By Michael Latham
Last man
Ben Willis hits the winning runs for St Annes at
Leyland |
The match of the season so far in the Furness
Building Society Northern Premier Cricket League
(incorporating Readers Cricket Balls) pitted unbeaten leaders
Leyland against defending champions St Annes, also unbeaten
and in second place trailing by 18 points at Fox Lane.
In a thrilling and intense encounter watched by
a large crowd St Annes prevailed in a tense finish to win by
one wicket with one over to spare. Last man Ben Willis hit the
winning runs with an inside edge for four off Luis Reece.
Reece had bowled superbly in a marathon stint, taking six for
111 off 25 overs to compensate for Leyland losing pro Brett
Pelser with a recurrence of a side strain after bowling only
one ball. Usual bowlers James Rounding and Andrew Makinson
were also hampered by injury.
Leyland
pro Brett Pelser hits David Bartholomew for
6 |
Reece had given Leyland a huge boost by earning
the prize wicket of Atiq Uz-Zaman for 20 but consistent
batting down the order by Charles Boucher (36), Russ Bradley
(21), Duncan Whalley (32) and pro Dinuka Hettiarachchi (32)
edged St Annes towards their target.
Luis Reece
pulls Ben Willis for four |
Pelser had supplied vital late aggression into
Leyland's batting as 94 runs came off the last 13 overs as
they reached 186 for 9. The South African blasted seven fours
and four sixes in his 82 off 56 balls after Leyland had been
tied down by a superb spell of tight left arm spin by Sri
Lankan spin ace Hettiarachchi, who took five for 51 off 25
overs. The visitors were without key men in Stephen Twist and
Nick Jones.
St Annes
pro Dinuka Hettiarachchi on his way to 5 for
51 |
Leyland (115pts) now lead St Annes (103) by 12
points. Third-placed Blackpool entertained Preston at Stanley
Park and kept up their momentum with another hard fought win
that showed the character and depth of batting in their side.
Richard Gleeson and Steven Mercer each took three wickets to
bowl out Preston for 128, skipper Adam Parker top-scoring with
49 off 66 balls before he was run out by Andy
Furniss.
Preston pro Bilal Asad bowled superbly to take
seven for 39 off 17 overs as Blackpool wobbled to 79 for 7 in
reply. But Michael Moore stood firm with a superb unbeaten 63
off 96 balls and took his side through to victory in an
undefeated eighth wicket stand of 53 with Andy Hogarth (25 not
out).
Blackpool have 88 points and Morecambe are
fourth on 84 after a two wickets win at Windsor Park. Chorley
looked to get back to form after a recent disappointing spell
but they struggled to 162 for 9 against tight bowling by pro
Mandla Mashimbyi (four for 67) and skipper Tommy Clough (four
for 31). Michael Critchley was the mainstay with 49 off 85
balls in the middle order.
Morecambe recovered from 7 for 2
as Kieran McCullagh took two early wickets thanks to a third
wicket stand of 98 between Mark Woodhead (69 off 92 balls) and
Chris Williams (53 off 66 balls). Chorley fought hard in the
field, leg spinner Ian Oakes claiming three wickets as the
visitors slumped from 150 for 4 to 160 for 8 before Lewis Edge
swept pro JJ Smuts for the winning boundary.
Barrow (77pts) moved up to fifth after a maximum
points haul against Kendal at Ernest Pass. With professional
and captain Ross McMillan having returned briefly home to
South Africa Stu Parkin took over the captaincy rains for
Kendal and former Pakistan U19s all rounder Arslan Mir was sub
professional. Kevin Howarth deputised as wicketkeeper after
Gary Baker was injured in the Twenty20 match in
midweek.
Mir took two for 36 and Cumberland off-spinner
Chris Miller five for 67 off 19 overs to restrict Barrow to
167 for 8. But Barrow pro Pasan Wanasinghe then continued his
fine form with the ball to take six for 50 as Kendal were
bowled out for 152 in reply. Mir top-scored with an impressive
74 off 91 balls before he was caught behind by Chris D'Leny
off Graham Dawson (three for 63). Parkin supplied late
aggression, hitting 38 off 34 balls including three sixes,
before he was bowled by Wanasinghe.
