FLEETWOOD FLOUNDER - AGAIN
By Gerry Wolstenholme
With large puddles all over the outfield following some extremely heavy downpours over the previous three days, it looked as though the Fleetwood versus Morecambe game would not get underway. But thanks to some sterling work on the ground by players, supporters and committee folk alike, the water was cleared, the ground dried a touch and the game got underway with the loss of 13 overs.
After fiery opening spells and some rank bad batting it then looked as though the game would finish very early but a later order recovery saw Fleetwood reach 127 all out in the final over. And then, much to the surprise of spectators who initially thought there would be no game and then thought of an early tea at home, it was gone 7-30pm when Morecambe stroked the necessary runs to win by six wickets and close the gap on leaders Netherfield to one point.
John Wright had elected to bat and he very soon probably wished he had not done so as Peter Stephens and Rudra Singh ripped into the early order Fleetwood batting. Wright himself, 11, was the first to go when he tried to remove his bat to a rising ball from Singh that followed him and ended in the safe hands of second slip Amol Muzumdar. That was 14-1 and it was soon 18-2 when promoted professional Craig Pryor fell to the same combination as Wright. But this time it was the batsman's fault entirely as he held his bat out to dry to a ball that was leaving him and Muzumdar did the necessary to send Pryor on his way for five.
Bobby Denning was third man out for seven when a ball from Stephens stopped on him and he got a leading edge to send a gentle return catch to the bowler. No runs were added when Singh got in the act again as Clinning was late down on a ball that he could only succeed in knocking onto his stumps. And the third wicket followed without addition as Coultas was out in almost identical fashion, playing on to Singh.
Twenty-four for five became 30-6 and 33-7 when Paul Willis was bowled by Stephens for six and Andy Singleton, two, was given out caught behind despite vehemently indicating to the umpire that the ball had touched his upper arm.
Enter the stalwart Jeremy Newman who put his bat solidly to ball as at the other end Alex Laird showed the earlier
batsmen what could be done. He took the attack to Morecambe who removed the opening bowlers and set more of a defensive field. The Laird/Newman partnership had added 75 in 56 minutes and looked likely to be there at the end until a moment of madness cost Newman his wicket. He drove the ball to wide mid-off and, calling 'no', set off for a run. Laird was not as keen and he held his ground so that when the ball was gathered and returned to Damien Gudgeon, Newman was well short of the crease. His 13 had included one four and one six over long on off Eccles.
The loss of his partner unsettled Laird and when on 52, from 58 balls with five fours, he drove at Eccles only to sky the ball to deep mid-on where the bowler made plenty of ground to pouch the catch. Keith Riley made five not out and James French kept a cool head to see the overs out and he had made 13 when he was dismissed off the final ball of the innings, Muzumdar taking his fourth catch off Eccles who finished with 2-27. Singh took the bowling honours with 5-37 and Stephens had 2-32.
Morecambe's reply began badly when Pryor got a ball to lift from just short of a length and Mark Woodhead dabbed it to Bobby Denning at second slip. He was out for two and that was 4-1. It was 28-2 when Andy Bird, whose "enthusiasm is infectious" as one of his colleagues remarked, was bowled by Pryor for three.
Muzumdar played one exquisite, typically eastern flick to the mid-wicket boundary and he had made an entertaining 36 when James French had him caught by Coultas. Eighteen-year-old French bowled extremely well and it was something of a surprise when he was removed from the attack with commendable figures of 7-3-26-1. By this time Phil Thornton was in full throttle, albeit missing one or two attempted drives from Newman and he and Singh took the side to the verge of victory before the latter was caught by Laird at mid-off off Newman for 11.
John Eccles just had time to make six runs before Thornton drove the first ball of the 35th over through mid-on for four to give his side victory by six wickets. In a so-far run-filled season he had added 61 not out, from 75 balls with 10 fours and one six, to his aggregate. Although Pryor took 2-41, he bowled too many bad balls and James French was the pick of the bowlers with Jeremy Newman, 1-22, not far behind.
Bay 96.9 Northern Premier League Second Division
Abbreviated scoreboards:
Lancaster 172 (Ferro 48, Phillips 40, Mercer 5-56, Mustafa 4-37), Blackpool 123
(Mustafa 40, Dennison 4-34)
Netherfield 193-8 (Haddrick 56), Chorley 197-6 (Catterall 57*)
Kendal 163-8 (Elleray 65, Ashburner 54, Heys 4-50), Darwen 139-9 (Hartnett 5-36)
St Annes 210-4 (Taylor 84, Kellett 64), Leyland 201 (Bretherton 74, Cotton J 5-64)
Preston 126 (Mann A 44, Hurst 4-46), Leyland Motors 127-5 (Totham 40)
Fleetwood 160-7, Morecambe 161-2 (Milner 88*, Errington 44*)
