Holders Preston take one step nearer
Preston's Lukman Vahaluwala hits out against Chorley's Billy Smith on his way to 55 |
Netherfield became the first team to qualify for Finals Day in the Latham Baxendale Twenty20 Cup after their emphatic derby day victory over Kendal at Parkside Road.
Australian professional Nick Kruger blasted an unbeaten 75 off 36 balls with eight fours and four sixes as Netherfield overhauled Kendal's 122 for 5 without losing a wicket.
Shane Dixon played a superb supporting role with 46 not out off 47 balls including three fours and two sixes.
Nick Phillips top-scored for Kendal with 31 not out with Terry Hunte making 29 and Paul Dodds 27 not out. Kruger was Netherfield's best bowler with two for 22 while skipper Marc Hadwin got the vital wicket of Kendal pro and captain Ross McMillan, caught by Ben Barrow for 18.
In North One Group Netherfield have 6 points from three games with Kendal and Barrow one point apiece.
In North Two Lancaster earned their second win in as many games with a 33 runs success at Lodge Quarry. In a surprisingly low scoring game Lancaster captain Michael Stevens anchored his side's 128 for 6 with 49 off as many balls.
Stevens then took four for 24 including the vital wicket of Carnforth pro Gareth Pedder, bowled for 9. Charlie Swarbrick weighed in with three for 16 as Carnforth were bowled out for 95.
Lancaster's home game with Morecambe, on a date to be arranged, appears to hold the key to this group.
Fleetwood set up a winner-takes-all clash against Blackpool at Stanley Park next Thursday (1 July) after beating St Annes by 7 runs in a thriller at Vernon Road.
Playing without a professional, with captain/pro Matt Frith still injured, Fleetwood rattled up 182 for 6 with Sydney first grade player Ryan Smith, promoted to no3, blasting 50 off 25 balls with three fours and four sixes to follow up his batting heroics in Sunday's Readers Cup win over their Fylde Coast rivals.
Opener Dean Bell made 43 off 26 balls and Matt Clark (22) and Tom Wilson (22 not out) also made valuable contributions as St Annes pro Dinuka Hettiarachchi took three for 25. Bell and Clark gave Fleetwood a flying start with an opening stand of 62 off 34 balls.
Smith then grabbed the prize wicket of Atiq Uz-Zaman, caught by Chris Stanhope after the St Annes opener had hit 33 off 17 balls.
Despite 24 from Hettiarachchi and 25 from skipper Andy Kellett St Annes finished just short on 175 for 9 although Fleetwood conceded 20 wides, eleven off the last over bowled by Wilson who finished with three for 39.
Whoever wins next Thursday's clash at Stanley Park between Blackpool and Fleetwood will qualify for Finals Day.
Twenty20 Cup holders Preston are firmly in command of South Two after earning their third win in as many games at Windsor Park against Chorley. Preston (6pt) lead Darwen and Leyland (4pts each) with a game in hand.
Chorley's Chris Harty goes close to bowling Lukman Vahaluwala |
Lukman Vahaluwala hit 55 off 51 balls to bolster Preston's 144 for 9 with Adam Parker (26) sharing a second wicket stand of 50. Kieran McCullagh took three for 28 and skipper Andy Holdsworth two for 12 for the home side to follow up pro JJ Smuts' two for 16.
Preston's David Fisher hits the ball through the offside |
Preston pro Bilal Asad, who skippers the side in Twenty20 then took the vital wicket of Smuts in the third over, bowled for 10.
Chorley subsided to 78 for 8 on their way to their fourth defeat in five games, spinner Atul Sachdeva taking two for 10 and Parker two for 19, and finished well short on 109 for 9.
Atul Sachdeva bowled a miserly spell for Preston |
Results:
Carnforth v Lancaster
Lancaster won by 33 runs
Lancaster 128 for 6 (M Stevens 49), Carnforth 95 (M Stevens 4 for 24, C Swarbrick 3 for 16)
Chorley v Preston
Preston won by 35 runs
Preston 144 for 9 (L Vahaluwala 55, K McCullagh 3 for 28), Chorley 109 for 9
Kendal v Netherfield
Netherfield won by 10 wickets
Kendal 122 for 5, Netherfield 123 for 0 (N Kruger 75no, Shane Dixon 46no)
St Annes v Fleetwood
Fleetwood won by 7 runs
Fleetwood 182 for 6 (R Smith 50, D Bell 43, D Hettiarachchi 3 for 25), St Annes 175 for 9 (T Wilson 3 for 39)
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)
Friday June 25 Netherfield v Kendal - Netherfield won by 10 wickets
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 - Lancaster won by 33 runs
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 - Fleetwood won by 7 runs
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 - Leyland won by 1 wicket
Friday June 25 Chorley v Preston - Preston won by 35 runs
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
