JJ Smuts continues golden batting form as Chorley earn first win
Craig Outram got Blackpool's innings off to a rapid start |
Blackpool moved to within one game of the Latham Baxendale Twenty20 Cup Finals Day after a nerve-wracking 3 runs victory over St Annes at a sun-kissed Stanley Park.
Paul Danson's men will ensure their place at the league's showpiece occasion if they can beat Fleetwood in their final game in North One group at Stanley Park. But Fleetwood will qualify for Finals Day if they can beat St Annes and Blackpool in their final group games. St Annes' hopes, meanwhile, hang by a thread.
Five days after St Annes prevailed in a thrilling game at Vernon Road by 7 runs the tables were turned as Blackpool successfully defended what looked a below par total of 133 for 7.
Blackpool pro Nimesh Perera top-scored with 44 |
Craig Outram gave Blackpool a good base with 32 off 24 balls in an opening stand of 48 in six overs with Alex Smith. But Blackpool's innings lost momentum after Outram was bowled by Charles Boucher for 32 and they relied upon pro Nimesh Perera, who steadily accumulated 44 off 37 balls with three boundaries for posting a competitive total.
St Annes pro Dinuka Hettiarachchi bowled four overs at the death and returned four for 20 in a masterly display.
Atiq Uz-Zaman skies Mike Tidmas before being caught by Nimesh Perera |
Mike Tidmas struck two early blows for Blackpool, bowling Duncan Whalley and having Atiq Uz-Zaman superbly caught backward of point by Perera.
Boucher was bowled by Andy Hogarth for 16 and Hettiarachchi run out by Blackpool wicketkeeper Rob Sissons after a mix-up with Stephen Twist to leave St Annes 55 for 4.
But Twist looked in prime form and added 49 with David Bartholomew before he was bowled by Richard Gleeson in the 16th over with his side 30 runs short of victory.
Bartholomew hit 33 off 22 balls and seemed set to lead his side over the finishing line until he was run out by the impressive Sissons.
St Annes needed 14 off the last two overs but Gleeson now had his tail up and bowled superbly in the penultimate over, claiming the wickets of St Annes skipper Andy Kellett and Matt Grindley and seeing Paul Wilks run out by Alex Smith.
The last pair of Nick Jones and Luke Wilks needed 13 off the last over, bowled by Steven Mercer but the challenge of needing six off the last ball proved just beyond the valiant Jones as a superb game finished in the gloaming at 9-09pm.
St Annes' Stephen Twist sweeps Blackpool's Steven Mercer |
At Fox Lane Chorley earned their first win in four attempts in South Two group with a convincing nine wickets win over Leyland.
Leyland have lost two of their first three games and the group leadership now appears to be a straight fight between cup holders Preston and Darwen.
The winners of this group will host Finals Day.
Brett Pelser top-scored with 44 off 34 balls in Leyland's 133 for 7. Chorley pro JJ Smuts and Jimmy Lee each took two wickets for Chorley.
Smuts then took over centre-stage, continuing his recent outstanding batting form with an innings of 84 off 58 balls including six fours and five sixes.
Smuts was eventually bowled by Karl Cross having added 127 for the first wicket with James Reynard, who made an unbeaten 44 off 43 balls as Chorley cruised home with three overs to spare.
In the last five days Smuts has smashed 348 runs for once out, having made 87 not out and 84 against Leyland in the Latham Baxendale Twenty20 Cup and a record-breaking unbeaten 177 against Carnforth in the league.
In four Twenty20 games he has made 246 runs this season and been dismissed three times.
The scheduled games at Barrow and Lancaster this coming Friday have been postponed due to England's World Cup game and will be rearranged. The competition resumes on Tuesday 22 June when Netherfield host Kendal.
RESULTS:
Blackpool v St Annes
Blackpool won by 3 runs
Blackpool 133 for 7 (N Perera 44, D Hettiarachchi 4 for 20), St Annes 130 for 9
Leyland v Chorley
Chorley won by 9 wickets
Leyland 133 for 7 (B Pelser 44), Chorley 136 for 1 (JJ Smuts 84, J Reynard 44no)
LATHAM BAXENDALE TWENTY20 CUP FIXTURES
North One
Thursday May 27 Barrow v Kendal - Tied on run rate
Thursday June 3 Kendal v Netherfield- Netherfield won by 5 wickets
Friday June 11 Netherfield v Barrow- Netherfield won by 77 runs
Fridat June 18 Barrow v Netherfield- Postponed (new date TBA)
Tuesday June 22 Netherfield v Kendal
Thursday July 1 Kendal v Barrow
North Two
Friday June 4 Morecambe v Lancaster- Lancaster won by 74 runs
Friday June 11 Carnforth v Morecambe- Morecambe won by 44 runs
Friday June 18 Lancaster v Morecambe- Postponed (new date TBA)
Friday June 25 Carnforth v Lancaster
Friday July 2 Lancaster v Carnforth
Friday July 9 Morecambe v Carnforth
South One
Thursday May 27 Fleetwood v Blackpool- Blackpool won by 28 runs
Thursday June 3 Fleetwood v St Annes- Fleetwood won by 15 runs
Friday June 11 St Annes v Blackpool- St Annes won by 7 runs
Tuesday June 15 Blackpool v St Annes- Blackpool won by 3 runs
Friday June 25 St Annes v Fleetwood
Thursday July 1 Blackpool v Fleetwood
South Two
Friday May 28 Chorley v Darwen- Darwen won by 3 runs
Thursday June 3 Preston v Chorley- Preston won by 49 runs
Friday June 4 Darwen v Leyland- Darwen won by 45 runs
Tuesday June 8 Preston v Darwen- Post (New date TBA)
Friday June 11 Chorley v Leyland- Leyland won by 10 runs
Friday June 11 Darwen v Preston- Preston won by 7 wickets
Tuesday June 15 Leyland v Chorley- Chorley won by 9 wickets
Thursday June 24 Leyland v Darwen
Friday June 25 Chorley v Preston
Tuesday June 29 Preston v Leyland
Friday July 2 Darwen v Chorley
Thursday July 8 Leyland v Preston
FINALS DAY
Sunday 25 July at winner of South Two group
Semi-final One (11am) Winner South One v Winner South Two
Semi-final Two (2pm) Winner North One v Winner North Two
Final (5pm)
Previous winners of the T20 Cup are:
2004: Kendal
2005: Netherfield
2006: Darwen
2007: Darwen
2008: Barrow
2009: Preston
