Reece faces former club for table toppers Leyland
Lancaster captain Michael Stevens |
The third and fourth round fixtures in the Furness Building Society Northern Premier Cricket League (incorporating Readers Cricket Balls) are played this coming Saturday and May Day Monday (1pm) with Leyland looking to continue their flying start to the season.
After two 15-point wins to start the campaign Leyland entertain Blackpool on Saturday before hosting Lancashire Colts on Monday, both at Fox Lane.
Luis Reece has hit early season form with bat and ball for Leyland and will be keen to do well against his former club Blackpool.
Leyland will be hoping pro Brett Pelser recovers from a migraine attack that forced him to miss the victory at Morecambe.
Blackpool's pro Nimesh Perera flew in from Sri Lanka on Tuesday to commence his duties at the Stanley Park club after his intended flights were delayed due to volcanic ash issues. Paul Danson's side urgently need a kick-start from their pro after a disappointing start.
Reigning champions St Annes welcome back Dinuka Hettiarachchi, the league's leading wicket-taker in 2009 for their trip to Netherfield on Saturday.
But they have been dealt a huge blow with the news that captain Andy Kellett will be sidelined for several weeks after breaking his index finger batting against Chorley last Saturday.
Wicketkeeper Duncan Whalley takes over as captain.
Netherfield's Queensland pro Nick Kruger was the match-winner at Stanley Park last Saturday with bat and ball and followed up that innings with 100 for Colne as sub-pro in the Lancashire League on Sunday, but still finished on the losing side at Haslingden:
http://lancashireleague.com/Scorecards/258/258849.html
On Sunday a Cumberland side containing six Northern League cricketers lost by 226 runs to Shropshire at Shifnal in their opening game in the MCCA Trophy. Barrow's Jonathan Miles, Graham Dawson and Darren Clark; Kendal's Stu Parkin and Chris Miller and Ikram Ullah of Morecambe were all in the Cumberland side.
The scorecard can be found here:
http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/266/266192.html
Preston, still awaiting the arrival of pro Bilal Asad entertain Carnforth at West Cliff.
The visitors' former Westmorland League batsman Phil 'Ted' Bovis made an impressive half century against Darwen last Saturday- his first in the league.
Ryan Nelson batted throughout the Carnforth innings for an unbeaten 79 to underline his ability but Carnforth are badly missing Warren Quinn, last season's Castle Award bowling award winner who is now based in London.
Darwen pro Mohammad Zaman Khan just missed out on a century against Carnforth but looks an impressive batsman, just as his past records in the Central Lancashire League and Bradford Leagues suggested he would be. With Yakub Bhamji and Kamran Anwar in fine bowling form and Neil Cordingley back to open their attack Darwen look a vastly improved side this year.
They entertain a Barrow side who made a disappointing start to the season when they had the worse of a losing draw against a vastly-improved Lancaster outfit at Ernest Pass.
Barrow captain Daryl Wearing will be looking for a big improvement on Saturday.
Barrow captain Daryl Wearing |
Lancaster's new captain Michael Stevens hit a fine 92 at Barrow and with new ball bowlers Iain Perrieman and Matt Weller settling in Lancaster look a far different proposition than the team that finished with the wooden spoon last season. They play Kendal at Lune Road with new pro Roy Silva making his seasonal debut.
Chorley meanwhile aim to continue their impressive start as they travel to play a Fleetwood side smarting after their nine wickets defeat at the hands of Lancashire Colts on Sunday.
Lancaster's new opening bowler Iain Perrieman |
On Monday Leyland entertain Lancashire Colts at Fox Lane. Morecambe, who sit out Saturday's fixtures host Preston at Woodhill Lane and Lancaster are at Chorley.
Barrow play Netherfield at Ernest Pass, Blackpool are at home to Carnforth, who have Quinn available for the first time this season while St Annes play Darwen.
Double programme over Bank Holiday weekend
Furness Building Society Northern Premier Cricket League (incorporating Readers Cricket Balls)
Fixtures
Saturday 1st May
2010
(Round Three)
Division One (1pm start)
Darwen v Barrow
Fleetwood v Chorley
Lancaster v Kendal
Leyland v Blackpool
Netherfield v St Annes
Preston v Carnforth
Morecambe no game
Division Two (2nd XI, 1pm start)
Barrow v Darwen
Blackpool v Leyland
Carnforth v Preston
Chorley v Fleetwood
Kendal v Lancaster
St Annes v Netherfield
Morecambe no game
Monday 3rd May
(Round Four)
Division One (1pm start)
Barrow v Netherfield
Blackpool v Carnforth
Chorley v Lancaster
Kendal v Fleetwood
Leyland v Lancashire Colts
Morecambe v Preston
St Annes v Darwen
Division Two (2nd XI, 1pm start)
Carnforth v Blackpool
Darwen v St Annes
Fleetwood v Kendal
Lancaster v Chorley
Netherfield v Barrow
Preston v Morecambe
Leyland no game
Carnforth's new batsman Phil Bovis |
