Lancaster CC's Bank Holiday defeats leave them facing relegation

Last year’s runners-up lost both of their Bank Holiday matches to remain second-bottom of the table, 19 points behind their nearest rivals with only two matches remaining.

They could not have asked for much of a tougher schedule for the holiday weekend, hosting fourth-placed St Annes last Saturday before travelling to third-placed Fulwood and Broughton on Monday.

Saturday’s match against St Annes was lost with the bat after the visitors to Lune Road opted to field first.

Ben Simm (4), Laurie Atkinson (1), Jamie Heywood (2), Maduwartha Promod (1) and Jack Lord (0) were all out as Lancaster slumped to 10-5.

Steven Fisher (8), Eddie Steinson (5), Kieran Moffat (10) and Lee Sparks (1) then fell to leave the score 43-9.

The last wicket pair added 23 before Liam Moffat (6) was out, leaving Lee Phillips 20 not out and Lancaster skittled for 66.

St Annes’ opening bowlers operated unchanged, Mitch Bolus taking 6-40 and Lukman Vahaluwala 4-20.

In reply, Promod dismissed Tom Higson (21) but Yohan De Silva (28 not out) and Vahaluwala (13 not out) took St Annes to 69-1 inside 13 overs.

Monday then brought a 59-run defeat at Fulwood and Broughton, where the hosts batted first and compiled 214-9.

That had represented a good effort from Lancaster in the second half of the innings after Fulwood and Broughton had reached 92-1.

Sonal Dinusha played the decisive innings, finishing 85 not out as Simm took 4-70 and Dilshan Lahiru 4-50.

In reply, Lancaster were all out for 155 with 32 balls of their innings remaining.

Atkinson (37) and Fisher (45) had put on 71 for the first wicket but, having progressed to 102-2 and then 154-6, Lancaster lost their last four wickets for only one run.

Simm contributed 32 down the order but Dinusha followed up his batting exploits with figures of 4-36, while Khalil Patel finished with 3-33.

It meant Lancaster gained three points for their efforts but leaves them staring at a return to the Moore and Smalley Palace Shield.

Their fate could be sealed on Saturday when they make the trip to Netherfield, who sit fifth in the table (12.30pm).