Second lowest total in league history on day to forget

Home skipper Sajid Patel opted to bat first at West Cliff and came out of the blocks firing with Irshad Desai.

Liam Moffat bore the brunt of the opener’s aggressive approach but found a way through Desai’s defences at 40 for 1.

Iain Perrieman removed the dangerous Lukman Vahaluwala for just nine before sub professional Nazar Hussain (37) was trapped by Ben Simm after Patel’s flashy 33 was cut short by a sharp caught and bowled by his 
opposite number.

Moffat, Perrieman and Simm continued to make progress but cameos from Yasins Patel (22) and Boda (13) pushed the hosts beyond 150.

The target of 156 was similar to the day before at Darwen but a perfect storm struck the Lancaster batting order.

A number of changes, a lack of confidence and poor shots gave paid man Hussain the perfect opportunity.

Medium pacer Andrew Starkie removed Jamie Heywood early on before Hussain got to work.

The left armer tore through the visitors’ line up like a knife through butter as Lancaster’s trainwreck innings was left resembling a premium rate phone number.
Hussain finished with the stupendous figures of six wickets for five runs with Starkie claiming 4-10.

Sam Moorby top scored with seven, there were four ducks and eight runs were shared between five batsmen on one of the more forgettable days in Lancaster’s recent history.

*A commendable performance with the ball wasn’t backed up with the bat by Lancaster as they lost by 46 runs at Darwen on Saturday.

Once again sub pro Daryn Smit, previously with Morecambe, proved to be the nemesis of the Lune Road men – batting 30 overs for his unbeaten 76.

Darwen’s David Bowden was trapped lbw for 10 early on before John Cordingley gave Moffat his second, driving on the up straight to Charlie Swarbrick at short cover.

Ammer Mirza had moved onto 22 with few alarms but a moment of Moffat brilliance left the hosts three down but Smit found support in the shape of Mark Friend (28) as the pair began to pick off loose balls from Abhimanyu Khod.

Friend’s patience ran out when Swarbrick returned to induce a miscue to cover as Swarbrick and Moffat swept up Darwen wickets in their quest for quick runs, finishing with four apiece although the final over yielded 20 runs to Smit to push the hosts to 150.

Lancaster’s reply stuttered when Alex Metcalfe was cleaned up by Chris Wade for six and although Jamie Heywood and Swarbrick gave Lancaster a handy platform at 34 for 1 off just nine overs Heywood’s start was curtailed by a cracking Wade delivery and the right armer put the hosts firmly on top when Swarbrick was yorked for 20.

Pro Khod steadied the ship but Darwen’s spin pairing of Smit and Bowden wreaked havoc.

Ben Simm (14) gave Khod some brief assistance but Simm finally got a Bowden delivery which popped on the muddy surface to send him back to the pavilion as Bowden cleaned up the Lancaster innings leaving Khod high and dry on 44.