By Michael Latham
Chris Hartley hit an unbeaten 77 for Chorley |
Preston and Fleetwood stole a march on their rivals with victories, defying tea-time thunderstorms that washed out four matches in the Furness Building Society Northern Premier League (in association with 3D Sports) on Saturday.
Preston's dramatic three wickets win at West Cliff was the most significant as Bilal Asad's men made up ground on the top-two of St Annes and Chorley, whose game at Vernon Road was abandoned.
Preston (102pts) now trail leaders St Annes by just 16 points and Chorley by ten.
Darwen had struggled to 118 before captain Andrew Cook was run out in the 50th and final over. None of their batsmen had looked comfortable as Lukman Vahaluwala claimed four for 43 and skipper Bilal Asad two for 5, while David Fisher took two for 12 with his off-spin. John Cordingley curbed his natural attacking instincts and held the innings together with 27 off 60 balls.
Rain then stopped play until 5.46pm and Preston required 119 to win in 27 overs. They lost their first three wickets for 13 but Adam Parker batted superbly to make 49 off 45 balls while Vahaluwala weighed in with three boundaries in his 25 before he was run out. Fisher hit the winning runs with three balls remaining. Promising teenager Yakub Bhamji took three for 26 for Darwen and Gareth Cordingley weighed in with the wickets of Parker and Bilal Asad.
The top-of-the-table clash at Vernon Road was intriguingly poised when play was abandoned at 4.30pm with parts of the square and outfield under water.
Chorley had made 178 for 5 in the 48th over when the rains came with Australian professional Chris Hartley 77 not out. Hartley shared a second wicket partnership of 116 in 33 overs with Adam Peacock, who scored 69.
Peacock, who made an opening day century against St Annes, reached his half century off 79 balls and looked set for a second hundred until he was bowled by St Annes pro Dinuka Hettiarachchi.
The Sri Lankan Test player took his tally for the season to 37 wickets by claiming four for 51.
Hartley reached his fifty off 89 balls and batted patiently for 43 overs.
St Annes were without leading batsman Atiq Uz-Zaman who has returned to Pakistan due to a family illness while promising teenager Zafir Patel has left the club and moved back to the Bolton League.
Chris Hartley survives a run out attempt by Dinuka Hettiarachchi |
Brendan Hetherington defied the Leyland attack with a fighting innings of 51 off 58 balls at Lune Road. The Lancaster wicket-keeper came in at number eight and rode his luck, hitting nine fours and one six to help steer his side to 150 before rain arrived at tea.
Luis Reece continued his good bowling form claiming three for 28 with James Rounding and professional Ameer Khan each claiming two wickets for Leyland, who are in fourth place with 89 points.
Blackpool were also frustrated by the weather after bowling out Morecambe for 102 at Woodhill Lane. Charles Boucher made a superb 52 off 98 balls against one of his former clubs but Lewis Edge (15) was the only other Morecambe batsman to reach double figures.
Richard Gleeson took three for 41 for Blackpool and his opening partner, teenager Mike Tidmas made the most of his second first-team call-up by claiming two wickets for 10. Blackpool pro Saj Weerakoon took two for 17.
Terry Hunte rolled back the years with an imperious century at Shap Road before rain ruined the game against Barrow. The 47-year-old Kendal legend hit an unbeaten 116- his 43rd Northern League hundred- and shared an unbeaten third wicket partnership of 238 with skipper and professional Ross McMillan, who made 111 not out.
Hunte's runs came off 123 balls and included 16 fours while McMillan hit ten fours and two sixes while facing 121 balls and compiling his first hundred for the club.
Rain then brought an early close with Barrow 15 for none in the fifth over.
Fleetwood beat the elements to record a nine wickets win over a Carnforth side playing without a professional, Gareth Pedder being absent after getting married.
Carnforth mustered 123 in the 48th over with Tom Barnfield top-scoring with 31. Chesney Hughes took four for 28 for Fleetwood and Adam Breakell three for 33.
Rain then lopped off nearly two hours playing-time but finally the game resumed at 6.20pm with Fleetwood needing to reach their target in 20 overs.
With Nick Coultas and Hughes batting aggressively Fleetwood reached their target with 4.3 overs in hand. Hughes made 54 before falling victim to 15-year-old leg-spinner Bradley Hoyle while Coultas was 66 not out at the close.
FIRST DIVISION SCORES:
FLEETWOOD v CARNFORTH
Fleetwood (12pts) defeated Carnforth (0pts) by 9 wickets
Carnforth 123 (C Hughes 4 for 28), Fleetwood 126 for 1 (N Coultas 66no, C Hughes 54)
KENDAL v BARROW
Match Abandoned (4pts each)
Kendal 245 for 2 (T Hunte 116no, R McMillan 111no), Barrow 15 for 0
LANCASTER v LEYLAND
Match Abandoned (4pts each)
Lancaster 150 (B Hetherington 51), Leyland did not bat
MORECAMBE v BLACKPOOL
Match Abandoned (4pts each)
Morecambe 102 (C Boucher 52), Blackpool did not bat
PRESTON v DARWEN
Preston (12pts) defeated Darwen (2pts) by 3 wickets
Darwen 118 (L Vahaluwala 4 for 43), Preston 122 for 7 (A Parker 49)
ST ANNES v CHORLEY
Match Abandoned (4pts each)
Chorley 178 for 5 (C Hartley 77no, A Peacock 69, D Hettiarachchi 4 for 41), St Annes did not bat
Netherfield no game
FURNESS BUILDING SOCIETY
( INCORPORATING 3D SPORTS )
NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE
Division One
| Club |
P |
W15 |
W12 |
D4 |
D1 |
L |
NR4 |
BP |
Pts |
| St Annes |
13 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
16 |
118 |
| Chorley |
13 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
19 |
112 |
| Preston |
13 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
9 |
102 |
| Leyland |
13 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
24 |
89 |
| Morecambe |
13 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
19 |
87 |
| Blackpool |
13 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
21 |
86 |
| Kendal |
13 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
3 |
25 |
81 |
| Netherfield |
12 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
30 |
79 |
| Barrow |
13 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
3 |
13 |
77 |
| Darwen |
13 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
18* |
77 |
| Fleetwood |
13 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
1 |
21 |
71 |
| Carnforth |
13 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
5 |
3 |
28 |
68 |
| Lancaster |
13 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
3 |
11 |
56 |
* 2 points deducted for slow over rate
Divison Two
The Cat has Lancaster in spin
Stephen Cartwright studies the scorebook |
Stephen Cartwright bowled Leyland to a dramatic 56 runs victory over leaders Lancaster at Fox Lane as Chris Dovey's side narrowed the gap at the top in division two to just eight points.
