on at 35-4 and then Hill bowled Semple, seemingly off his body, for 21 at 36-5. Fish had Darwen skipper Chris Lowe playing on for nought at 37-6 before Jeff Hacking made a valiant 10 before he departed leg before wicket to Fish at 49-7. And with Grant, nought, being caught by Wright off bat and pad at silly mid-on it was a disastrous 49-8.
With Fleetwood applying the pressure with four slips, two gullies, silly mid-on, silly mid-off and short extra cover, there were runs to be had and Mark Emery and Mercer made the most of the opportunity. They put a little more respectability onto the Darwen total with a partnership 42 in 26 minutes before Blundell returned to bowl Mercer for 15 at 91-9. Parkinson defended stoutly but Blundell ended the innings when he yorked Emery who had made a top score of 29 from 44 balls with five fours. Darwen were therefore routed for just 92 to lose by 72 runs.
