DIVISION ONE
The 3D Sports Northern Premier ECB Cricket League reached an exciting conclusion as Netherfield were crowned champions after a dramatic final day's action.
The day began with four teams still in contention for the title, Netherfield leading the table by three points from Blackpool with Morecambe a further two points behind. Fourth-placed Kendal were six points off the top.
Netherfield had timed their run superbly, hitting top-spot for the first time after their 15-points victory at Carnforth in what proved to be the penultimate game. And Chris Parry's side remained in pole position after securing a tense four-wicket win at Morecambe.
The Woodhill Lane ground had been under water earlier in the week but a match reduced to 40 overs per side commenced 70 minutes late with shortened boundaries. After Morecambe reached 125 for 7, Netherfield's Australian professional Callum Ferguson then batted superbly to hit 74 and lead his side to victory. Ferguson broke Terry Hunte's all-time Northern League batting record of 1,351 runs set in 1984 and finished with an aggregate of 1,381 runs at an average of 106.23, hitting six centuries.
The Netherfield players then had an anxious wait for the result of the Blackpool - Chorley game at Stanley Park. A victory for the home side would have taken them level on points with Netherfield but would have earned them the title having won more games. Blackpool, batting first in a match reduced to 35 overs per-side made 127 for 7. But Chorley held out for a tense draw, closing on 100 for 8 despite Richard Gleeson and professional Sajeewa Weerakoon each taking four wickets for Blackpool.
Netherfield's players had gathered in the Morecambe pavilion and listened to commentary from Stanley Park on mobile telephones before commencing their celebrations as league secretary John Cooper journeyed from Blackpool with the trophy.
Kendal also began the day with a chance of the title and moved up to second after defeating Preston at Shap Road. Ben Simm, who began the day level with Morecambe's Graham Lee in the battle to become the leading amateur wicket-taker, collected 4 for 29.
Simm took 46 wickets at an average of 15.15 and finished ahead of Netherfield's Scott Clement (43), Lee (42) and Gleeson (41) in the amateur bowling charts. Kendal's South African professional Ross McMillan finished as the season's leading wicket-taker with 66 victims and also hit 667 runs.
Departing St Annes professional Mansoor Ahmed collected 63 victims with his leg-spin while Morecambe's Kiwi pro Bruce Martin and Blackpool's Sri Lankan Weerakoon both took 58 wickets with left arm spin in their first experience of the league. Chorley's South African pace bowler Friedel de Wet took 56 wickets in an impressive season at Windsor Park.
Outgoing champions St Annes finished fifth. Their former Carnforth batsman Atiq Uz-Zaman became the second player to pass 1,000 runs for the season. Atiq, who hit 999 league runs in 2006, was the league's leading amateur run-maker, finishing with 1,005 runs at an average of 55.83.
Netherfield's success was all the more remarkable after their early season travails when they struggled for player availability. Clement resigned the captaincy after his side were dismissed for 51 at Darwen but remained a key figure at the club and was one of two league players to take a hat-trick in the season, his in the game against Lancaster. At the halfway stage of the season Netherfield were in tenth position, 38 points behind leaders Leyland but they remained unbeaten in the second half of the campaign.
Kevin Howarth of Kendal was the second player to take a hat-trick in the home game against Darwen
Parry, who took over the captaincy from Clement, shared in a new club record partnership with Ferguson- an unbroken second wicket stand of 279 against Leyland.
Blackpool wicket-keeper and vice-captain James Smith tied with St Annes captain Duncan Whalley with 34 victims from behind the timbers. Smith took 24 catches and ten stumpings while Whalley snaffled 17 catches and as many stumpings. Morecambe captain Mark Lomas again led the fielding table with 18 catches.
Bailey hit the season's highest score, an imperious undefeated 162 for Carnforth at Netherfield but finished on the losing side.
Netherfield off-spinner Chris Miller became only the second player to take all ten wickets in the league, with a sensational 10 for 51 haul at Carnforth as the home side were dismissed for 99. Miller emulated the Morecambe professional Colin Hilton whose ten-for was back in 1969.
