Morecambe CC's third win from three with victory over Lancaster CC

Victory made it three wins from three in the group stages of the one-off competition replacing the Northern League and Palace Shield this season.

In contrast, Lancaster are at the foot of the Group D table after defeats in all of their matches so far.

Having won the toss and opted to bat first at Woodhill Lane, Lancaster posted 155-6 from their 40 overs.

Openers Faizan Khan and Steven Fisher began well, putting on 47 for the first wicket.

That ended when Tommy Clough had Khan (15) caught by Jamie Heywood, triggering a period that saw Lancaster lose three wickets for a dozen runs.

Fisher (23) was next to go, caught and bowled by Charlie Swarbrick, followed by Laurie Atkinson (0), who was caught by Jamie Cassidy to give Clough his second wicket.

That left Lancaster 59-3 but the fourth-wicket pair of Craig Heywood and Lewis McGinley steadied the ship with a stand of 54.

It ended when Heywood was run out for 24, followed immediately by Surath Bastola who was out first ball to Liam Moffat.

McGinley was joined by Irfan Qayyum and the two batted through the remainder of the innings, adding 42 for the sixth wicket.

Their partnership was ended from the final ball of the Lancaster innings when Swarbrick bowled McGinley for an innings-high 33, leaving Qayyum 20 not out.

That saw Swarbrick end with figures of 2-30 with Clough (2-9) and Liam Moffat (1-34) the other wicket takers.

Morecambe’s reply saw them lose two cheap wickets in being reduced to 37-2.

First to go was Gareth Pedder (6), LBW to Qayyum, followed by Jamie Heywood (17) who was bowled by Uzair Shah.

Swarbrick and Ryan Pearson then teamed up for the third wicket, adding 47 in brisk time.

Swarbrick top-scored with 33 from 46 deliveries, including five boundaries, before he was LBW to Ben Simm.

The same bowler also accounted for Pearson (25), caught and bowled, to leave Morecambe 99-4.

That was as good as it got for Lancaster, however, as Alex Briggs and Kieran Moffat took Morecambe to victory with an unbroken stand of 57 for the fifth wicket.

Both men hit three fours and a six in their respective knocks, Briggs ending 30 not out and Kieran Moffat 25 not out as Morecambe claimed victory on 156-4 with six-and-a-half overs remaining.

Simm led the Lancaster bowling with figures of 2-52 while Qayyum took 1-27 and Shah 1-32.

Lancaster have an immediate chance for revenge when the return fixture takes place at Lune Road this Saturday (1pm).