Leyland retain Division Two title
St Annes players and supporters celebrate the club's success |
St Annes were crowned Champions of Furness Building Society Northern Premier Cricket League (incorporating Readers Cricket Balls) after rain washed out the entire programme on the penultimate Saturday of the season.
Andy Kellett's side managed an hour of their game against Kendal at Vernon Road before the rain closed in with the visitors on 62/3.
St Annes, who had South African all-rounder Gulam Bodi as sub-pro were frustrated by Kendal opener Gary Baker who was unbeaten on 30 when the rains came. Ben Willis claimed the wickets of Cumberland opener Jonathan Miles and pro Jamie How, the latter to a brilliant running catch in the deep by Nathan Bolus while Charles Boucher then pulled off a magnificent left-handed slip catch to claim the wicket of Terry Hunte off Matthew Grindley's bowling.
Defending champions Leyland never got going against Blackpool at Fox Lane, rain arriving just as Blackpool, who had Lancashire's Steven Croft in their team were about to start their innings 45 minutes late after a delayed start.
Both games were called of at 3pm with St Annes then having an unassailable 18pt lead over Leyland. Third-placed Chorley's game at Netherfield was washed out.
With one game remaining St Annes (235pts) lead the way from Leyland (217pts) and Chorley (205pts). Next Saturday St Annes are at Preston while Chorley entertain Leyland.
Blackpool (190pts) meet Morecambe (188pts) at Stanley Park next Saturday with both sides having hopes of leapfrogging Netherfield into fourth place. Netherfield (197pts) have finished their fixtures.
League Executive Committee member David Sykes made the presentation of the Championship trophy to St Annes Captain Andy Kellett in front of the pavilion.
St Annes Captain Andy Kellett recives the Championship trophy from Dave Sykes |
Kellett skippered St Annes to their last Division One Championship in 2009 and St Annes have now lifted the Division One title four times in the last seven years, in 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2011.
Darwen's Centenary season ended in miserable fashion, their last first team home game of the campaign against Preston being abandoned. Barrow's scheduled home game against Fleetwood was an early morning call-off and Morecambe managed three overs at home to Carnforth, reaching 8/0 before rain stopped play.
Carnforth have confirmed the signing of former Lancashire U19s captain Toby Bulcock as club professional in 2012. Bulcock, who celebrates his 21 st birthday on Monday has played successfully as professional for Elton CC in the Bolton Association for each of the last two seasons and was previously with Baxenden, Accrington and Rawtenstall.
Bulcock who made his Cumberland Minor Counties Championship bow in the final two matches of the season is a highly-rated left-handed batsman and slow left arm bowler who has ambitions of becoming a county cricketer.
He will replace Gareth Pedder as professional at Lodge Quarry after Pedder stood down following three successful seasons. Commenting on Bulcock's signing Carnforth skipper Adam Hornby said: "We wanted an English pro after the way Gareth interacted so well with the team and heard good things about Toby. We invited him to the club and were immediately impressed by him; he fitted in straight away and he can't wait to get going.
"Toby has a determination and aggression about his cricket that will help us enormously as a side; he will give some of the players a kick up the backside that they need. I'd like to pay tribute to the way Gareth has played and conducted himself as Carnforth pro for the last three years. He has had a promotion at work and wished to return to the amateur ranks having proved himself as a pro in the northern League."
Pedder has scored 1,252 league runs for Carnforth at an average of 24.55 and taken 132 wickets at an average of 18.89 after joining the club from Morecambe.
Lancaster are scheduled to play Lancashire Colts at Lune Road on Sunday.
Barrow's South African pro Pieter Malan, who leaves for home on Monday is the only batsman so far to reach 1,000 runs. Malan scored 1,051 league runs at an average of 65.69, a new league record for Barrow. He is expected to join a Lancashire League club as professional in 2012.
Three other batsmen are chasing the magical 1,000 runs mark; St Annes' opener Atiq Uz-Zaman has hit 974 runs and the Leyland pair of Luis Reece (954) and pro Brett Pelser (967) are also closing in on the target. Reece has set a new Leyland amateur batting record while Pelser needs another ten runs to surpass Gordon Greenidge's pro record set in 1993. Atiq needs 102 to set a new St Annes amateur record, held by Ian Austin with 1,075 runs in 2006.
