Fylde coast cricket preview: Semi-final places are up for grabs

Blackpool are trying to force their way into the final four of the elite ‘gold’ competition, but whatever happens, captain Paul Danson says great credit is due to organisers.

They faced a massive logistical challenge at short notice to stage a two-month Saturday competition involving 87 teams from the Northern League and Palace Shield, with matches at four different levels and each team playing in two groups.

Danson told The Gazette: “A big ‘well done’ to the leagues for coming up with a format and providing us with some cricket in a season when it wasn’t looking like we would get any.”

Results for the Fylde coast’s senior sides, Blackpool included, have been a real mixed bag and Danson said: “The main thing about the competition is that it has thrown up opportunities to give young lads experience of first-team cricket.

“We’ve blooded six from the juniors, and looking ahead to next year, I now know that potentially I have lads in reserve who can come in and do a job.”

Blackpool must win at Chorley tomorrow to have any chance of climbing into the top two of gold B and earning a semi-final against Garstang or Morecambe.

It will be a tall order for Danson’s side against the group leaders, who have lost only once all season – and Blackpool could win and still fail to qualify on runs-per-wicket averages if three teams finish tied on eight points.

The only Fylde coast side currently in a qualifying position in level one are Great Eccleston in silver group A.

Ecc welcome unbeaten leaders Lancaster tomorrow and could be overtaken by Fleetwood if they can defeat Eccleston at Broadwater. Whoever qualifies will face Longridge or Kendal in the semis.

Neither Lytham nor St Annes can qualify following back-to-back defeats and both are at home in wooden-spoon matches tomorrow. These games are not necessarily the last of the season for those who don’t qualify as the option is there for third and fourth-placed teams to play their own mini-tournaments over the final two Saturdays.

Bronze leaders Thornton Cleveleys host Kirkham and Wesham and can take a massive step towards that title with victory. This five-team competition will be played out as a round-robin over the next fortnight, and tomorrow’s game is Thornton’s last of the season at Illawalla.

At level two, St Annes 2 are the only Fylde coast team currently in a qualifying position, though South Shore and Fylde still have a chance if they can win at home tomorrow.

Elsewhere, Fleetwood CC staged its first women’s softball cricket festival on Sunday. The triangular competition also involved teams from Fulwood and Broughton and New Longton, who will host a similar festival this weekend.

Organiser Jon Amor said: “It was a fantastic day. All the teams showed great enthusiasm and really enjoyed it. Every team won at least one game, and while it was competitive it was also mega-fun.”

Tomorrow's fixtures

Level 1 Gold A: St Annes v Leyland, Garstang v Morecambe

Gold B: Chorley v Blackpool, Netherfield v Fulwood and Brughton

Silver A: Fleetwood v Eccleston, Great Eccleston v Lancaster

Silver B: Lytham v Euxton, Kendal v Longridge

Bronze: Thornton Cleveleys v Kirkham and Wesham, Penwortham v Vernon Carus

Level 2 Gold A: South Shore v Mawdesley; Gold B: Longridge 2 v Fleetwood 2; Silver A: Fylde v Kendal 2

Silver B: Fulwood and Broughton 2 v St Annes 2; Bronze B: Tarleton v Lytham 2.

Level 3 Gold B: Standish v Blackpool 3

Silver A: Lancaster 2 v Thornton Cleveleys 2; Bronze A: Wrea Green v Chorley 3

Level 4 Gold A: Wyre v Darwen 3, Walton-le-Dale 2 v Wrea Green 2; Gold B: Kirkham and Wesham 2 v Withnell Fold 2, Hoghton 2 v South Shore 2

Silver A: Charnock St James 2 v Norcross, Whittle and Clayton-le-Woods 2 v Fylde 2; Silver B: Blackpool 4 v Ingol 2