By Michael Latham
St Annes CC- champions 2009 |
St Annes kept their nerve to clinch the championship of the Furness Building Society Northern Premier Cricket League incorporating 3D Sports.
Beginning the day 11 points clear of Preston, Andy Kellett's side always had one ear on events at West Cliff where Bilal Asad's men wrapped up a comfortable 15 points victory over Morecambe by half past five.
But for Kellett's heroics St Annes could well have been out of contention by then. The St Annes captain battled through 50 overs to make a heroic undefeated 80 off 150 balls in his side's 132 for 8 against Darwen.
With St Annes failing to register a batting point they knew they had to defeat Darwen or at worst secure a winning draw to lift the title.
Darwen looked well placed as they reached 50 for 2 with substitute professional Mohammed Zaman Khan batting well. But when he was adjudged leg before to St Annes pro Dinuka Hettiarachchi for 28 Darwen collapsed, losing their last eight wickets for 41 in 21 overs.
Hettiarachchi again bowled superbly to take four for 38 off 22 overs and was supported by his slow left arm partner-in-crime Michael Baer, the Lancashire Second XI bowler, who claimed four for 33.
Baer wrapped up the title by trapping Darwen captain Andrew Cook leg before to give St Annes a 41 runs win at ten minutes past six.
League chairman Norman Poole presents the trophy to Andy Kellett |
League chairman Norman Poole presented Kellett with the league championship trophy and pennant in front of the Birch Hall pavilion before the St Annes supporters, many of whom travelled to Darwen on a special coach, began their celebrations.
Kellett celebrated an unusual double having been captain of St Annes' second division championship-winning side in 2008 before being invited to skipper the first XI this year.
Andy Kellett played a superb captain's innings for St Annes |
But earlier in the day St Annes looked in real trouble as they slumped to 1 for 2 in the first over and but for Kellett's resolve would have struggled to set a competitive total. Kamran Anwar bowled Atiq Uz-Zaman second ball and Hettiarachchi was run out by Nathan Jackson going for a second run.
Stephen Twist helped restore some sanity to proceedings before he was run out by quick-thinking by John Cordingley following a failed leg before decision to leave St Annes 33 for 3. With Duncan Whalley also the victim of Darwen's fine out cricket Kellett battled away, eventually reaching a fine half century in the 42nd over out of his side's 92 for 6.
Surviving two chances in the outfield late in his innings, Kellett hit Khan for two sixes and Baer helped him add a vital, unbeaten 33 for the ninth wicket to steer their side towards respectability. Spinners Khan and Cris Clarke each bowled tightly and took two wickets apiece.
St Annes fans celebrate with their team |
Whalley claimed three victims behind the timbers to lift the Castle Award for wicket-keeping with 37 dismissals. Atiq was the league's highest runs-maker with 792 and Hettiarachchi the leading wicket-taker with 87.
Preston's captain and professional Bilal Asad enjoyed another fine personal performance to spearhead his side's convincing win over Morecambe but had to be content with runners-up position.
Bilal hit 72 off 62 balls, including eight fours and two sixes in his side's 195 at West Cliff before falling leg before to Morecambe captain Tommy Clough, who took three for 29. Opener Sajid Patel made a brisk 43 off 44 balls before becoming one of Mandla Mashimbyi's three victims.
Preston then had 56 overs to bowl out Morecambe and secure 15 points but required less than half that number. Bilal trapped Ikram Ullah leg before and bowled Charles Boucher and Alex Thistlethwaite to leave the visitors' reply in ruins at 3 for 3.
The popular Mashimbyi, who has signed an extended contract to continue as Morecambe professional in 2010, hit an aggressive 34 off 35 balls before he was bowled by Bilal who went on to claim 6 for 29. Clough his two sixes in his 27 but Morecambe folded for 82 as off-spinner David Fisher finished off the innings with a spell of three for 3.
Preston were presented with the league's runners-up trophy after the conclusion of the St Annes game having attained their highest league position for 21 years in a season in which they also lifted the league's Twenty20 Cup. David Fisher won the Castle Fielding Award with 14 catches.
Preston CC with the League Runners-up and T20 trophies |
Chorley clinched third spot after rolling over Leyland at Windsor Park. Deputy pro Anwar Ali, the Colne CC professional, took five for 21 and Billy Smith four for 23, including two caught-and-bowleds as Leyland subsided to 57 all out, despite the last two wickets putting on 30. Chorley were 26 for 4 in reply before skipper Jack Catterall and Michael Critchley saw them to a six wickets win in early afternoon.
