Top two clash at Vernon Road on Saturday
St Annes pro first to 50 wickets
St Annes' Michael Baer |
There is no doubt about the game of a double weekend of league action in the Furness Building Society Northern Premier League (incorporating 3D Sports).
Leaders St Annes take on second placed Preston at Vernon Road on Saturday.
St Annes lead Preston by 20 points with both sides having eight games to play. But with 15pts available for a win batting first and 12 for a win batting second that situation could soon change.
Preston have won five games batting first and bowling out the opposition while St Annes are the masters of winning in a run chase, having had six wins that way so far.
Chorley captain Andy Holdsworth |
Third placed Chorley, 28 points off the lead, are at home to Barrow on Saturday while Morecambe in fourth entertain Leyland.
On Sunday St Annes travel to Morecambe while Preston host Lancaster.Chorley are at Fleetwood.
Fleetwood's Tom Wilson |
Last season's Castle Award winner, St Annes' Atiq Uz-Zaman again leads the run charts with 608 followed by Netherfield pro Glen Batticciotto (563) and Lancaster captain Tim Barry (549).
Next up are Fleetwood's Chesney Hughes (494) and Preston pro/captain Bilal Asad (452).
Carnforth's Ryan Nelson has the highest score so far, an unbeaten 126 against Morecambe.
Bilal Asad has the best bowling figures so far, 8 for 29 against Leyland.
St Annes pro Dinuk Hettiarachchi became the first bowler to pass the 50 wickets mark when he took 7 for 51 in his side's win at Blackpool. The Sri Lankan ace has 51 wickets at 10.55 with Bilal Asad second on 41.
Carnforth's Warren Quinn leads the amateur ranks in the chase for the coveted Castle Award with 39 victims including five five-wicket hauls. Quinn also has the best strike rate in the league at 23.03.
Richard Gleeson (Blackpool) has 33 wickets and Chorley's Jim Lee 29.
Duncan Whalley leads the wicket-keeping table with 24 victims followed by Nelson (19). Adam Sharrocks (Fleetwood) and David Fisher (Preston) are vying for top fielder with ten catches apiece.
Michael Stevens (Lancaster) |
In Division Two leaders Lancaster have a blank day on Saturday before hosting Preston on Sunday. So second placed Blackpool, 16 points adrift, have a chance to make up ground playing Darwen away and Barrow at home. Third placed Leyland, 18 points off the lead but with a game in hand on both Lancaster and Blackpool, are at home to Morecambe and then away at Netherfield.
Leyland's Stephen Cartwright leads the division two bowling ranks with 40 wickets followed by St Annes' Richard Thomas (35), Tim Lambert of Lancaster (33) and Morecambe's Nick Milner (32).
Lancaster's Iain Parkinson leads the division two runs table with 387 followed by John Caunce (Blackpool) 385 and Nick Phillips (Kendal) with 343.
Lancaster's Nick Davey has 20 wicket-keeping victims, two more than St Annes' David Watson. Nathan Chambers (Netherfield) is top catcher with 10.
Kieran McCullagh (Chorley) hit the highest division two score so far, 119 against Kendal while Thomas's return of 9 for 25 against Kendal is the best analysis.
DIVISION ONE FIXTURES
SATURDAY 1st AUGUST 2009 (1-00pm)
Blackpool v Darwen
Carnforth v Netherfield
Chorley v Barrow
Kendal v Fleetwood
Morecambe v Leyland
St Annes v Preston
Lancaster no game
Division Two (2nd XI)
Barrow v Chorley
Darwen v Blackpool
Fleetwood v Kendal
Leyland v Morecambe
Netherfield v Carnforth
Preston v St Annes
Lancaster no game
DIVISION ONE FIXTURES
SUNDAY 2ND AUGUST 2009 (1-00pm)
Barrow v Blackpool
Darwen v Carnforth
Fleetwood v Chorley
Leyland v Netherfield
Morecambe v St Annes
Preston v Lancaster
Kendal no game
Division Two (2nd XI)
Blackpool v Barrow
Carnforth v Darwen
Chorley v Fleetwood
Lancaster v Preston
Netherfield v Leyland
St Annes v Morecambe
Kendal no game
