Fleetwood CC skipper looks forward to Blackpool CC derby day

The campaign got under way three months later than scheduled last weekend, with the opening matches of an elite Fylde coast round-robin group in which Fleetwood face their traditional Northern Premier League rivals Blackpool and St Annes, as well as Lytham and Thornton Cleveleys.

And if Saturday’s opening matches are anything to go by – Fleetwood won by seven runs at TC’s Illawalla home – then some highly competitive cricket is on the cards, whetting the appetite for Blackpool’s visit to Fleetwood tomorrow.

Skipper Sharrocks told The Gazette: “It’s good to get some cricket played and to get a bit of normality back, even if it isn’t our usual format.

“We knew Thornton Cleveleys would be up for the game and we couldn’t take them lightly. It was a good win.

“I think they’ve done a great job to organise this competition considering all the guidelines and the fact we have three leagues represented in our group. Not using the changing rooms and sanitising every few overs are small prices to pay to get competitive cricket played.

“We’re looking forward to the first home game. Blackpool are a great rival and I have a lot of respect for Paul Danson and his team. These derbies are always competitive and played in the right spirit.”

That derby rivalry will be as intense as ever, though this competition is being treated a little differently as Sharrocks explained: “We have no professional or overseas amateur this year, and Mat Clark (director of cricket) and I agreed it would be a good opportunity to blood more young players than usual.

“We always like to give youngsters plenty of opportunities, but this season we can give regular opportunities to players who may otherwise have been in and out of the side.

“We are also asking players who have been around the first-team for a few years to take more responsibility with there being fewer senior players. Only Tom Wilson and myself are over 30 and we have a lot of under-25s.”

Sharrocks is new to captaincy at this level but certainly has no shortage of experience and had no hesitation in taking the role.

“I’m from Thornton but Fleetwood is my club,” he said. “I’m 34 and have been here since I was 15, and in the first team since 16/17.

“There was only one answer when Mat asked me to be captain and I’m proud to take the job.”

Blackpool won the opening group A match in the T20 competition, beating Thornton Cleveleys by nine wickets at Stanley Park.

In a game reduced to 15 overs, the visitors set a target of 86-8, which Blackpool reached in 8.5 overs for the loss of one wicket.

Matthew Grindley took 4-12 from his three overs as TC subsided from 70-3, Rick Blampied their top scorer with 37 from 42 balls.

Opener Sam Dutton (44 from 28) and Josh Boyne (33 from 19) then saw Blackpool home after wicketkeeper Ben Howarth had fallen (six) with the total on 27.

St Annes start their Group B campaign today at home to Longridge (4pm), who defeated Preston by 10 wickets in the group opener.

Fixtures tomorrow: Level 1 Group A : Fleetwood v Blackpool, Lytham v Thornton Cleveleys; Group B: Fulwood and Broughton v Garstang, Kirkham and Wesham v Longridge, Preston v Great Eccleston; Level 2 Group A: Fylde v Lytham 2, Great Eccleston 2 v Fleetwood 2, South Shore v St Annes 2

Level 3 Group A: Thornton Cleveleys 2 v Wrea Green; Level 4 Group A: Blackpool 4 v Wyre, Norcross v South Shore 2

Sunday T20: St Annes v Fleetwood, Garstang v Netherfield