Match Day 8th May 2004
MORECAMBE MOVE TO THE TOP
By Gerry Wolstenholme
Rain prevented League leaders Blackpool making a start against Leyland Motors at Stanley Park so Morecambe who were able to play stole a march on their seaside rivals by winning and leapfrogging them to take a four-point lead at the top of the table.
But it was not easy at Woodhill Lane as Leyland were bowled out for 123 with only Charlie Williams showing much resistance as he made a top score of 24. Professional Charl Langeveldt took 6-65 but when he succumbed for nought and with the top order also failing Morecambe were in trouble as only Phil Dennison, 22, made runs. Rajesh Yadav, at number six, and Nick Milner, at number seven, then got together and repaired the innings. Milner made 23 and Yadav 43 not out as Morecambe reached their target at 124-7 to win by three wickets. Parvez Suma took 4-57 for Leyland.
Darwen were also winners over high-flying Preston who were bowled out for 137 with the best efforts coming from Greg Bamber, 39, and Ian McDonnell, 27, while Keith Semple, 3-35, and Jeff Hacking, 3-30, took the bowling honours. Darwen won in a canter, losing only Gary Jackson for 12 as Semple made 58 not out and Mark Hadfield 52 not out. Their 138-1 gave them a nine-wicket victory.
Fleetwood's professional Doug Marillier had a good day at Parkside where he flayed the Netherfield attack for 105 made from only 92 balls with four sixes and seven fours. John Whalley who opened with Michael Dewhurst made 19 but after Dewhurst's 14, the middle order collapsed. It was left to James Ellis, a fighting 14 not out, to support the professional and they put on 76 for the seventh wicket that eventually helped Fleetwood to an all out total of 182 made in 53.1 overs. Stuart Nixon took 3-74 while professional Dale Benkenstein took 3-34, including a caught and bowled off Marillier.
Netherfield got off to a good start with Craig Walmsley making 32 and Tommy Prime 24 but thereafter no batsman reached double figures as Dave Fish whittled his way through the order with 7-24 and Marillier took four catches at slip. Fish's 7-42 reduced Netherfield to 108-9 and with 9 wickets down and 17 overs remaining it looked odds on a Fleetwood victory. But rain took 12 of the overs away and Netherfield survived the other five so for the third time this season Fleetwood missed an opportunity to take the winning points as the game was drawn.
James Ellis unfortunately suffered a broken nose near the end as a top edge flew up into his face and he will miss Fleetwood's National Knock-Out tie against Kendal today (Sunday)
It was a draw too at Barrow where the home side made 214-3 off only 40 overs thanks to 69 from Rawl Lewis, 54 from Robin Adams and 39 not out from skipper Ian Allington. Lancaster's reply was an unhealthy one but they managed to hold on for a draw at 148-7. Lee Sparks made a top score of 48, Steve Johnstone made 34 while Renier Munnik suffered his first failure of the season with just eight before Lewis, who took 4-35, bowled him.
There was no play at Chorley where St Annes were the visitors.
Results in brief (home teams in bold):
Barrow 214-3 (Lewis 69, Adams 54), Lancaster 148-7 (Sparks 48, Lewis 4-35)
Barrow 10 points, Lancaster 3 points
Blackpool v Leyland Motors - match abandoned, each side four points
Chorley v St Annes- match abandoned, each side four points
Preston 137, Darwen 138-1 (Semple 58*, Hadfield 52*)
Preston 0 points, Darwen 12 points
Leyland 123 (Langeveldt 6-65), Morecambe 124-7 (Yadav 43*, Suma 4-57)
Leyland 3 points, Morecambe 12 points
Fleetwood 182 (Marillier 105), Netherfield 108-9 (Fish 7-42)
Fleetwood 11 points, Netherfield 5 points
NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE
Division One
| Club |
P |
W15 |
W12 |
D4 |
D1 |
L |
NR4 |
BP |
Pts |
| Morecambe |
5 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
47 |
| Blackpool |
4 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
43 |
| Preston |
5 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
36 |
| Netherfield |
5 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
12 |
36 |
| Fleetwood |
4 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
12 |
36 |
| Lancaster |
5 |
0 |
0 |
2* |
2 |
0 |
1 |
18 |
33 |
| Darwen |
4 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
30 |
| Barrow |
5 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
18 |
30 |
| Kendal |
4 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
28 |
| St Annes |
5 |
0 |
0 |
1* |
1 |
1 |
2 |
13 |
27 |
| Leyland Motors |
5 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
14 |
26 |
| Chorley |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
24 |
| Leyland |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
10 |
15 |
* includes 5 point for a tie
In the Second Division, remarkably, every game got started although only Chorley managed to win. They defeated St Annes who had posted an impressive 175-1 as Andy Kellett, 68 not out, and Sean Bickerdike 42 carried on from their last weekend's exploits and Adam Taylor making 50 not out. But thanks to J Hotham's 67 not out Chorley were home and dry by seven wickets at 178-3.
It was most definitely a bowlers' day at Fox Lane. Faruk Patel of Morecambe was among the wickets again as he took 4-17 and with C Lee taking 4-13, Leyland were reduced to 35-8 from 24 overs but they managed a draw against Morecambe's very modest 79 all out in which S Harim took 5-40.
Anthony Mann just missed out on a century for Preston when he was dismissed for 95 but the game ended in a draw as Darwen, 68-8, hung on against Preston's 156-6.
Former Blackpool FC player Guy Heffernan made 46 not out for Barrow and J Sturgeon made 50 as they ended up with the scores level at Lancaster who could not steal a victory but they matched Barrow's 129-7 with 129-6.
Second Division scores in brief (home teams in bold):
Fleetwood 159-5, Netherfield 145-6 (Sherlock 4-34)
Fleetwood 7 points, Netherfield 4 points
Barrow 129-7 (Sturgeon 50, Heffernan 46*), Lancaster 129-6
Barrow 6 points, Lancaster 4 points
Morecambe 79 (Harim 5-40), Leyland 35-8 (Lee 4-13, Patel 4-17)
Morecambe 7 points, Leyland 5 points
Blackpool 142-8, Leyland Motors 59-3
Blackpool 6 points, Leyland Motors 4 points
Preston 156-6 (Mann A 95, Grant 4-35), Darwen 68-8 (Alam 4-24/p>)
Preston 8 points, Darwen 3 points
St Annes 175-1 (Kellett 68*, Taylor A 50*, Bickerdike 42),
Chorley 178-3 (Hotham 67*),
St Annes 3 points, Chorley 12 points
NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE
Division Two
| Club |
P |
W15 |
W12 |
D4 |
D1 |
L |
NR4 |
BP |
Pts |
| Morecambe |
5 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
14 |
50 |
| St Annes |
5 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
49 |
| Chorley |
4 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
38 |
| Lancaster |
5 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
12 |
33 |
| Barrow |
5 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
10 |
32 |
| Preston |
5 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
10 |
30 |
| Fleetwood |
4 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
10 |
30 |
| Leyland |
5 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
16 |
29 |
| Darwen |
4 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
28 |
| Leyland Motors |
5 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
9 |
27 |
| Netherfield |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
19 |
25 |
| Blackpool |
4 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
11 |
17 |
| Kendal |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
5 |
9 |
