29th August
Milnthorpe 146 Shireshead & Forton 148/6
Milnthorpe’s title aspirations bore a heavy blow when Shireshead beat them with a ball to spare on Saturday. Inserted on a slow low surface Milnthorpe’s openers struggled against an accurate eleven over spell by Mike Park (0/12) who bowled six maidens at Steve Bowman (12). Whilst Bowman dropped anchor, Phil Savage (1/30) dismissed Chris Baldwin (18) caught by Michael Armstrong, and Andy Suddes (16) dealt in boundaries before he was a first wicket for Alan Moulsdale. Pod Pennington (1) tried to be aggressive against Moulsdale, but was well stumped by debutant wicket-keeper, Sam Clarkson, who showed good glovework throughout the innings. Mike Wills (40) benefitted from two chances, but batted with rare fluency hitting six 4s and two 6s to put the home side in a strong position at 92/4 after 32 overs. He was caught and bowled by Tom Jacques (4/53). Wickets then began to fall regularly as the middle order tried to maintain the impetus generated by Wills. Only Brian Smith with a composed 25 from 28 balls made it into double figures. Moulsdale bowled John Naylor (1) with the last ball of the innings to complete an excellent 5/47 from 15 overs of off spin.
Colin Twiname (3) fell early on to Bob Baldwin (2/43) but Tom Jacques (16) and Paul Yates (13) took the score to 27 before Lee Illingworth (4/63) took three wickets in seven balls. With Baldwin trapping Jacques, lbw Shireshead had slipped to 35/5 after 14 overs. Tim Mansfield and Ray Riley (29) decided to consolidate whilst taking any chance to score. They were able to increase the run rate against the change bowlers and with Mansfield completing a rare fifty from 85 balls the target almost unnoticed had been reduced to 47 from 10 overs. When Riley was finally caught by Wills off Illingworth the pair had added 92 for the sixth wicket in 29 overs. 21 were needed from 15 balls and Mansfield managed to hit a boundary and scramble a leg bye to retain the strike in the gathering gloom. Bob Baldwin bowled three yorkers meaning the target was now 15 from nine balls and looking unlikely until Mansfield drove the fourth ball to the cover boundary to keep the visitors’ hopes alive. Another leg bye meant ten were needed from the final over. With the field pushed back three singles were taken from the first three balls leaving seven needed from three balls with Mike Park (9 not out) facing his second ball which he hit for two. With five needed from two balls the tall all rounder opened his shoulders and smashed Illingworth to long on, the furthest boundary on the field, where despite Bowman’s dive the ball went for six and Shireshead had gained an unlikely victory. Mansfield finished with 70 not out scored from 121 balls which included eight 4s.
The 2nd XI had a fine win over Milnthorpe 2nds — report to follow — CLICK FOR PHOTOS
Morecambe 3rd 78 Shireshead 3rd 80 for 3
Morecambe won the toss and elected to bat on a very sticky track. Openers Luke Driscoll (7) and Luke Walker (1) faced aggressive bowling from David Jack (2/13) and Graham Rand (2/5) which restricted Walker particularly who was out first, leg before, and was immediately followed in the next over by Driscoll, when the score was only nine in the 10th over. Dan Cassidy (1) followed closely on their heels and then Julian Abrahams (20) first with Mike Driscoll (8) and then Will Driscoll (13) put on 48. The score climbed steadily as Abrahams and James Ferguson (17) took their chances until 15-year-old Jack Kilshaw was brought into the attack. He first bowled Abrahams, when the score was 62 and in his following over bowled out the next 2 batsmen. Ferguson was Kilshaw’s 4th victim when the score was 77. Kilshaw’s figures read 4-2-7-4.
In reply, after the dismissal of opener Sam Whitfield for no score, a partnership of 34 for the 2nd wicket between skipper Steven Yates and Oliver Yates (9) put Shireshead firmly in the driving seat. Simon Brayfield then joined the skipper and together they had put on a further 23 when Mike Driscoll ended Yates’ batting spree. He scored 34 off 34 balls which included four fours and two massive sixes. He was sorry to injure Abrahams who took the ball in his face while fielding suicidally close at forward short leg. Brayfield hit four fours in his 23no and Jack (12no) hit a straight six over the bowler’s head to conclude the game.