Match Day 27th August 2005 ST ANNES CLOSING IN ON THE TITLE By Gerry Wolstenholme St Annes picked up 12 points on Saturday and while Netherfield did claw three back on the leaders by gaining 15 points, the title is still very much on its way to Vernon Road. A win against Preston on Monday and whatever happens anywhere else, the title is theirs. Overall, disappointingly, there were five sub-100 totals, the lowest of which was Lancaster's 42 and the best being Fleetwood's modest 71. The game finished at 5-30pm at Vernon Road but there were thrills throughout the four hours cricket as Fleetwood were fired out for just 71 with Shane Harwood taking the best bowling figures of the season with 9-22, which gives him 89 for the season and every chance of getting the magical 100. However Fleetwood fought back magnificently and took eight St Annes' wickets as the leaders managed to battle their way to 72-8 and an eight-wicket victory. Steve Hill had 4-29 for Fleetwood. At Parkside Road, Netherfield were the only big scorers of the day against Leyland as they knocked up 207 with Pierre de Bruyn hitting another century, this time 119, and Chris Parry making the next best score of 22. For Leyland, James Wright bowled well for 4-41 and there were two wickets each for Steve Pallett, for 65 runs, and Adam Parker, for 73 runs. Parker then made his side's top score of 22 while Chris Parkinson made 12 and Simon Dunk 11 not out as Leyland were dismissed for 66 with Ryan 'Rhino' Wilson taking 6-14. At Kendal, Blackpool won by 73 runs, scoring 191-7 and then dismissing the home side for 118. Extras with 40 made the best contribution to the Blackpool total as Tim Barry made 35 not out, Justin Kreusch 34, Jamie Reddy 24 and Steven Croft 22. Kabir Khan, 5-97, and Kevin Howarth, 2-81, bowled unchanged for Kendal who then succumbed to Barry, 5-49, and Croft, 4-30. Khan and David Fallows were joint top scorers with 19 each and Simon Little made 18. Leyland Motors made just 57 against Barrow where Peter Lawson took 5-19 and Atif Ashraf made a top score of 14. Barrow won by eight wickets with 58-2 with Robin Adams' 27 being the game's best effort while Dean Williams made 21 not out. In the Morecambe versus Preston game the home side won by 77 runs as they made 168-6 and then bowled Preston out for 91.Paul Mann top scored for Preston with 29 while Gareth Peddar a half-century, Sub Pro K Shahzad 31 and Nick Milner 21 no for Morecambe. At Darwen, Lancaster were bowled out for 42 courtesy of 6-21 from Neil Cordingley and 4-15 from Andrew Mercer who bowled unchanged for 26 overs as no Lancaster batsman reached double figures with David Heywood's eight being the best effort while Lee Sparks made seven. Darwen then lost only one wicket in making 44-1 in 10.3 overs with Dominic Heys making 31 not out. Scores in brief (home sides in bold): Lancaster 42 (Cordingley N 6-21, Mercer 4-15),Darwen 44-1 Lancaster 0 points, Darwen 12 points Blackpool 191-7 (Khan 5-97), Kendal 118 (Barry 5-49, Croft 4-30) Blackpool 15 points, Kendal 2 points Leyland Motors 57 (Lawson 6-15), Barrow 58-2 Leyland Motors 0 points, Barrow 12 points Morecambe 168-6 (Pedder 50), Preston 91 Morecambe 15 points, Preston 1 point Netherfield 207 (de Bruyn 119, Wright 4-41), Leyland 66 (Wilson 6-14) Netherfield 15 points, Leyland 3 points Fleetwood 71 (Harwood 9-22), St Annes 72-8 (Hill 4-29) Fleetwood 2 points, St Annes 12 points SURRIDGE NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE Division One Club P W15 W12 D4 D1 L NR4 BP Pts St Annes 21 4 11 3 1 1 1 18 227 Netherfield 21 3 5 8 1 2 2 46 190* Morecambe 21 4 4 5 2 4 2 31 169 Blackpool 21 4 4 3 3 4 3 31 166 Darwen 22 1 8 2 4 3 3 29 164 Kendal 21 5 3 1 2 7 3 32 161 Fleetwood 22 4 3 3 2 7 3 30 152 Barrow 22 1 6 1 2 9 3 30 135 Chorley 21 3 0 2 6 6 4 39 112* Leyland 21 1 3 1 5 8 3 35 107 Lancaster 21 1 2 1 2 12 4 29 90 Preston 21 1 1 4 3 8 3 39 90*** Leyland Motors 21 1 1 2 3 12 2 39 85 * 2 points deducted for Slow Over Rate *** two points deducted for slow over rate on two occasions, three points deducted for slow over rate once Two of the deductions Subject to appeal In the Second Division, Sean Bickerdike's 91 was the top individual score of the day as his side, St Annes, went into second position thanks to a 26-run win over nearest challengers Fleetwood. St Annes' 213-7 was just enough as Fleetwood made a valiant effort but were bowled out for 187. Meanwhile leaders Netherfield had a scare as lowly Leyland dismissed them for just 82 but Phil Hartley responded and took a superb 8-53 with the result that Leyland were bowled out for 79 to lose by three runs. Scores in brief (home sides in bold): Barrow 157 (Wilcock 60), Leyland Motors 158-5 Barrow 2 points, Leyland Motors 12 points St Annes 213-7 (Bickerdike 91, Bradley N 57),Fleetwood 187 (Laird 54*, Palmer 4-41) St Annes 15 points, Fleetwood 5 points Lancaster 74, Darwen 76-0 (Painter 44*) Lancaster 0 points, Darwen 12 points Netherfield 82 (Bethell 6-38), Leyland 79 (Hartley 8-53) Netherfield 15 points, Leyland 3 points Preston 114-9, Morecambe 115-8 Preston 2 points, Morecambe 12 points SURRIDGE NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE Division Two Club P W15 W12 D4 D1 L NR4 BP Pts Netherfield 21 10 2 2 1 3 3 21 216 St Annes 21 4 9 1 2 2 3 18 204 Fleetwood 22 5 7 0 2 5 3 26 199 Barrow 22 5 4 4 1 5 3 38 190 Morecambe 21 3 8 4 0 4 2 24 189 Chorley 21 3 6 2 2 5 3 29 168 Darwen 