Fylde coast cricket preview: Champions running out of time in survival bid
Director of cricket Andy Singleton admits Fleetwood require title-winning form to avoid relegation from this season’s Northern Premier Cricket League division one.
It’s a battle of the bottom two at Broadwater tomorrow, when Fleetwood welcome a Longridge team 19 points above them.
Last year’s champions are a further eight points from safety and, with only six matches of the league season to play, are running out of time in their quest for survival.
Singleton told the Gazette: “They are must-win games. We’ve been there in the last couple of weeks but, really, we’re in the last chance saloon now.
“At the end of the day, we have nothing to lose. It’s a good standard of cricket, the league is very strong and we have to take the pressure off ourselves.
“It (survival) is not beyond the realms of possibility. We’ve got the same team, pretty much, from last season but we just need that spark.”
It is a double-header weekend for Fleetwood as tomorrow’s league match is followed by Sunday’s 40 Over Cup semi-final at Garstang.
Fleetwood’s cup results have been a stark contrast to their league fortunes, having won four of the six group stage games before victory over Blackpool in the last eight.
“It’s definitely been an up-and-down season,” Singleton acknowledged.
“It’s difficult to say why that is, we’re scratching our heads about it.
“As well as having pretty much the same team, we’ve prepared as well as we could have.
“If anything, batting has perhaps been the major issue on the league side of things.
“I don’t know if that’s getting to grips with the new ball we’re using this season.
“I guess, when you hit on a winning run, the wins become easier but, once you get on a losing run, you lose confidence in getting over the line.”
SATURDAY FIXTURES
Northern Premier Cricket League First Division (12.30pm): Fleetwood v Longridge, Settle v Blackpool.
Northern Premier Cricket League Second Division (12.30pm): Great Eccleston v St Annes, Thornton Cleveleys v Carnforth.
Palace Shield Premier Division (1pm): Fylde v Heysham, Morecambe v Kirkham and Wesham.
Liverpool and District Cricket Competition First Division (12pm): Maghull v Lytham.
SUNDAY FIXTURES
NPCL 40 Over Cup (12.30pm): Garstang v Fleetwood.