Fylde coast cricket preview: Big weekend in league and cup

The penultimate round of league matches see Fleetwood welcome leaders​ Chorley on Saturday.

The visitors are three points clear of Kendal, who go to bottom club Eccleston, with a further 10-point gap to Garstang who visit Longridge.

Fleetwood, in sixth, can still overhaul fifth-placed Blackpool in their first year back following promotion from the Moore and Smalley Palace Shield.

Skipper Adam Sharrocks believes Fleetwood may have benefited this year from their Northern League knowledge.

He said: “I said last season, we’re a Northern League club, the club was a founding member, so it was a disappointment to drop out of it.

“The full focus was getting back, which we achieved, but in the same breath we know what it’s like in the Northern League.

“We know what it takes to be successful and how hard it can be if you aren’t ready for it.

“Maybe our past experience of being in the Northern League has helped us this year.

“I always say they are a young group – apart from myself – and as long as they are willing to improve, which they are doing, we’ve got high hopes for them being a successful team in the future.”

Then, on Sunday, Blackpool head to Garstang for the final of the NPCL’s 40-Over Cup.

Honours are even from the two league matches with Blackpool winning at the Riverside in May before Garstang won July’s return meeting at Stanley Park.

SATURDAY FIXTURES:

Northern Premier Cricket League (12.30pm): Fleetwood v Chorley, Fulwood and Broughton v St Annes, Leyland v Blackpool.

Liverpool and District Competition (12pm): Lytham v Old Xaverians.

Moore and Smalley Palace Shield Premier Division (1pm): Kirkham and Wesham v Carnforth, Preston v Great Eccleston, Vernon Carus v Thornton Cleveleys.

Division 1B (1pm): Blackpool 2 v BAC/EE Preston, Great Eccleston 2 v Fylde, New Longton v Fleetwood 2, Thornton Cleveleys 2 v Grimsargh.

Division 2 (1pm): Norcross v Gregson Lane, St Annes 2 v Longridge 3.

SUNDAY FIXTURES:

NPCL 40-Over Cup final (1pm): Garstang v Blackpool.