21 1 7 2 2 6 2 29 146 Leyland Motors 21 1 5 2 3 8 2 27 121 Blackpool 21 2 2 3* 0 11 3 41 120 Preston 21 3 3 0 1 10 3 15 109 Leyland 21 2 2 1* 4 8 4 28 107 Kendal 20 3 2 0 1 13 1 23 95** Lancaster 21 0 0 1 1 17 2 23 36 * Includes 5 points for a Tie ** 2 points deducted for Slow Over Rate MATCH ACTION THE SHANE HARWOOD SHOW - BUT ONLY JUST! Fleetwood 71, St Annes 72-8 By Gerry Wolstenholme On a Vernon Road track that did not appear to have any particular demons in it, 18 wickets went down for only 143 runs and in a close finish St Annes came out on top by two wickets. They, or more particularly Shane Harwood who took nine of the wickets, bowled Fleetwood out for 71 but the visitors fought back so well that the game was in the balance until Russ Bradley and Dave Taylor took their side to a two-wicket victory. Ian Austin won the toss and put Fleetwood in to bat and Harwood struck early when a vicious lifter took James Ellis's glove and flew through to Duncan Whalley behind the stumps and he had gone without scoring as Fleetwood were 3-1. Michael Clinning scored a couple and then he went the same way as Ellis when he defended a short ball from Harwood but could only steer it into the gloves of Whalley and that was 6-2. John Wright and Adam Sharrocks weathered the Harwood storm for a while and put on 27 runs for the third wicket. But just when it looked as though they had some permanency both fell within the space of one run. It was 33-3 when Wright, 17 with two fours and the longest knock of the innings, 45 balls, edged Harwood to Whalley and 34-4 when a quick ball from Harwood found its way past Sharrocks defence. Harwood then took his fifth wicket when he trapped Chris Stanhope leg before wicket before he had scored and that was 39-5. Without addition Wayne Clarke was leg before wicket and Harwood had all six. Andrew Clough showed his usual dogged resistance and even had the effrontery to cut Harwood for four on his way to a topscore of 19 made from 26 balls with two fours. Harwood then struck back and sent down a slightly quicker ball that took Clough by surprise and he could only lob a gentle catch to Taylor at mid-off and that was 56-7. Steve Hill made three before Joe Davies spoiled the Shane Harwood show by bowling him at 58-8. Tom Blundell struck a beautiful straight driven four that many a top order batsman would have been proud of but he did not add to his score before Harwood bowled him neck and crop at 64-9. Young Tom Wilson battled bravely and took the best Harwood could bowl at him before he eventually returned a catch to the Australian when he had made 10 and with Dave Fish not out without scoring the Fleetwood innings had ended for 71. Harwood had bowled unchanged for figures of 15.1-3-22-9 while Davies, who had to retire from the firing line after five balls of his final over, had 1-26. If St Annes thought they had the game won easily, Hill and Blundell had other ideas and between them they quickly reduced the home side to 56-6. Adrian Darlington glanced the first ball of the innings for four but he did not add to his total before Hill had him leg before wicket at 10-1. Austin then struck three boundaries and looked as though he would carry his side to victory but when he had made 21 from just 19 balls he got an inside edge to Blundell and was bowled. And that was 32-2. Hill bowled Gareth Evans for 10 at 36-3 and Blundell gave Harwood a taste of his own medicine by bowling him before he had opened his account at 40-4. Russ Bradley and Davies started a recovery and took the total to 56 before Hill bowled Davies for eight, both boundaries, and one run later Clough had Aiden Cotton, nought, superbly caught at point by Wilson who dived and took the catch over his head, the wicket falling one ball after a vehement stumping appeal had been turned down. An injured Stephen Twist came in at number nine and he was restricted in his movements so he decided to go for the runs. But when he had made one he struck Clough to deep mid-wicket where Clinning judged a high, swirling catch to perfection and Twist had gone for one at 59-8. Bradley then had the benefit of the doubt when Ellis had the bails off and appealed for a stumping and this was almost the last alarm as Bradley, a cool head just right for the occasion, and Taylor, an able ally in a very charged atmosphere, took St Annes to victory by two wickets at 72-8. Bradley made 18 not out from 44 balls with three fours and Taylor made three not out included the winning run which was a half-chance just wide of a diving slip fielder. Fleetwood, without a professional for the second week, certainly made a fight of it and Hill, 4-29, and Blundell, 2-26, were superb with Clough taking 2-12 from four overs but in the end the experience of Bradley saw St Annes home. The Fleetwood Batsman looks back anxiously Fleetwood captain John Wright plays forward to St Annes Pro Shane Harwood Shane Harwood in full flight Fleetwood batsmen Tom Wilson and David Fish return to the pavillion The St Annes players applaud Shane Harwood off the field after taking 9-22 Shane Harwood takes a well earned drink Fleetwood's Tom Wilson St Annes Adrian Darlington flicks Fleetwood's Steve Hill's first ball to leg for four Fleetwood's Steve Hill bowling to Adrian Darlington Fleetwood bowler Thomas Blundell appeals for LBW against St Annes batsman Russ Bradley

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