MORECAMBE came out on top against their Cumbrian rivals Kendal on Saturday, but only just, running out winners by one wicket.

They were grateful to an excellent performance with the ball by Graham Lee as well as a good all round batting effort by all involved particularly Mashimbyi who fell just short of a deserved 50 to leave Edge and Gates to scramble home the winning runs.

Lee claimed his second first team five wicket haul with (5-55) and was well backed up by Mashimbyi (3-64) and the ever luckless but tidy Gates (1-35).

Morecambe's reply began solidly as Ullah and Woodhead progressed the score to 36 before Woodhead (22) was clean bowled by McMillan. Ullah (19) and Boucher (23), like Woodhead, both got a start but they also couldn't go on to make a real telling contribution as wickets fell regularly to leave them 79-5 off 21 overs.

It was Mashimbyi and Captain Clough that provided the match winning partnership, putting on 63 for the sixth wicket. Clough was solid in defence but played a couple of exceptional cover drives proving a fine ally for Mashimbyi who looked to hit the boundaries whenever the opportunity arose.

He hit Ben Simm out of the attack in just two overs with two massive sixes that really gave Morecambe the advantage.

Credit to Kendal though as their bowlers never gave up, Parkin and Howarth toiled away as Clough and Thistlethwaite fell in quick succession to bring the home side back in the game.

A fine innings by Mashimbyi was then brought to an abrupt end with what seemed to be harshly adjudged LBW two short of his 50.

This left Morecambe on 155-8 with Lee and Edge at the crease, they got the requirement down to four runs with some sensible striking and running, but Lee edged the returning McMillan behind to bring last man Gates to the middle.

He admirably survived the five balls left in the over and it was left to the nerveless Edge to deposit Parking over extra cover to claim a famous and well deserved win for a team playing with a new found determination under new skipper Clough.

Leyland 204-6
Morecambe 205-9

Morecambe began their defence of the Furness Building Society Cup with their second nail-biting finish of the weekend, this time at Leyland.

They were indebted to professional Mandla Mashimbyi and their last wicket pair of Gert Maartens and Jono Gates as they earned their second one-wicket win in two days.

Morecambe were up against it after a fine display of batting by England Under 17 player Henry Thompson, who hit a superb half century to help Leyland post a challenging 204 for 6.

And they looked well out of contention at 78-6 after Woodhead and Ullah had given them a good start, putting on 35 for the first wicket.

But Mashimbyi and Alex Thistlethwaite had other ideas, putting on exactly 100 for the seventh wicket. Thistlethwaite expertly
supported the South African professional who thrashed 79 off 68 balls including five fours and three massive
sixes.
The pair then fell in the same over leaving the equation of 27 needed with 5 overs left. Graham Lee hit 10 before being run out, leaving Jono Gates and Gert Maartens to score ten off the last over bowled by Reece.

Gates started the over with a two and hit a straight six off the third ball of the over to silence the vociferous Leyland players and spectators, after scrambling a single the next ball it was left to Maartens to hit the winning runs with one ball to spare in a dramatic finale.

The pair ran off to be greeted by ecstatic team mates and a deserving captain, Tom Clough who certainly seems to have turned round the teams' fortunes.