With Morecambe slipping up last season's champions Netherfield finished brightly and moved up to fourth after a last day success at Ernest Pass. Opener Craig Walmsley hit 39 and teenager Ben Barrow, off shortly for a winter playing cricket in Australia 36 in Netherfield's 186. Barrow chairman Ray Mowat took four for 52.
Despite 40 from Liam Livingstone and an unbeaten 46 from Robin Adams Barrow were bowled out for 158 as leg-spinner Marc Hadwin took four for 44. But the home side had the consolation of a sixth-placed finish, their highest league placing since joining the Northern League in 2004.
Kendal had hardly the best preparation for the Furness Building Society Cup Final against Netherfield as they lost at home to bottom club Lancaster. Bowled out for just 111, BV Rhagavendra taking three wickets, they fought hard in the field with skipper and pro Ross McMillan taking three wickets but Jamie Heywood (26 not out) and Brendan Hetherington (19 not out) saw Lancaster safely home. The game also marked the retirement of Kendal CC's legendary tea lady Pat Greenwood after 20 years' service.
The Blackpool Carnforth game developed into a head-to-head battle for the Castle Bowling Award between the visitors' Warren Quinn, who began the day with 51 wickets and Richard Gleeson, who had 49 scalps.
Slow left arm bowler Quinn, who made his Cumberland debut this season, emerged as the winner of the award for amateur bowlers, taking two for 76 in Blackpool's 207 for 7 declared at Stanley Park to finish the season with 53 wickets- a new Carnforth club record in the Northern League.
Blackpool's sub-pro Rasika Priyadarshana, the Walsden CC professional, hit 73 off 74 balls and opener Alex Smith 53 off 79 balls. Alex Benson took two late wickets for Carnforth to finish with two for 5.
Gleeson reached 50 wickets for the season when he had Carnforth pro Gareth Pedder caught by Andy Furniss but despite bowling 17 overs was unable to add to his tally. Carnforth doggedly fought out for a draw, closing on 122 for 7 with Quinn and teenager Bradley Hoyle surviving a combined total of 52 balls to frustrate Blackpool.
Ironically the season ended as it began, in glorious sunny weather and St Annes claimed their fifth championship and their third in the last five years.
FIRST DIVISION SCORES:
BARROW v NETHERFIELD
Netherfield (15pts) defeated Barrow (4pts) by 28 runs
Netherfield 186 (R Mowat 4 for 52), Barrow 158 (R Adams 46no, L Livingstone 40, M Hadwin 4 for 44)
BLACKPOOL v CARNFORTH
Blackpool (9pts) winning draw; Carnforth (3pts)
Blackpool 207 for 7dec (R Priyadarshana 73, A Smith 53), Carnforth 122 for 7
CHORLEY v LEYLAND
Chorley (12pts) defeated Leyland (0pts) by 6 wickets
Leyland 57 (A Ali 5 for 21, B Smith 4 for 23), Chorley 60 for 4
DARWEN v ST ANNES
St Annes (15pts) defeated Darwen (2pts) by 41 runs
St Annes 132 for 8 (A Kellett 80no), Darwen 91 (D Hettiarachchi 4 for 38, M Baer 4 for 33)
KENDAL v LANCASTER
Lancaster (12pts) defeated Kendal (0pts) by 6 wickets
Kendal 111, Lancaster 112 for 4
PRESTON v MORECAMBE
Preston (15pts) defeated Morecambe (3pts) by 113 runs
Preston 195 (Bilal Asad 72, S Patel 43), Morecambe 82 (Bilal Asad 6 for 29)
Fleetwood 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 |
24 |
5 |
8 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
26 |
226 |
| Preston |
24 |
7 |
4 |
6 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
32* |
215 |
| Chorley |
24 |
5 |
5 |
2 |
3 |
7 |
2 |
33 |
187 |
| Netherfield |
24 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
7 |
41 |
180 |
| Morecambe |
24 |
5 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
5 |
6 |
36 |
177 |
| Barrow |
24 |
2 |
7 |
2 |
1 |
8 |
4 |
25 |
164 |
| Blackpool |
24 |
3 |
2 |
4 |
5 |
4 |
6 |
47 |
161 |
| Kendal |
24 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
9 |
5 |
36 |
144 |
| Leyland |
24 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
9 |
4 |
43 |
129 |
| Fleetwood |
24 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
5 |
9 |
3 |
37 |
125 |
| Darwen |
24 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
6 |
8 |
5 |
44* |
125 |
| Carnforth |
24 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
9 |
6 |
39 |
120 |
| Lancaster |
24 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
4 |
9 |
5 |
34 |
117 |
* 2 points deducted for slow over rate
Divison Two
Division two champions Lancaster finish in style
Second division champions Lancaster finished in style with a resounding win over Kendal at Lune Road with teenager Charlie Swarbrick to the fore. Swarbrick hit 58 in his side's 173, Alan Dugdale taking five for 46, and then claimed four for 5 as Kendal subsided to 45 all out as Lancaster earned their 15th league win.
