Magnificent Maneeshan tears into Morecambe

Sub pro Tony Palladino in action. Picture: Tony North.

Opener Mark Woodhead (29) and Jake Smith (12) were the only batsmen to make double figures for the hosts as Chorley dimissed Morecambe for just 65 after setting them a target of 150.

Home captain, Ryan Pearson, won the toss and elected to field first as Morecambe made a decent start.

Chorley opener Matthew Sedgman (0) became the first victim of Tony Palladino (4-42), Pearson taking the catch, while Edwin Moulton managed to reach double figures before falling LBW to Tommy Clough (2-47) for 16.

Will Moulton was caught and bowled by Palladino after picking up just eight runs, but the star of the Chorley innings was Gayan Maneeshan as he really took the game to Morecambe.

The Chorley man managed seven fours and three sixes in what proved to be a decisive innings, scoring 90 runs off 93 balls before falling to Jamie Cassidy (4-35).

There were few other significant batting performances by the Chorley order – Alexander Howarth (6) was caught by Lewis Smith off Cassidy, Kyle Dixon (5) was caught by Damien Gudgeon off Clough’s bowling, and captain Andrew Holdsworth (6) fell LBW to Palladino.

Palladino struck again to remove Harry Barclay (4), while Cassidy took the wickets of Andy Flear (0) and Chris Harty (5) as the visitors finished on 149 all out from 47.5 overs.

Eddy Read also had a spell with the ball, finishing with figures of 0-22 from his five overs.

Morecambe’s response was very disappointing – Woodhead managed four boundaries in his knock of 29 but when he was run out by Maneeshan the hosts struggled to kick on.

Lewis Smith and Palladino both failed to trouble the scorers, both were bowled by Edwin Moulton (4-19), while skipper Pearson managed just six before being dismissed LBW off James Lee (1-19).

Will Moulton (1-8) bowled Adam Derham (3) before Chris Harty (3-13) found his rhythm as he took the wickets of Luke Pearson (5), who was caught by Matthew Sedgman, and he bowled Tommy Clough and Eddy Read with neither batsmen scoring a single run.

Jake Smith did at least reach double figures, scoring 12 off 44 balls, but he too soon went, Edwin Moulton claiming the wicket as Sedgman took the catch.

Cassidy managed three runs but Edwin Moulton finished things off to earn his side a valuable 15 points when he bowled the Morecambe man.