Morecambe CC follow up league defeat with cup victory

Alex Briggs’ players surrendered second spot in the Moore and Smalley Palace Shield top flight following a two-wicket loss at Euxton on Saturday.

Twenty-four hours later, however, they beat the same team in progressing to the Meyler Cup final four.

Saturday had seen Morecambe travel to Balshaw Park, where they chose to bat first and reached 164-9 from a reduced 42 overs.

They had started well, losing only Gareth Pedder (4) on their way to 73-1.

That was when Lewis Smith (52) fell but the key passage of play came 16 runs later with Morecambe 89-2.

Luke Pearson (17) was out to Jack Shovelton, who picked up the next four wickets as Morecambe slipped to 117-6.

Briggs (6) was next to go, followed by Shane Burton (6) and Andrew Creech (6) to leave Euxton in pole position.

Having already taken the wicket of Lewis Smith, Ulrich Van Duyker then saw off Irfan Qayyum (15) and Ashton Ward (10) to leave the score 132-8.

Stefan Dixon (20 not out) and Lloyd Smith (16) added 32 for the ninth wicket before the latter’s run out ended proceedings.

Shovelton took 4-38 and Van Duyker 3-27 for an Euxton team who reached their amended target of 167 with one ball left, posting 169-8.

Daniel Barber (21) was out to Dixon but Euxton had progressed to 97-1 before they lost a clutch of wickets.

Mark Winrow (57) fell to Burton, who also accounted for Andrew Winrow (18).

Dixon also dismissed Chris Pearson (5), Ben Houghton (7) and Van Duyker (18), while the run out of Shovelton (0) left the score 144-7.

Qayyum saw off Louis Sweeney (13) but Danny Curtis (eight not out) and Joseph Bowden (four not out) saw Euxton home despite Dixon’s 4-62.

Revenge, however, came quickly with Sunday’s cup tie at Woodhill Lane, where Morecambe won by 30 runs.

Asked to bat first, they were all out for 155 as Lewis Smith hit 50 and Van Duyker claimed 4-12.

This time around, Euxton could only make 125 as Dixon took 3-28 to set up Morecambe’s victory.

They return to Palace Shield action on Saturday when second-bottom Barrow visit Woodhill Lane (1pm).