By Michael Latham
Action from the tense closing stages at West Cliff |
St Annes have an advantage of eight points going into the final two games of the Furness Building Society Northern Premier League (in association with 3D Sports) season.
Preston failed to take advantage of St Annes having a day off when they collected only four points from a dramatic, low-scoring derby game at West Cliff against Leyland.
Bilal Asad's side looked odds-on for a 12point win that would have taken them level at the top after restricting Leyland to 108 for 9 on a slow-paced West Cliff pitch.
Leyland opener Chris Parkinson battled throughout the innings for a valiant undefeated 66 and rarely looked in trouble compared to the travails of his team-mates. Parkinson faced 152 balls and hit five fours.
Leyland opener Karl Cross is bowled by Darren Nelson |
Bilal Asad, fresh from taking nine wickets for Milnrow in a CLL game on Sunday on sub-pro duties, bowled superbly to take four for 24 off 19 overs while Darren Nelson rarely bowled a loose delivery as he collected three for 43 off 19 overs.
Bilal Asad had taken eight wickets when the sides met at Fox Lane earlier in the season.
Leyland recovered from 44 for 7 thanks to Parkinson's defiance with skipper David Makinson helping him add 34 for the eighth wicket and keeper Matthew Watkinson an undefeated 27 for the last wicket.
Leyland Chris Parkinson |
Leyland celebrate Bilal Asad's dismissal, caught by Ameer Khan off Makinson
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With rain threatening Preston struggled to impose any authority on an accurate Leyland attack with Makinson producing a masterly piece of bowling.
The Leyland skipper wheeled away for 20.3 overs, bowled ten maidens and took six for 22. Peter Cummings was also miserly, taking two for 16 off nine overs.
Preston collapsed to 36 for 8 but David Fisher and Ben Harrison then added 32 for the ninth wicket before Fisher was stumped by Watkinson off Makinson.
Last man Charlie Williams was unable to face a ball as the rains swept over the ground and forced the players off with Preston 68 for 9 and 6.3 overs to be bowled.
Preston took four points from the game and Leyland seven.
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Leyland opener Chris Parkinson leaves the field with Matthew Watkinson
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Rain also intervened at Windsor Park where Darwen looked well set for victory at 88 for 2 chasing a target of 140 against Chorley with England U15s opening bat Alex Davies undefeated on 42.
Chorley were restricted to 139 for 8, Darwen pro David Wiese taking four for 70 on his farewell appearance. Michael Critchley (32 not out) and Billy Smith (20 not out) added 30 for the ninth wicket after skipper Jack Catterall provided the early resistance with 39 off 93 balls.
The only other first division game to see any play was at Broadwater. Blackpool had made 157 for 4 in their 36 overs, Andy Furniss and sub-pro Jeeva Kulantunga each scoring 46.Fleetwood were 52 for 1 in the eighth over, Chesney Hughes 37 not out, when play was abandoned.
There was no play in the Kendal derby between Kendal and Netherfield at Shap Road, nor at Lodge Quarry where Carnforth were due to entertain Barrow.
The Morecambe-Lancaster game was abandoned mid-morning with the Woodhill Lane ground waterlogged.
A total of 25 games have been abandoned so far this season in division one compared to 22 last season and 27 in 2007.
With the title now effectively a two-horse race, St Annes entertain Fleetwood at Vernon Road next Saturday before finishing the season at Darwen. Preston have home games against Barrow and Morecambe to complete their campaign.
