Fylde coast cricket round-up: Blackpool Cricket Club crowned Northern League champions

Blackpool Cricket Club wrapped up the Northern Premier League title in emphatic style  with a 10-wicket home victory over Penrith.
Northern League champions Blackpool CC   Picture: Paul DansonNorthern League champions Blackpool CC   Picture: Paul Danson
Northern League champions Blackpool CC Picture: Paul Danson

It was a first league title since 2014 for the Stanley Park club and a 17th in all - more than twice as many as any other club. Needing to win to make certain of the title, Blackpool’s openers Matt Houston and Luis Reece wasted no time in securing maximum points by scoring 110 from 16 overs after the Cumbrians had been dismissed for 109 in 18.1.Derbyshire all-rounder Reece returned to Stanley Park with an unbeaten 66, while Houston contributed 41. Penrith had chosen to bat and their innings was held together by opener James Price with a defiant 67.However, he couldn’t find team-mates to stay with him, particularly when Blackpool seamer Matt Siddall got to work.Siddall claimed 5-22 from 4.1 overs, his fifth five-for of the season taking him past 50 league wickets for 2018. Only two other Penrith players reached double figures, four fell for ducks and the last five men in contributed a total of three runs. Matt Grindley and Josh Boyne took two wickets apiece, the latter dismissing the resilient Price. Second-placed Netherfield played their part in keeping the pressure on Blackpool with a five-wicket win at Garstang.In a match reduced to 25 overs per side, the Cumbrians sealed victory with two balls to spare at 159-5 after Garstang captain Mark Walling (54 not out) had led his side to 156-5.It means the day ended as it had begun with Blackpool seven points clear of Netherfield at the top on 258.Paul Danson’s Blackpool side won 14 of their 22 matches and were beaten only twice. Fulwood and Broughton ended their relegation fears with an eight-wicket win at Fleetwood, who lost six of their final seven games.The hosts were put in at Broadwater but could survive only 21 overs before being dismissed for 91. Only James Gregson (22 not out) reached 20 as Simon Kerrigan claimed 5-14 from nine overs.His victims included Fleetwood pro Neels Bergh as the season’s most prolific run-scorer (1171) bowed out with a disappointing 13.An unbeaten 50 by wicketkeeping captain Mark Smith then steered Fulwood to 94-2 from 17 overs for a victory which kept them above second-bottom Morecambe, who won by two wickets at Chorley.Fleetwood incurred penalty points and finished just two points above Fulwood in ninth.Third-place St Annes’ match against Barrow at Vernon Road was abandoned.

Fylde are going up to the premier division of the Palace Shield after a rain-hit penultimate weekend. Victory at Tarleton secured second spot in division one A for the Poulton club, who are nine points behind leaders Standish.The top two will play off for the title at Fylde’s Moorland Road ground on Saturday.However, Thornton Cleveleys appear doomed to relegation from the top flight after their home defeat by Kendal.Only five fixtures beat the weather in the top two divisions. Moore and Smalley Palace Shield premier division results: South Shore 73-5 beat Lancaster 68 (C Swarbrick 31, M Hall 6-22) by five wickets, Thornton Cleveleys 119 (D Howard 46, C Miller 6-30) lost to Kendal 123-5 (B Phillips 55no) by five wickets, Torrisholme 105-7 lost to Eccleston 106-2 by eight wickets.Division 1A: Tarleton 124 lost to Fylde 170-4 by 46 runs, Withnell Fold 91-4 (R Javeed 70no) beat Norcross 88-8 (R Blampied 45, N Fowler 3-21, R Pillay 3-28) by six wickets

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All matches in the Liverpool Competition’s ECB premier league were rained off, including Lytham’s final home game of the campaign against second-bond Rainford.Northern have clinched the title and seventh-placed Lytham end their season at Leigh on Saturday.