Weekend cricket review: Win takes Fleetwood above Blackpool

Fleetwood replaced Blackpool in second place in the Northern Cricket Premier League thanks to their 53-run home win over Chorley.
Travis Dean batting for FleetwoodTravis Dean batting for Fleetwood
Travis Dean batting for Fleetwood

On a day the Fylde coast’s three NPL teams were at home, Blackpool had to settle for a rain-hit draw with Kendal, while St Annes avoided defeat for the first time this season against Barrow.

Kendal lost a wicket without scoring after being put in at Blackpool, but after professional Daryl Mitchell had dismissed both openers, Chris Ngoepe and Syed Ali put on 78 for the third wicket at Stanley Park.

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Ngoepe was bowled by Richard Gleeson for 66 off 55 balls (11 boundaries), and by the time Ali was fifth out for 76 (123 balls, eight fours), he had put on 58 with Wes Fernando (35) and taken the Cumbrians past 200.

Mitchell added a third wicket, bowling 15 overs and conceding 55 but Kendal were able to close on 219-7.

But then the rain came, reducing Blackpool’s reply to 35 overs and they had to settle for a losing draw at 129-5.

The innings gained momentum with a fourth-wicket stand worth 72 after Gleeson (40 from 50 balls) joined Mitchell (39 from 63) but Chris Miller stemmed the run flow with 3-25 from 11 overs.

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Fleetwood chose to bat against Chorley and were given a good start by professional Travis Dean, whose 64 was the Australian’s best knock yet for the club and included seven fours and a six.

Wicketkeeper Dean Bell matched Dean’s eight boundaries and contributed to a solid second-wicket stand with 49 to lay the platform for Fleetwood’s 175-7 at Broadwater.

Opener Dean was caught off Wihan Lubbe, who took 3-65 from his 17 overs.

Lubbe was also Chorley’s best with the bat, scoring 36 at number four, but his team-mates couldn’t kick on as five were out for scores between 11 and 16 and the visitors were all out for 122 in 36.5 overs.

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Dean didn’t bowl but Patrick Ashton took 4-49 from 11.5 overs, his best return yet, and Mike Clinning claimed 3-30 off 12.

Fleetwood are 16 points behind Leyland, who continued their fine start with an 86-run win over Lancaster.

At the other end of the table, St Annes picked up their first points despite visitors Barrow amassing a massive 272-7.

Opener Kaustubh Pawar piled on an unbeaten 124 after the Cumbrians were put in at Vernon Road and he found a willing ally in number three Sam Dutton (76).

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St Annes’ professional Shadley van Schalkwyk took 3-59 off 12overs and Mitchell Blus 3-89 off 14.

The home side then survived at 207-8 thanks largely to 73 from wicketkeeper Richard Staines batting seven. He was caught and bowled by Greg Richards, who took 4-42 from nine overs. Nathan Armstrong helped the hosts pass 200 with his 48 at number four.

The losing draw couldn’t lift St Annes off the bottom, while their Liverpool Competition neighbours Lytham are also at the wrong end of the table.

Following two draws, Dom O’Brien’s side lost for the first time this season by two wickets at New Brighton despite a magnificent captain’s knock.

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O’Brien’s unbeaten 116 steered Lytham to 229-5 as they declared after 55 overs, the Australian scoring at a run a ball with 15 fours and four sixes.

He shared in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 107 with Toby Lester, who scored 42 from 44 balls. David White took four wickets in his 21 overs but at a cost of 118 runs.

However, the Wirral club reached their target off 51 overs despite a major collapse. From 12-2, New Brighton put on 93 for their third wicket before Andrew Clarke was out for 41.

Captain White then compiled 78 with Updal Fernando before being run out by Matthew Taaffe for 79 from 127 balls (13 boundaries).

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Fernando then lost four partners for ducks, three of them to Lester, who claimed 3-25 off 12 as New Brighton slumped from 193-4 to 197-8.

But wicketkeeper Adam Neal came in at number 10 and helped the hosts close out victory with his unbeaten 22. Fernando finished 58 not out from 74 balls with eight fours.

Moore and Smalley SE+ Palace Shield Premier Division: Croston 142 lost to Longridge 145-5 by five wickets, Freckleton 72-9 lost to Garstang 150 by 78 runs, Fulwood and Broughton 151-2 beat Vernon Carus 150 by eight wickets, Great Eccleston 124-3 beat Whittingham & Goosnargh 120 by seven wickets, Penwortham 250-6 beat Fylde 91-9 by 159 runs, Torrisholme 176-8 lost to Thornton Cleveleys 197-8 by 21 runs

Division One: Eccleston 125 lost to Norcross 161 by 36 runs, Garstang 2 189-8 beat Rufford 150 by 39 runs

Division Two: Wrea Green 104 lost to South Shore 105-2 by eight wickets.