Fylde coast cricket round-up: Fleetwood clinch promotion and the title as Lytham take one step nearer silverware

Adam Sharrocks’ men did so in style, recording a seven-wicket defeat of Torrisholme on Saturday to wrap up a 17th win from 20 league matches.

As so often this season, it was the Fleetwood attack who set up their victory.

Having asked Torrisholme to bat first, the home bowlers dominated from the off in dismissing them for 71.

Zac Corcoran (1-8) struck early, removing Saeed Bariwala (0), though it was Jeremy Davies who led the Fleetwood charge.

He picked up the wickets of Dan Woods (7), Joel Stewart (0), Jack Batty (9), Joseph Wills (0) and Joshua Wills (7) in finishing with 5-25.

Jack Wilkinson (2-8) dismissed Jack Heap (1) and James Eccles (3) before Declan Clerkin, who had earlier accounted for James Cookson (8), finished off the innings by sending back Joshua Jordan (0).

That gave him figures of 2-21 with Matthew Cline’s 22 not out offering the only resistance.

Fleetwood’s reply saw them reach 72-3 inside 16 overs, Joshua Wills (3-26) seeing off Atiq Uz-Zaman (13), Harry McAleer (9) and Charlie Clark (0).

However, Clerkin (25 not out) and Sharrocks (20 not out) took Fleetwood to their target and ensured the celebrations could begin.

It left Fleetwood top, 31 points clear of second-placed Eccleston and 39 ahead of Morecambe in third with only 24 points available.

Great Eccleston are fourth, 11 points off second place after losing by two wickets against Eccleston.

Great Ecc had batted first and were all out for 126, having slumped to 25-6 as Reece Thomas (4-58) and Cameron Smith (2-33) decimated the top order.

Joe McMillan (29) and Peter Whittle (36) added 60 for the seventh wicket before Stewart White (3-17) wrapped up the tail.

Eccleston’s reply saw them fall from 51-2 to 116-8 before eventually reaching 128-8, openers Adam Norris (43) and David Hewson (24) having set up the run chase.

Thornton Cleveleys lost by three wickets at Euxton, where they batted first and were all out for 100 as Jack Shovelton took 5-22.

Euxton claimed victory by replying on 103-7, Ulricht van Duyker making 54 as Daniel Howard took 4-19.

There was also defeat for Kirkham and Wesham as they went down by 27 runs at Preston.

Navazish Ali (96) and Harish Humsa (51) helped take the home team to 244 all out before K&W were dismissed for 217 with two balls left of their reply.

Samuel Oldfield made 57 and Liam Castellas 38 before Justin Banks was the last man out, also for 38.

In division 1A, Fylde were 82-run winners against Standish.

Dan Smith made 67 in Fylde’s 223-8 before Standish were all out for 141, Danny Smith with 3-42.

As for division two, Finn Peel claimed 4-27 as Vernon Carus were 94 all out against Norcross, who responded with 95-4.

Keith Reid took 5-31 and Ryan Birkman 4-23 as St Annes’ seconds bowled out Torrisholme for 143 and replied with 144-6, Thomas Bradley top-scoring with 45.

Wrea Green saw Longridge make 179-9 before they were all out in reply for 142 despite Jack Ward’s 53 not out.

The Liverpool Competition saw Lytham CC move one step nearer the First Division title after beating Colwyn Bay by six wickets in their top-of-the-table meeting.

Batters dominated proceedings as Colwyn Bay chose to use the wicket first and declared on 248-4.

Jack Parry (4) fell early on to Toby Lester but fellow opener Zack Gidlow reached 39 before he was out to Josh Holden (1-48).

Sion Morris and Will Evans added 86 before the former was dismissed by Lester for 46, leaving Colwyn Bay 150-3.

Evans and Adam Campion then put on 98, a partnership that ended when Lester sent back Evans for 96.

Campion ended 46 not out with Lester claiming 3-77 for Lytham, who replied with 254-4.

Thomas Hessey (31) was first to go after a 42-run opening stand with Myles Child.

He added 105 with Guy Roberts for the second wicket before being dismissed for 74.

Holden was out for 27 and Matt Taaffe eight but Roberts (85 not out) and Tom Jefferson (18 not out) guided Lytham home.

With two games left, they are 18 points clear of Rainford, who leapfrogged Colwyn Bay into second place, with the latter now 27 points behind Lytham.

In the Northern Premier Cricket League, Blackpool maintained their hope of finishing second while St Annes wrapped up a top-four finish.

Blackpool were comfortable eight-wicket winners at relegated Vernon Carus.

Having asked the hosts to bat first, Blackpool saw Steven Mercer claim 3-40 as Vernons finished on 169-6.

More than half of those runs came from Kasun Ekanayake Mudiyanselage, who finished undefeated on 87.

In reply, Blackpool breezed to 170-2 as Josh Boyne made 68 not out and Kasim Munir 58.

Victory leaves them seven points ahead of third-placed Fulwood and Broughton going into next weekend’s final matches.

St Annes are 12 points adrift of Fulwood and Broughton after they saw off Chorley by six wickets at Vernon Road.

Chorley chose to bat first with Roshen Silva (86) and Harry Barclay (50) guiding them to 207-6 by the close.

St Annes, however, had 12-and-a-half overs in hand by the time they had reached 208-4.

Although James Dunn took 4-32, Tom Higson (86) and Yohan De Silva (73) broke the back of St Annes’ run chase after a first-wicket stand of 148.