Leyland claimed runners-up spot after opener Wes Royle's 87 steered them to a six wickets win over derby rivals Chorley in a repeat of last week's Second Division Cup Final in which Leyland were also victorious.
Blackpool rolled over Carnforth for just 35 at Lodge Quarry but had to be content with third position, one point behind Leyland. Earlier veteran John Denwood had bowled unchanged alongside his son Gareth to take eight wickets for the home side.
Gulam Maje hit 100 as Morecambe defeated Preston at Woodhill Lane while last season's champions St Annes chased down Darwen's 201 for 8 thanks to half centuries from Sean Bickerdike and Adam Taylor. Gary Jackson and Graham Ainslie had rolled back the years to provide the bulk of Darwen's total.
Finally Barrow, despite finishing bottom, enjoyed a splendid win at Parkside Road. Phil Renney's 73 and Ashley Mowat's 44 enabled them to edge home by three wickets after Iain Kermode took six wickets in Netherfield's 206.
SECOND DIVISION SCORES:
CARNFORTH v BLACKPOOL
Blackpool (15pts) defeated Carnforth (3pts) by 133 runs
Blackpool 168 for 9 (N Kiruparan 43, J Denwood 8 for 81), Carnforth 35
LANCASTER v KENDAL
Lancaster (15pts) defeated Kendal (3pts) by 128 runs
Lancaster 173 (C Swarbrick 58, A Dugdale 5 for 46), Kendal 45 (C Swarbrick 4 for 5)
LEYLAND v CHORLEY
Leyland (12pts) defeated Chorley (0pts) by 6 wickets
Chorley 130 for 8, Leyland 132 for 4 (W Royle 87)
MORECAMBE v PRESTON
Morecambe (15pts) defeated Preston (0pts) by 96 runs
Morecambe 194 for 3 (G Maje 100, S Cockburn 51no), Preston 98
NETHERFIELD v BARROW
Barrow (12pts) defeated Netherfield (5pts) by 3 wickets
Netherfield 206 (I Kermode 6 for 54), Barrow 207 for 7 (P Renney 73, A Mowat 44)
ST ANNES v DARWEN
St Annes (12pts) defeated Darwen (5pts) by 3 wickets
Darwen 201 for 8 (G Ainslie 75, G Jackson 65, R Thomas 4 for 86), St Annes 202 for 7 (S Bickerdike 60, A Taylor 56, G Lawrenson 4 for 51)
Fleetwood 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 |
24 |
4 |
11 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
24 |
240 |
| Leyland |
24 |
5 |
6 |
4 |
0 |
7 |
2 |
38 |
209 |
| Blackpool |
24 |
7 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
2 |
18 |
208 |
| St Annes |
24 |
4 |
7 |
2 |
2 |
6 |
3 |
24 |
190 |
| Chorley |
24 |
7 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
9 |
3 |
27 |
185 |
| Darwen |
24 |
3 |
6 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
5 |
29 |
182 |
| Morecambe |
24 |
3 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
5 |
35 |
175 |
| Netherfield |
24 |
2 |
5 |
3 |
1 |
9 |
4 |
42 |
161 |
| Fleetwood |
24 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
1 |
11 |
3 |
27 |
135 |
| Carnforth |
24 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
5 |
10 |
4 |
33 |
120 |
| Preston |
24 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
11 |
3 |
21 |
113 |
| Kendal |
24 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
14 |
4 |
24 |
110 |
| Barrow |
24 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
13 |
5 |
40 |
101 |