FIRST DIVISION SCORES
Barrow v Fleetwood
Match abandoned (4pts each)
No play
Darwen v Preston
Match abandoned (4pts each)
No play
Leyland v Blackpool
Match abandoned (4pts each)
No play
Morecambe v Carnforth
Match abandoned (4pts each)
Morecambe 8/0, Carnforth did not bat
Netherfield v Chorley
Match abandoned (4pts each)
No play
St Annes v Kendal
Match abandoned (4pts each)
Kendal 62/3St Annes did not bat
Sunday 4th September
Lancaster v Lancashire Colts
Match abandoned (4pts each)
No Play
FURNESS BUILDING SOCIETY
( INCORPORATIN READERS CRICKET
BALLS )
NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE
Division One
| Club |
P |
W15 |
W12 |
D4 |
D1 |
L |
NR4 |
BP |
Pts |
| St Annes |
24 |
5 |
10 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
3 |
20 |
235 |
| Leyland |
24 |
3 |
9 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
37 |
217 |
| Chorley |
24 |
7 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
4 |
30 |
205 |
| Netherfield |
25 |
5 |
5 |
2 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
30 |
197 |
| Blackpool |
24 |
4 |
6 |
3 |
1 |
8 |
2 |
37 |
190 |
| Morecambe |
24 |
7 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
7 |
3 |
28** |
188 |
| Darwen |
24 |
3 |
4 |
6 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
39 |
179 |
| Barrow |
24 |
1 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
9 |
1 |
54 |
164 |
| Kendal |
24 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
9 |
3 |
39 |
161 |
| Carnforth |
24 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
3 |
11 |
3 |
36 |
133 |
| Lancaster |
24 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
12 |
3 |
30 |
126 |
| Preston |
24 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
15 |
1 |
47 |
104 |
| Fleetwood |
24 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
15 |
2 |
48 |
102 |
| Lancashire Colts |
13 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
3 |
14 |
77 |
** 2 points deducted for slow over rate
Division Two (2nd XI)
Leyland Seconds celebrate their title success |
In Division Two leaders and defending champions Leyland had an anxious wait to confirm their retention of the title after their game against third-placed Blackpool was washed out.
Blackpool had made 38/3 at Stanley Park with Steven Pallett taking 3/25 and club D2 record-breaking opening batsman Adrian Darlington unbeaten on 35.
Second placed Chorley tried desperately to get their game against Netherfield going again after play was interrupted with visitors Netherfield 27/1; but finally admitted defeat just after 3-30pm. That meant that Leyland were Champions of the Second Division for a second successive season, having an unassailable 16pts lead over Chorley.
The Leyland players went back to Fox Lane where League Chairman Norman Poole and Leyland CC President Terry Wilson made the presentation of the Championship trophy to Captain Ian Farrington.
Leyland Seconds captain Ian Farrington with Terry Wilson and Norman Poole |
With one game left Leyland have 257pts with Chorley on 241 and Blackpool 239. Chorley Seconds visit Fox Lane to play Leyland next Saturday while Blackpool are at Morecambe.
Elsewhere Morecambe made 79/1 at Carnforth before the game was abandoned and there was no play in the games at Fleetwood or Preston.
Leyland Seconds Captain Ian Farrington reflected on his side's Championship success. Farrington, who took over the captaincy from Chris Dovey at the end of last season said: "It was an anti-climax to win the title this way but we won the title through our efforts over the season as a whole. If you look at the averages we haven't got the top batsman or bowler but we had a lot of players who contributed to the team at vital times.
"It was a great team effort and if I had to pick my Player of the Season I'd have to choose from eight players. I'd like to thank the experienced players like Steven Pallett and Stephen Cartwright who pit in a lot of selfless effort and didn't just concentrate on their own performances.
"We had two outstanding youngsters in Alex Williams and Danny Lamb, two good all-rounders in Nathan McDonnell and Liam Hurt and two brilliant openers in Ian Dickinson and Wes Royle. Wes scored three hundreds during the season including a club record score of 132.
"Chris Dovey instilled a winning mentality into the team and I carried that on; it was stressful at times but very enjoyable and especially pleasing to me was our tremendous team spirit.
"Chorley and Blackpool were definitely the next best two teams, both try to play the game positively and they pushed us all the way."
SECOND DIVISION SCORES
Blackpool v Leyland
Match abandoned (4pts each)
Blackpool 38/3, Leyland did not bat
Carnforth v Morecambe
Match abandoned (4pts each)
Morecambe 79/1, Carnforth did not bat
Chorley v Netherfield
Match abandoned (4pts each)
Netherfield 27/1, Chorley did not bat
Fleetwood v Barrow
Match abandoned (4pts each)
No play
Kendal v St Annes
Match abandoned (4pts each)
No play
Preston v Darwen
Match abandoned (4pts each)
Preston 3-0, Darwen did not bat
Lancaster free date
FURNESS BUILDING SOCIETY
( INCORPORATING READERS
CRICKET BALLS )
NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE
Division Two
| Club |
P |
W15 |
W12 |
D4 |
D1 |
L |
NR4 |
BP |
Pts |
| Leyland |
23 |
10 |
5 |
5 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
19 |
257 |
| Chorley |
23 |
7 |
9 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
11 |
241 |
| Blackpool |
23 |
7 |
8 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
21 |
239 |
| Darwen |
23 |
7 |
4 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
3 |
20 |
192 |
| Netherfield |
24 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
8 |
3 |
12++ |
174 |
| Fleetwood |
23 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
11 |
4 |
27 |
148 |
| Barrow |
23 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
5 |
8 |
3 |
40 |
139 |
| St Annes |
23 |
0 |
7 |
2*** |
3 |
6 |
5 |
18++ |
134 |
| Kendal |
23 |
4 |
1 |
3*** |
0 |
10 |
5 |
29 |
134 |
| Preston |
23 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
15 |
3 |
39 |
115 |
| Morecambe |
23 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
12 |
2 |
36 |
106 |
| Lancaster |
23 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
13 |
2 |
33 |
97 |
| Carnforth |
23 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
13 |
4 |
39 |
97 |
++ 15points deducted
*** Tied match 5 points