Netherfield entertained Carnforth and rattled up
another 300-plus total, declaring on 314 for 4 after 45.5
overs. Teenager Alex Atkinson hit his first Northern League
hundred and was unbeaten on 117 at a run-a-ball, with 15 fours
and two sixes. Pro Nick Kruger made 81 off 68 balls with 16
fours and teenaged wicketkeeper John Huck hit 84 off 63 balls
and shared a fourth wicket stand of 165 with Atkinson in only
21 overs.
Carnforth were 153 all out in reply, Stuart Nixon
taking three for 45. Adam Cowperthwaite was unable to bat
after being injured in the field. Ryan Nelson led the
resistance with 34 off 92 balls and pro Gareth Pedder made
31.
At Lune Road Lancaster beat Fleetwood by seven
wickets, skipper Michael Stevens (61 off 118 balls) and Jamie
Heywood (50 off 80 balls) opening with a stand of 97. Sri
Lankan pro Roy Silva then smashed 60 off 28 balls including
eight fours and three sixes to speed his side towards their
target.
Fleetwood had posted 185 for 9, Wayne Clarke
top-scoring with an unbeaten 36 with opener Dean Bell (33) and
Ryan Smith (34) making valuable contributions. Bell and pro
Matthew Frith added 61 for the first wicket but the visitors
then slumped to 94 for 5 before Clarke supervised a recovery.
Off-spinner Ben Simm took four for 59 from 20 overs with Silva
claiming three for 55. Fleetwood suffered a huge blow when
skipper Frith sustained a shoulder injury in the field and was
taken to hospital for treatment.
FIRST DIVISION SCORES
BARROW v KENDAL
Barrow (15pts) defeated Kendal (3pts) by 15
runs
Barrow 167 for 8 (C Miller 5 for 67), Kendal
152 (Arslan Mir 74, P Wanasinghe 6 for 50)
BLACKPOOL v PRESTON
Blackpool (12pts) defeated Preston (2pts) by 3
wickets
Preston 128 (A Parker 49), Blackpool 132 for 7
(M Moore 63no, Bilal Asad 7 for 39)
CHORLEY v MORECAMBE
Morecambe (12pts) defeated Chorley (4pts) by 2
wickets
Chorley 162 for 9 (M Critchley 49, T Clough 4
for 31, M Mashimbyi 4 for 67), Morecambe 164 for 8 (M Woodhead
69, C Williams 53)
LANCASTER v FLEETWOOD
Lancaster (12pts) defeated Fleetwood (3pts) by
7 wickets
Fleetwood 185 for 9 (B Simm 4 for 59), Lancaster
186 for 3 *R Silva 62, M Stevens 61, J Heywood 50)
LEYLAND v ST ANNES
St Annes (12pts) defeated Leyland (6pts) by 1
wicket
Leyland 186 for 9 (B Pelser 82, D
Hettiarachchi 5 for 51), St Annes 189 for 9 (L Reece 6 for
111)
NETHERFIELD v CARNFORTH
Netherfield (15pts) defeated Carnforth (1pt)
by 161 runs
Netherfield 314 for 4dec (A Atkinson 117no, J
Huck 84, N Kruger 81), Carnforth 153
Darwen no game
FURNESS BUILDING SOCIETY
( INCORPORATIN READERS CRICKET
BALLS )
NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE
Division One
| Club |
P |
W15 |
W12 |
D4 |
D1 |
L |
NR4 |
BP |
Pts |
| Leyland |
10 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
115 |
| St Annes |
10 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
103 |
| Blackpool |
10 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
88 |
| Morecambe |
9 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
13 |
84 |
| Barrow |
9 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
13 |
77 |
| Darwen |
9 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
20 |
71 |
| Netherfield |
9 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
16 |
68 |
| Lancaster |
10 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
22 |
62 |
| Kendal |
10 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
25 |
57 |
| Chorley |
10 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
1 |
18 |
48 |
| Preston |
10 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
18 |
44 |
| Fleetwood |
10 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
19 |
43 |
| Lancashire Colts |
5 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
9 |
40 |
| Carnforth |
9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
1 |
21 |
26 |
DIVISION 2
In Division Two leaders Darwen (86pts) had no
game and so Leyland (who started the day on 74pts) had a
chance to close the gap when they visited St Annes. Chris
Dovey's side took full advantage, claiming maximum points to
take over at the top.