Darwen's Gareth Cordingley joined the illustrious group of batsmen to pass 10,000 Northern League runs, achieving the milestone in a late season game at Chorley. Cordingley, who made his Darwen First XI debut in the 1988 season, ended the campaign with 10,030 league runs for the club at an average of 34.83.
Leyland were adjudged to be the best disciplined and most sporting side in both divisions by the umpires.
In the league cup, which found a welcome new sponsor, Morecambe brought the curtain down on the season, earning a nerve-wracking five runs victory over Preston in a low-scoring Furness Building Society Cup Final at Woodhill Lane.
It was a case of third time lucky for Mark Lomas's side who overcame their disappointment at missing out in the league title race and earlier in the season a place in the Twenty20 finals day by lifting the newly-sponsored league cup competition after the final had been rained off on each of the two previous Sundays.
Furness Building Society chief executive Rob Cairns was on hand to present the cup to the Morecambe captain as dusk settled on the ground bringing to an end a thrilling season of Northern Premier League cricket.
Morecambe's triumph was especially memorable for Phil Thornton, who has called time on his cricketing career but the day ended in disappointment for Preston captain Glenn Johnstone, who was playing his final game for the club before retirement.
The home side, invited to bat by Johnstone, had struggled to 122 for 9 in their 40 overs on a slow-paced pitch. Morecambe were indebted to outgoing Kiwi pro Martin (40 not out) for setting a respectable target. Preston were bowled out for 117 in reply.
Barrow CC lifted their first honour since joining the Northern League in 2004 when they emerged victorious from a highly successful Twenty20 Finals Day at a sun bathed Stanley Park in Blackpool at the end of July.
Daryl Wearing's side beat Lancaster in the semi-final before earning a 51 runs victory over the host club to end an action-packed day. In the first semi-final which commenced at 11am Blackpool defeated Chorley.
Darren Clark took centre stage in the final, hitting a superb 55 off 41 balls, including four sixes and two fours. Clark's thirdwicket partnership of 99 with pro Wanasinghe underpinned Barrow's imposing total of 156 for 7. Blackpool struggled in reply against Barrow's superb fielding and tight bowling and were dismissed for 105.
DIVISION TWO
There was a dramatic finish to the second division title as overnight and long-time leaders Chorley were pipped at the post by St Annes.
St Annes, who started the day seven points behind Chorley, earned a comfortable 15-points victory over bottom placed Carnforth at Vernon Road. Captain Andy Kellett hit 71 in his side's 191 for 3 in 39 overs, with Neil Bradley remaining unbeaten on 50. Carnforth were dismissed for 64 in reply.
Chorley entertained Blackpool at Windsor Park and dismissed the visitors for 146, left-arm seamer Richard Flood taking 5 for 32. Chorley were then all-out for 130 in reply despite late innings resistance from Flood (21) and Jim Lee (20 not out). Chris Taylor took 4 for 19 for Blackpool, bowling Flood in a tense finale as Chorley suffered their first defeat of the season.
Kellett, who will take over the first team captaincy from Duncan Whalley in 2009 scored 724 runs at average of 40.22. He was the only batsman to score 500 runs in second team cricket in 2008
Darwen's Christian Davies set a new club bowling record with 58 wickets while Blackpool's Andy Armstrong also passed the half-century mark with 51 wickets.
Leyland wicket-keeper Stuart Parker made 34 dismissals and Chorley captain John Hotham was top fielder with 16 catches.
Barrow's Neil Lauderdale made the season's highest score, an unbeaten 141 against Carnforth.
St Annes' Richard Thomas took 8 for 41 against Lancaster- the season's best bowling performance.
Darwen successfully defended a low total to earn a tense 22 runs victory over Preston at West Cliff in the Second Division League Cup Final. Christian Davies continued his prolific season to the end, taking 5 for 20 as Preston were bowled out for 70 in reply to Darwen's 92.
The victory was a family affair for Darwen captain Gary Jackson, joined in the side by sons Scott and Nathan while Christian Davies's son Alex was also a member of the victorious side.
Though the conditions proved to be the winner and make batting a difficult task, the excellent bowling and fielding of both sides reflected well on the standard of second XI cricket in the Northern Premier League and a good-sized crowd enjoyed their afternoon.
Michael Latham
