Weekend cricket round-up: Ups and downs for Blackpool at Netherfield

In what could prove a decisive double-header holiday weekend, Fleetwood lost by 79 runs at Preston, while Blackpool began an up and down 24 hours at Netherfield with a precious win. The Stanley Park club returned to the same ground for yesterday’s Readers Cup semi-final but lost by 30 runs.

Blackpool played their first match for three weeks in Cumbria on Saturday but were straight back in the groove, dismissing their hosts for 58 en route to victory by 64 runs.

Blackpool were put into bat and were quickly in trouble as three of their top four managed just five between them .

However, Andy Furniss and wicketkeeper Ben Howarth steered the visitors past the hundred mark, both making 25 before Blackpool were dismissed for 122 with 4.2 overs remaining. Mark Clarkson made Netherfield’s early inroads and finished with 5-63 from 15 overs, James Johnson taking 3-15 off 4.4.

This modest total proved more than ample as only two Netherfield batsmen reached double figures and they were all out in 32.1 overs. Blackpool pro Daryl Mitchell made 4-28 from 11.1 overs and Jake Muncaster an excellent 3-6 from five overs on his elevation to the first team.

Blackpool still hold their three-point lead over Leyland, who won at Chorley by four wickets, and the Stanley Park club have a game in hand. Leyland are at home to Darwen today.

South African Daryn Smit enjoyed an outstanding Fleetwood debut but couldn’t spare them a 79-run defeat at Preston. The all-rounder filled the shoes vacated by departed professional Travis Dean and took 7-47 from 15.3 overs of leg spin after Fleetwood put their hosts in.

Preston were all out for 173 in 46.4 overs after solid contributions from all their top-four, former St Annes all-rounder Lukman Vahaluwala leading the way with 47.

Smit, who had been playing for Rossendale in the Lancashire League, was Fleetwood’s best with the bat as well, scoring 21 at number six, but seven of his team-mates got out for eight or fewer as the visitors were dismissed for 94 in 36.3 overs, Lukman and Afzal Kapadia both taking three wickets. It means Fleetwood have slipped to fourth, behind a Barrow side that beat bottom club Morecambe by 68 runs.

Today’s game at Fleetwood is Blackpool’s third in as many days after they returned to Netherfield only to miss out on a place in the Readers Cup final. The hosts chose to bat in this semi and made 138-7 from their 35 overs,

Bradley Earl gave them a solid platform, top-scoring with 34 in an opening stand of 56 with captain Ben Barrow.

The Blackpool reply was soon in big trouble at 33-5 as the top four misfired for the second day running, scoring only nine between them.

Number eight Daniel Pile showed them how to do it with 31 but it was too late to save the game, Blackpool dismissed for 108 in 32.4 overs.

Tom Bruce took 3-33 from seven overs for Netherfield, who face Lancaster in Sunday’s final.

St Annes dropped a spot to eighth after a five-wicket defeat at home to Penrith.

The hosts struggled without professional Shadley van Schalkwyk and toiled to 123 in 43.3 overs after being put in at Vernon Road.

Number seven Henry Higson, with an unbeaten 37, showed his team-mates how it was done as seven of them mustered only six runs between them, Greg Hall and Zakhele Qwabe both helping themselves to four wickets.

Penrith wicketkeeper Chris Marrow then carried his bat for 68 as the visitors sealed victory in 31.1 overs at 124-5.

Lytham welcomed back Toby Lester for their Liverpool Competition match at Bootle but the Lancashire player couldn’t quite secure a draw as he got out to the final ball.

The hosts chose to bat at Wadham Road and made 190 in 53.2 overs thanks largely to opener Jackson Knight’s 85 from 92 balls, with 16 fours and a six. Taylor Cornall dismissed him on his way to 4-29 from 12.3 overs.

In reply, wicketkeeper Gary Knight was Lytham’s top scorer with 40, putting on 55 for the sixth wicket with Tom Morrison.

Lytham were always off the pace but looked like holding on for the draw with Lester at the crease.

Needing to see out the 51st and final over, Lester fell to Christ Liptrot’s last ball for 27 and the visitors were all out for 137, beaten by 53 runs.

Moore and Smalley SE+ Palace Shield results

Premier division: Fulwood and Broughton 223-4 (M Smith 56no, B Parkinson 53, M Smith 48) beat Garstang 161 (Mark Walling 36, U Sadaqat 4-10 ) by 62 runs, Fylde 28 ( Driver 6-11, S Marsh 4-16 )lost to Croston 74 ( D Smith 5-31) by 47 runs, Penwortham 69-0 beat Whittingham and Goosnargh 64 by 10 wickets, Thornton Cleveleys 155 (J Eade 60no, A Hogarth 5-47) lost to Freckleton 221-8 (A Hogarth 127no) by 66 runs, Torrisholme 93 lost to Longridge 96-1 by nine wickets, Vernon Carus 128-6 beat Great Eccleston 124 by four wickets.

Division One: Garstang 2 108-8 (A Egerton 30, D Billington 4-21) beat BAC-EE Preston 87 by 21 runs, Kirkham and Wesham 125 (D Moore 32, R McCutcheon 4-13) lost to Vernon Carus 2 129-4 (D Whittle 51no) by six wickets, Longridge 2 150-7 (A Simpson 31, I Davies 4-26) beat Norcross 149-9 (C Parker 41, W Baines 3-26, D Wilson 3-52) by three wickets, Rufford 88 lost to Eccleston 90-6 by four wickets, White Coppice 153-6 beat Hogton 145 by eight runs, Withnell Fold 93 lost to Fulwood and Broughton 2 96-3 by seven wickets.

Division Two: Great Eccleston 2 243-8 (I Dudhara 81no, J Whittle 49, P Harvey 40, J Bass 4-64) beat Thornton Cleveleys 2 93 (J Whittle 6-24) by 150 runs, Gregson Lane 112 lost to Penwortham 2 139-6 by 27 runs, Mawdesley 119 (C Gibbons 30, W Norris 4-12, T Phillips 4-31) beat Wrea Green 98 (M Wood 50, D Lemarinel 5-25 ) by 21 runs, New Longton 205 beat Tarleton 124 by 81 runs, Walton-le-Dale 138 (S Keely 34, M Cowburn 5-26, J Brown 3-38) lost to South Shore 139-1 (D Jardine 66no) by nine wickets, Whittle and Clayton-le-Woods 86-4 (C McMahon 51 ) beat Blackpool 3 85 (C Allison 30, T Markham 5-29) by six wickets.