Known universally as 'The Cat' Cartwright collected figures of 8 for 17 including a hat-trick as Leyland won with an over to spare.
Leyland recovered from the depths of 37 for 6 to reach 143 thanks largely to Steven Pallett, normally known for his batting exploits, who hit 42.
Heavy rain then reduced Lancaster's overs to 32 and they reached 64 for 2 before Cartwright started the collapse by having Ian Parkinson caught behind by Stuart Parker. The slow left-armer worked his way through the Lancaster batting ranks with help from Tom Coxhead's leg-spin which claimed two victims.
In the penultimate over of the game Cartwright had Robert Beale caught behind, Tom Burrow leg before and Alex Hall leg before to notch his first career hat-trick.
With the last ball of the 31st over Cartwright won another leg before decision against Tom Carter to earn Leyland a hugely significant 15 points and his fourth wicket in six balls.
Stephen Cartwright bowls Lancaster skipper Nick Davey at Fox Lane |
Blackpool remain in contention after gaining 12 points from a convincing win over Morecambe at Stanley Park.
Opening bowler Andy Armstrong was again among the wickets, taking five for 20 as Morecambe were bowled out for 91.
John Caunce anchored the Blackpool reply with an unbeaten 57.
Chorley beat the weather to defeat last season's champions St Annes at Windsor Park. Matt Parry took four wickets as the visitors were restricted to 117 for 9 and Rowan Mitchem hit 43 as Chorley got home inside 18 overs in another rain-affected game.
Darwen had to settle for a winning draw against Preston at Birch Hall as Jonty McDonald's 63 enabled the visitors bat out their 33 overs. Sam Munns was one of three home batsmen to hit half centuries, top-scoring with an unbeaten 68 in Darwen's challenging 256 for 6.
Barrow's Phil Renney hit an unbeaten 67 to steer the bottom club to a much-needed win against Kendal at Ernest Pass. Earlier Nick Phillips made 61 for the visitors, compiling an opening stand of 80 with his brother Mark.
The Carnforth-Fleetwood game was abandoned but not before Andrew Singleton had compiled an impressive unbeaten 107 for the visitors in their 254 for 6.
SECOND DIVISION SCORES:
BARROW v KENDAL
Barrow (12pts) defeated Kendal (2pts) by 6 wickets
Kendal 161 for 9 (N Phillips 61), Barrow 162 for 4 (P Renney 67no)
BLACKPOOL v MORECAMBE
Blackpool (12pts) defeated Morecambe (0pts) by 9 wickets
Morecambe 91 (G Cassidy 43, A Armstrong 5 for 20), Blackpool 92 for 1 (J Caunce 57no)
CARNFORTH v FLEETWOOD
Match Abandoned (4pts each)
Fleetwood 243 for 6 (A Singleton 107no), Carnforth 18 for 0
CHORLEY v ST ANNES
Chorley (12pts) defeated St Annes (0pts) by 6 wickets
St Annes 117 for 9 (M Parry 4 for 33), Chorley 119 for 4 (R Mitchem 43)
DARWEN v PRESTON
Darwen (8pts) winning draw; Preston (2pts)
Darwen 256 for 6 (S Munns 68no, S Chatburn-Jones 59, M Horsfield 55), Preston 120 for 5 (J McDonald 63)
LEYLAND v LANCASTER
Leyland (15pts) defeated Lancaster (3pts) by 56 runs
Leyland 142 (S Pallett 42), Lancaster 86 (S Cartwright 8 for 17, including hat-trick)
Netherfield no game
FURNESS BUILDING SOCIETY
( INCORPORATING 3D SPORTS )
NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE
Division Two
| Club |
P |
W15 |
W12 |
D4 |
D1 |
L |
NR4 |
BP |
Pts |
| Lancaster |
13 |
2 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
15 |
129 |
| Leyland |
13 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
16 |
121 |
| Blackpool |
13 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
10 |
111 |
| Chorley |
13 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
3 |
10 |
94 |
| Darwen |
13 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
20 |
94 |
| Morecambe |
13 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
16 |
85 |
| Fleetwood |
13 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
2 |
15 |
76 |
| Netherfield |
12 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
2 |
23 |
75 |
| Kendal |
13 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
1 |
11 |
69 |
| Preston |
13 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
12 |
69 |
| St Annes |
13 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
2 |
19 |
69 |
| Carnforth |
13 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
5 |
3 |
20 |
62 |
| Barrow |
13 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
3 |
21 |
62 |