Nathan McDonnell (73), Daniel Hall (84) and Liam
Hurt (54) led the run spree as Leyland reached 286 for 9.
Leg-spinner Tayyab Afsar then took seven for 39 as St Annes
were dismissed for 144 despite a battling unbeaten 47 from
skipper David Watson.
Chorley (83pts) are third after defeating
Morecambe at Woodhill Lane. Teenager Stu Naden came
agonisingly close to a maiden Northern League hundred, hitting
96 in his side's 204 for 9 as Nick Milner took seven for 69.
Richard Flood (five for 42) and teenaged spinner Matt
Critchley (four for 65) then combined to bowl out the home
side for 149, Gulam Maje leading the resistance with 67.
Shane Dixon (89) and Rishi Girdhari (71) led
Netherfield's victory charge at Lodge Quarry, the visitors
piling up 270 for 4. Tom Barton claimed six for 62 as
Carnforth were dismissed for 170 in reply.
Craig Atkinson's unbeaten 62 steered Lancaster
to a seven wicket win at Fleetwood for whom Mark Emsley
top-scored with 62 in his side's 171. Rhys Studt (66) and
skipper Phil Renney (62) inspired Barrow to a six wickets win
at Kendal with Donovan Du Plessis leading the home resistance
with 51.
Mike Tidmas continued his impressive bowling
form with five for 24 as Preston were dismissed for 102 at
West Cliff. Nick Wall had been top scorer with 53 in
Blackpool's 181.
SECOND DIVISION SCORES
CARNFORTH v NETHERFIELD
Netherfield (15pts) defeated Carnforth (2pts)
by 100 runs
Netherfield 270 for 4 (Shane Dixon 89, R
Girdhari 71, D Davidson 49no), Carnforth 170 (T Barton 6 for
62)
FLEETWOOD v LANCASTER
Lancaster (12pts) defeated Fleetwood (2pts) by
7 wickets
Fleetwood 171 (M Emsley 62, T Whitehouse 4 for
55, T Williamson 4 for 59), Lancaster 172 for 3 (C Atkinson
61no)
KENDAL v BARROW
Barrow (12pts) defeated Kendal (1pt) by 6
wickets
Kendal 152 (D Du Plessis 51, G Collins 6 for
36), Barrow 156 for 4 (R Studt 66, P Renney 62no)
MORECAMBE v CHORLEY
Chorley (15pts) defeated Morecambe (4pts) by
55 runs
Chorley 204 for 9 (S Naden 96, N Milner 7 for
69), Morecambe 149 (G Maje 67, R Flood 5 for 42, M Critchley 4
for 65)
PRESTON v BLACKPOOL
Blackpool (15pts) defeated Preston (3pts) by
79 runs
Blackpool 181 (N Wall 53), Preston 102 (M
Tidmas 5 for 24)
ST ANNES v LEYLAND
Leyland (15pts) defeated St Annes (4pts) by
142 runs
Leyland 286 for 9 (D Hall 84, N McDonnell 73, L
Hurt 54), St Annes 144 (D Watson 47no, T Afsar 7 for 39)
Darwen no game
FURNESS BUILDING SOCIETY
( INCORPORATING READERS
CRICKET BALLS)
NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE
Division Two
| Club |
P |
W15 |
W12 |
D4 |
D1 |
L |
NR4 |
BP |
Pts |
| Leyland |
8 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
11 |
89 |
| Darwen |
9 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
12 |
86 |
| Chorley |
9 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
18 |
83 |
| Blackpool |
8 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
81 |
| Preston |
10 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
18 |
70 |
| Lancaster |
9 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
6 |
64 |
| Morecambe |
9 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
8 |
63 |
| St Annes |
8 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
15 |
63 |
| Netherfield |
9 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
1 |
10 |
59 |
| Fleetwood |
8 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
14 |
46 |
| Barrow |
8 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
14 |
43 |
| Kendal |
9 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
2 |
19 |
43 |
| Carnforth |
8 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
1 |
9 |
13 |
