Cricket review: Double delight for Morecambe as Palace Shield trio also win
Morecambe CC have climbed to fourth in division two of the Northern Premier Cricket League thanks to home wins on Saturday and Sunday.
LAST WEEK: Rain can’t deny Morecambe another victory
They first replaced Preston in fifth spot thanks to a 14-run victory, then climbed again with a 136-run hammering of Carnforth next day.
Morecambe posted 185 before removing visitors Preston for 171 with 7.2 overs remaining.
Alex Briggs led the way with 38 and put on 52 for the fifth wicket with Andrew Creech (20).
However, it was a last-wicket stand of 40 which proved decisive, Lloyd Smith finishing unbeaten on 23 as Talha and Ismail Patel both claimed 4-44.
Preston's final pair also added 40 but it wasn't enough, Suhel Patel their top scorer with 21.
Professional Siddarth Ahhuja had his best Morecambe knock yet on Sunday, his 110 from 78 balls helping the hosts to rack up 292 against Carnforth.
The Indian fired four sixes among 15 boundaries during his second Morecambe century, putting on 131 for the third wicket with Joe Bradshaw (43).
James Park Johnson took 4-79 for Carnforth but the outstanding figures belonged to Morecambe’s Stefan Dixon, who then removed all of the top five for a season’s best 5-39 off 15 overs.
Opener Ryan Nelson was Carnforth’s top scorer with 41 but only one of his teammates reached 20 and they were all out for 156 with almost nine overs remaining.
Carnforth have slipped into the bottom two, while victory lifts Morecambe above Barrow on run-rate ahead of the teams’ meeting in Cumbria this Saturday.
It’s another double-header weekend as Morecambe visit Euxton in the quarter-finals of the 40-Over Cup on Sunday.
Second-placed Torrisholme are just three points behind leaders Heysham in the Palace Shield Championship following their 24-run victory at Mawdesley.
While the leaders went down by seven wickets to Netherfield 2, Torrisholme cut the gap by posting 172-8 before dismissing their hosts for 148 with two balls left.
They are at home to fifth-placed Penrith on Saturday, while Heysham visit a Westgate side fresh from a nine-wicket home win over Burneside.
The visitors soon regretted electing to bat as they were all out for 86, with Martin South (30) one of only two to reach double fixtures. The last five men in could add just one run with the bat as Lee Illingworth took 4-22 from eight overs.
Westgate then wrapped up the win at 88-1 in 15.2 overs as wicketkeeper Lewin Maladay struck 10 boundaries in his 46.
They moved above Lancaster on run rate, despite their neighbours’ seven-wicket win at Eccleston.
Lancaster continued their habit of following a defeat with a victory although the hosts posted a challenging 217-5 as captain Thomas Foster made 102 and shared 77 for the second wicket with Jadeja Edwards (40).
But despite reaching 181-2, Ecc couldn't go on to build a winning total and were overtaken by Lancaster with more than nine overs to spare.
Opener Suprith Yadav made 113, with 15 fours, and put on 112 for the second wicket with Jack Lord (35) before Ahmad Zarmalwal's unbeaten 52 steered Lancaster to 218-3. They host bottom club Garstang 2 on Saturday.