Weekend cricket round-up

With two games of the season left, leaders Garstang remain in pole position to lift their first ever league title.

They are nine points ahead of defending champions Fulwood and Broughton, while third-placed Vernon Carus are 14 points further back.

Garstang set themselves up for a comfortable 68-run win over Croston by posting a huge score of 233-4.

Mark Walling was dismissed in the final over for 91 and his brother hit 66. Croston were all out for 165.

F&B were comprehensive winners over Thornton 
Cleveleys at Illawalla.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, the visitors racked up 195-5 off their allotted 45 overs, with Charlie Rossiter striking a superb 73.

In reply, Jon Fenton (5-4) and Richard Turner (3-19) tore through Thornton’s top order.

Only a ninth-wicket stand between Cameron Chisholm (30) and Greg Tirrell (13) saved them from complete humiliation. They were eventually dismissed for 66 off 25 overs.

Vernon Carus still have an outside chance of winning the title and they were in fine form at already-relegated 
Freckleton.

The hosts fought hard after being asked to bat and posted a score of 140 all out. Edward Fiddler top scored with 31, while Joe Allen took 4-42.

Vernons breezed to victory for the loss of four wickets off 25.1 overs. Adam Parker struck a quick-fire 77 off 65 balls – his knock included 14 boundaries and one six.

Longridge finally got back to winning ways after a five-match winless run, which ruined their hopes of lifting the title.

They were comfortable winners over Croston at Westhead Road.
Stephen Langton (33) and Ian Dickinson (30) were the major contributors of the home side’s score of 121 all out. Jonathan Millward took 4-32.

Luke Platt then hit a half-century and Tom Howarth scored 30 as Longridge raced to victory inside 19 overs.

Elsewhere, Penwortham were too strong for Torrisholme at Boundary Meadow. Alex Ryding struck 43 and Sam Ryding hit 46 as the visitors closed on 154-8.

In reply, Thomas Wilson hit 6-30 as the hosts were all out for 84.

A knock of 84 from Adam Green helped Great 
Eccleston get the better 
of Eccleston, who had been dismissed for 143 all out.

Preston’s seven-wicket win over Penrith ensured their Northern League status.

The 15 points gained from the victory saw off any threat of the West Cliff side finishing in the bottom two.

This year there is the scope for movement between the Northern League and Moore and Smalley Palace Shield but Preston will stay as they are.

After winning the toss, they invited Penrith to bat first and proceeded to bowl them out for 96.

Sabbir Patel took 3-22, with Andrew Starkie and Jitenadra Kumar collecting two wickets apiece.

Preston chased down their target inside 25 overs, posting 98-3.

Lukman Vahaluwala hit an unbeaten 35 off 34 deliveries, a six and four fours coming off his bat.

Chorley and Lancaster fought out a draw at Windsor Park, with the visitors having the better of the contest.

They came away with 10 points, Chorley taking five.

Lancaster batted first and put 191-9 on the board.

Opener Laurie Atkinson hit six fours in a knock of 47, Jamie Heywood adding 35 and Brendan Hetherington 22.

Keiran McCullagh claimed 3-23 for Chorley, James Lee, Ian Oakes and Will Moulton all taking two wickets.

Alexander Howarth struck 46 in Chorley’s reply of 158-8.

Howarth’s time at the crease featured six fours and a six, before he was caught and bowled by Lancaster pro Kasun Madusanka.

He was one of five victims for Madusanka who finished with 5-28 from 15 overs.

Leyland beat Fleetwood by 35 runs at Fox Lane to keep alive their hopes of finishing runners-up.

Batting first, the hosts were 130-7, Kurtis Watson hitting an unbeaten 43.

In reply, Fleetwood were bowled out for 95.

They lost their top five batsmen cheaply, with it only in the middle order that runs started to be scored.

Joe Bell struck 32, that knock including four fours.

Andrew Makinson took 3-23, Karl Cross 3-16, while Ross Bretherton collected two wickets.

Morecambe squeezed to an eight-run victory against Kendal at Shap Road.

They were 105-9 in the first innings, Luke Pearson hitting 22.

In reply, Kendal were 97 all out, sub-pro Tony Palladino taking 4-28 while Edward Read and Tommy Clough took two wickets apiece.

St Annes hold the cards in the race for second, beating Blackpool by seven wickets at Stanley Park.

They restricted Blackpool to 134-7 before chasing down their target inside 30 overs, posting 135-3.

Richard Staines struck an unbeaten 64 and Ashen Silva 32 not out.

Champions Netherfield beat Barrow by eight wickets at Parkside Road, John Huck hitting a superb 108 not out.