FIRST DIVISION SCORES:
CARNFORTH v BARROW
No play; Match abandoned (4pts each)
CHORLEY v DARWEN
Chorley (4pts) winning draw; Darwen 3pts
Chorley 139 for 8, Darwen 88 for 2 (A Davies 42no)
FLEETWOOD v BLACKPOOL
Match abandoned (4pts each)
Blackpool 157 for 4, Fleetwood 52 for 1
KENDAL v NETHERFIELD
No play; Match abandoned (4pts each)
PRESTON v LEYLAND
Leyland (7pts) winning draw; Preston 4pts
Leyland 108 for 9 (C Parkinson 66no, Bilal Asad 4 for 24), Preston 68 for 9 (D Makinson 6 for 22)
MORECAMBE v LANCASTER
No play; Match abandoned (4pts each)
St Annes 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 |
22 |
3 |
8 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
26 |
196 |
| Preston |
22 |
6 |
3 |
6 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
32* |
188 |
| Chorley |
23 |
5 |
4 |
2 |
3 |
7 |
2 |
33 |
175 |
| Morecambe |
22 |
5 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
5 |
33 |
170 |
| Netherfield |
22 |
2 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
41 |
161 |
| Barrow |
22 |
2 |
7 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
4 |
21 |
160 |
| Blackpool |
22 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
42 |
148 |
| Kendal |
22 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
8 |
4 |
36 |
140 |
| Leyland |
22 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
8 |
3 |
43 |
125 |
| Fleetwood |
23 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
5 |
8 |
3 |
34 |
122 |
| Darwen |
22 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
6 |
7 |
4 |
42* |
119 |
| Carnforth |
22 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
9 |
5 |
37 |
113 |
| Lancaster |
22 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
9 |
4 |
34 |
101 |
* 2 points deducted for slow over rate
Divison Two
Lancaster secure division two title
Division Two leaders Lancaster claimed the championship title despite having their game with Morecambe at Lune Road rained off.
Lancaster collected four points from the abandoned game and have an unassailable 32 points lead over second placed Blackpool with two games remaining.
The only side to beat the weather was Chorley who rushed to a six wickets win at Birch Hall before the rains came. Left arm opening bowler Richard Flood took four for 32 off 16 overs to help bowl out Darwen for 134, Sam Munns top-scoring with 30. Kieran McCullagh then hit 53 and opener Daniel Lamb an unbeaten 34 as Chorley reached their target in 26.2 overs.
Leyland were frustrated by the weather at Fox Lane. They made 162 for 6 against Preston, Andrew Makinson leading the way with 58. Preston were hanging on at 114 for 9 when rain stopped play, Monty Cottam taking four for 19.
Fleetwood just bowled enough overs to secure a winning draw at Stanley Park before the game was abandoned. Last season's First XI captain Wayne Clarke hit 71 in the visitors 155 for 8, Luke Melville taking four for 22 including the wicket of Clarke leg before. Blackpool had reached 66 for 3 after 20.1 overs when the weather intervened.
Father Stephen Jones hit 16 off 121 balls to anchor Carnforth's 143 for 9 in 48 overs at Ernest Pass. Ian Allington and Ryan Gilmour each took three wickets. Barrow were 16 for 3 when the match was abandoned.
SECOND DIVISION SCORES:
BARROW v CARNFORTH
Match abandoned (4pts each)
Carnforth 143 for 9, Barrow 16 for 3
BLACKPOOL v FLEETWOOD
Fleetwood (5pts) winning draw; Blackpool 3pts
Fleetwood 155 for 8 (W Clarke 71, L Melville 4 for 22), Blackpool 66 for 3
DARWEN v CHORLEY
Chorley (12pts) defeated Darwen (0pts) by 6 wickets
Darwen 134 (R Flood 4 for 32), Chorley 137 for 4 (K McCullagh 53)
LANCASTER v MORECAMBE
No play; Match abandoned (4pts each)
LEYLAND v PRESTON
Leyland (9pts) winning draw; Preston (2pts)
Leyland 162 for 6 (A Makinson 58), Preston 114 for 9 (M Cottam 4 for 19)
NETHERFIELD v KENDAL
No play; Match abandoned (4pts each)
St Annes 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 |
22 |
3 |
11 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
24 |
221 |
| Blackpool |
22 |
6 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
1 |
18 |
189 |
| Leyland |
22 |
5 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
7 |
2 |
33 |
188 |
| Chorley |
23 |
7 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
8 |
3 |
27 |
185 |
| St Annes |
22 |
4 |
6 |
2 |
2 |
6 |
2 |
24 |
174 |
| Darwen |
22 |
3 |
6 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
24 |
173 |
| Morecambe |
22 |
2 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
4 |
35 |
156 |
| Netherfield |
22 |
2 |
5 |
3 |
1 |
8 |
3 |
37 |
152 |
| Fleetwood |
23 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
1 |
11 |
2 |
27 |
131 |
| Carnforth |
22 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
4 |
9 |
4 |
27 |
113 |
| Preston |
22 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
10 |
2 |
21 |
109 |
| Kendal |
22 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
13 |
3 |
21 |
103 |
| Barrow |
22 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
13 |
4 |
40 |
85 |
