Fylde coast cricket review: Bowlers set up Blackpool’s opening victory

They were seven-wicket winners over New Brighton at Stanley Park, in a match where their bowlers did the damage.

Having opted to bat first, New Brighton were all out for 75 as Khalil Patel took 4-26 and Ali Usman 3-10.

Andrew Needham (25 not out) and Usman (18 not out) then added 52 as Blackpool reached 76-3 in 17 overs.

St Annes were well beaten in the same competition, losing by 72 runs to Cheetham Hill United at Vernon Road.

The visitors were 262 all out, Ahmad Khan Hussain top-scoring after hitting 79 from only 59 balls.

Having fallen to 35-4 in reply, St Annes finished on 190-9 as Adam Patel made 42 and Rizwan Haider took 4-38.

Both teams had suffered a second defeat in the Northern Premier Cricket League’s 40 Over Cup group stage the day before.

Blackpool lost by one wicket at Garstang, where they batted first and fell from 82-2 to 159 all out after Ben Howarth (36) had top-scored.

Michael Walling (57) and Theo Smith (40) put on 94 after the hosts were 43-4, only for five wickets in 12 runs to leave them 149-9.

Joe Barlow then hit 11 from seven balls in taking Garstang to victory on 161-9.

St Annes again lost at home, going down by four wickets against Euxton.

Rory Urquhart’s quickfire 33 helped St Annes to 166 all out after they had been 115-7, only for Euxton to respond with 167-6 inside 31 overs.

There were also defeats for Lytham, Great Eccleston and Thornton Cleveleys.

Lytham were beaten by one wicket at Penwortham, where they batted first and made 196-9 with Stewart Davison hitting 38 and Myles Child 26.

Penwortham reached their target off the final ball, finishing on 200-9 as Nathan Elliott hit 57 not out after Robbie Sumner’s 52.

Matt Most (47) top-scored in Great Ecc’s 171-8 against Carlisle, who responded with 172-3 in which Michael Slack finished 88 not out.

TC were beaten by 61 runs at Barrow, who compiled 208-8 after they opted to bat first.

Barrow captain Jack Singleton made 61, having added 62 for the fourth wicket with Oliver Whalley (45).

In reply, TC captain Josh Sackfield (31) led the way as they were dismissed for 147 with eight overs remaining.

Fleetwood were the Fylde coast’s only winners, making it two wins from as many matches with a 58-run victory over Netherfield at Broadwater.

Charlie Clark (60) and Tomas King (41 not out) had a fifth-wicket stand of 97 in Fleetwood’s 194-5.

Netherfield’s response saw them collapse to 34-6 before eventually posting 136, Hassan Mughal claiming 4-34 and Matt Siddall 3-8.

The win leaves Fleetwood as one of five teams with perfect records, alongside Chorley, Leyland, Morecambe and Euxton, before the competition resumes on Bank Holiday Monday, May 25.

Elsewhere, Fylde were seven-wicket winners against Lancaster in the Palace Shield Championship.

Lancaster batted first and were 118 all out, a score Fylde overhauled in the 41st over by posting 122-3.

Division one brought a 36-run win for Kirkham and Wesham against Withnell Fold.

Samuel Oldfield’s undefeated 61 helped K&W post 228-8 before they dismissed their opponents for 192.