Fylde coast cricket review: Blackpool, Fleetwood and Thornton Cleveleys launch league season with wins

Blackpool won by one run in their division one match at Leyland, having made 163-8 after being asked to bat first.

Dylan Henshall (37) and Ben Howarth (16) put on 57 for the opening wicket before Matt Taaffe hit an undefeated 51.

Leyland reached 134-4 in reply before losing their last six wickets for 28 runs in being dismissed for 162 off the penultimate ball.

Jacob Wright (56) and Andrew Makinson (36) had put on 81 for the fifth wicket before both fell to Ali Usman, who ended with 5-39.

St Annes lost at Vernon Road as defending champions Kendal left with a 28-run victory.

Zain Abbas took 5-42 and Adam Patel 4-23 as St Annes bowled out their visitors for 176.

They lost wickets regularly in reply though, slumping to 98-9.

Ethan Hill (40) and Muhammad Patel (nine not out) added 50 for the last wicket before Hill was dismissed by Louis Backhouse (6-46).

The first games in division two’s Bank Holiday double-header saw Fleetwood make it three wins from three in league and cup.

They defeated Morecambe by one wicket at Broadwater, where the visitors batted first and were dismissed for 188.

Siddarth Ahhuja had made 70 as Morecambe progressed to 187-5 before losing their last five wickets for one run.

Matt Siddall was the man largely responsible, taking four of the wickets in finishing with 5-34.

Harry McAleer made 54 in reply for Fleetwood, for whom the writing was on the wall as they fell to 131-9.

However, Declan Clerkin (30 not out) and Sherzai Wali (15 not out) added 61 for the last wicket with 45 extras also crucial.

Also victorious were Thornton Cleveleys, who were 190-run winners against Carnforth at Illawalla.

Asked to bat first, TC rattled up 298-5 as skipper Josh Sackfield hit 122 not out from only 100 balls.

He added 101 with Will Weber (57) and 130 with Christopher Hedges (55 not out) before Carnforth were skittled for 108, Jake Apperley taking 4-12.

There was a 15-run home defeat for Lytham when they met Euxton.

James Bone (44) and Ben Houghton (38) led Euxton to 164 all out, in which Sahaan Sahaan took 5-21.

Lytham’s reply ended with them all out for 149 with five balls remaining.

The top order fell cheaply, leaving them 25-3 and then 81-6 before Henry Roberts (43) took the score into three figures.

Ben Saunders (15 not out) and Sabbir Patel (seven) added 29 for the last wicket as Lytham fell short.

Also beaten were Great Eccleston, who lost by three wickets at Penwortham.

Great Ecc batted first and were all out for 159, Charlie Parker claiming 4-17, before Penwortham replied with 163-7.

Elsewhere, Fylde lost by 25 runs when they visited Westgate in the Palace Shield Championship.

Rory Briggs (53) and Craig Buchanan (51) helped Westgate post 202-8 after they opted to bat first.

Ben Winder took 4-41 for Fylde, who were all out for 177 after Michael Watkinson hit 61.

In division one, Kirkham and Wesham were 62-run winners against Blackpool’s seconds.

Tait Roberts-Hodgson made 55 in K&W’s 220 all out before Blackpool were dismissed for 158, Tom Parkinson with 4-69.