St Annes’ duo get batsmen out of jail in derby fixture

St Annes won a low-scoring Northern Premier Cricket League derby at home to Fleetwood, where a total of 100 was enough for victory by 27 runs.

The hosts chose to bat at Vernon Road and did well to reach three figures in 44.4 overs after a slump from 42 without loss to 56-7.

The wicket of professional Yohan de Silva, St Annes' top scorer with 23, started the collapse as Declan Clerkin took 4-18 from 15 overs. Tiaan van Vuuren had his fellow pro caught behind and took 3-45, also from 15.

But the Fleetwood batsmen fared even worse, stumbling to 17-5 before they were dismissed for 73 in 27.2 overs.

None of the top six reached double-figures and Lukman Vahaluwala removed most of them to finish with 4-19 from his nine overs.

Captain Adam Sharrocks did his best to steady the ship with a top score of 23 and a seventh-wicket stand of 41 with Nathan Bend (20).

But Alec McGloughlin soon polished the innings off, completing his first five-for with 5-23 from 10.2 overs.

It was a first league win since April for St Annes, stretching the gap between themselves and the bottom two to 26 points, and a third defeat in four for mid-table Fleetwood as the season hits its halfway point.

Fleetwood are in derby action again on Saturday at home to Blackpool.

St Annes' run of Sunday success in the cup competitions ended when they bowed out of the Lancashire Cricket Federation Knockout with a 25-run home defeat by Darwen.

The Lancashire League visitors set a 45-over target of 224-8 thanks largely to 91 (13 fours) from Punit Bisht and his 112-run partnership with David Bowden (59) for the fourth wicket.

Bowden was among the late victims for Vahaluwala, who finished with 3-28 from nine overs.

St Annes set about their chase positively as opener De Silva scored 43 and shared a third-wicket stand of 56 with captain Nathan Armstrong, who went on to score 57 (nine fours) and put on 72 for the fourth wicket with Nathan Bolus (28).

But having reached 181-5, St Annes could add only 18 more as Kamran Anwar took 4-41 and Reece Davies 3-38, both from nine overs. Darwen will host Northern in the semi-finals.

​Blackpool brought Fulwood & Broughton’s recent revival to a shuddering halt at Stanley Park.

Visitors were routed for just 57 as Matthew Grindley ran amok, taking superb figures of 8-16.

Only Ben Rosbottom came away with any credibility with the bat – his unbeaten 25 – was almost half of his side’s runs.

F&B pro Hareen Buddila will feel hard done by as he finished with figures of 8-37 as the hosts were earlier bowled out for 143.

Shivam Chaudhary (46) and Dylan Henshall (37) had top scored for the home side.

Longridge won their home quarter-final against Great Eccleston by 67 runs in the Lancashire Cricket Federation Knockout on Sunday.

The hosts chose to bat and piled on 290-4 from 45 overs, with Joshua Mullin (67) and Tom Howarth (53) sharing 126 for the opening wicket.

Howarth's exit did Ecc few favours as it brought Matthew de Villiers to the crease and he blasted 97no from 47 deliveries, his 15 boundaries accounting for 72 of those runs.

De Villiers put on 55 for the third wicket with Zac Christie (27) and an unbroken 58 with Zach Procter. Phil Booth fared best among the bowlers with 3-41 from eight overs.

Nisanth Nithian launched a determined reply by the visitors, hitting 13 boundaries in his 89, but found no-one to stick with him until Mohamed Nadeem shared 113 for the fourth wicket.

But when Nadeem went for 52 from 49 balls (nine fours) the game was up as De Villiers rounded off his excellent day with 3-21 from six overs. Longridge will visit Wigan in the semis on July 16.

​Thornton Cleveleys defeated visitors Lancaster by six wickets to overtake them Moore and Smalley Palace Shield.

​The visitors were all out for 145 in 35.4 overs after being put in at Illawalla, helped to a competitive total by Thayne Nel's 54 from 48 balls as Antony Ellison and Joshua Rolinson both took three wickets.

Oliver Kyle then led the way with 41 as Thornton wrapped up victory at 150-4 in 31.5 overs and they will look to start the second half of the season with a third straight premier division win at Preston on Saturday.

Kirkham and Wesham lost a Palace Shield thriller by a single wicket at high-flying Mawdesley.

Having been put in, the visitors set a target of 179 as Theo Cunliffe scored 57 but Neil O'Malley took 7-66 from 15 overs.

The second-placed hosts then looked to be cruising to victory as they reached 150 for the loss of three wickets, Blake Buttar making 40.

But Mawdesley soon found themselves sweating on 166-9 as Jamie Hogarth took a season's best 6-47 from 15 overs.

The final pair got over the line with 14 balls remaining. They aim to get back on track at home to struggling Torrisholme on Saturday.

Great Eccleston were 46-run victors over Vernon Carus at Hall Road. Mohammed Fazil hit a half-century as the hosts posted 154-8.

Mohamed Nadeem, who had hit 35, then took 3-21 as the visitors were all out for 108.Jim Proctor and Jon Jeffries took two wickets.