Fylde coast cricket round-up: Northern League, Lytham and Palace Shield

Danny Edwards, batting against Southport and Birkdale last year, was in fine form against them over the weekend

The Cumbrians put St Annes in at Vernon Road and restricted them to 141-9 as James Park Johnson took 4-24 from eight overs and professional Daryn Smit 3-30 off 17.

The home innings showed promise at 55-1 but disintegrated to 76-7 before wicketkeeper Richard Staines fought back with an unbeaten 39.

Netherfield reached their target in 29.3 overs after Bradley Earl dominated an opening stand of 59 with his 43.

Smit saw the champions-elect home with an unbeaten 49 from 60 balls (nine fours), sharing an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 62 with John Huck. Netherfield’s win on a weather-affected weekend leaves them 58 points clear of second-placed Chorley with 60 to play for.

Blackpool are still a point above St Annes in third despite going down by 48 runs at Leyland, where they were dismissed for 79.

In a match reduced to 46 overs at the Stanning Memorial Ground, the hosts were put in and reached 127-5.

They benefited from a strong opening partnership between Tom Reece and Henry Thompson, who hit six fours in his 59.

Without a pro or regular captain Paul Danson, Blackpool had no answer to Karl Cross (6-30 from 13) or Ross Bretheron (3-13 off seven) and were dismissed in 26 overs.

Jake Muncaster showed his team-mates how it should be done with 39 from 44 balls but only one other player reached double-figures.

Fleetwood crashed out of the Northern Premier League’s Benchnmarx Kitchen and Joinery Trophy, losing by 51 runs to Leyland at Broadwater yesterday.

Leyland’s Ross Bretherton continued his fine form from the previous day’s league win over Blackpool, claiming a hat-trick to complete figures of 4-15 from six overs in this 40-over contest.

Leyland chose to bat and made 159-5 before dismissing Fleetwood for 108 in 33.3 overs. The will visit Barrow in this Sunday’s semi-final.

Fleetwood’s fixture at Kendal was among three NPL matches abandoned due to rain on Saturday.

The Shap Road encounter was called off after the hosts had reached 88-5 from 33.1 overs, Finlay Richardson making 51.

Lytham had to settle for a draw away to second-bottom Southport and Birkdale despite captain Danny Edwards’ best bowling of the season in the Liverpool Competition.

The skipper’s 7-48 from 20.1 overs restricted the hosts to 178 from 62.1 after they elected to bat at the County Ground.

Chris Brownlow (43) and Bradley Yates (41) put on 79 for the second wicket as eight Lytham players bowled but Edwards was dominant, his third five-for of the campaign taking his total victims to 61.

Lytham were restricted to 40 overs in reply and reached 130-6 as Ryan Maddock led the way with 35, putting on 53 for the fourth wicket with Anthony Mulligan.

Brownlow completed his good day by trapping Lancashire captain Steven Croft lbw for four.

Garstang are pursuing a league and cup double in the Moore and Smalley Palace Shield after defeating Vernon Carus in the Meyler Cup final for the second successive year.

Garstang won yesterday’s showpiece at Penwortham by four wickets, reaching 151-6 in reply to Vernons’ 159.

Mark Walling’s Garstang side retained their nine-point lead at the top of the premier division with a four-wicket win in Saturday’s crunch match at Longridge.

There’s no change at the top with four games to play after the top three all won and collected 11 points each.

Moore and Smalley Palace Shield results

Premier division: Eccleston (137-9) lost to Vernon Carus (138-3) by seven wickets, Fulwood and Broughton (196-8) beat Penwortham (149-7) by 47 runs, Great Eccleston (128-4, M Nadeem 50) beatThornton Cleveleys (127, J Eade 40, P Whittle 5-41, J Procter 3-29) by six wickets, Longridge (162-7, J Simpson 57) lost to Garstang (168-4, Ma Walling 51) by six wickets, Rufford (98) lost to Freckleton (100-4) by six wickets, Torrisholme (88) lost to Croston (89-3) by seven wickets.

Division One: Garstang 2 (63, D Wilson 5-13) lost to Longridge 2 (75, P Ahmadzai 7-23) by 12 runs, South Shore (113-3, N Bolus 63) beat Norcross (112, M Cowburn 4-7, H Pazeer 3-15) by seven wickets, Vernon Carus 2 (145-8) beat New Longton (144-6) by two wickets, White Coppice (111-9) lost to Hoghton (115-3) by seven wickets, Withnell Fold (142-7, N Fowler 42, S Rutter 41) beat Fylde (83, K Valimulla 6-50) by 59 runs.

Division Two: Kirkham and Wesham (17, C Gunn 4-11, MI Raja 3-2) lost to Standish (19-3) by seven wickets, Wrea Green (21) lost to BAC-EE Preston (23-0) by 10 wickets