Lancaster outclassed as Netherfield lift the cup

Ben Barrow’s 90 helped the hosts on their way to a mammoth 236 before Lancaster crumbled in a fruitless chase.

The visitors weren’t at the races from the off as mis-fields and loose balls dominated the early exchanges.

Bradley Earl and Barrow scored regular boundaries in the power play overs and Ben Simm made an enforced change, bringing himself and sub pro Gareth Breese into the attack.

The off spinning pair stemmed the flow of runs and the pressure told when Earl was run out by yards after a mix up.

Simm, Breese and Kieran Moffat kept a lid on the run rate but couldn’t find a vital breakthrough as Barrow and Tom Williamson built a solid base.

Lancaster missed a fifth bowler and couldn’t build pressure from one end.

Barrow passed 50 with ease before the occasional leg spin of Alex Metcalfe saw Williamson top edge to deep mid wicket for 17.

The departure did not help stem the run rate as Netherfield passed 150 with ten overs remaining.

Former Durham man Breese, a professional at Lune Road in 2000 and 2001, was faultless with the ball and Kieran Moffat’s medium pace earned a wicket when Barrow finally departed, caught and bowled.

But a perfect platform gave Tom Bruce licence to launch – planting four sixes over the ropes in his 35 ball 58. John Huck’s cameo 30 took Netherfield beyond 230 before a clatter of consolation wickets gave wickets to Simm and Liam Moffat.

Facing six an over from the start, Lee Sparks launched a brace of boundaries before holing out at 30 for 1.

West Indian Breese and Jamie Heywood looked tidy but the run rate kept rising.

Heywood fell, caught behind by veteran Marc Hadwin for 21 before Simm promoted himself to four and got going with a sumptuous cover drive.

However, Hadwin proved the difference once again as Simm was stumped overbalancing for six.

Breese stood firm as the anchor but with run rate at eight an over, Lancaster folded.

Metcalfe, Kieran Moffat and Faizan Khan fell cheaply before Williamson struck the killer blow when Breese was caught reverse sweeping for a well-made 42.

Brendan Hetherington came and went for two as the procession continued.

Lee Marshall entertained the travelling fans with a maximum over mid wicket but it was only delaying the inevitable.

Liam Moffat followed his teammates holing out before Williamson trapped Callum East to end proceedings.